To answer your question, we must go all the way to the beginning and ask the obvious question, “when was authority delegated?” and consequently “was this authority hijacked and lost?”

Man the image bearer

The Hebrew text says that Adam was made in the image of God, this is referring mostly to the fact that he was now a delegated representative of God on earth

“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him” ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭1:27‬ ‭

Being God’s representative on the earth as God’s image bearer, Adam was entrusted dominion over certain realms

“And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have DOMINION over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”” ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭1:28‬ ‭

This dominion was entrusted to Adam and consequently Eve and their descendants. However come Babel humanity rebels

Transfer of dominion

According to the most corroborated reading of Deuteronomy 32:8, in concert with the text in Genesis 11, we understand that humans did not want to be governed by God, and in essence wanted to shake off God’s dominion and rule the earth in their own right, denying God His rightful authority over the earth.

“Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.”” ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭11:4‬ ‭

God seeing this, decided to split humans up, assign them different geographic territories and further assign to each grouping intermediaries that would represent God before men and men before God.

“When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when he divided mankind, he fixed the borders of the peoples according to the number of the sons of God.” ‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭32:8‬ ‭

These sons of God would enact justice on the earth. But with great power came great abuse of power and corruption of power. These sons of God ultimately received worship onto themselves from men in place of the true Recipient.

“God has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods he holds judgment: “How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? Selah Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”” ‭‭Psalm‬ ‭82:1-4‬ ‭

By v6 God enacts judgment against the sons of God and they become the gods of the nations. Man no longer had intermediaries to God of heaven but now the intermediaries became their gods and God said that He would raise up His own nation, which He did through Abraham and bringing back all the nations back to Himself through Abraham and his SEED, Genesis 12 follows Babel’s rebellion.

“Arise, O God, judge the earth; for you shall inherit all the nations!” ‭‭Psalm‬ ‭82:8‬ ‭

These gods were then judged throughout history by God

“For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the Lord.” ‭‭Exodus‬ ‭12:12‬ ‭

Satan consolidates the authority

These gods consolidated their power in the Accuser/satan. Satan tells Jesus that all authority on earth is his and it was given to him. This was done by the gods of the nations. This was now legitimately theirs and now satan’s. Man transferred their dominion/authority by worship/prostrating before the gods and in doing so transferred the authority they possessed into the hands of the gods and ultimately into the hands of Satan.

“And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, and said to him, “To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.”” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭4:5-7‬ ‭

Redemption

To redeem is to buy back what was already yours.

Jesus is God. If He were not God then His death would not have been sufficient to pay the cost of redeeming all creation. Someone worth all Creation or greater had to pay the price worth all Creation needing redeeming. He also had to be human because humans were needing the restoration. Therefore by being God (spirit) inside a human body, fully man and fully God, He achieved both.

“And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” ‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭10:10‬ ‭

Now granted this plan was fragmented throughout the OT, but pieces together in the NT, clear and easily deciphered. For had the gods of the nations known...

“None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” ‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭2:8‬ ‭

The full restoration is yet to take place but in the meantime the transaction has been made and the authority has been transferred back into the hands of God through Jesus Christ legally. Through His death He stripped the gods of the nations and satan of ALL legal rights.

“by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.” ‭‭Colossians‬ ‭2:14-15‬ ‭

Absolute Authority Regained

When did Jesus regain this authority? When He said it was finished and then died on the cross

“When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” ‭‭John‬ ‭19:30‬ ‭

Once the payment was made on the cross, God officially took back all authority in heaven, on earth and under the earth. Heaven cheered and hell groaned

Only one more step remained

Resurrection of the Victor

“that he worked in Christ WHEN he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things” ‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭1:20-22‬ ‭

This seated at the right hand did not require Jesus’ ascension seen by the disciples, Matthew 28:18 notes that Jesus had this authority whilst still on the earth.

This phrasing seated at the right hand in the heavenly places is merely stating that Jesus was settled in His appointed position of authority in Heaven or as Mark puts it 16:19 right hand of God, position of authority as God.