Ⅱ
There are two great principles in the universe—God's authority and Satan's rebellion; the unique controversy between God and Satan concerns authority and rebellion—Acts 26:18; Col. 1:13:
Ａ
Rebellion is the denial of God's authority and the rejection of God's rule:
１
Satan was originally an archangel created by God, but due to his pride he uplifted himself, violated God's sovereignty, rebelled against God, became God's adversary, and established his own kingdom—Isa. 14:12-14; Ezek. 28:2-19; Matt. 12:26.
２
When man sinned, he rebelled against God, denied God's authority, and rejected God's rule; at Babel men rebelled collectively against God to abolish God's authority from the earth—Gen. 3:1-6; 11:1-9.
Ｂ
Although Satan rebelled against God's authority and although man violates His authority by rebelling against Him, God will not let this rebellion continue; He will establish His kingdom on the earth—Rev. 11:15.
Ｃ
The center of dispute in the universe relates to who has authority—4:2-3:
１
We must contend with Satan by asserting that authority is with God—Acts 17:24, 30.
２
We need to set ourselves to submit to God's authority and uphold God's authority—Matt. 11:25.
Ｄ
The sin of rebellion is more serious than any other kind of sin—1 Sam. 15:23.
Morning Nourishment
Rev. 4:2 …Behold, there was a throne set in heaven, and upon the throne there was One sitting.Matt. 11:25 At that time Jesus answered and said, I extol You, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth…
1 Sam. 15:23 For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and insubordination is like idolatry…
The center of dispute in the whole universe relates to who has the authority. We have to contend with Satan by asserting that authority is with God. We have to set ourselves to submit to God's authority and to uphold God's authority.
Before Paul realized authority, he wanted to eradicate the church from the earth. But after he met the Lord on the way to Damascus, he realized that it was difficult to kick against the goads (God's authority) with his feet (man's energy). He immediately fell down, acknowledged Jesus as Lord, and submitted to the instruction of Ananias in Damascus. Paul met God's authority. At his conversion, Paul was brought not only into a realization of God's salvation, but also into a realization of God's authority. (CWWN, vol. 47,”Authority and Submission,” p. 111)
Today's Reading
Paul was an intelligent and capable man, while Ananias was a very insignificant, small brother. The Bible refers to him only once. If Paul had not met God's authority, how could he possibly have listened to the words of Ananias?…This shows us that anyone who has met authority will deal with the authority alone; he will not deal with the person involved. We should only think of the authority, not of the person, because our submission is not to a person but to God's authority in that person…. If we touch the matter of authority first and then submit to the person, irrespective of who he is, we are on the right path.God has only one goal in the church, which is to manifest His authority in the universe. We can see God's authority from the coordination in the church. God exercises the utmost of His strength to uphold His authority. His authority is stronger than anything else. We who are so self-confident, but who are in reality so blind, have to come face-to-face at least once with God's authority. Only when we are broken can we come into submission….Only when a man meets God's authority will he submit to the deputy authority whom God appoints.
In Numbers 16 there are two rebellions. In verses 1 through 40 we have the rebellion of the leaders, whereas in verses 41 through 50 we have the rebellion of the whole assembly. A spirit of rebellion is contagious…. [The whole assembly] saw with their own eyes fire coming forth from God to consume the two hundred fifty incense burners. Yet they still rebelled. They even accused Moses of killing them. Moses and Aaron could not open the earth; it was God who opened it. Moses could not consume people with fire; it was the fire that proceeded from Jehovah God that judged the people. Some men only see through their own eyes…. Such people are very bold; they are not afraid even when they see judgment, because they do not have the knowledge of authority. This is a very dangerous matter. When the whole assembly attacked Moses and Aaron, the glory of God appeared, proving that authority is from God. God came forth to judge. A plague broke out, and 14,700 died. Moses was quick in his spiritual sensation; he immediately ordered Aaron to take the censer, put fire in it, and place incense on it to make propitiation for the assembly. Aaron stood between the dead and the living, and the plague was stopped.
God can bear His people's ten murmurings in the wilderness. But He cannot bear His authority being offended. God can bear many sins and can even pardon them. Once rebellion appears, however, God cannot tolerate it, for rebellion is according to the principle of death. It is according to the principle of Satan. For this reason, the sin of rebellion is more serious than any other kind of sin. Whenever someone opposes authority, God immediately comes in to judge. How solemn a matter this is! (CWWN, vol. 47,”Authority and Submission,” pp. 111-112, 134-135)
Further Reading: CWWN, vol. 47,”Authority and Submission,” chs. 1-3