This article is the first of two that shall examine the subject of establishing Bible Authority. A study of both the first and second covenants will yield a greater understanding of how authority works. There are members of the body of Christ who continue to be confused about various questions such as whether or not there should be Bible classes or have a water fountain in the church building. Others seem destined to be confused over the marriage, divorce, and remarriage issue. Some have no idea how to answer the question of whether missing a Wednesday service is sinful or not. The two covenants, who is a false teacher, and more recently the A. D. 70 Doctrine are other issues. While confusion runs rampant our Bible tell us that God is not the author of confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33). The objective of this study will not be to answer all your Bible questions and solve all the “brotherhood issues.” The objective is rather to remind us all of the initial direction we must take when seeking out answers to Bible questions.
As one studies both the first and second covenant laws an interesting fact comes to the surface. Though the laws change God’s founding principles revolving around authority remain the same from Genesis to Revelation. No matter what my approach or attitude is toward those founding principles they remain. The Apostle Paul wrote, “Howbeit the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, the Lord knows them that are his: and, let every one that names the name of the Lord depart from unrighteousness” (2 Timothy 2:19).
To properly understand how to establish Bible authority for all that we practice and teach we must lay some groundwork beginning with the Old Testament. First, the solid rock of our faith, Jehovah, does not change. God’s expectation of man does not change either. Man is to be perfectly aligned with Jehovah’s standard. Those not in line with that divinely revealed standard are in sin. Man has been given a divine responsibility to reverentially fear and obey the words of God. My attitude and approach to the Lord’s commands must be “Not my will but thine.” Those who reject God’s divine standard, for whatever reason, will face the fierce anger, wrath, and indignation of the Lord. Those who align themselves perfectly with God’s divine standard will be saved. Once these founding principles are laid we are ready to establish Bible authority. Please remember that this first article is dealing with establishing authority in the Old Testament!
Jehovah God
The word authority is defined as, “The power to command, enforce laws, exact obedience, determine, or judge” (AHD 142). One may foolishly asks, “What gives God the right to exercise supreme authority over me?” Jehovah God occupies the supreme position within all that man knows and does not know. Inspired writers proclaimed Him to be the creator and potentate ruler over all creation (Joshua 3:11-13; Jeremiah 10:12; Nahum 1:1-6). There is absolutely nothing that is not subject to His divine will (Genesis 18:20; Exodus 5:1-2; Joshua 3:11-13; Jeremiah 32:27; Ezekiel 18:4). There is no other divine creator that mankind is to give answer to (Isaiah 43:11; 45:18). God created man and the universe by His divinely spoken word (Psalms 33:6-9). The entire physical universe is subject to His divine will (Joshua 10:12-13; Psalms 24:1-2; 90:1-2). The Bible tells us how that even the plants (Haggai 2:18-19) and animals (Jonah 2:10) obey His divine will. Jehovah’s name is the seal of highest authority that demands man’s absolute obedience (Leviticus 18:30; 19:4, 10-12, 14, 16, 18; Deuteronomy 28:58-59). All flesh must thereby be silent before the Great Jehovah God and listen to His divine will (Deuteronomy 27:9; Isaiah 41:1; Habakkuk 2:18-20; Zephaniah 1:7; Zechariah 2:13).
Jehovah’s Standard of Truth (Divine Revelation)
When all flesh is silent they are ready to receive divine guidance for their lives that they may be just, holy, and absolutely perfect as God (Leviticus 11:44 / 2 Peter 1:4; Psalms 82:6 / John 10:34; Amos 5:24; Micah 6:8). God speaks absolute truth that is not subject to change (Psalms 111:9; Zechariah 1:5-6; Malachi 3:6). God’s standard is identified as a pattern (Exodus 25:9, 40), a scale (Daniel 5:27), landmark (Hosea 5:10), and plumb-line (Amos 7:7-9). Jehovah’s standard gives man an exact spiritual direction to follow (Jeremiah 6:16-17; 10:23). Isaiah records, “I will make justice the line, and righteousness the plummet; and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding-place” (Isaiah 28:16-17). Those who do not follow the exact pattern, landmark, or plumb-line are weighed in God’s balance and found to be in sin (or transgression) (Genesis 18:20-22; Leviticus 5:17; 16:16, 30; 18:30; 22:9, 21; Joshua 7:10-13; etc.).
