In the New Testament, we are told in several examples of the power and authority that has been given to the believer in Jesus Christ by Him and of the Holy Spirit whom Jesus sends into the believers' lives. Jesus made clear that all authority/power (exousia/exesti - power of choice, permission, ability or strength with which one is endued (see endyo below), power of authority and privilege, power of rule or government/legal) has been given to Him in heaven and on earth. (Mt. 28:18). Here are just a few examples of the power accompanied by the authority given to believers by Jesus:
"Behold, I (Jesus) send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued (endyo - clothed with, arrayed in, to invest with clothing, sink into clothing) with power (dynamis - strength, power, ability, power for performing miracles, moral power and excellence of soul) from on high (hypsos/hyper - height, heaven, elevation, exalted, high rank or station/exceedingly abundantly, above, beyond, over)." (Lk. 24:49 also Acts 1:8).
"Then He (Jesus) called His twelve disciples together and gave them power (dynamis - see above) and authority (exousia - see above) over all demons, and to cure diseases. He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick." (Lk. 9:1-2).
"Behold, I (Jesus) give you (seventy disciples) the authority/power (exousia - see above) to trample on serpents (ophis - serpent, especially satan, artful, cunning and malicious) and scorpions (skorpios - concealed, lurking, piercing poisonous sting), and over all the power (dynamis - see above) of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you." (Lk. 10:19).
(Jesus said) "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." (Jn. 20:22-23).
"Assuredly, I (Jesus) say to you, whatever you (the disciples) bind (deo - to tie, fasten with chains, to forbid, declare illicit) on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose (lyo - to loose one who is bound, set free, deprive of authority, declare unlawful, overthrow, do away with) on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them." (Mt. 18:18-20 and also Mt. 16:19).
Whatever power and authority the believers in Christ exercise, it is to reflect and represent the power and authority of Christ and as given by the Holy Spirit. It is not meant to be empowered by our own ideas, emotions, or will, all of which comprises our souls. It is by the Spirit of God.
Even Jesus declared that He only did what He saw His Father in heaven doing (Jn. 5:19), and He only said what He heard His Father in heaven saying (Jn. 12:49-50). He was completely submitted to His Father's will in all things, saying, "...not My will, but Yours be done." (Lk. 22:42, Mt. 26:39).
This is the high standard set in exercising the power and authority given to us by Christ. There is no other acceptable standard.
The above scriptures from the New Testament relating to power and authority have been included here to help our understanding of this week's Sabbath reading portion titled Chukkat, meaning "Ordinance (of)". The Hebrew word chukkat/chukat is found in Num. 19:1-2: "Now the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, 'This is the ordinance (huqqa/hoq/haqaq - statute, ordinance, appointed, limit, prescribed, established or defined/bounds, boundary, decree, appointed/lawgiver, governor, one who decrees, inscribe, engrave, cut into stone or metal tablets, stamp violently on something) of the law which the LORD has commanded..."
We can also see the purpose of the ordinance, or huqqa, by the meanings of the Hebrew letters that form the word: cheth, qoph, heh. The combined meaning found in the letters could be expressed as "Behold, revealed is the division, the separation and protection between what is in the inner chamber from what is outside the tent wall." We know that what is in the inner chamber of the tent/tabernacle is holy and separated from what is outside the curtained and gated outer perimeter of the tent/tabernacle.
There is also to be a protective separation or division between the holy people of God and the profane, or fleshly things of the world. Paul wrote this question: "...For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?...Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord..." (excerpt 2 Cor. 6:14-18, also 1 Thess. 5:4-5, Eph. 5:8-11).
In this week's Chuqqat or "Ordinance" Sabbath portion, the Israelites led by Moses and Aaron, came again into a part of the wilderness without water: "Now there was no water for the congregation; so they gathered together against Moses and Aaron. And the people contended with Moses and Aaron and spoke, saying: 'If only we had died when our brethren died before the LORD! (Referring to Korah's rebellion - see Num. 16:31-35, 47-49.) Why have you brought up the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) assembly of the LORD into this wilderness, that we and our animals should die here? And why have you made us come up out of Egypt to bring us to this evil place?..." (Num. 20:2-5).
This generation of the Israelites had already been told by the LORD that they would not be allowed to enter the Promised Land, but instead, wander in the wilderness for forty years and, with just a few exceptions, die in the wilderness. (see Num. 14:26-38). This was done because of their previous unbelief and disobedience to God. The Israelites had also seen the LORD produce water from a rock before when they were without water. (Ex. 17:5-7). On that occasion, Moses was instructed by the LORD to strike the rock with his rod/staff, and the water would then flow. This time, however, the LORD gave these instructions to Moses: "Take the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) rod (matte - staff, branch, tribe, rod or scepter of a king, support of walking, support of life, soldier's spear, used in chastising); you and your brother Aaron gather the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) congregation together. Speak to the rock before their eyes, and it will yield its water...and give drink to the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) congregation and their animals." (Num. 20:8).
These were the instructions that Moses received from the LORD. However, Moses also spoke words over the (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) congregation that the LORD had not commanded him to speak, saying: "Hear now you rebels! Must we bring water for you out of this rock?" (v. 10). Then, instead of speaking to the rock as instructed this time by God, Moses lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod. (v. 11). Water did flow out of the rock abundantly.
