Civil Government: Power, Nations, and Constitutional Order: War in the Gates

War in the Gates

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: Civil Government

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2013-06-10

Synopsis: John Weaver expounds Judges 5:8, arguing that 'war in the gates' is not accidental but results from choosing new gods—forsaking the true God and His law. He demonstrates that 'gates' in Scripture often symbolize authority, jurisdiction, and law. When a people reject God's law for man's law, they invite conflict at every level of society. The sermon applies this to modern cultural and political battles, urging Christians to stand for the crown rights of Jesus Christ against all rival claims to lordship.

[John Weaver] Tonight, if you have your Bibles, and I trust that you will and do, I want you to open to the book of Judges chapter 5 and verse 8, and I'm going to be bringing a message which I've entitled, War in the Gates. War in the Gates. And I think you'll see the importance of this subject just momentarily. So let's look in Judges chapter 5 and verse 8.

[John Weaver] Of course, this is dealing with the song of Deborah and Barak. And in verse 8, the Word of God says, they chose new gods. Then was war in the gates. Was there a shield or sphere seen among 40,000 in Israel? As I was reading through the book of Judges recently, this verse really caught my attention. Then was war in the gates. Many of you probably remember a recent movie that was titled Enemy at the Gates.

[John Weaver] It was during World War II, the Battle of Stalingrad, when two snipers, a Russian and a German, were locked in a battle of wills and markmanship, each one trying to kill the other. And, of course, the battle was right in the very gates of Stalingrad. Both of these men were experts. Both of these men were snipers par excellence, so to speak. And yet, the movie just literally depicts and shows you how war can literally come to the gates.

[John Weaver] Now, our text also demonstrates how war affects individuals and nations on a personal and close-up level. You know, it's one thing to fight an enemy that you cannot see. It's another thing to fight someone up close. When you stop and think, and I was reading about one of those drone operators today who's killed something like 1,600 people, and he finally saw one dying that he killed, and all of a sudden now he's having remorse. So it's a big difference when you do hand-to-hand combat and you're someone up close and you see the results. Well, war in the gates means that everything is up close. There's an interesting tidbit from the War of Northern Aggression that began, whether you know this or not, that war actually began in the front yard of a man by the name of Wilmer McLean. Wilmer McLean was born on May the 3rd, 1814, and he died on June the 5th, 1882. Now, Wilmer McLean was a wholesale grocer.

[John Weaver] And he sold sugar and a lot of other commodities to the Confederate armies. Well, he knew very clearly that he was going to be a target of the federal armies. And he wanted to make sure that his family was safe. So since the war had begun in his front yard in Manassas, in Virginia, he moved his family 120 miles south. Now, you say 120 miles is not far. Well, you try walking it or riding a horse or driving a buggy and you'll find out it's a pretty good waste. Well, Wilmer McLean then settled his family around a little dusty crossroads called Appomattox Courthouse in Appomattox, Virginia. The war that began in Wilmer McLean's front yard ended in his front parlor because that's where Lee and Grant sat down And so it started in his front yard and it ended in his parlor. So I suppose that you could say that Wilbur McLean experienced war in the gates firsthand.

[John Weaver] Now, when you look at the context of Judges chapter five and verse eight, war in the gates actually describes the hostile attacks of the Canaanites upon the Israelites. Let me make a statement and then I want to show it to you from the scripture. War in the gates does not happen by accident. There's always a reason. There's always a cause. In fact, the Bible says in Proverbs 26 and verse 2, the curse causeless shall not come. So there is a reason why there was war in the gates in Judges chapter 5 and verse 8. So if you'll look at it, the Bible says this, they chose new gods. then was there war in the gates.

[John Weaver] And in this statement, was there a shield or sphere seen among 40,000 in Israel? So why was there war in the gates? And the answer is because they chose new gods. So the Israelites then not only submitted to idolatry that had been forced upon them by their tyrannical rulers, But the Scripture also tells us that they freely chose new gods. They chose gods that had just come up, new gods. Gods that were new in comparison to the ancient of days, the everlasting God, the everlasting Father. So, consequently, since they left the one true and living God and chose new gods, then the Bible says there was war in the gates.

[John Weaver] So they were hemmed in, basically, from every place and from every angle, and they were besieged in all the fortified cities. The strongest cities could not stand the onslaught of the enemy. So in Judges chapter 5 and verse 8, when the Bible says they chose new gods, and then there was war in the gates, we have to remember something. We have to remember that the sovereign God of heaven and earth is a jealous God. The Bible says in the book of Exodus chapter 34 and verse 14, For thou shalt worship no other God, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God. And then in the book of Deuteronomy chapter 4 and verse 24, the Bible says, For the Lord our God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God. Now let me just tell you exactly how jealous God is. He is so jealous that the Bible says in Isaiah 42, in verse 8, he declares, I am the Lord, that is my name, and my glory I will not share with another, nor my praise to graven images.

[John Weaver] So he said there's something to share his glory. with a false god, nor is he going to give his praise to a graven image. So when a nation then forsakes the one true and living God, who has revealed himself in Jesus Christ, they're basically inviting war in the gates. They're inviting a close-up action.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to note what the Scripture says in verse 8 again. They chose new gods, then was war in the gates. And then what's this question? Was there a shield or spear seen among 40,000 in Israel? So the scripture is teaching us here that not only was there war in the gates, it was something that was up close and very personal. But it is also sharing with us and teaching us that these Israelites were defenseless in a time of trouble. They had absolutely no means of resisting their adversaries, for among 40,000 men there was neither spear nor shield to be seen."

[John Weaver] So this statement then is an honest assessment of their martial strength. Now you've got to remember that the Israelite army actually numbered several hundred thousand. So when the scripture says there was not to be seen shield or spear among 40,000, In other words, not one among 40,000 was armed sufficiently for warfare. Wow. Can you imagine an enemy attacking you in strength and you have absolutely no means to defend yourself?

[John Weaver] Their lack of weapons was either due to their negligence and sloth or their failure to take care of their weaponry in a time of peace, or it could have been the result of tyrants. Jabin, who was king of Canaan at this time, and who of course had attacked the Israelites over and over, Jabin and his tyranny could very easily have deprived them of their weapons so that they would not revolt against him. Now let me show you how deprived they really were.

[John Weaver] If you look back in your Bibles to the book of Judges chapter 3 and look at verse 31. Judges 3 and verse 31. And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath which slew of the Philistines 600 men with an ox goad And he also delivered Israel. So here is Shemgar, who was a judge, and yet all he had as a weapon was an ox goad, which is a sharp pointed stick. Now, if you would turn in your Bibles to the book of 1 Samuel, chapter 13. 1 Samuel, chapter 13.

[John Weaver] You see, it is common practice for tyrants to deprive a people of a means of self-defense as well as their means to overthrow their despotic and tyrannical government. Shamgar was reduced to an ox goad. It's kind of like our own corrupt governments trying to deprive the people today of the means to defend themselves. But in 1 Samuel chapter 13, let's begin reading there with verse 19. 1 Samuel chapter 13 and verse 19.

[John Weaver] I want you to notice what the Scripture says. Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel, for the Philistines said, lest the Hebrews make them swords or spears. But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines to sharpen every man his share, and his colter, and his axe, and his mattock. Yet they had a file for their mattocks, and for the colters, and for the forks, and for the axes, and to sharpen the goats.

[John Weaver] So it came to pass in the day of battle that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people that were with Saul and Jonathan, but with Saul and Jonathan his son there was found. And the garrison of the Philistines went out to the passage of Michmash. Now I want you to notice, the only individuals that had swords and spears happened to be the king and his son Jonathan. The rest of the people had been deprived of their weaponry.

[John Weaver] So as it was in Judges chapter 5, so it is in 1 Samuel chapter 13. There were no weapons. There were no warriors. There were no individuals who were really able and capable of defending their lives, their families, and their homes. Let me tell you something. Mark this down in your mind. Because this is clearly what the Scripture is teaching us. A weaponless people and a people that lack a warrior spirit is already a defeated and enslaved people. We find that in Judges 5. We find that in 1 Samuel chapter 13. We must always be willing to fight for our families and for our lives and for our people. We've got to remember Exodus chapter 15 in verse 3. I love this passage.

[John Weaver] In fact, I have a whole message on it. The Bible says in Exodus 15 verse 3, the Lord is a man of war. The Lord is his name. And by the way, if you read Deuteronomy chapter 4, you will find that he delivered Israel out of Egypt through war. So the Bible declares him as a man of war.

[John Weaver] Now, here's the thing that caught my eye in Judges chapter 5 in verse 8, and I want you to go back there because I want you to turn with me just momentarily through the Bible so I can make some applications shortly. We'll look in Judges chapter 5 in verse 8. The Bible says they chose new gods, then was war in the gates. I'm not sure that most people understand one simple principle of biblical interpretation or biblical hermeneutics and that is this. Many words in the Bible which look alike, spell or spelled alike and sound alike are used in different ways and the principle is it is the context that will determine the interpretation of a word. I'm going to show you how the word gates is used. First and foremost, the word gates in the Bible is used to represent real literal gates.

[John Weaver] I do not have to flood you with scriptures on this. Let me give you one. In Deuteronomy 3 and verse 5, the scripture says, all these cities were fenced with high walls, gates, and bars. Beside unwalled towns, a great many. So I could give you a multitude of passages, which you already know, that sometimes in the Bible, the word gates just simply means gates. It refers to real, literal, physical gates. But not always. Do you realize sometimes the word gates is used to represent a triumphal entry?

[John Weaver] For instance, look in your Bibles to Psalm 24, Psalm 24. And notice if you would, first of all, verse seven, and then we'll look at verse nine. Psalm 24, verse seven. Lift up your heads, O ye gates, and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O ye gates, even lift them up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of glory shall come in.

[John Weaver] So here is an allusion to the triumphal entry of a victorious general into the royal city. In this passage, the King of Kings, the King of Israel, enters into his royal temple.

[John Weaver] Now, the procession of the Ark of the Covenant had reached Mount Zion. And David is saying, literally, lift up your head, O ye gates, and lift up yourself, you everlasting doors, and the King of Glory shall come in. David was not referring to himself. He was referring to Jehovah, the one true and the living God. And that ark symbolized the presence of God. And when that ark was set in that temple, or in that tabernacle, David is saying here's the triumphal entry of the one true and the living God. And he wanted all the people to understand that here is the presence of God and that presence is meant for our resurrection, not necessarily our ruin. It could be for our ruin if we forsake Him. But in this context, God is triumphantly entering into the tabernacle and later into the temple Himself. So sometimes when you see the word gates in the Bible, it refers to a triumphal entry. Thirdly, if you look in your Bibles to Psalm 100, Psalm 100, sometimes when you see the word gates, It refers as entering into the presence of the Lord in fellowship and worship.

[John Weaver] Look in Psalm 100, and let's begin reading there with verse 3. Psalm 100, verse 3. Know ye that the Lord, He is God. It is He that hath made us and not we ourselves. We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Entering to His gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise. Be thankful unto him and bless his name." So when he says, enter into his gates with thanksgiving and into his courts with praise, here is the very same word gates, but it's now used as an entrance into fellowship and worship. Obviously, when you see the word gates, then you have to understand it's the context that's going to determine how it's going to be used. In Psalm 118, if you would turn right over there, here's another passage, Psalm 118, verse 19. Psalm 118, verse 19. Notice if you would, David says this.

[John Weaver] Open to me the gates of righteousness, and I will go into them, and I will praise the Lord." So here the word gates then means an entrance into fellowship and worship.

[John Weaver] Fourthly, sometimes the word gates refers and represents to the blessings and the protection of God over His people. I want you to turn to Psalm 147. Psalm 147, and look at verses 13 and 14. Psalm 147, verse 13 and 14. So here's the word gates, but this time it refers not only to God's blessings, but God's protections. Notice Psalm 147, verse 13, for you strengthen the bars of thy gates, He hath blessed my children within thee, he maketh peace in my borders, and filleth thee with the finest of wheat." So here the word geisha simply represents the blessings of God and the protection of God.

