Authority’s Origin (2 Samuel 1-4)

David asked him, “Why weren’t you afraid to lift your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?” (2 Samuel 1:14)

Authority always answers to a higher authority.

It’s true.  Just think about it.

I own my house, but the government could confiscate it at any time.  At work you probably have a boss, who has a boss, who has a boss, who has a board of directors.  The board of directors has investors that it answers to.

There’s always a chain with authority, and all authority ends with God because He is One who allows people into places of authority.

One of the remarkable pieces to the story of David’s ascension to the throne of Israel is that he was never found undermining King Saul because he believed that God was the one responsible for putting Saul in authority in the first place.  It didn’t matter that Saul was out of his mind and trying with all his might to kill David.  It didn’t matter that David’s life was at risk.  From David’s perspective, his sovereign Lord was in control of the whole situation.  Knowing this, David actually defended Saul’s authority rather than trying to steal it.

Remember that authority always answers to authority, and that ultimately ends with God.  Be careful not to step outside of the chain of authority because to do so is to sidestep your heavenly Father who is quite in control of every situation.  He places authority for His purposes; our job is to submit to the authorities God has placed over us even when it doesn’t make sense.

God, I am often tempted to sidestep the various authorities that You have allowed into my life.  To do so, however, is to sidestep what You’re doing in and through me.  Help me to submit to my authorities because, in so doing, I am ultimately submitting to You and placing You at the center of my life.