"Make yourself an ark of gopher wood."

When God command Noah to build, God specified what he was to build and what kind of wood Noah was to use. Specifically God commanded that Noah build an ark. Now God did not say. "You shall not build a chariot." But when God specified an ark, that automatically eliminated chariots. God also specified that Noah was to build the ark out of Gopher Wood. If Pine, Oak and Maple are not Gopher Wood, then Noah could not use Pine, Oak and Maple in building the Ark, even though God never specifically mentioned Pine, Oak or Maple.

God did not tell Noah how to obtain the wood. In commanding Noah to build an ark out of Gopher Wood, God generically authorized Noah to obtain the wood using any legitimate means. God did not specify whether Noah should use an axe or a saw, in cutting the wood to its proper size. But the command to build the ark out of Gopher Wood generically authorized Noah to use whatever tools were incidental to the carpentry necessary in building the ark.

Specific authorization authorizes only that which is specified and Generic authorization authorizes that which is incidental to fulfilling the command without going beyond that which was commanded.

There are three ways to establish what God has authorized. Select Authorization in the Menu to examine these points.