[John Weaver] Now, I know that you've understood by now that it's the context that determines how a word is used. Even though the word is spelled the same, pronounced the same, and is the same, We do exactly the same thing in our English language. For instance, I could take the little word row, R-O-W. You understand that the word row could be a verb. It's what you do with paddles in a boat, you row. But that little word row can also be a noun, like a row of beans or a row of corn. But that one little word, R-O-W, if it's pronounced ROW, can indicate a fight or an argument, which would be a verb again. So I could say, Tevin and Paul got into a row. That means they got into a fight. It's spelled the same, maybe pronounced a little bit differently, but you have to look at it in context. So if I said, He was rowing the boat, obviously you know what that means. Or there are two rows of corn, obviously you know what that means.

[John Weaver] It's the same word. So it's the same way with the word gates. What I want to do right now with the rest of my time is to show you what I mean and what I believe the Bible means when it says there was a war in the gates. Because the word gates is used in a totally, completely different way in the Bible as well, other than these ways that I've just showed you. Sometimes the word gates refers to dominion, to rulership, to authority, to justice, and to judgment. So when he says there are war in the gates, I want you to think about this. I want you to think about when you hear the word gates in this sense, positions of authority, law. dominion, rulership.

[John Weaver] For instance, let's go back in our Bibles to Genesis chapter 22. And I want to show you several passages very quickly where this concept is taught very emphatically. So Genesis 22 and verse 17, God is making a promise to Abraham. Genesis 22, verse 17. I want you to look at what he says. Genesis 22, verse 17. That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven, and as the sand which is upon the seashore, and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies.

[John Weaver] Now, you're going to see this as we get a little further in the Bible tonight. But when a king conquered a city, he put his throne in the gate. In Bible times, a king oftentimes would put his throne in the gate even of his own city. The elders sat in the gates. The judges sat in the gates. It was an open court system in the Bible. So I want you to turn to Genesis 24 and verse 60.

[John Weaver] Now when God tells Abram, thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemy, all he's saying is your seed is going to be in control. He's going to have dominion and rulership over his enemies. So in Genesis 24 and verse 60, when Rebekah left to become the wife of Isaac, her family blessed her and they said this, And they blessed Rebekah and said unto her, Thou art our sister, be thou the mother of thousands of millions, and let thy seed possess the gate of those which hate them." If you are in control of the gates of your enemies, you have dominion over your enemies. You have authority over your enemies. You have jurisdiction over your enemies.

[John Weaver] Turn right over to the book of Deuteronomy. Look in chapter 16 and verse 18. Deuteronomy 16 and verse 18. Here's what God says. Deuteronomy 16 verse 18. Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, which the Lord thy God giveth thee throughout thy tribes, and they shall judge the people with just judgment. So, where were the judges? In the gates. And the judges were to judge for God. They were to judge according to God's law. If you would look in Deuteronomy 17, and let's read the first five verses. Thou shalt not sacrifice in the Lord thy God any bullock or sheep wherein is any blemish or any evil favoredness, for that is an abomination of the Lord thy God. If there be found among you within any of thy gates which the Lord thy God giveth thee, man or woman, that hath wrought wickedness in the sight of the Lord thy God, in transgressing his covenant, and hath gone and served other gods, and worshipped them, either the sun or the moon, or any

[John Weaver] of the hosts of heaven, which I have not commanded, and it be told thee, And thou hast heard of it, and inquired diligently, and behold, it be true, and the thing certain, that such abomination is wrought in Israel. Thou shalt bring forth that man, or that woman, which hath committed that wicked thing, unto thy gates, even that man, or that woman, and shalt stone them with stones till they die."

[John Weaver] Now the reason it happened at the gates, that's where the judges sat. The gates always speak of authority. The gates always speak of law. They always speak of jurisdiction. If you would turn in your Bibles to Psalm 127, here's a passage that is the favorite of many fathers and mothers. I want you to watch this. I'm just trying to demonstrate What the word gates can actually mean. Psalm 127.

[John Weaver] And look, if you would please. At verse three through five. Psalm 127, beginning with verse three. Low children are an heritage of the Lord and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man, so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them. They shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate." What's that mean? It means those children will be controlling the enemies in the gate. In other words, the enemies will be submitting to them. Two other passages. Look in Isaiah chapter 13 and verse 2. Isaiah 13 and verse 2. In this passage, Isaiah 13, verse 2, God says this, Lift up a banner upon Baha'i Mountain, exalt the voice unto them, shake the hand that they may go into the gates of the nobles. So the nobles sat in the gates.

[John Weaver] Turn right over to the book of Jeremiah, chapter 1, just to show you what happens when God calls an enemy to conquer and to chastise his people because of their rebellion. Jeremiah chapter 1 and verse 15, look what God says. For lo, I will call the families of the kingdoms of the north, saith the Lord, and they shall come And they shall set everyone his throne at the entering into the gates of Jerusalem, and against all the walls that are round about, and against all the cities of Judah." Note what God is going to do. He's going to call these heathen pagan kings, they're going to come over, and they're going to conquer, and they're going to set their thrones in the gate.

[John Weaver] I could multiply these verses. I think you have seen sufficient number of verses to understand that gates in the Bible oftentimes speak of authority, they speak of law, they speak of jurisdiction, they speak of dominion. So I want you to consider this. When the Bible says they chose new gods, then was war in the gates. Do you realize that God does not have to bring an invading army into the city for there to be war in the gates? God does not have to bring an invading army into your state or into your country for there to be war in the gates.

[John Weaver] There's a concept that has been around for centuries. It's in the Bible. And we have either never been taught it, or we've totally and completely forgotten it, ignored it, overlooked it, and yet that concept, that principle is real. It is genuine. What has been going on in our country? What has been going on in our churches a lot of them? What has been going on in our families? There's been a war at any of the gates, and we have not even realized it.

[John Weaver] Now let me try to set this stage for you. I do want you to turn to 1 Samuel 8. I'm going to take a few minutes and I'm going to read this passage for you just to show you one principal truth. Please understand this. A king rules by his law. A king rules by his law. I do not care if we're talking about the king of kings, who is our God and our Savior, or if we're talking about an earthly king. A king always rules by his law. Whatever king occupies the gate gets to determine the law. Look in 1 Samuel 8.

[John Weaver] Let's begin reading with verse 4. And we will read through verse 20. Watch and follow this carefully. 1 Samuel 8, verse 4. Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together and came to Samuel under Ramah, and said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways.

[John Weaver] Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations. Now let me stop right there. They didn't say, Samuel, maybe the Lord needs to send us another judge like you. Or maybe you need to ask God what He would have us do. No, they didn't say that. They said what we want is we want a king. We want to be just like all the other nations.

[John Weaver] Watch what happens in verse 6. But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the Lord. And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee. For they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them. According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt, even to this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, look what God says, their desire for a king was forsaking him, and to serve other gods, so do they also unto thee. Now therefore, hearken unto their voice, give them what they want, howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and show them the manner of the king that shall reign over them."

[John Weaver] So, here's the distinction between God's law and man's law. Here's the distinction between God as king and man as king. So here is what Samuel tells them. Verse 10, And Samuel told all the words of the LORD unto the people that asked him a thing, and he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you. He will take your sons and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen, and some shall run before his chariots. And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties, and will set them to ear his ground and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war and instruments of his chariots.

[John Weaver] And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers, And He will take your fields and your vineyards and your olive yurts, even the best of them, and give them to His servants. And He will take the tenth of your seed and your vineyards and give to His officers and His servants. And He will take your men's servants and your maid's servants and your goodness young men and your asses and put them to His work. And He will take the tenth of your sheep and you shall be His servants.

[John Weaver] And you shall cry out in that day because of your King which you have chosen you. And the Lord will not hear you in that day. Nevertheless, the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel, and they said, Nay, but we will have a king over us, that we may also be like all the nations, that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles." Now, I want you to understand something about 1 Samuel chapter 8. You cannot understand this passage unless you see it as a transition from one law structure to another. What they're doing in 1 Samuel chapter 8 is they're refusing God as king, and they're choosing a man as king. When they refuse God as king, they're refusing God's law. Because now they're going to institute a man, and that man is going to institute His law, And the people are going to have to obey His law. For instance, if you look in 1 Samuel 12 and verse 12, it cannot be made any clearer than this.

[John Weaver] 1 Samuel 12 verse 12, Samuel says, And when you saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, you said unto me, Nay, but a king shall reign over us, when the Lord your God was your king. So what did they do in 1st Samuel chapter 8? They traded God for a man. And they traded God's law for man's law. When the new king comes to the gates, when he begins to exercise his authority and his jurisdiction He does so by declaring his law.

[John Weaver] Now, let me show you how this works. If you understand this concept, you're going to see exactly what is happening in our nation and what has happened. Everybody knows that this country was set up as a Christian nation. It was. No two ways about that, I can show you document after document. I can show you even the fundamental orders of Massachusetts and Connecticut where they said, the laws of this colony shall be the laws of God given by Moses. Black and white.

[John Weaver] But I want you to look in your Bibles to 2 Kings 17. 2 Kings 17. I want you to understand this concept of war in the gates. 2 Kings 17, and let's begin reading with verse 7, and I'm going to come back and ask some questions and make some comments. But I want to just read through verse 12. 2 Kings 17, verse 7. Watch. For so it was that the children of Israel had sinned against the Lord their God, which had brought them up out of the land of Egypt from under the hand of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and had feared other gods, and walked in the statutes of the heathen, whom the Lord cast out from before the children of Israel and of the kings of Israel, which they had made. And the children of Israel did secretly those things that were not right against the Lord their God.

[John Weaver] And they built them high places in all their cities, from the tower of the watchman to the fenced city. And they set them up images and groves in every high hill and in every green tree. And there they burned incense in all the high places, as did the heathen, whom the Lord carried away from before them, and wrought wicked things to provoke the Lord to anger. For they served idols, whereof the Lord had said unto them, You shall not do this thing."

[John Weaver] Now let me ask you, why were these Israelites doing everything that was completely, totally, and absolutely contrary to God and contrary to the law of God. I may get to deal with this subject later in the week. If I do, I want to show you why men forsake God. You've got to ask yourself this question. Why did they walk in the statutes of the heathen? Why were they willing to, first of all, secretly worship other gods? and later on openly and publicly worship other gods.

[John Weaver] How could they do that? Well, let's go back to verse 7. 2nd Kings 17 verse 7. For so it was that the children of Israel had sinned against the Lord their God, who had brought them up out of the land of Egypt, from under the hand of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and had feared other gods." Stop right there. Now, the Scripture says they feared other gods. If they feared other gods, that means they did not fear the One True and the Living God. They left His fear and they feared other gods.

[John Weaver] Now, I told you in 1 Samuel chapter 8, You cannot understand 1 Samuel 8 unless you see this transition from one law structure to another. That is, from God's law structure to man's law structure. So God now says in verse 7, they feared other gods. Well, what was the consequence of fearing other gods? Look in verse 8. and walked in the statutes, that is, the laws of the heathen whom the Lord had cast out from before the children of Israel and of the kings of Israel which they had made." So when they changed gods, they changed laws. If you fear the one true and the living God, you will obey His law. If you fear a false God, you're going to obey His law. So what they've done in 2 Kings 17 is exactly what they did in Judges chapter 5. They chose new gods.

[John Weaver] Then was war in the gates. Look in verse 19 of 2 Kings chapter 17. You're going to see that Judah did the same thing. This boggles my mind. But watch verse 19. Also Judah kept not the commandments of the Lord their God, but walked in the statutes of Israel which they had made. Now when you go back to verses 7 and 8, Israel had apostatized, they feared false gods, and the kings of Israel made laws according to their own will and what they wanted and according to their false gods. And now what does Judah do? Judah says, look, hey, we're going to just turn from God and His law. Now we're going to follow the same gods and the same law that Israel did. Judah was a southern kingdom. Judah was the tribe that had the Levites in it. Judah was for the tabernacle and where the temple was located. And yet they've chosen new gods.

[John Weaver] I want you to turn to the book of Micah, over toward the end of the Old Testament. The little book of Micah, chapter 6. I want to show it to you. Micah, chapter 6. Right before the book of Nahum. Micah, chapter 6. And let's be in reading there with verse 13. Watch this. Micah, chapter 6. Verse 13, and we'll read through verse 16.

[John Weaver] Now look what God says. Micah 6, verse 13. Therefore also will I make thee sick in smiting thee, in making thee desolate because of thy sins. Wow.