The rod that Moses carried was designated by God at the burning bush to be proof to the Hebrew slaves in Egypt that the LORD had appeared (ra'a - to be visible, to gaze at, to be caused to be seen, to look upon) to Moses. (Ex. 4:1-5). The LORD also told Moses that he was to do signs (ot - signs, miracles, distinguishing mark, token, proof) with the rod in his hand. (Ex. 4:17, see also Mk. 16:17-18: signs follow believers in Christ). It is with this rod that Moses demonstrated the power and authority of God over Pharaoh, his magicians, the whole country of Egypt and their gods, and Moses' own role as the appointed messenger of Almighty God.
At the same time as the rod of Moses was designated by God for signs, God also said to Moses: "Who has made man's mouth?...Have not I, the LORD? Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say." (Ex. 4:11-12). Isn't this what Jesus said also? He spoke only what He heard the Father speak (see above). He also told His disciples that they were not to give thought as to what to say, that the Holy Spirit would give them the words to speak. (Lk. 12:11-12). The phrase "the authority of the believer" to me, therefore, is somewhat of a misnomer. The authority of a believer is the authority of the Father and the Son manifested in an obedient and submitted servant, after the pattern established by Jesus with His heavenly Father. (see Phil. 2:5-13).
There were many occasions when the LORD said to Moses: "Speak to the children of Israel and say to them...", but this event in the wilderness was not one of them.
Philippians 2, referred to in the notation above, continues, bringing this instruction from Paul that should remind us of this event involving Moses and the Israelites in the wilderness: "Do all things without complaining and disputing (dialogismos/dialogizomai - disputing, arguing, the thinking of a man within himself, questioning what is true, doubting, reasoning, opinion/to reason, dispute, reckon up reasons, revolve in one's mind), that you may become blameless (amemptos - free from fault or defect, deserving no censure) and harmless (akeraios - pure, innocent, without a mixture of evil), children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life..." (Phil. 2:14-16, excerpt).
This was the LORD's response to the actions of Moses: "Then the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, 'Because you did not believe Me, to hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them." (Num. 20:12). Moses would not be entering and taking Israel into the land. His brother Aaron would soon die at Mount Hor on the border of Edom, as the LORD said to Moses and Aaron: "...for he (Aaron) shall not enter the land which I have given to the children of Israel, because you rebelled against (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) My word at the water of Meribah (meriba/rib - strife, contention, quarrel/contend, chide, debate, wrangle, rebuke, complain, adversary)." (v. 22-24). Aaron's son, Eleazar would go up on the mountain with Moses and Aaron, Aaron's garments would be removed and put on his son, "and Aaron died there on the top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain." (v. 25-28).
Moses would later say that he pleaded (hanan - implore, have mercy on, be gracious, show pity and favor) the LORD to let him cross over the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) Jordan to see (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) the land, but the LORD refused him. The LORD would let Moses look upon the land from the top of a mountain, but he could not enter. (*Aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) Joshua (yehosua - "Jehovah is salvation", a form of the Hebrew name of Jesus) would lead the children of Israel into the land instead. (Deut. 3:23-28).
Another reading from this Chukkat, "Ordinance" Sabbath portion says: "Oh come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the LORD our Maker. For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand. Today, if you will hear His voice: Do not harden your hearts, as in the day of rebellion (meriba - see above)...For forty years I was grieved with that generation, and said, 'It is a people who go astray in their hearts, and they do not know My ways.' So I swore in My wrath, 'They shall not enter My rest." (Ps. 95, "A Call to Worship and Obedience", v. 6-11, excerpt).
Paul revealed in Romans: "For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God...because the creation itself will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God...even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body." (Rom. 8:19-23, excerpt).
As sons or children of God through Jesus, we have something that is waiting to be manifested in us, and when it is manifested, all creation will also manifest it and be delivered. It is through belief in Jesus that we attain the exousia (see above) power of authority to become sons of God, born by the will of God. (see Jn. 1:12-13). It is by being led by the Spirit of God, and not ourselves, that we receive the Spirit of adoption as children of God and joint heirs with Christ. (see Rom. 8:14-17).
A great deal, especially in these current times, depends upon our correct understanding of the authority of the Father and the Son that has been placed into the hands of the believers. To this end, we need to display more of Him and His ways and thoughts, and less of our own flesh and soul.
If you would like to know and understand more about the authority that the Lord has entrusted into our hands, you can pray with me: "Father in heaven, You have done awesome and great things. You have sent Your beloved Son to guide us back into Your presence and grace. You have entrusted Your Son, Jesus, and those who believe in Him to walk in the authority and inheritance of servant sonship. Father, I want to speak what Your Spirit tells me to speak. I want to do the things that You show me to do. Let Your sons, Your children, be manifested in the creation. Let Your deliverance flow through our words and deeds as directed by Your will, in the same way that You brought millions of Your people out of Egypt and into the Promised Land. I ask this in the name of Your Son, Jesus. AMEN."
*NOTE: aleph-tav written in Hebrew as אֶת, are the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The meaning of the two pictographic Hebrew letters can also be interpreted "Adonai (Lord) of the Cross/Covenant". In the New Testament, these letters are translated as Alpha and Omega written as ΑΩ , the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. These letters are those by which Jesus Christ identifies Himself in the Book of Revelation: see Rev. 1:8, Rev. 21:6, Rev. 22:13.