Created Man
Jehovah God created man in His own image (Genesis 1:26). Man is created “upright” (Ecclesiastes 7:29), with an understanding that eternity exists (Ecclesiastes 3:11), to naturally be receptive to truth (Ezekiel 12:1-2), and to pick ourselves up when we fail to do as the Lord commands (Jeremiah 8:4-7). Man’s created or natural place in this universe is to be in subjection and perfect obedience to Jehovah’s divine will (2 Peter 1:4; Genesis 6:8; 17:1; Exodus 19:4-8; Leviticus 11:44; Deuteronomy 18:13; 27:26; Judges 2:1-5; 1 Samuel 6:19-20; Micah 6:11; Habakkuk 1:4; Zechariah 3:6-7; 6:15; Malachi 3:8-10; Galatians 3:10). Man’s objective is to obtain unto a divine nature as God (Leviticus 11:44). We are, thereby, representatives of His divine image on this earth (2 Samuel 12:14).
Man’s Divinely Appointed Responsibility
Man is to know his divinely created place in this universe. Man’s highest priority in this life is meeting Jehovah’s authorized standard (Exodus 10:3; Leviticus 11:44; Job 4:12-21; 38:1ff; Proverbs 2:1-9; 3:13-18; 4:7; 8:7-9; Psalms 9:20; 119:72; Jeremiah 6:16-20). To sin against Jehovah’s divine will is to transgress against one’s own nature (Ezekiel 14:12-13). Man; however, was never designed by Jehovah to create spiritual laws to follow (Jeremiah 10:23). Those individuals who do not follow the natural God appointed life of perfect obedience are deemed rebellious, polluted (Zechariah 3:1), and hard hearted (Exodus 5:1-2). Such individuals forsake all God’s mercy (Jonah 2:8).
Man has absolutely no right to create even one law in relationship to his spiritual direction (see Leviticus 10:1ff). Jehovah is clear regarding His divine will for man. He has set the standard for man to meet. No other way of life will be acceptable to Jehovah (Hosea 5:11; 11:6). No other person (even a king or a nation), no amount of riches, no personal conscience, no amount of personal conviction, confidence, opinions, reasoning, ignorance, or deluded belief can change or create spiritual laws (Hosea 4:12; 5:13; 7:11; 10:3, 13; 11:2; 12:8; 13:10 etc.). Man ought to be terrified to say, “Its my opinion that the church should do this that or the other…” “I personally believe that the qualification of elders is this that or the other…” When matters of our faith are involve man has one directive, “Thus saith Jehovah.”
When man speaks he has the responsibility to speak truth alone (Zechariah 8:16). Those who dare to speak words contrary to Jehovah’s standard seek to change God himself. History reveals such daring men identified as false prophets (Ezekiel 13:1-8). Such work is not tolerated by Jehovah God and is not to be tolerated by man (see Balaam – Numbers 22 compared to 2 Peter 2:15; Jude 11; Revelation 2:14; Deuteronomy 13 all; 20:16-18).
