Heavenly Powers

and how they might be used in heaven

It seems to me that there are earthly systems of power and heavenly systems of power.

Earthly systems of power have to do with governments, corporate ladders, church leadership, academic institutes, and playground pecking orders. Earthly systems govern people’s behavior, the spending of money, the making of rules, deciding who has to obey who, and who will be perching at the very top of the play structure. These kinds of systems are enforced by people and create hierarchies of who gets to decide what’s best for whom. I think head of the house and parental authority goes in this category too.

Unlike earthly systems of power, heavenly systems of power aren’t about who gets to be top dog, but rather it’s about one person on top trying to bring everyone else up to his glory. It’s not about keeping a pecking order, but about transforming the low down to be high up. It’s about God, Christ, the Holy Spirit, and the angels all trying to bring morally deprived humans up to Christ’s level of power, purity, and wisdom.

This bringing up of the low is made evident when heavenly power manifests as the casting out of demons, healing the sick, speaking in tongues, forgiving enemies, serving others unconditionally, using the truth to convict, praying without ceasing, rejoicing in trials, doing the right thing in the face of unspeakable evil, etc. These signs of heavenly power show up in people of all age, social status, gender, and race.

The beginning of the sermon on the mount seems to point out the differences between heavenly and earthly systems of power quite clearly. It’s not the people who are comfortable, prosperous, or powerful who are blessed, nor is it the people who do good just for looks, but rather it’s the people who are poor in spirit, who mourn for their sins, who are meek and merciful and make peace, etc. Those are the real rulers in God’s kingdom. They are the ones who inherit the earth because they are authorities in heavenly terms.

Heavenly authority isn’t something people can fight over. No one says, “I have the power to love my enemies and you don’t!” No one says, “I have the authority to heal this sick person and you don’t. You’re not allowed to do it.” That would be ridiculous. If someone has heavenly authority, they just use it without lording it over others. They also delight when other people join them in the use of this power.

Earthly authorities say, “No, you can’t also rule. This is my power!” Heavenly authorities say, “Yes! Yes! Come join me in ruling!” And no earthly authority can stop the heavenly ones from ruling.

It’s like what the Pharisee, Gamaliel, said to the religious authorities who were trying to stop the disciples from preaching the good news. “…keep away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them.” (Acts 5:38b-39a ESV)

Yes, plenty of rulers and church leadership and husbands have ruled ruthlessly and claimed that their authority comes from God. But they are not talking about the authority to cast out demons or serve one another or wash one another’s feet. They are talking about their right to rule other’s like a human lord, not a heavenly lord. They are arguing about their right to make the big decisions in the household or decide what is right for their people or designate where the money goes.

I am not saying that earthly authorities are wicked or bad. Our countries, churches, families, and companies need systems of order. But these systems of authority are like the systems I make for my children. They work for a time and then I have to develop new systems to meet the children’s every changing growth. Earthly systems become useless, but God’s project of bringing us up to Christ’s level will one day be complete.

"Our little systems have their day; 
They have their day and cease to be: 
They are but broken lights of thee. 
And thou, O Lord, art more than they."

Prelude to In Memoriam A. H. H. OBIIT MDCCCXXXIII: By Alfred, Lord Tennyson

But won’t there be rulers in Heaven? Doesn’t Paul say that one day we will judge angels? Won’t saints one day rule the earth? And doesn’t that mean we will have power over other people in Heaven? I suppose so, but what exactly does that mean? Here’s an imaginative idea of what I think that might look like.

Let’s say in heaven, George wants to perform a play for the angels. He has a vision for how he wants to re-enact the salvation story in the ocean with sea creatures and geysers and swimmers. George goes and tells others about it, and they catch the vision. They work together to make costumes, train dolphins, and spread the word that the performance will be held on the cliffs overlooking the sea. Jesus himself will come watch. George has the authority and power of directing the play. But he rules and directs this play very differently than people do on earth. There are no time constraints or misunderstandings, those who join add ideas and contribute in a way that makes the production even better. George listens and uses language properly, and the play is magnificent!

Photo by Javier Saint Jean on Unsplash

George ruled. All those who contributed to George’s masterpiece submitted to his authority. But it was a mutual submission sort of thing. George spearheaded the project, but those who participated also had the vision and added meaningful direction and ideas to the play. George didn’t know how to create geysers under the cliffs, but he found an oceanographer and geologist and pyro-technician to pull the thing off. George submitted this aspect of the play to those guys. George didn’t know how to speak dolphin, but a biologist who specialized in whalelore knew.

I realize at this point, you may think I’m talking total nonsense. That’s not the type of ruling we’ll do in heaven. Perhaps not, but consider how much judgement and moral sensitivity George would need to pull off this play. He would need to be wise about disturbing the ocean floor. He would need to be like a sport’s coach to encourage the swimmers to endure and strengthen their bodies. He would need discretion in leading the discussion of costuming. Righteousness would be needed to rule such an undertaking.

Maybe we’ll use our heavenly authority to do even more fantastic feats than this! Travel to deep space. Construct floating building. Reverse waterfalls. Dance in zero gravity. Learn to fight with light sabers. Dialogue with all people of all nations in all languages. And write the best story again and again.