[John Weaver] Now the Lord's not pulling any punches. He's saying you're going to be suffering. Watch verse 14. Thou shalt eat, but not be satisfied. And thy casting down shall be in the midst of thee, and thou shalt take hold, but thou shalt not deliver. And that which thou deliverest will I give up to the sword. Thou shalt sow, but thou shalt not reap. Thou shalt tread the olives, but thou shalt not anoint thee with oil, and sweet wine, but thou shalt not drink wine.

[John Weaver] Why is the curse of God upon these people? Why is there war upon these people? Here's why. Watch. For the statutes, the statutes are the laws of Omri are kept. Now, Omri was the father of Ahab, the most wicked king of Israel. For the statutes of Omri are kept and all the works of the house of Ahab. And you walk in their councils that I should make thee a desolation. and the inhabitants thereof hissing, therefore you shall bear the reproach of my people."

[John Weaver] What did he just say? You want to know what war in the gates is all about? It's when you choose new gods. It's when you forsake the one true and the living God. It's when you forsake His law and you choose man's law over God's law. Go back in your Bibles to Psalm 69. I want to show you this verse. Psalm 69. This is a Messianic Psalm.

[John Weaver] And I've said that before, and someone says, well, aren't they all? Well, yes, they all are. But some are specifically Messianic Psalms. That is, they speak particularly of Jesus Christ. For instance, look in verse 4 of Psalm 69. He says, for they that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head. In John 15, you have that verse spoken directly of Jesus Christ that hated me without a cause. Then if you look in verse 9, For the zeal of mine house hath eaten me up, the reproaches of them that reproach thee are fallen upon me. In the New Testament, that's referred specifically to Jesus Christ. Now, look, if you would please, at verse 11. Still, we're talking about the Messiah, the Lord Jesus.

[John Weaver] I made sackcloth also my garment, and I became a proverb unto them." And what did he say? You will surely say to me, this proverb, position, heal thyself. But notice what he says, they that sit in the gate, who are those? The nobles, the rulers, those who have dominion, those who have authority, those that sit in the gate, speak against me. And I was the song of trumpets.

[John Weaver] Do you want to know why the federal government is against Christianity? Against Christ? Against the Bible? Do you know why many state governments are against Christ and against the Bible? Because they've chosen new gods. They claim to be God themselves. They want their own law and not God's law. And therefore, they speak against Christ They speak against His law. They speak against His Word. They speak against His people. That's what our Lord said, they that sit in the gates speak against Me.

[John Weaver] What did they say in Psalm 2? Let us break His bands and cast His courts from us. We don't like the limitations that God has placed upon us. We'll be our own gods. We'll do what we want to do. We'll rule the way we want to rule. If you will turn to John chapter 15, our Lord warned us of this. You've read these verses over and over, but let them take on a new light.

[John Weaver] When Jesus Christ said, they that sit in the gate speak against me, and I was a song of drunkards, which means they mocked Christ. They ridiculed Christ.

[John Weaver] Now look what he says in John chapter 15, verse 18. If the world hates you, You know that it hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. But because you're not of the world, but I've chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hated you. Remember the word that I said unto you, the servant is not greater than his Lord.

[John Weaver] If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they've kept my saying, they will keep yours also." The Bible says they chose new gods And then war was in the gates. Do you realize the struggle that we are in as Christians? It's an age old struggle. It's not only an age old struggle, it is an endless struggle. It is a constant and continual struggle. Let me just spell this out for you. We're in a war. Those who proclaim that Jesus Christ is Lord are at war with those who say some other God is Lord. Those who say some other God is Lord are at war with those who proclaim that Jesus Christ is Lord. There's a war in the gates. It is a war over authority and dominion and jurisdiction. It's a war over who has the right to say and who has the right to give law. As Christians, we're fighting for the crown rights of Jesus Christ. For those who are not Christians, they're fighting for the crown rights of Caesar.

[John Weaver] It's either Christ or Caesar. It's either Christ or despotism, tyranny, and totalitarianism. It's either Christ or humanism. There is no other choice. There's a war in the gates, and let me point out that this war is not only a biblical war, it's not only a theological war, it is also a cultural war. I hope you've noticed that we have been consistently losing our Christian culture year after year after year after year. It's only a cultural war. It's also a political war.

[John Weaver] And don't try to tell me politics and Christianity do not mix. Do you know what the word politics means? It's from the Greek word politikos, which literally means off or from the people. Are we not people? There is indeed a Christian culture and a Christian politic. A Christian body politic. I tell people I'm not against government. Government's taught in the Bible. I'm just against corruption in government and wicked, tyrannical, totalitarian government. You can't live without government. But you can live without wickedness and tyranny and ungodliness. So it is indeed a war. And it's a war over jurisdiction. It's a war over authority.

[John Weaver] I've already quoted Isaiah 42 and verse 8 where God said, I am the Lord. That is my name. And my glory I will not give to another. Neither my praise to raven images. I've got news for you. If you believe the Bible, you already know who wins the war. We already know who the victor is. We already know that it's the God of gods and King of kings and Lord of lords who has revealed Himself in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the Great I Am.

[John Weaver] He is the Ancient of Days. He is the Eternal. He is the Almighty. He is the Omnipotent, Omniscient, Omnipresent, Immutable, Infinite God of Heaven and Earth. And none can overthrow Him. He is the one who will win the war in the gates.

[John Weaver] Now, let me try to apply this. We who serve the Lord Jesus Christ should never be downtrodden, never be dejected and never be discouraged. We should never be looking at circumstances and we should never be looking at situations. I've asked people sometimes, how are you doing? Well, I'm doing well under the circumstances. And my normal response is, well, you shouldn't be under the circumstances, you should be above the circumstances. And the reason we should not be discouraged is because we know that Jesus Christ is absolute victor, that Jesus Christ is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. And we know, listen carefully, that he is even now in the process of subduing his enemies to himself. You say, well it doesn't look like that.

[John Weaver] We walk by faith and not by sight. And let me tell you something, God's timetable is not our timetable. I've often said, I am so thankful that I'm not God. Because if I was God, I'd have killed me and a whole lot of others a lot sooner than we'd die, I can assure you. Listen, God is so absolutely long-suffering. It is amazing. But here's what the Scripture says. Listen, 1 Corinthians 15, verses 25 and verse 26, For he must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet.

[John Weaver] The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. Do you know what our Lord is doing? He's reigning right now. He is subduing His enemies. He is putting them under His feet according to His timetable, not ours. According to His way, not ours. And I know this, folks. I can assure you of this. The wicked have met their match in the Lord Jesus Christ. And he shall triumph over them totally and completely.

[John Weaver] Having that knowledge, we should never be discouraged. We should never be defeated. We should never be downtrodden. The second application is this. We should recognize the war in which we are engaged and stand definitively and distinctly for the crown rights of Jesus Christ. It does not matter whether we confront individuals, our families, our churches, our politicians, our state, or our nation. We've got to remember that Jesus Christ is Lord of all.

[John Weaver] You know what he said in Matthew 28 verse 18? He said this, All authority in heaven and earth is given unto me." The word authority, there's jurisdiction. Authority. All authority, all jurisdiction is given to Jesus Christ. Which means when a new king raises his ugly head, or a new God, we should say like our forefathers, we have no king but King Jesus. He's our King. And we stand for His crown rights. Doesn't matter whether people like it or not. Doesn't matter whether they agree or not. It doesn't matter. We have to stand for what is right. I usually try to tell people like this and describe it like this. You know, Here we are, let's say we're in the Vietnam War. Whether you agree with it or not is immaterial, but I'm just using it as an illustration. Here we are, we're in Vietnam.

[John Weaver] And we have in our laps an AR-15. And here comes the enemy soldiers, and they start gathering around us, and they start making fun of the AR-15. And they say, that is the sorriest weapon that's ever made. It will jam up. You can push it in the mud. It will blow up. You are not going to jump up if you were a soldier and say, I will have you to know this weapon is made of the finest metal and this weapon to do...

[John Weaver] No, no, no, no, no. When they start mocking, all you're going to do is point it at them and pull the trigger. They'll find out soon enough whether or not it works. Okay?

[John Weaver] Now, all I'm trying to say is this. When someone wants to come along and challenge you or challenge Jesus Christ, just point the Scripture at them and pull the trigger. They'll find out soon enough whether or not it's the Word of God or not, or whether it works or not. Because I've got news for you, the Scripture that will not convert them will condemn them. It will work one way or the other. So we have to make sure that we stand for the crown rights of Jesus Christ. The third one is this. Oh, Lord, have mercy.

[John Weaver] If we do not want war in our gates, if we don't want war in our laps, if we don't want it in our front rooms, if we don't want it in our towns and our cities and our state and our nation, we must not forsake God and His law. We must not forsake Him and His Word. Do you realize the safest place to be as a child of God is right smack dab in the middle of the arms of the Lord Jesus Christ. I'm telling you. Proverbs 18, verse 10 says, The name of the Lord is a strong power.

[John Weaver] The righteous runneth into it and is safe. And I might add, only the righteous will run into it. But that's the place to be. We're living in dangerous times. We're living in desperate times. And now is not the time to forsake Scripture. It's not the time to forsake Christ. You better be running as close to Him and getting as close to Him as you can possibly get.

[John Weaver] My last application is this. Listen carefully. What it all boils down to is this. It's Christ or Caesar. It's Christ or a false god. It's Christ or humanism.

[John Weaver] Now, everyone in this room knows that Christians were put to death in the Roman Empire. What most people do not know, however, is that Christians were not put to death in the Roman Empire just simply for being Christians. In the Roman Empire, you could believe whatever you wanted to believe. If you wanted to worship Zeus, have at it. If you wanted to worship Aphrodite, go for it. If you wanted to worship Jesus Christ, who cares? The Roman Empire could care less who you worship. Just so, once a year, you swore by the genius of Caesar and you said, Caesar is Lord. Caesar gives me the right. to believe what I want to believe. And Christians refused to swear by the genius of Caesar. They refused to say Caesar is Lord. Consequently, they were put to death not just because they were Christians, but they were put to death because they were counted as traitors to the Roman Empire and traitors to the emperor cult.

[John Weaver] My question is, who is Lord? Who is Lord in your gates? Who is the authority in your life? Who has jurisdiction in your home? Who has jurisdiction in your church? Who has jurisdiction in your town, in your city, in your state and in your nation? What you see going on in our country is what has been going on. There's a war in the gates. It's a struggle for jurisdiction, for authority and dominion. And we will either submit to Christ's authority and jurisdiction, or we'll end up submitting to man's authority and jurisdiction.

[John Weaver] And when the early apostles were faced with that, they said in Acts 5 and verse 29, we ought to obey God rather than man. If you don't want war in your gates, you stand fast in the word of God. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee this night. We thank You for Your Word, for Your truth. And Lord, help us to understand there is indeed a war. There's a war for our minds, a war for our bodies, a war for our allegiance, a war for our homes, our families, our children. And Lord, we must not allow a new God or a false god to usurp the jurisdiction and the authority of Jesus Christ. And Lord, this great people who once worshiped Thee openly now mock Thee and refuse Thee and forsake Thee. But Lord, Thou dost have a remnant. Thou dost have an elect. And I pray that You would stir us up Enable us, Lord, to cry out and to stand in the fight for the crown rights of Jesus Christ, and whose name we ask and pray.

[John Weaver] Amen.

War in the Gates

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	61013220131
Subject	Civil Government
Course	Civil Government: Power, Nations, and Constitutional Order: War in the Gates
Genre	Sermon
Date	2013-06-10
Dictation Name
Book	Book 009: Civil Government: Power, Nations, and Constitutional Order — Chapter 15
Source Timed Segments	84

Formatted Transcript

Introduction: The Text and Its Context

Weaver introduces Judges 5:8 and the song of Deborah and Barak, noting the phrase 'war in the gates' and its connection to choosing new gods.

Tonight, if you have your Bibles, and I trust that you will and do, I want you to open to the book of Judges chapter 5 and verse 8, and I'm going to be bringing a message which I've entitled, "War in the Gates.

Scripture Reading — Judges 5:8

" War in the Gates. And I think you'll see the importance of this subject just momentarily. So let's look in Judges chapter 5 and verse 8. Of course, this is dealing with the song of Deborah and Barak. And in verse 8, the Word of God says, "

They chose new gods. Then was war in the gates. Was there a shield or spear seen among 40,000 in Israel?" As I was reading through the book of Judges recently, this verse really caught my attention. "Then was war in the gates." Many of you probably remember a recent movie that was titled "Enemy at the Gates."