Man’s Divinely Appointed Attitude
Again, if man is to obtain unto God’s divine nature he must share God’s attitude toward His divine standard. Jehovah’s view of sin is clearly documented. God hates sin (Zechariah 8:17). Often the word “abomination” is used regarding God’s passionate hatred for sin (see Proverbs 15:26 etc.). God’s people are to have the same view of sin. Man is to “utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it” (Deuteronomy 7:26; see also Leviticus 20:23; Joshua 7:24-26; Psalms 119:104; Proverbs 8:13; Jeremiah 15:16-18; Ezekiel 36:31; Amos 5:15). Our natural response to sin is to be shame and embarrassment (Ezra 9:5ff; Jeremiah 3:25; Hosea 9:10; Zephaniah 2:1). Sin is to be viewed as a “horrible” thing (Hosea 6:10) and thereby it should bother me if I have participated in it (Ecclesiastes 7:4, 19-20). Seeing that man is created in the image of God, knowing God’s view of sin, and knowing what God expects of me I ought to have a since of righteous indignation against sin (Exodus 32:20; Numbers 25:6ff; Joshua 7:24-26; 1 Samuel 15:10-11; Jeremiah 15:16-18) rather than indifference (Zephaniah 1:12-13). Man’s attitude toward those things that violate Jehovah’s authorized word should be that of humble sorrow (Numbers 21:1-9; Psalms 51:1-17; Isaiah 57:15; 66:1-2; Joel 2:12-14).
Man’s Divinely Appointed Approach to serving God
All mankind must understand that it is God alone that sets the standard and has the sole power to save man from the consequences of sin (Hosea 13:10; 14:3). My approach to Jehovah God, as creator of all things, is nothing less that great respect, awe, reverence, and fear (Psalms 119:161; Proverbs 1:7; 2:1-5; Ecclesiastes 12:13). The prophet Ezekiel summarizes man’s approach to God by the word “just” (Ezekiel 18:5-9). Each man is to purpose within their hearts to know and do all that God commands (Ezra 7:10). The greatest mistake man can make is to look to self for divine authority in spiritual matters (Proverbs 16:2, 25; 23:4; 24:21 etc.).
Consequences for Disobedience
There are terrible consequences to the person who does not follow God’s laws exactly as He delivered them (Judges 2:1-5). Sometimes man partially obeys God yet this divided service is due awful punishment too (1 Samuel 15:3, 13; 1 Kings 18:21; 2 Kings 17:33, 39-40). Those who simply reject God’s standard and make up their own way of life will not go unpunished (Judges 21:25; 2 Samuel 6:6ff; 1 Kings 12:25-33; 2 Kings 5:11). The Lord God Almighty is not only a loving and merciful God but a God of great wrath, fierce anger, and indignation against those who trample His divine standard under foot (Isaiah 11:4; 66:24; Lamentations 2:20-22; 4:13; Ezekiel 7:1-8; 18:4; Joel 2:1-2; Amos 4:12-13; Micah 5:10-14; 6:13-16; Zephaniah 1:8). The Lord will “return” all that man has done against His authorized standard back upon their own heads (Hosea 12:14; Obadiah 1:15; Micah 3:4; Zechariah 7:13-14). There will be no amount of silver or gold to appease Jehovah’s wrath in this great day (Zephaniah 1:18).
Establishing Bible Authority for all that we Practice and Teach
Now that we have the unchanging foundation of God’s divinely authorized standards laid it is time to examine how authority is established. Whatever my spiritual question I must take into consideration who God is, who I am as God’s created being, and what my responsibilities, attitude, and approach to serving God is to be. Once I establish these founding principles I will look for nothing more or less than God’s divine will. The Lord’s standard of justice and righteousness is delivered in seven components throughout the Old Testament. Those who desired to be just and righteous were to recognize these and act in obedience.
- First, we find Jehovah delivering direct commands to the people (see Exodus 20:1ff; Ezra 1:1-2; 6:14; Nehemiah 12:27; Jonah 1:2; 3:1-2).
- Secondly we find divinely revealed examplesin the Old Testament. There were examples of people that ought to be emulated as Able (Genesis 4:1ff / Hebrews 11:4), Jacob (see Hosea 12:3-6, 12), and many others as listed at Hebrews 11. There are also those we would take note of as having made grave errors such as Adam (Hosea 6:7 / Romans 5:12), the people of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18-19 / 2 Peter 2:6; Jude 7), Balaam (Numbers 22 and 25 / 2 Peter 2:15-16; Jude 11; Revelation 2:14), Korah (Numbers 16 / Jude 11), and so forth.
