Kingdom of God (11) - Pushed Down Spread Around

In the world, authority is accumulated. Those with some try to get more. The “big men” who gain authority use it to control the people under them. Accumulating authority is dangerous, because it allows the person has, the more harm that they can do, if evil takes hold of their lives.

In the Kingdom of God, authority is not accumulated. It is “chopped up,” “pushed down” and “spread around” among ordinary people. This weaken the power of the evil, because he cannot concentrate his power on a few key people. Dispersing religious and political authority is essential for the advance of the Kingdom of God.

Jesus did not keep his authority for himself. At the beginning of his ministry, he shared his authority with the twelve and then the seventy (Luke 9:1; 10:1). The Holy Spirit has the same attitude to authority has Jesus. He does not hold onto authority over us, but sets us free. He never gives orders and he does not demand obedience. No Christian has ever heard the Holy Spirit say, “You have to do what I say”. He tells us God’s will and encourage us to freely do it.

At the end of the Time of Distress, the political and religious organisation that have accumulated authority and power will collapse and flee. The authority they have exercised over people and society will dissipate and disappear. True justice will prevail as God replaces human rulers with voluntary local judges applying his law.

The kingdom comes when power and authority is handed back to the people of God as they voluntarily join together in kingdom communities. When Jesus ascended into heaven, he was given dominion and authoirty over all of creation. An angel explained how he would use.

Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of the kingdoms
under the whole heaven will be handed over to the saints,
the people of the Most High (Dan 7:27a).

This is a stunning promise. Jesus did not keep this authority, but hands it back to his people. Unfortunately, most Christians have not welcome this gift, and have passsed that authority back to the religious and political powers.

When the political and religious powers collapse, this pass the parcel will stop. Jesus will restore authority back to individuals and families where it belongs. Political and religious power will be chopped up, pushed down and spread around among ordinary people. The Spirit and the gospel will transform their man hearts and set them free to live in obidence to Jesus, which is the only valid use of authority.