4. What is the authority structure?
Who is able to stop evil from hitting the earth?
Certainly, God created and owns the earth. That makes Him the Boss on the earth. So the earthly authority structure is whatever God says it is.
Is that why God could stop any evil from hitting the earth?
Yet, if God could intervene to stop even one evil from hitting the earth,
we then wonder,"Why just one? Why does God not stop all evil from hitting the earth? or at least the evil that hits my life?"
The reality is that if God could stop any evil, the Problem of Evil is not Solved for us …
the answer would still be hidden in His wise, infinite purposes.
Although this 'answer' has believed by His people … is it correct? Is the answer hidden in our wise God?
Or did God establish a different authority structure on the earth?" Unless God did that, all direct control over the earth would be His.
Most of His people believe that … but God spoke, and did God establish a different authority structure in Genesis 1:26-28.
In that passage, God speaks His plan after He creates the earth and all life … except humanity.
God tells us in verse 26, why He planned and created humanity in His image.
ON Creation Day 6, God gave humanity authority over all the earth.
By this act of delegation, God is not in charge on the earth; God has no direct authority over the earth … it is a shame because that is NOT what God said.
In verse 26, God planned humanity for earthly authority.
In verse 27, God created the human, male and female, to be able to fulfill that plan … and more.
In verse 28, God blessed the human He had just created, and commanded them to exercise with that planned authority.
Since God's delegation of authority, humanity has chosen badly and sinned. In doing so, we have made a mess of the earth.
Humanity is entirely responsible for the poor condition of the earth.
… and God let that happen; He did not stop humanity from making a mess of the earth that He created.
We read the Bible and live on the earth, knowing that God delegated. God did not maintain direct control.
The Sovereign God delegated this one time, and never delegated again.
God is the Boss … He could have remained in charge of the earth of His creation
or He could have delegated again, for any reason He wanted.
Instead, after delegating, God in His Word confirmed that His delegation to humanity remains in effect.
Three confirmations are:
In Psalm 8, after He gave the law to Israel and before the coming of Jesus;
In Hebrews 2:5-9 after the ascension of Jesus; and
In I Corinthians 15:24-28 at the end of time.
There are others.