- Thirdly, we find authority in inference within the Old Testament. Inference is defined as “to draw a conclusion by evidence, facts, or premises” (AHD 659). One valuable inference used in the Old Testament is found at Genesis 4:1ff. Cain forever goes down in history as being of the “evil one” (1 John 3:12) because he despised the authority of God (Jude 1:11). God set the mark with his law of sacrifice and Cain missed it. Though not stated it is inferred that Cain and Able were given a specific command to make a sacrifice of their first fruits. Able obeyed and Cain disobeyed God’s law of sacrifice (see Heb. 11:4). When Cain brought the “fruit of the ground” God had no respect for it (i.e., Cain’s sacrifice had no value to God). Cain should have respected God’s command and brought the first fruits (see also Nehemiah 10:30-31 for another example of inference).
- Fourthly, we find authority through God’s commands were at times given in a specific manner (see Genesis 2:16; 6:14; Numbers 7:9 / compared to 2 Samuel 6:6ff; 19:2; Deuteronomy 4:2; 12:32; Revelation 22:18). Man was not at liberty to add or subtract even a fraction of what the command said.
- Fifthly, we find God’s authority through commands at times were given in a general fashion. God specifically commanded Noah to build the ark yet left Noah the liberty of choosing the tools to get the job done (Genesis 6). Noah worked at his own pace and completed the ark in the space of 100 years (Genesis 5:32; 7:6,11; 1 Peter 3:20).
- Sixthly, we find authority in God’s silence. God delivers a specific command and all other activities are excluded (that is, God does not have to say, “Thou shalt not do this thing other ways…” He said what he wants) (Leviticus 10:1ff; Deuteronomy 4:2, 12-16; 12:32; 29:29; 2 Samuel 7:1-7).
- Lastly, we find authority in expediency(things that are helpful or useful in achieving God’s will). The fire that Nadab and Abihu put on their censers and brought to the altar of burnt offering was not a helpful or useful thing in achieving God’s will. It was thereby identified as “strange fire” (Leviticus 10:1). Secondly, it was not expedient for David to have the Ark of the Covenant transferred from one place to another on a new cart being pulled by oxen (2 Samuel 6:1-11). Though it may have appeared to be helpful God had already commanded how the ark was to be transferred (Numbers 7:9). It would be expedient for Noah to use various hand-tools and set his work schedule to achieve God’s command to build the ark out of gopher wood (Genesis 6).
Conclusion
This study illustrates the importance of having authority for all that is practiced. Divine authority is delivered through the seven components mentioned above. Those who do not “live by faith” in accordance with the one divine standard will forever experience the wrath of God (see Habakkuk 2:4). God will receive no excuses for disobedience. Those who do not meet His standard perfectly will be due His fierce anger, wrath, and indignation. The Old Testament bares out the fact that both the ignorant (Jeremiah 5:4; Hosea 4:1) and all out rebellious (Genesis 11:4; Exodus 32:1) will be equally measured by the standard of truth. No amount of personal opinion (2 Kings 5:11), personal conscience, sincerity, and honesty (Job 33:1-3; Proverbs 14:12, 16; Ezekiel 5:5-8), and no matter how lovingly, confident, forceful, or firm I speak (Job 36:1-4; Proverbs 14:16) if I do not speak and teach absolute truth as revealed by God’s standard I stand condemned. God is no respecter of persons. No man is above the law of God. Neither Moses (Numbers 20:1-12), David (1 Samuel 21:1-6; Matthew 12:3-6; 2 Samuel 12:10-14), or even Solomon (1 Kings 11:1ff) were excused from meeting Jehovah’s standards perfectly. No matter what man’s approach and attitude his divinely appointed responsibility remains the same. Man is to know his place in this creation. We are created by God and must humbly and fearfully submit to His every standard. Those who do so have ever been promised a beautiful and peaceful eternity (see Proverbs 8:20-21).