War in the Gates is Personal and Close

Using the movie 'Enemy at the Gates' and the story of Wilmer McLean, Weaver illustrates that war in the gates means conflict is up close and personal, affecting individuals and nations directly.

It was during World War II, the Battle of Stalingrad, when two snipers, a Russian and a German, were locked in a battle of wills and marksmanship, each one trying to kill the other. And, of course, the battle was right in the very gates of Stalingrad. Both of these men were experts. Both of these men were snipers par excellence, so to speak. And yet, the movie just literally depicts and shows you how war can literally come to the gates.

Now, our text also demonstrates how war affects individuals and nations on a personal and close-up level. You know, it's one thing to fight an enemy that you cannot see. It's another thing to fight someone up close. When you stop and think, and I was reading about one of those drone operators today who's killed something like 1,600 people, and he finally saw one dying that he killed, and all of a sudden now he's having remorse. So it's a big difference when you do hand-to-hand combat and you're someone up close and you see the results. Well, war in the gates means that everything is up close. There's an interesting tidbit from the War of Northern Aggression that began, whether you know this or not, that war actually began in the front yard of a man by the name of Wilmer McLean. Wilmer McLean was born on May the 3rd, 1814, and he died on June the 5th, 1882. Now, Wilmer McLean was a wholesale grocer.

And he sold sugar and a lot of other commodities to the Confederate armies. Well, he knew very clearly that he was going to be a target of the federal armies. And he wanted to make sure that his family was safe. So since the war had begun in his front yard in Manassas, in Virginia, he moved his family 120 miles south. Now, you say 120 miles is not far. Well, you try walking it or riding a horse or driving a buggy and you'll find out it's a pretty good ways. Well, Wilmer McLean then settled his family around a little dusty crossroads called Appomattox Courthouse in Appomattox, Virginia. The war that began in Wilmer McLean's front yard ended in his front parlor because that's where Lee and Grant sat down. And so it started in his front yard and it ended in his parlor. So I suppose that you could say that Wilmer McLean experienced war in the gates firsthand.

The Cause: Choosing New Gods

Weaver explains that war in the gates is not accidental; it is caused by choosing new gods, which provokes God's jealousy and leads to defenselessness.

Now, when you look at the context of Judges chapter 5 and verse 8, war in the gates actually describes the hostile attacks of the Canaanites upon the Israelites. Let me make a statement and then I want to show it to you from the scripture. War in the gates does not happen by accident. There's always a reason. There's always a cause. In fact, the Bible says in Proverbs 26 and verse 2,

Scripture Reading — Proverbs 26:2

"The curse causeless shall not come."

So there is a reason why there was war in the gates in Judges chapter 5 and verse 8. So if you'll look at it, the Bible says this, "They chose new gods. Then was there war in the gates."

And in this statement, "Was there a shield or spear seen among 40,000 in Israel?" So why was there war in the gates? And the answer is because they chose new gods. So the Israelites then not only submitted to idolatry that had been forced upon them by their tyrannical rulers, but the Scripture also tells us that they freely chose new gods. They chose gods that had just come up, new gods. Gods that were new in comparison to the Ancient of Days, the everlasting God, the everlasting Father. So, consequently, since they left the one true and living God and chose new gods, then the Bible says there was war in the gates.

So they were hemmed in, basically, from every place and from every angle, and they were besieged in all the fortified cities. The strongest cities could not stand the onslaught of the enemy. So in Judges chapter 5 and verse 8, when the Bible says they chose new gods, and then there was war in the gates, we have to remember something. We have to remember that the sovereign God of heaven and earth is a jealous God. The Bible says in the book of Exodus chapter 34 and verse 14,

Scripture Reading — Exodus 34:14

"For thou shalt worship no other god: for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God."

And then in the book of Deuteronomy chapter 4 and verse 24, the Bible says, "For the Lord thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God." Now let me just tell you exactly how jealous God is. He is so jealous that the Bible says in Isaiah 42, in verse 8, He declares, "I am the Lord: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images."

So He said He's not going to share His glory with a false god, nor is He going to give His praise to a graven image. So when a nation then forsakes the one true and living God, who has revealed Himself in Jesus Christ, they're basically inviting war in the gates. They're inviting a close-up action. Now, I want you to note what the Scripture says in verse 8 again. "They chose new gods, then was war in the gates." And then what's this question? "Was there a shield or spear seen among 40,000 in Israel?" So the scripture is teaching us here that not only was there war in the gates, it was something that was up close and very personal. But it is also sharing with us and teaching us that these Israelites were defenseless in a time of trouble. They had absolutely no means of resisting their adversaries, for among 40,000 men there was neither spear nor shield to be seen.

So this statement then is an honest assessment of their martial strength. Now you've got to remember that the Israelite army actually numbered several hundred thousand. So when the scripture says there was not to be seen shield or spear among 40,000, in other words, not one among 40,000 was armed sufficiently for warfare. Wow. Can you imagine an enemy attacking you in strength and you have absolutely no means to defend yourself?

Biblical Usage of 'Gates'

Weaver surveys various biblical uses of 'gates': literal gates, triumphal entry, entrance into worship, and blessings/protection. He emphasizes that context determines meaning.

I do not have to flood you with scriptures on this. Let me give you one. In Deuteronomy 3 and verse 5, the scripture says,

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 3:5

"All these cities were fenced with high walls, gates, and bars; beside unwalled towns a great many."

So I could give you a multitude of passages, which you already know, that sometimes in the Bible, the word gates just simply means gates. It refers to real, literal, physical gates. But not always. Do you realize sometimes the word gates is used to represent a triumphal entry? For instance, look in your Bibles to Psalm 24, Psalm 24. And notice if you would, first of all, verse seven, and then we'll look at verse nine. Psalm 24, verse seven. "Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in."

So here is an allusion to the triumphal entry of a victorious general into the royal city. In this passage, the King of Kings, the King of Israel, enters into His royal temple. Now, the procession of the Ark of the Covenant had reached Mount Zion. And David is saying, literally, lift up your head, O ye gates, and lift up yourself, you everlasting doors, and the King of Glory shall come in. David was not referring to himself. He was referring to Jehovah, the one true and the living God. And that ark symbolized the presence of God. And when that ark was set in that temple, or in that tabernacle, David is saying here's the triumphal entry of the one true and the living God. And he wanted all the people to understand that here is the presence of God and that presence is meant for our resurrection, not necessarily our ruin. It could be for our ruin if we forsake Him. But in this context, God is triumphantly entering into the tabernacle and later into the temple Himself. So sometimes when you see the word gates in the Bible, it refers to a triumphal entry. Thirdly, if you look in your Bibles to Psalm 100, Psalm 100, sometimes when you see the word gates, it refers as entering into the presence of the Lord in fellowship and worship.

Look in Psalm 100, and let's begin reading there with verse 3. Psalm 100, verse 3.

Scripture Reading — Psalm 100:3-4

"Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name."

So when he says, enter into his gates with thanksgiving and into his courts with praise, here is the very same word gates, but it's now used as an entrance into fellowship and worship. Obviously, when you see the word gates, then you have to understand it's the context that's going to determine how it's going to be used. In Psalm 118, if you would turn right over there, here's another passage, Psalm 118, verse 19. Psalm 118, verse 19. Notice if you would, David says this.

"Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the Lord." So here the word gates then means an entrance into fellowship and worship. Fourthly, sometimes the word gates refers and represents to the blessings and the protection of God over His people. I want you to turn to Psalm 147. Psalm 147, and look at verses 13 and 14. Psalm 147, verse 13 and 14. So here's the word gates, but this time it refers not only to God's blessings, but God's protections. Notice Psalm 147, verse 13,

Scripture Reading — Psalm 147:13-14

"For he hath strengthened the bars of thy gates; he hath blessed thy children within thee. He maketh peace in thy borders, and filleth thee with the finest of the wheat."

So here the word gates simply represents the blessings of God and the protection of God.

Now, I know that you've understood by now that it's the context that determines how a word is used. Even though the word is spelled the same, pronounced the same, and is the same, we do exactly the same thing in our English language. For instance, I could take the little word row, R-O-W. You understand that the word row could be a verb. It's what you do with paddles in a boat, you row. But that little word row can also be a noun, like a row of beans or a row of corn. But that one little word, R-O-W, if it's pronounced row, can indicate a fight or an argument, which would be a verb again. So I could say, Tevin and Paul got into a row. That means they got into a fight. It's spelled the same, maybe pronounced a little bit differently, but you have to look at it in context. So if I said, He was rowing the boat, obviously you know what that means. Or there are two rows of corn, obviously you know what that means.

Gates as Authority, Law, and Dominion

Weaver demonstrates that 'gates' often represent authority, law, jurisdiction, and dominion, citing passages where judges, elders, and kings sit in the gates.

It's the same word. So it's the same way with the word gates. What I want to do right now with the rest of my time is to show you what I mean and what I believe the Bible means when it says there was a war in the gates. Because the word gates is used in a totally, completely different way in the Bible as well, other than these ways that I've just showed you. Sometimes the word gates refers to dominion, to rulership, to authority, to justice, and to judgment. So when he says there are war in the gates, I want you to think about this. I want you to think about when you hear the word gates in this sense, positions of authority, law, dominion, rulership.

For instance, let's go back in our Bibles to Genesis chapter 22. And I want to show you several passages very quickly where this concept is taught very emphatically. So Genesis 22 and verse 17, God is making a promise to Abraham. Genesis 22, verse 17. I want you to look at what he says. Genesis 22, verse 17.

Scripture Reading — Genesis 22:17

"That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies."

Now, you're going to see this as we get a little further in the Bible tonight. But when a king conquered a city, he put his throne in the gate. In Bible times, a king oftentimes would put his throne in the gate even of his own city. The elders sat in the gates. The judges sat in the gates. It was an open court system in the Bible. So I want you to turn to Genesis 24 and verse 60.

Now when God tells Abram, thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemy, all he's saying is your seed is going to be in control. He's going to have dominion and rulership over his enemies. So in Genesis 24 and verse 60, when Rebekah left to become the wife of Isaac, her family blessed her and they said this, "And they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her, Thou art our sister, be thou the mother of thousands of millions, and let thy seed possess the gate of those which hate them." If you are in control of the gates of your enemies, you have dominion over your enemies. You have authority over your enemies. You have jurisdiction over your enemies. Turn right over to the book of Deuteronomy. Look in chapter 16 and verse 18. Deuteronomy 16 and verse 18. Here's what God says. Deuteronomy 16 verse 18.

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 16:18

"Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, which the Lord thy God giveth thee, throughout thy tribes: and they shall judge the people with just judgment."

So, where were the judges? In the gates. And the judges were to judge for God. They were to judge according to God's law. If you would look in Deuteronomy 17, and let's read the first five verses.

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 16:18

"Thou shalt not sacrifice unto the Lord thy God any bullock, or sheep, wherein is blemish, or any evilfavouredness: for that is an abomination unto the Lord thy God. If there be found among you, within any of thy gates which the Lord thy God giveth thee, man or woman, that hath wrought wickedness in the sight of the Lord thy God, in transgressing his covenant, and hath gone and served other gods, and worshipped them, either the sun, or moon, or any

of the host of heaven, which I have not commanded; and it be told thee, and thou hast heard of it, and enquired diligently, and, behold, it be true, and the thing certain, that such abomination is wrought in Israel: then shalt thou bring forth that man or that woman, which have committed that wicked thing, unto thy gates, even that man or that woman, and shalt stone them with stones, till they die." Now the reason it happened at the gates, that's where the judges sat. The gates always speak of authority. The gates always speak of law. They always speak of jurisdiction. If you would turn in your Bibles to Psalm 127, here's a passage that is the favorite of many fathers and mothers. I want you to watch this. I'm just trying to demonstrate what the word gates can actually mean. Psalm 127.

And look, if you would please, at verse three through five. Psalm 127, beginning with verse three.

Scripture Reading — Psalm 127:3-5

"Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate."

