MAN'S GOD GIVEN AUTHORITY

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In Christ, Mark

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

It is not to angels that He has subjected the world to come, about which we are speaking. But there is a place where someone has testified:

“What is mankind that you are mindful of them, a son of man that you care for him?

You made them a little lower than the angels; You crowned them with glory and honor and put everything under their feet.”

In putting everything under them, God left nothing that is not subject to them. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to them.

Hebrews 2:5-8

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

Everything is subordinate to Jesus. The scriptures make this absolutely clear, proclaiming Him as having authority over all things in Heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18). He has no equal or rival in this life or the one yet to come.

And yet, there are lower levels of command that God has also granted to those who are under Jesus. Consider these words from the creation account in the Book of Genesis:

Then God said, “Let us make mankind in Our image, in Our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

So God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them.

God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”

Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.”

And it was so. God saw all that He had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day. Genesis 1:26-31

The Word of God is clear here. He created man and woman in His own image and then placed them in power over all living creatures whether fish or bird or animals that move on the ground. Mankind would rule over all of these, everything that had the breath of life in it.

This amazing assignment amazed the psalmist David as he wrote, words quoted by the author of the letter to the Hebrews in our passage today:

“What is mankind that You are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor. You made them rulers over the works of Your hands; You put everything under their feet: all flocks and herds, and the animals of the wild, the birds in the sky, and the fish in the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas.” Psalm 8:4-8

Despite the imperfect nature of men and women, God was, is, and always will be mindful and caring of them. We know that all people are sinners undeserving of anything good from the God who made them and yet our Lord still “crowned them with glory and honor. He has never taken away the delegation of authority He granted on the sixth day and so what God instituted at creation remains in force today.

And so when men and women hunt animals or fish the seas for food, then do so under the blessing of the God who made all things, the God who granted them the authority to do so.

Further, God has blessed mankind with the gift of companionship from many of the animals He has created. Millions upon millions of people experience the joy of having pets, usually dogs and cats who could not survive well without the care they receive from their owners, a further indication of their subordinate nature in comparison to man, just as God designed.

Friends, there is a clear hierarchy in the scriptures in regard to authority and power, and as we see in today’s message, this even trickles down to sinful mankind. Let us give thanks today and every day to the God who was and is still mindful of us, blessing us in ways that are unearned and undeserved. Although He has delegated some honor and glory to us, He still is the One most worthy of all worship, admiration, and praise.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Feel free to leave a comment and please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it. Send any prayer requests to TheChristianWalkPrayers@gmail.com.