There are two words used for authority in Hebrew, memshalah and sholet. Both are used 14 times.
Another word that can mean authority is Radha. it means to subject, to rule over, or have dominion; to beat down, the trample on or tread down.
26Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that [h]moves on the earth.”
We see here the word “creeping thing” or remes in Hebrew. It means serpent or anything that speedily, a reptile.
So we see have the power or dominion and rule to tread on serpents or reptiles.
Sounds a lot like Psalm 91:13 “Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.”
It also sounds like Luke 10:19
“Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”
So we see from these verses that authority was given to us from the time of creation. It was and is obtained by proximity to God and relationship with God. I say relationship because Adam and Eve walked with God in the Garden. In Psalm 91, the secret place is under the wings of the angels that cover God’s face. It’s the pace closest to the Throne of God where there is Holy Fire and no demon can touch you. It comes from Jesus who restored that power that Saran took from us in Eden and then was cast down during Jesus life.
Authority comes from the seat of God.
Interestingly, Adam and Eve surrendered their authority and ability to trample serpents when they yielded to the treachery of the serpent and ate the fruit.
We see in this instant that when we are disobedient to God, then the enemy is usurping our authority as he did in Eden. We then have left the secret place to follow selfish desires, and we walk out of that place of closeness and Holy Fire, that mighty throne of God, and into submission to satan’s authority for a while (depending on how soon we repent and return to the spirit rather than operating in the flesh).
Does this mean that man has authority over satan? Over angels? Over demons? I believe yes it does. For example, in genesis 1:26 it says we were given dominion over all the fish of the seas and over everything that flies. The word for flies here is owf which means winged things. Theword for heavens is the same word used in Genesis 1:1 for heavens which is ha-shemayim. This means “the heavens.” So Adam
And Eve had authority over everything that flies of has wings in the heavens.
Well, satan was a covering cherub. Ezekiel 28:14 says, “You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for I had ordained you. You were on the holy mountain of God; you walked among the fiery stones.”
We see in Exodus 25:21-22 that God created the ark of the covenant (the testimony) with two cherubim which covered the mercy seat with their wings.
Psalm 80:1
To the chief Musician upon ShoshannimEduth, A Psalm of Asaph. Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth.
Psalm 99:1
The LORD reigneth; let the people tremble: he sitteth between the cherubims; let the earth be moved.
Ezekiel 10:1-2 1And I looked, and there in the firmament[a] that was above the head of the cherubim, there appeared something like a sapphire stone, having the appearance of the likeness of a throne. 2Then He spoke to the man clothed with linen, and said, “Go in among the wheels, under the cherub, fill your hands with coals of fire from among the cherubim, and scatter them over the city.” And he went in as I watched.
Revelation 4:2-7 “Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald. Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads. And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices. Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.
Before the throne there was a sea of glass, like crystal. And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle.
Ezekiel 10:14-15 “Each one had four faces: the first face was the face of a cherub, the second face the face of a man, the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle. And the cherubim were lifted up. These were the living creatures I saw by the River Chebar.”
So we see from these scripture that the cherubim surround the throne of God, they walk in the midst of fire, they cover God with their wings.
We are called to reside under the shadow of God’s wings according to Psalm 91. That is under the wings of the cherubim who cover him. That means we are called to be closer to God than the angels he created to be at the throne gazing upon him for eternity. Satan was one of those covering cherub. He saw us in that place, favored by God, an exact replica of the Elohim, the trinity, and he Got Jealous. He didn’t ever say I will become God… he said I will be like God.
By reading psalm 91, we get an understanding of what authority is supposed to look like if we are abiding in him.
1He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 2I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.”
3Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the [a]fowler And from the perilous pestilence. 4He shall cover you with His feathers, And under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and [b]buckler. 5You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, Nor of the arrow that flies by day, 6Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.
7A thousand may fall at your side, And ten thousand at your right hand; But it shall not come near you. 8Only with your eyes shall you look, And see the reward of the wicked.
9Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge, Even the Most High, your dwelling place, 10No evil shall befall you, Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; 11For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways. 12In their hands they shall [c]bear you up, Lest you [d]dash your foot against a stone. 13You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra, The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.
14“Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will [e]set him on high, because he has known My name. 15He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. 16With [f]long life I will satisfy him, And show him My salvation.”
I love verse 16: the word satisfy I Hebrew is asbeyahu which means To satiate; to fill; to drink their fill (implying not being hungry or thirsty), tomhabe enough, the have plenty, to saturate.
To see is rawaw- it means to see, gaze, reveal, expose, to show, appear, to look upon, be near, perceive, view.
The word for salvation is Yahshua (Jesus).
So we shall be filled with long life and look upon his Jesus… his salvation. This means that we are seated with Jesus and are seeing his full glory, operating under his full authority from the seat of holiness, in the midst of the fiery stones where Jesus is seated.
We are supposed to be closer to God than any of the angels.
What does authority look like in the New Testament? How do we walk out this closeness?
Matthew 28:16-20
Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Mark 16:14-20 “Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen. And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
Christ Ascends to God’s Right Hand
So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen
Both accounts are after Jesus resurrection. He tells the disciples in Matthew 28 to teach us everything Jesus taught them and make us disciples as he made them disciples.
We see here that with the authority Jesus gave the us we must cast out devils, speak in tongues, take up serpents (a sign of authority and power that’s reestablished over satan and the “creeping things), if they drink any deadly thing they won’t be hurt, lay hands on the sick and see them recovered.