What's that mean? It means those children will be controlling the enemies in the gate. In other words, the enemies will be submitting to them. Two other passages. Look in Isaiah chapter 13 and verse 2. Isaiah 13 and verse 2. In this passage, Isaiah 13, verse 2, God says this, "Lift ye up a banner upon the high mountain, exalt the voice unto them, shake the hand, that they may go into the gates of the nobles." So the nobles sat in the gates.

Turn right over to the book of Jeremiah, chapter 1, just to show you what happens when God calls an enemy to conquer and to chastise his people because of their rebellion. Jeremiah chapter 1 and verse 15, look what God says.

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 1:15

"For, lo, I will call all the families of the kingdoms of the north, saith the Lord; and they shall come, and they shall set every one his throne at the entering of the gates of Jerusalem, and against all the walls thereof round about, and against all the cities of Judah."

Note what God is going to do. He's going to call these heathen pagan kings, they're going to come over, and they're going to conquer, and they're going to set their thrones in the gate. I could multiply these verses. I think you have seen sufficient number of verses to understand that gates in the Bible oftentimes speak of authority, they speak of law, they speak of jurisdiction, they speak of dominion. So I want you to consider this. When the Bible says they chose new gods, then was war in the gates. Do you realize that God does not have to bring an invading army into the city for there to be war in the gates? God does not have to bring an invading army into your state or into your country for there to be war in the gates.

The Transition from God's Law to Man's Law

Using 1 Samuel 8 and 2 Kings 17, Weaver shows that rejecting God as king means rejecting His law and adopting man's law, leading to war in the gates.

Now let me try to set this stage for you. I do want you to turn to 1 Samuel 8. I'm going to take a few minutes and I'm going to read this passage for you just to show you one principal truth. Please understand this. A king rules by his law. A king rules by his law. I do not care if we're talking about the King of kings, who is our God and our Savior, or if we're talking about an earthly king. A king always rules by his law. Whatever king occupies the gate gets to determine the law. Look in 1 Samuel 8.

Let's begin reading with verse 4. And we will read through verse 20. Watch and follow this carefully. 1 Samuel 8, verse 4. "Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah, and said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways:

now make us a king to judge us like all the nations." Now let me stop right there. They didn't say, Samuel, maybe the Lord needs to send us another judge like you. Or maybe you need to ask God what He would have us do. No, they didn't say that. They said what we want is we want a king. We want to be just like all the other nations. Watch what happens in verse 6. "But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the Lord. And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them. According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee. Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them."

So, here's the distinction between God's law and man's law. Here's the distinction between God as king and man as king. So here is what Samuel tells them. Verse 10, "And Samuel told all the words of the Lord unto the people that asked of him a king. And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots. And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots. And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers. And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants. And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants. And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work. He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants.

And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the Lord will not hear you in that day. Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us; that we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles." Now, I want you to understand something about 1 Samuel chapter 8. You cannot understand this passage unless you see it as a transition from one law structure to another. What they're doing in 1 Samuel chapter 8 is they're refusing God as king, and they're choosing a man as king. When they refuse God as king, they're refusing God's law. Because now they're going to institute a man, and that man is going to institute his law, and the people are going to have to obey his law. For instance, if you look in 1 Samuel 12 and verse 12, it cannot be made any clearer than this.

1 Samuel 12 verse 12, Samuel says, "And when ye saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, ye said unto me, Nay; but a king shall reign over us: when the Lord your God was your king." So what did they do in 1 Samuel chapter 8? They traded God for a man. And they traded God's law for man's law. When the new king comes to the gates, when he begins to exercise his authority and his jurisdiction, he does so by declaring his law.

Now, let me show you how this works. If you understand this concept, you're going to see exactly what is happening in our nation and what has happened. Everybody knows that this country was set up as a Christian nation. It was. No two ways about that, I can show you document after document. I can show you even the fundamental orders of Massachusetts and Connecticut where they said, the laws of this colony shall be the laws of God given by Moses. Black and white.

But I want you to look in your Bibles to 2 Kings 17. 2 Kings 17. I want you to understand this concept of war in the gates. 2 Kings 17, and let's begin reading with verse 7, and I'm going to come back and ask some questions and make some comments. But I want to just read through verse 12. 2 Kings 17, verse 7. Watch. "For so it was, that the children of Israel had sinned against the Lord their God, which had brought them up out of the land of Egypt, from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other gods, and walked in the statutes of the heathen, whom the Lord cast out from before the children of Israel, and of the kings of Israel, which they had made. And the children of Israel did secretly those things that were not right against the Lord their God.

And they built them high places in all their cities, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city. And they set them up images and groves in every high hill, and under every green tree: and there they burnt incense in all the high places, as did the heathen whom the Lord carried away before them; and wrought wicked things to provoke the Lord to anger: for they served idols, whereof the Lord had said unto them, Ye shall not do this thing." Now let me ask you, why were these Israelites doing everything that was completely, totally, and absolutely contrary to God and contrary to the law of God? I may get to deal with this subject later in the week. If I do, I want to show you why men forsake God. You've got to ask yourself this question. Why did they walk in the statutes of the heathen? Why were they willing to, first of all, secretly worship other gods, and later on openly and publicly worship other gods?

How could they do that? Well, let's go back to verse 7. 2 Kings 17 verse 7. "For so it was, that the children of Israel had sinned against the Lord their God, which had brought them up out of the land of Egypt, from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other gods." Stop right there. Now, the Scripture says they feared other gods. If they feared other gods, that means they did not fear the One True and the Living God. They left His fear and they feared other gods.

Now, I told you in 1 Samuel chapter 8, you cannot understand 1 Samuel 8 unless you see this transition from one law structure to another. That is, from God's law structure to man's law structure. So God now says in verse 7, they feared other gods. Well, what was the consequence of fearing other gods? Look in verse 8. "And walked in the statutes of the heathen, whom the Lord cast out from before the children of Israel, and of the kings of Israel, which they had made." So when they changed gods, they changed laws. If you fear the one true and the living God, you will obey His law. If you fear a false God, you're going to obey His law. So what they've done in 2 Kings 17 is exactly what they did in Judges chapter 5. They chose new gods.

Then was war in the gates. Look in verse 19 of 2 Kings chapter 17. You're going to see that Judah did the same thing. This boggles my mind. But watch verse 19. "Also Judah kept not the commandments of the Lord their God, but walked in the statutes of Israel which they had made." Now when you go back to verses 7 and 8, Israel had apostatized, they feared false gods, and the kings of Israel made laws according to their own will and what they wanted and according to their false gods. And now what does Judah do? Judah says, look, hey, we're going to just turn from God and His law. Now we're going to follow the same gods and the same law that Israel did. Judah was a southern kingdom. Judah was the tribe that had the Levites in it. Judah was for the tabernacle and where the temple was located. And yet they've chosen new gods.

Christ vs. Caesar: The Ongoing War

Weaver applies the principle to the present, arguing that the cultural and political war is a war over jurisdiction—Christ's crown rights versus humanistic, tyrannical government.

I want you to turn to the book of Micah, over toward the end of the Old Testament. The little book of Micah, chapter 6. I want to show it to you. Micah, chapter 6. Right before the book of Nahum. Micah, chapter 6. And let's begin reading there with verse 13. Watch this. Micah, chapter 6. Verse 13, and we'll read through verse 16.

Now look what God says. Micah 6, verse 13. "Therefore also will I make thee sick in smiting thee, in making thee desolate because of thy sins." Wow. Now the Lord's not pulling any punches. He's saying you're going to be suffering. Watch verse 14. "Thou shalt eat, but not be satisfied; and thy casting down shall be in the midst of thee; and thou shalt take hold, but shalt not deliver; and that which thou deliverest will I give up to the sword. Thou shalt sow, but thou shalt not reap; thou shalt tread the olives, but thou shalt not anoint thee with oil; and sweet wine, but shalt not drink wine."

Why is the curse of God upon these people? Why is there war upon these people? Here's why. Watch. "For the statutes of Omri are kept, and all the works of the house of Ahab, and ye walk in their counsels; that I should make thee a desolation, and the inhabitants thereof an hissing: therefore ye shall bear the reproach of my people." What did he just say? You want to know what war in the gates is all about? It's when you choose new gods. It's when you forsake the one true and the living God. It's when you forsake His law and you choose man's law over God's law. Go back in your Bibles to Psalm 69. I want to show you this verse. Psalm 69. This is a Messianic Psalm.

And I've said that before, and someone says, well, aren't they all? Well, yes, they all are. But some are specifically Messianic Psalms. That is, they speak particularly of Jesus Christ. For instance, look in verse 4 of Psalm 69. He says, "They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head." In John 15, you have that verse spoken directly of Jesus Christ that hated me without a cause. Then if you look in verse 9, "For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me." In the New Testament, that's referred specifically to Jesus Christ. Now, look, if you would please, at verse 11. Still, we're talking about the Messiah, the Lord Jesus.

"I made sackcloth also my garment; and I became a proverb to them." And what did he say? You will surely say to me, this proverb, "Physician, heal thyself." But notice what he says, "They that sit in the gate speak against me; and I was the song of the drunkards." Do you want to know why the federal government is against Christianity? Against Christ? Against the Bible? Do you know why many state governments are against Christ and against the Bible? Because they've chosen new gods. They claim to be God themselves. They want their own law and not God's law. And therefore, they speak against Christ. They speak against His law. They speak against His Word. They speak against His people. That's what our Lord said, they that sit in the gates speak against Me.

What did they say in Psalm 2? "Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us." We don't like the limitations that God has placed upon us. We'll be our own gods. We'll do what we want to do. We'll rule the way we want to rule. If you will turn to John chapter 15, our Lord warned us of this. You've read these verses over and over, but let them take on a new light.

When Jesus Christ said, they that sit in the gate speak against me, and I was a song of drunkards, which means they mocked Christ. They ridiculed Christ. Now look what he says in John chapter 15, verse 18. "If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also." The Bible says they chose new gods, and then war was in the gates. Do you realize the struggle that we are in as Christians? It's an age old struggle. It's not only an age old struggle, it is an endless struggle. It is a constant and continual struggle. Let me just spell this out for you. We're in a war. Those who proclaim that Jesus Christ is Lord are at war with those who say some other god is Lord. Those who say some other god is Lord are at war with those who proclaim that Jesus Christ is Lord. There's a war in the gates. It is a war over authority and dominion and jurisdiction. It's a war over who has the right to say and who has the right to give law. As Christians, we're fighting for the crown rights of Jesus Christ. For those who are not Christians, they're fighting for the crown rights of Caesar.

It's either Christ or Caesar. It's either Christ or despotism, tyranny, and totalitarianism. It's either Christ or humanism. There is no other choice. There's a war in the gates, and let me point out that this war is not only a biblical war, it's not only a theological war, it is also a cultural war. I hope you've noticed that we have been consistently losing our Christian culture year after year after year after year. It's only a cultural war. It's also a political war.

And don't try to tell me politics and Christianity do not mix. Do you know what the word politics means? It's from the Greek word politikos, which literally means of or from the people. Are we not people? There is indeed a Christian culture and a Christian politic. A Christian body politic. I tell people I'm not against government. Government's taught in the Bible. I'm just against corruption in government and wicked, tyrannical, totalitarian government. You can't live without government. But you can live without wickedness and tyranny and ungodliness. So it is indeed a war. And it's a war over jurisdiction. It's a war over authority.

I've already quoted Isaiah 42 and verse 8 where God said, "I am the Lord: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images." I've got news for you. If you believe the Bible, you already know who wins the war. We already know who the victor is. We already know that it's the God of gods and King of kings and Lord of lords who has revealed Himself in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the Great I Am.

Applications for Believers

Weaver concludes with applications: do not be discouraged because Christ is victor; stand for Christ's crown rights; do not forsake God's law; and recognize the choice is Christ or Caesar.

Now, let me try to apply this. We who serve the Lord Jesus Christ should never be downtrodden, never be dejected and never be discouraged. We should never be looking at circumstances and we should never be looking at situations. I've asked people sometimes, how are you doing? Well, I'm doing well under the circumstances. And my normal response is, well, you shouldn't be under the circumstances, you should be above the circumstances. And the reason we should not be discouraged is because we know that Jesus Christ is absolute victor, that Jesus Christ is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. And we know, listen carefully, that He is even now in the process of subduing His enemies to Himself. You say, well it doesn't look like that.

