Authority is an important thing. The world cannot function without it; it is order and structure in the universe. But no one, that I know, particularly likes it. So I suppose we (pardon the royal "we") all would prefer a self-inflicted chaos--rebellion.
In those I mostly often observe, I do not see open rebellion but subtle subterfuge. The later is usually more dangerous and harder to spot. For instance, Balaam of Peor in the Numbers 22-24, the sin is but a subtle few words of action missing.
When I was a child, I heard in Sunday school that this man was a horrible man. He had caused the children of God to sin and be greatly punished. However, when I read the story, I couldn't understand why God was angry with him. The first time Balaam approached God with the issue of needing to curse Israel for the king of Moab, God said clearly NO! Balaam obeyed and sent them away. When approached again Balaam seemed to be steady in heart to resist. "Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the command of the Lord my God to do less or more."
So what went wrong? Balaam came to God a second time and God almost seemed to change his mind. "If the men have come to call you, rise, go with them; but only do what I tell you." So what do you expect Balaam got up and went but...the men didn't have to call him.
Balam reveals his heart's desire before God's authoritative test. There was no waiting in the morning to see if the men would broach the subject with Balaam first. Balaam got up and went without a question asked. All he needed was to hear "rise and go with them"; the rest was not important. He began his little rebellion in his heart, setting his ways against the Lord, against authority, and against himself.
God quickly set things in order much to the frustration of Balaam as he beat the donkey that constantly resisted his authorithy veering off the path, into a wall or just sitting down. However, no one will find injustice with a donkey who sought to save the life of his master from the judgement of an Angel standing in the way. How blind can we be when in rebelion to our masters to the obedience of our subordinates?
Though the subertfuge in Balaam's heart was never corrected, God did keep authority in place. He forced Balaam's mouth to speak the blessing of God to Israel, despite three attempts to entertain God's wrath upon them. See authority still stays in even when we attempt to overthrow it; it only changes. God prepared the use of Balaam's rebellion to stay at home to the end of blessing Israel all the more--even to the prophecy of the comming Christ, the eternal King.
As the Psalmist says "Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain....He who sits in heaven laughs. (Ps. 2:1)" Do not become a laughing stock before God by clever attempts to resist Him. "No purpose of [God's] can be thwarted.(Job 42:2)" Instead submit yourselves under the almighty hand of God in ever detail.
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