To Whom Authority Was Committed

Have you ever looked into a courtroom? It's a rather intimidating thing to do - especially when you must open a door that you can't see through. I've done it frequently - a few times when I wasn't supposed to enter because, "Court Is in Session." Once when I did that, I could see the judge, and her eyes told me she wasn't happy to see me! I tried not to do it too often.

I wonder if that's how John the Revelator felt when he peered into the great judgment hall of heaven, when he saw "those to whom the authority to judge was committed." These judges are not identified further in the passage, but we are told enough to gain valuable insight about authority:

Divine Authority. The authority committed to these judges had to come from somewhere. The way of the world is to take authority... exert authority... or even usurp authority. God alone holds ultimate authority and gives it according to his plan. These judges in Revelation, kings and rulers, and church leaders are all mentioned in the Bible as receiving divine authority.

Distributed Authority. There are circumstances that require authority to be divided up and distributed among many. This was the case with the judges in Revelation. Distributed authority helps organizations run smoothly, it prevents the concentration of too much power, and prevents overworking certain leaders. When human authority is not distributed, things quickly grind to a halt.

Derived Authority. Elected officials derive their authority from the electorate. Police officers derive theirs from the law. The Son of God, of course, is at the pinnacle of derived authority: "All authority in heaven and earth has been given to me..." (Matthew 28.18). Have you bowed before the authority of Jesus?