We walk by faith and not by sight. And let me tell you something, God's timetable is not our timetable. I've often said, I am so thankful that I'm not God. Because if I was God, I'd have killed me and a whole lot of others a lot sooner than we'd die, I can assure you. Listen, God is so absolutely long-suffering. It is amazing. But here's what the Scripture says. Listen, 1 Corinthians 15, verses 25 and verse 26, "For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.

The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death." Do you know what our Lord is doing? He's reigning right now. He is subduing His enemies. He is putting them under His feet according to His timetable, not ours. According to His way, not ours. And I know this, folks. I can assure you of this. The wicked have met their match in the Lord Jesus Christ. And He shall triumph over them totally and completely.

Having that knowledge, we should never be discouraged. We should never be defeated. We should never be downtrodden. The second application is this. We should recognize the war in which we are engaged and stand definitively and distinctly for the crown rights of Jesus Christ. It does not matter whether we confront individuals, our families, our churches, our politicians, our state, or our nation. We've got to remember that Jesus Christ is Lord of all.

You know what He said in Matthew 28 verse 18? He said this, "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth." The word power, there's jurisdiction. Authority. All authority, all jurisdiction is given to Jesus Christ. Which means when a new king raises his ugly head, or a new god, we should say like our forefathers, we have no king but King Jesus. He's our King. And we stand for His crown rights. Doesn't matter whether people like it or not. Doesn't matter whether they agree or not. It doesn't matter. We have to stand for what is right. I usually try to tell people like this and describe it like this. You know, here we are, let's say we're in the Vietnam War. Whether you agree with it or not is immaterial, but I'm just using it as an illustration. Here we are, we're in Vietnam.

And we have in our laps an AR-15. And here comes the enemy soldiers, and they start gathering around us, and they start making fun of the AR-15. And they say, that is the sorriest weapon that's ever made. It will jam up. You can push it in the mud. It will blow up. You are not going to jump up if you were a soldier and say, I will have you to know this weapon is made of the finest metal and this weapon to do...

No, no, no, no, no. When they start mocking, all you're going to do is point it at them and pull the trigger. They'll find out soon enough whether or not it works. Okay?

Now, all I'm trying to say is this. When someone wants to come along and challenge you or challenge Jesus Christ, just point the Scripture at them and pull the trigger. They'll find out soon enough whether or not it's the Word of God or not, or whether it works or not. Because I've got news for you, the Scripture that will not convert them will condemn them. It will work one way or the other. So we have to make sure that we stand for the crown rights of Jesus Christ. The third one is this. Oh, Lord, have mercy.

If we do not want war in our gates, if we don't want war in our laps, if we don't want it in our front rooms, if we don't want it in our towns and our cities and our state and our nation, we must not forsake God and His law. We must not forsake Him and His Word. Do you realize the safest place to be as a child of God is right smack dab in the middle of the arms of the Lord Jesus Christ. I'm telling you. Proverbs 18, verse 10 says, "The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe." And I might add, only the righteous will run into it. But that's the place to be. We're living in dangerous times. We're living in desperate times. And now is not the time to forsake Scripture. It's not the time to forsake Christ. You better be running as close to Him and getting as close to Him as you can possibly get.

My last application is this. Listen carefully. What it all boils down to is this. It's Christ or Caesar. It's Christ or a false god. It's Christ or humanism.

Now, everyone in this room knows that Christians were put to death in the Roman Empire. What most people do not know, however, is that Christians were not put to death in the Roman Empire just simply for being Christians. In the Roman Empire, you could believe whatever you wanted to believe. If you wanted to worship Zeus, have at it. If you wanted to worship Aphrodite, go for it. If you wanted to worship Jesus Christ, who cares? The Roman Empire could care less who you worship. Just so, once a year, you swore by the genius of Caesar and you said, Caesar is Lord. Caesar gives me the right to believe what I want to believe. And Christians refused to swear by the genius of Caesar. They refused to say Caesar is Lord. Consequently, they were put to death not just because they were Christians, but they were put to death because they were counted as traitors to the Roman Empire and traitors to the emperor cult.

My question is, who is Lord? Who is Lord in your gates? Who is the authority in your life? Who has jurisdiction in your home? Who has jurisdiction in your church? Who has jurisdiction in your town, in your city, in your state and in your nation? What you see going on in our country is what has been going on. There's a war in the gates. It's a struggle for jurisdiction, for authority and dominion. And we will either submit to Christ's authority and jurisdiction, or we'll end up submitting to man's authority and jurisdiction.

And when the early apostles were faced with that, they said in Acts 5 and verse 29, "We ought to obey God rather than men." If you don't want war in your gates, you stand fast in the word of God. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee this night. We thank You for Your Word, for Your truth. And Lord, help us to understand there is indeed a war. There's a war for our minds, a war for our bodies, a war for our allegiance, a war for our homes, our families, our children. And Lord, we must not allow a new god or a false god to usurp the jurisdiction and the authority of Jesus Christ. And Lord, this great people who once worshiped Thee openly now mock Thee and refuse Thee and forsake Thee. But Lord, Thou dost have a remnant. Thou dost have an elect. And I pray that You would stir us up. Enable us, Lord, to cry out and to stand in the fight for the crown rights of Jesus Christ, in whose name we ask and pray.

Study Guide

Major Themes

The Cause of War in the Gates

Summary: War in the gates is a direct consequence of choosing new gods—forsaking the true God and His law.

Evidence: Judges 5:8: 'They chose new gods; then was war in the gates.'

God's Jealousy

Summary: God is a jealous God who will not share His glory with false gods, and forsaking Him invites judgment.

Evidence: Exodus 34:14; Deuteronomy 4:24; Isaiah 42:8.

Defenselessness Without God

Summary: When God's people forsake Him, they become defenseless, lacking both physical and spiritual weapons.

Evidence: Judges 5:8: 'Was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?'

Gates as Authority and Jurisdiction

Summary: In Scripture, 'gates' often symbolize authority, law, dominion, and judgment, where rulers and judges sit.

Evidence: Genesis 22:17; Deuteronomy 16:18; Psalm 127:5; Jeremiah 1:15.

Rejecting God's Law for Man's Law

Summary: Choosing a human king over God is a transition from God's law to man's law, leading to tyranny and war.

Evidence: 1 Samuel 8:7; 2 Kings 17:7-8; Micah 6:16.

Christ vs. Caesar

Summary: The ultimate war is between the crown rights of Jesus Christ and the claims of humanistic, tyrannical government.

Evidence: Psalm 69:12; John 15:18-20; Acts 5:29.

Christ's Ultimate Victory

Summary: Believers should not be discouraged because Christ is reigning and will subdue all enemies under His feet.

Evidence: 1 Corinthians 15:25-26.

Standing for Christ's Crown Rights

Summary: Christians must recognize the war and stand definitively for the authority of Jesus Christ in every sphere.

Evidence: Matthew 28:18; Acts 5:29.

Key Arguments

War in the gates is caused by idolatry

Summary: The text explicitly states that choosing new gods led to war in the gates, showing a direct causal link.

Evidence: Judges 5:8: 'They chose new gods; then was war in the gates.'

God's jealousy demands exclusive worship

Summary: Because God is jealous, He will not tolerate the worship of other gods and will bring judgment on those who forsake Him.

Evidence: Exodus 34:14; Deuteronomy 4:24; Isaiah 42:8.

A weaponless people is a defeated people

Summary: The lack of shields and spears among Israel indicates their defenselessness due to spiritual apostasy and tyranny.

Evidence: Judges 5:8; 1 Samuel 13:19-22.

Gates represent authority and law

Summary: Throughout Scripture, gates are the place of judgment, rulership, and dominion, so war in the gates is a war over jurisdiction.

Evidence: Genesis 22:17; Deuteronomy 16:18; Psalm 127:5; Jeremiah 1:15.

Rejecting God as king means rejecting His law

Summary: In 1 Samuel 8, Israel's demand for a human king was a rejection of God's reign and His law, leading to tyranny.

Evidence: 1 Samuel 8:7; 1 Samuel 12:12.

Changing gods changes laws

Summary: When Israel feared other gods, they walked in the statutes of the heathen, showing that law follows lordship.

Evidence: 2 Kings 17:7-8; Micah 6:16.

The war is between Christ and Caesar

Summary: The cultural and political war is ultimately a war over who is Lord—Christ or humanistic government.

Evidence: Psalm 69:12; John 15:18-20; Acts 5:29.

Christ is the ultimate victor

Summary: Despite appearances, Christ is reigning and will put all enemies under His feet, so believers should not be discouraged.

Evidence: 1 Corinthians 15:25-26.

Scripture References

Judges 5:8

Context: The primary text: 'They chose new gods; then was war in the gates: was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?'

Proverbs 26:2

Context: Cited to show that the curse does not come without a cause, implying war in the gates has a reason.

Exodus 34:14

Context: God's name is Jealous; He is a jealous God.

Deuteronomy 4:24

Context: The Lord thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.

Isaiah 42:8

Context: God will not give His glory to another or His praise to graven images.

Judges 3:31

Context: Shamgar slew six hundred Philistines with an ox goad, showing the lack of proper weapons.

1 Samuel 13:19-22

Context: No smith in Israel; only Saul and Jonathan had swords and spears, illustrating weaponless people.

Exodus 15:3

Context: The Lord is a man of war: the Lord is his name.

Deuteronomy 3:5

Context: Cities fenced with high walls, gates, and bars—literal gates.

Psalm 24:7-9

Context: Lift up your heads, O ye gates; the King of glory shall come in—triumphal entry.

Psalm 100:3-4

Context: Enter into his gates with thanksgiving—entrance into worship.

Psalm 118:19

Context: Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the Lord.

Psalm 147:13-14

Context: He hath strengthened the bars of thy gates—blessings and protection.

Genesis 22:17

Context: Thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies—dominion.

Genesis 24:60

Context: Let thy seed possess the gate of those which hate them—authority over enemies.

Deuteronomy 16:18

Context: Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates—judgment in the gates.

Deuteronomy 17:2-5

Context: Idolaters brought to the gates for judgment—gates as place of law.

Psalm 127:3-5

Context: They shall speak with the enemies in the gate—children controlling the gate.

Isaiah 13:2

Context: Go into the gates of the nobles—nobles sit in gates.

Jeremiah 1:15

Context: They shall set every one his throne at the entering of the gates of Jerusalem—conquering kings set thrones in gates.

Historical References

Wilmer McLean

Context: The American Civil War began in his front yard at Manassas and ended in his front parlor at Appomattox Courthouse, illustrating war in the gates.

Battle of Stalingrad (World War II)

Context: Referenced via the movie 'Enemy at the Gates' to illustrate close combat at the gates.

Roman Empire persecution of Christians

Context: Christians were executed for refusing to say 'Caesar is Lord,' not merely for being Christians.

Important Quotes

They chose new gods. Then was war in the gates.

Significance: The central text of the sermon, establishing the causal link between idolatry and conflict.

War in the gates does not happen by accident. There's always a reason.

Significance: Summarizes the sermon's thesis that spiritual apostasy leads to societal war.

A weaponless people and a people that lack a warrior spirit is already a defeated and enslaved people.

Significance: Highlights the consequence of forsaking God: defenselessness and defeat.

When a king conquered a city, he put his throne in the gate.

Significance: Explains the biblical symbolism of gates as seats of authority and dominion.

They traded God for a man. And they traded God's law for man's law.

Significance: Captures the essence of 1 Samuel 8 and the transition from theocracy to human monarchy.

They that sit in the gate speak against me; and I was the song of the drunkards.

Significance: Messianic prophecy applied to Christ being opposed by those in authority.

It's either Christ or Caesar. It's either Christ or despotism, tyranny, and totalitarianism.

Significance: The ultimate dichotomy presented in the sermon: allegiance to Christ or to humanistic government.

We ought to obey God rather than men.

Significance: The apostolic response to the war in the gates, cited as the model for believers.

Discussion Questions

What does it mean that 'war in the gates' is not accidental but has a cause? How does this apply to our personal lives and nation?

Context: Based on the principle from Proverbs 26:2 and Judges 5:8 that choosing new gods leads to war.

In what ways do we see 'gates' as places of authority and law in our society today? Who sits in those gates?

Context: From the survey of biblical passages where gates represent dominion and judgment.

