The prophet's handbook

people to do their part, to shoulder their load, and to follow the plan when they would just as soon not, or would rather do it their way. Furthermore, authority and power are effective in dealing with those who would oppose or endanger a movement or deter other workers from their labors. Incidents of anarchy, rebellion, and resistance are redressed through the use of authority. (See Proverbs 29:19 and 20:30.) Consider, in viewing the essential place of authority, the accounts of Ezra and Nehemiah, who had both received charges from the Lord God of Israel to repair the temple and rebuild the wall of Jerusalem. In order for them to do so, being captives to another nation, they needed the authority to initiate the work, and even to enlist the help of other people. They derived their authority from the decree of Cyrus the king, who had the power to allow or disallow their actions. His authority included enforcement power so they could complete their task in the face of opposition, hostility, or revolt. This authority to legitimize, enforce, and protect the God of Israel’s restoration plan was actually the reason Cyrus was born and attained power in the first place, as said by the prophet Isaiah. The authority Cyrus had was derived from God Almighty. (See 2 Chronicles 36:22– 23, Ezra 1:2–8, and Isaiah 44:18–45:4.) By his divinely appointed position, this king authorized the Jews to begin the work God had commanded Cyrus to see to before he was conceived. If the king were not in agreement, the very attempt by the Jews to rebuild God’s house could have gotten them killed. In this case, it was the other way around. Cyrus’ decree meant that anyone who opposed the work could be killed. Authority is critical because few people, when in groups, can agree or remain in harmony for extended periods of time. Personal pursuits, preferences, and perspectives inevitably surface to divide and confuse them. Fear of being bossed around, taken advantage of, or abused makes them begin to doubt the validity of their associations and leads them to contend with the leaders. It is a known fact that groups of people without a leader cannot come into one mind on issues and maintain that focused agreement for any length of time. Someone will have to keep his eyes pointed toward the goal, set the priorities for success, and keep victory ever before the group. If not, when tedium, longevity, setbacks, and obstacles begin to take their toll, group members will challenge the work and attempt to escape using any means they can. The possibility of this occurring increases greatly when groups have to value and prioritize more than one issue at once, or if they are to decide the most effective way of tackling a mass endeavor. All these reasons are likely to stress a group. The larger its