How does the transition from God's law to man's law in 1 Samuel 8 parallel modern political shifts?

Context: Discussion of Israel's demand for a king and the consequences of rejecting God's direct rule.

What are some 'new gods' that our culture has chosen, and how have they led to 'war in the gates'?

Context: Application of the sermon's main thesis to contemporary idolatry and cultural conflict.

How should Christians respond when those 'who sit in the gate speak against' Christ and His law?

Context: From Psalm 69:12 and John 15:18-20 regarding persecution and opposition.

What does it mean to stand for the 'crown rights of Jesus Christ' in our families, churches, and political engagement?

Context: Application point urging believers to stand definitively for Christ's authority.

How does the certainty of Christ's ultimate victory (1 Corinthians 15:25-26) change our perspective on current cultural battles?

Context: Encouragement not to be discouraged because Christ is reigning and subduing enemies.

In what practical ways can we ensure that we do not forsake God and His law in our daily lives?

Context: Final application warning against forsaking God's Word and the safety found in Christ.

Applications

Do not be discouraged by the war

Summary: Believers should not be downtrodden because Christ is the ultimate victor who is subduing His enemies.

Evidence: 1 Corinthians 15:25-26; 'We walk by faith and not by sight.'

Stand for the crown rights of Jesus Christ

Summary: Recognize the war and stand definitively for Christ's authority in every sphere, regardless of opposition.

Evidence: Matthew 28:18; 'We have no king but King Jesus.'

Do not forsake God and His law

Summary: To avoid war in our gates, we must not forsake God and His Word; the safest place is in Christ.

Evidence: Proverbs 18:10; 'The name of the Lord is a strong tower.'

Choose Christ over Caesar

Summary: The ultimate choice is between Christ and humanistic authority; we must obey God rather than men.

Evidence: Acts 5:29; 'It's Christ or Caesar.'

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T22:48:06Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T14:09:51Z

Clean Transcript

War in the Gates

Clean readable transcript. This view follows the Commentary.net cleaned segment text while preserving timestamps for audio follow-along.

Tonight, if you have your Bibles, and I trust that you will and do, I want you to open to the book of Judges chapter 5 and verse 8, and I'm going to be bringing a message which I've entitled, "War in the Gates." War in the Gates. And I think you'll see the importance of this subject just momentarily. So let's look in Judges chapter 5 and verse 8.
#1 | 0:00 to 0:25 | cleaned
Of course, this is dealing with the song of Deborah and Barak. And in verse 8, the Word of God says, "They chose new gods. Then was war in the gates. Was there a shield or spear seen among 40,000 in Israel?" As I was reading through the book of Judges recently, this verse really caught my attention. "Then was war in the gates." Many of you probably remember a recent movie that was titled "Enemy at the Gates."
#2 | 0:25 to 0:57 | cleaned
It was during World War II, the Battle of Stalingrad, when two snipers, a Russian and a German, were locked in a battle of wills and marksmanship, each one trying to kill the other. And, of course, the battle was right in the very gates of Stalingrad. Both of these men were experts. Both of these men were snipers par excellence, so to speak. And yet, the movie just literally depicts and shows you how war can literally come to the gates.
#3 | 0:59 to 1:32 | cleaned
Now, our text also demonstrates how war affects individuals and nations on a personal and close-up level. You know, it's one thing to fight an enemy that you cannot see. It's another thing to fight someone up close. When you stop and think, and I was reading about one of those drone operators today who's killed something like 1,600 people, and he finally saw one dying that he killed, and all of a sudden now he's having remorse. So it's a big difference when you do hand-to-hand combat and you're someone up close and you see the results. Well, war in the gates means that everything is up close. There's an interesting tidbit from the War of Northern Aggression that began, whether you know this or not, that war actually began in the front yard of a man by the name of Wilmer McLean. Wilmer McLean was born on May the 3rd, 1814, and he died on June the 5th, 1882. Now, Wilmer McLean was a wholesale grocer.
#4 | 1:32 to 2:37 | cleaned
And he sold sugar and a lot of other commodities to the Confederate armies. Well, he knew very clearly that he was going to be a target of the federal armies. And he wanted to make sure that his family was safe. So since the war had begun in his front yard in Manassas, in Virginia, he moved his family 120 miles south. Now, you say 120 miles is not far. Well, you try walking it or riding a horse or driving a buggy and you'll find out it's a pretty good ways. Well, Wilmer McLean then settled his family around a little dusty crossroads called Appomattox Courthouse in Appomattox, Virginia. The war that began in Wilmer McLean's front yard ended in his front parlor because that's where Lee and Grant sat down. And so it started in his front yard and it ended in his parlor. So I suppose that you could say that Wilmer McLean experienced war in the gates firsthand.
#5 | 2:42 to 3:50 | cleaned
Now, when you look at the context of Judges chapter 5 and verse 8, war in the gates actually describes the hostile attacks of the Canaanites upon the Israelites. Let me make a statement and then I want to show it to you from the scripture. War in the gates does not happen by accident. There's always a reason. There's always a cause. In fact, the Bible says in Proverbs 26 and verse 2, "The curse causeless shall not come." So there is a reason why there was war in the gates in Judges chapter 5 and verse 8. So if you'll look at it, the Bible says this, "They chose new gods. Then was there war in the gates."
#6 | 3:50 to 4:39 | cleaned
And in this statement, "Was there a shield or spear seen among 40,000 in Israel?" So why was there war in the gates? And the answer is because they chose new gods. So the Israelites then not only submitted to idolatry that had been forced upon them by their tyrannical rulers, but the Scripture also tells us that they freely chose new gods. They chose gods that had just come up, new gods. Gods that were new in comparison to the Ancient of Days, the everlasting God, the everlasting Father. So, consequently, since they left the one true and living God and chose new gods, then the Bible says there was war in the gates.
#7 | 4:40 to 5:26 | cleaned
So they were hemmed in, basically, from every place and from every angle, and they were besieged in all the fortified cities. The strongest cities could not stand the onslaught of the enemy. So in Judges chapter 5 and verse 8, when the Bible says they chose new gods, and then there was war in the gates, we have to remember something. We have to remember that the sovereign God of heaven and earth is a jealous God. The Bible says in the book of Exodus chapter 34 and verse 14, "For thou shalt worship no other god: for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God." And then in the book of Deuteronomy chapter 4 and verse 24, the Bible says, "For the Lord thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God." Now let me just tell you exactly how jealous God is. He is so jealous that the Bible says in Isaiah 42, in verse 8, He declares, "I am the Lord: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images."
#8 | 5:26 to 6:39 | cleaned
So He said He's not going to share His glory with a false god, nor is He going to give His praise to a graven image. So when a nation then forsakes the one true and living God, who has revealed Himself in Jesus Christ, they're basically inviting war in the gates. They're inviting a close-up action.
#9 | 6:39 to 7:00 | cleaned
Now, I want you to note what the Scripture says in verse 8 again. "They chose new gods, then was war in the gates." And then what's this question? "Was there a shield or spear seen among 40,000 in Israel?" So the scripture is teaching us here that not only was there war in the gates, it was something that was up close and very personal. But it is also sharing with us and teaching us that these Israelites were defenseless in a time of trouble. They had absolutely no means of resisting their adversaries, for among 40,000 men there was neither spear nor shield to be seen.
#10 | 7:01 to 7:43 | cleaned
So this statement then is an honest assessment of their martial strength. Now you've got to remember that the Israelite army actually numbered several hundred thousand. So when the scripture says there was not to be seen shield or spear among 40,000, in other words, not one among 40,000 was armed sufficiently for warfare. Wow. Can you imagine an enemy attacking you in strength and you have absolutely no means to defend yourself?
#11 | 7:43 to 8:18 | cleaned
Their lack of weapons was either due to their negligence and sloth or their failure to take care of their weaponry in a time of peace, or it could have been the result of tyrants. Jabin, who was king of Canaan at this time, and who of course had attacked the Israelites over and over, Jabin and his tyranny could very easily have deprived them of their weapons so that they would not revolt against him. Now let me show you how deprived they really were.
#12 | 8:19 to 8:52 | cleaned
If you look back in your Bibles to the book of Judges chapter 3 and look at verse 31. Judges 3 and verse 31. "And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, which slew of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox goad: and he also delivered Israel." So here is Shamgar, who was a judge, and yet all he had as a weapon was an ox goad, which is a sharp pointed stick. Now, if you would turn in your Bibles to the book of 1 Samuel, chapter 13. 1 Samuel, chapter 13.
#13 | 8:53 to 9:34 | cleaned
You see, it is common practice for tyrants to deprive a people of a means of self-defense as well as their means to overthrow their despotic and tyrannical government. Shamgar was reduced to an ox goad. It's kind of like our own corrupt governments trying to deprive the people today of the means to defend themselves. But in 1 Samuel chapter 13, let's begin reading there with verse 19. 1 Samuel chapter 13 and verse 19.
#14 | 9:39 to 10:09 | cleaned
I want you to notice what the Scripture says. "Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel: for the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make them swords or spears: But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his share, and his coulter, and his axe, and his mattock. Yet they had a file for the mattocks, and for the coulters, and for the forks, and for the axes, and to sharpen the goads."
#15 | 10:09 to 10:35 | cleaned
So it came to pass in the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people that were with Saul and Jonathan: but with Saul and with Jonathan his son was there found. And the garrison of the Philistines went out to the passage of Michmash. Now I want you to notice, the only individuals that had swords and spears happened to be the king and his son Jonathan. The rest of the people had been deprived of their weaponry.
#16 | 10:36 to 11:08 | cleaned
So as it was in Judges chapter 5, so it is in 1 Samuel chapter 13. There were no weapons. There were no warriors. There were no individuals who were really able and capable of defending their lives, their families, and their homes. Let me tell you something. Mark this down in your mind. Because this is clearly what the Scripture is teaching us. A weaponless people and a people that lack a warrior spirit is already a defeated and enslaved people. We find that in Judges 5. We find that in 1 Samuel chapter 13. We must always be willing to fight for our families and for our lives and for our people. We've got to remember Exodus chapter 15 in verse 3. I love this passage.
#17 | 11:08 to 12:06 | cleaned
In fact, I have a whole message on it. The Bible says in Exodus 15 verse 3, "The Lord is a man of war: the Lord is his name." And by the way, if you read Deuteronomy chapter 4, you will find that He delivered Israel out of Egypt through war. So the Bible declares Him as a man of war.
#18 | 12:07 to 12:30 | cleaned
Now, here's the thing that caught my eye in Judges chapter 5 in verse 8, and I want you to go back there because I want you to turn with me just momentarily through the Bible so I can make some applications shortly. We'll look in Judges chapter 5 in verse 8. The Bible says they chose new gods, then was war in the gates. I'm not sure that most people understand one simple principle of biblical interpretation or biblical hermeneutics and that is this. Many words in the Bible which look alike, spell alike, and sound alike are used in different ways and the principle is it is the context that will determine the interpretation of a word. I'm going to show you how the word gates is used. First and foremost, the word gates in the Bible is used to represent real literal gates.
#19 | 12:31 to 13:41 | cleaned
I do not have to flood you with scriptures on this. Let me give you one. In Deuteronomy 3 and verse 5, the scripture says, "All these cities were fenced with high walls, gates, and bars; beside unwalled towns a great many." So I could give you a multitude of passages, which you already know, that sometimes in the Bible, the word gates just simply means gates. It refers to real, literal, physical gates. But not always. Do you realize sometimes the word gates is used to represent a triumphal entry?
#20 | 13:41 to 14:22 | cleaned
For instance, look in your Bibles to Psalm 24, Psalm 24. And notice if you would, first of all, verse seven, and then we'll look at verse nine. Psalm 24, verse seven. "Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in."
#21 | 14:22 to 15:03 | cleaned
So here is an allusion to the triumphal entry of a victorious general into the royal city. In this passage, the King of Kings, the King of Israel, enters into His royal temple.
#22 | 15:04 to 15:19 | cleaned
Now, the procession of the Ark of the Covenant had reached Mount Zion. And David is saying, literally, lift up your head, O ye gates, and lift up yourself, you everlasting doors, and the King of Glory shall come in. David was not referring to himself. He was referring to Jehovah, the one true and the living God. And that ark symbolized the presence of God. And when that ark was set in that temple, or in that tabernacle, David is saying here's the triumphal entry of the one true and the living God. And he wanted all the people to understand that here is the presence of God and that presence is meant for our resurrection, not necessarily our ruin. It could be for our ruin if we forsake Him. But in this context, God is triumphantly entering into the tabernacle and later into the temple Himself. So sometimes when you see the word gates in the Bible, it refers to a triumphal entry. Thirdly, if you look in your Bibles to Psalm 100, Psalm 100, sometimes when you see the word gates, it refers as entering into the presence of the Lord in fellowship and worship.
#23 | 15:19 to 16:44 | cleaned
Look in Psalm 100, and let's begin reading there with verse 3. Psalm 100, verse 3. "Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name." So when he says, enter into his gates with thanksgiving and into his courts with praise, here is the very same word gates, but it's now used as an entrance into fellowship and worship. Obviously, when you see the word gates, then you have to understand it's the context that's going to determine how it's going to be used. In Psalm 118, if you would turn right over there, here's another passage, Psalm 118, verse 19. Psalm 118, verse 19. Notice if you would, David says this.
#24 | 16:46 to 17:40 | cleaned
"Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the Lord." So here the word gates then means an entrance into fellowship and worship.
#25 | 17:49 to 18:00 | cleaned
Fourthly, sometimes the word gates refers and represents to the blessings and the protection of God over His people. I want you to turn to Psalm 147. Psalm 147, and look at verses 13 and 14. Psalm 147, verse 13 and 14. So here's the word gates, but this time it refers not only to God's blessings, but God's protections. Notice Psalm 147, verse 13, "For he hath strengthened the bars of thy gates; he hath blessed thy children within thee. He maketh peace in thy borders, and filleth thee with the finest of the wheat." So here the word gates simply represents the blessings of God and the protection of God.
#26 | 18:01 to 18:59 | cleaned
Now, I know that you've understood by now that it's the context that determines how a word is used. Even though the word is spelled the same, pronounced the same, and is the same, we do exactly the same thing in our English language. For instance, I could take the little word row, R-O-W. You understand that the word row could be a verb. It's what you do with paddles in a boat, you row. But that little word row can also be a noun, like a row of beans or a row of corn. But that one little word, R-O-W, if it's pronounced row, can indicate a fight or an argument, which would be a verb again. So I could say, Tevin and Paul got into a row. That means they got into a fight. It's spelled the same, maybe pronounced a little bit differently, but you have to look at it in context. So if I said, He was rowing the boat, obviously you know what that means. Or there are two rows of corn, obviously you know what that means.
#27 | 18:59 to 20:11 | cleaned
It's the same word. So it's the same way with the word gates. What I want to do right now with the rest of my time is to show you what I mean and what I believe the Bible means when it says there was a war in the gates. Because the word gates is used in a totally, completely different way in the Bible as well, other than these ways that I've just showed you. Sometimes the word gates refers to dominion, to rulership, to authority, to justice, and to judgment. So when he says there are war in the gates, I want you to think about this. I want you to think about when you hear the word gates in this sense, positions of authority, law, dominion, rulership.
#28 | 20:11 to 21:09 | cleaned
For instance, let's go back in our Bibles to Genesis chapter 22. And I want to show you several passages very quickly where this concept is taught very emphatically. So Genesis 22 and verse 17, God is making a promise to Abraham. Genesis 22, verse 17. I want you to look at what he says. Genesis 22, verse 17. "That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies."
#29 | 21:10 to 21:58 | cleaned
Now, you're going to see this as we get a little further in the Bible tonight. But when a king conquered a city, he put his throne in the gate. In Bible times, a king oftentimes would put his throne in the gate even of his own city. The elders sat in the gates. The judges sat in the gates. It was an open court system in the Bible. So I want you to turn to Genesis 24 and verse 60.
#30 | 22:00 to 22:34 | cleaned
Now when God tells Abram, thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemy, all he's saying is your seed is going to be in control. He's going to have dominion and rulership over his enemies. So in Genesis 24 and verse 60, when Rebekah left to become the wife of Isaac, her family blessed her and they said this, "And they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her, Thou art our sister, be thou the mother of thousands of millions, and let thy seed possess the gate of those which hate them." If you are in control of the gates of your enemies, you have dominion over your enemies. You have authority over your enemies. You have jurisdiction over your enemies.
#31 | 22:34 to 23:24 | cleaned
Turn right over to the book of Deuteronomy. Look in chapter 16 and verse 18. Deuteronomy 16 and verse 18. Here's what God says. Deuteronomy 16 verse 18. "Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, which the Lord thy God giveth thee, throughout thy tribes: and they shall judge the people with just judgment." So, where were the judges? In the gates. And the judges were to judge for God. They were to judge according to God's law. If you would look in Deuteronomy 17, and let's read the first five verses. "Thou shalt not sacrifice unto the Lord thy God any bullock, or sheep, wherein is blemish, or any evilfavouredness: for that is an abomination unto the Lord thy God. If there be found among you, within any of thy gates which the Lord thy God giveth thee, man or woman, that hath wrought wickedness in the sight of the Lord thy God, in transgressing his covenant, and hath gone and served other gods, and worshipped them, either the sun, or moon, or any
#32 | 23:26 to 24:40 | cleaned
of the host of heaven, which I have not commanded; and it be told thee, and thou hast heard of it, and enquired diligently, and, behold, it be true, and the thing certain, that such abomination is wrought in Israel: then shalt thou bring forth that man or that woman, which have committed that wicked thing, unto thy gates, even that man or that woman, and shalt stone them with stones, till they die."
#33 | 24:40 to 25:05 | cleaned
Now the reason it happened at the gates, that's where the judges sat. The gates always speak of authority. The gates always speak of law. They always speak of jurisdiction. If you would turn in your Bibles to Psalm 127, here's a passage that is the favorite of many fathers and mothers. I want you to watch this. I'm just trying to demonstrate what the word gates can actually mean. Psalm 127.
#34 | 25:05 to 25:39 | cleaned
And look, if you would please, at verse three through five. Psalm 127, beginning with verse three. "Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate." What's that mean? It means those children will be controlling the enemies in the gate. In other words, the enemies will be submitting to them. Two other passages. Look in Isaiah chapter 13 and verse 2. Isaiah 13 and verse 2. In this passage, Isaiah 13, verse 2, God says this, "Lift ye up a banner upon the high mountain, exalt the voice unto them, shake the hand, that they may go into the gates of the nobles." So the nobles sat in the gates.
#35 | 25:39 to 26:54 | cleaned
Turn right over to the book of Jeremiah, chapter 1, just to show you what happens when God calls an enemy to conquer and to chastise his people because of their rebellion. Jeremiah chapter 1 and verse 15, look what God says. "For, lo, I will call all the families of the kingdoms of the north, saith the Lord; and they shall come, and they shall set every one his throne at the entering of the gates of Jerusalem, and against all the walls thereof round about, and against all the cities of Judah." Note what God is going to do. He's going to call these heathen pagan kings, they're going to come over, and they're going to conquer, and they're going to set their thrones in the gate.
#36 | 26:55 to 27:39 | cleaned
I could multiply these verses. I think you have seen sufficient number of verses to understand that gates in the Bible oftentimes speak of authority, they speak of law, they speak of jurisdiction, they speak of dominion. So I want you to consider this. When the Bible says they chose new gods, then was war in the gates. Do you realize that God does not have to bring an invading army into the city for there to be war in the gates? God does not have to bring an invading army into your state or into your country for there to be war in the gates.
#37 | 27:42 to 28:34 | cleaned
There's a concept that has been around for centuries. It's in the Bible. And we have either never been taught it, or we've totally and completely forgotten it, ignored it, overlooked it, and yet that concept, that principle is real. It is genuine. What has been going on in our country? What has been going on in our churches a lot of them? What has been going on in our families? There's been a war at any of the gates, and we have not even realized it.
#38 | 28:34 to 29:09 | cleaned
Now let me try to set this stage for you. I do want you to turn to 1 Samuel 8. I'm going to take a few minutes and I'm going to read this passage for you just to show you one principal truth. Please understand this. A king rules by his law. A king rules by his law. I do not care if we're talking about the King of kings, who is our God and our Savior, or if we're talking about an earthly king. A king always rules by his law. Whatever king occupies the gate gets to determine the law. Look in 1 Samuel 8.
#39 | 29:11 to 30:17 | cleaned
Let's begin reading with verse 4. And we will read through verse 20. Watch and follow this carefully. 1 Samuel 8, verse 4. "Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah, and said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways:
#40 | 30:17 to 30:38 | cleaned
now make us a king to judge us like all the nations." Now let me stop right there. They didn't say, Samuel, maybe the Lord needs to send us another judge like you. Or maybe you need to ask God what He would have us do. No, they didn't say that. They said what we want is we want a king. We want to be just like all the other nations.
#41 | 30:39 to 30:59 | cleaned
Watch what happens in verse 6. "But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the Lord. And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them. According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee. Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them."
#42 | 31:00 to 31:53 | cleaned
So, here's the distinction between God's law and man's law. Here's the distinction between God as king and man as king. So here is what Samuel tells them. Verse 10, "And Samuel told all the words of the Lord unto the people that asked of him a king. And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots. And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots.
#43 | 31:54 to 32:36 | cleaned
And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers. And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants. And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants. And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work. He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants.
#44 | 32:36 to 33:03 | cleaned
And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the Lord will not hear you in that day. Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us; that we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles." Now, I want you to understand something about 1 Samuel chapter 8. You cannot understand this passage unless you see it as a transition from one law structure to another. What they're doing in 1 Samuel chapter 8 is they're refusing God as king, and they're choosing a man as king. When they refuse God as king, they're refusing God's law. Because now they're going to institute a man, and that man is going to institute his law, and the people are going to have to obey his law. For instance, if you look in 1 Samuel 12 and verse 12, it cannot be made any clearer than this.
#45 | 33:04 to 34:17 | cleaned
1 Samuel 12 verse 12, Samuel says, "And when ye saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, ye said unto me, Nay; but a king shall reign over us: when the Lord your God was your king." So what did they do in 1 Samuel chapter 8? They traded God for a man. And they traded God's law for man's law. When the new king comes to the gates, when he begins to exercise his authority and his jurisdiction, he does so by declaring his law.
#46 | 34:17 to 35:04 | cleaned
Now, let me show you how this works. If you understand this concept, you're going to see exactly what is happening in our nation and what has happened. Everybody knows that this country was set up as a Christian nation. It was. No two ways about that, I can show you document after document. I can show you even the fundamental orders of Massachusetts and Connecticut where they said, the laws of this colony shall be the laws of God given by Moses. Black and white.
#47 | 35:06 to 35:40 | cleaned
But I want you to look in your Bibles to 2 Kings 17. 2 Kings 17. I want you to understand this concept of war in the gates. 2 Kings 17, and let's begin reading with verse 7, and I'm going to come back and ask some questions and make some comments. But I want to just read through verse 12. 2 Kings 17, verse 7. Watch. "For so it was, that the children of Israel had sinned against the Lord their God, which had brought them up out of the land of Egypt, from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other gods, and walked in the statutes of the heathen, whom the Lord cast out from before the children of Israel, and of the kings of Israel, which they had made. And the children of Israel did secretly those things that were not right against the Lord their God.
#48 | 35:45 to 36:44 | cleaned
And they built them high places in all their cities, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city. And they set them up images and groves in every high hill, and under every green tree: and there they burnt incense in all the high places, as did the heathen whom the Lord carried away before them; and wrought wicked things to provoke the Lord to anger: for they served idols, whereof the Lord had said unto them, Ye shall not do this thing."
#49 | 36:45 to 37:08 | cleaned
Now let me ask you, why were these Israelites doing everything that was completely, totally, and absolutely contrary to God and contrary to the law of God? I may get to deal with this subject later in the week. If I do, I want to show you why men forsake God. You've got to ask yourself this question. Why did they walk in the statutes of the heathen? Why were they willing to, first of all, secretly worship other gods, and later on openly and publicly worship other gods?
#50 | 37:08 to 37:49 | cleaned
How could they do that? Well, let's go back to verse 7. 2 Kings 17 verse 7. "For so it was, that the children of Israel had sinned against the Lord their God, which had brought them up out of the land of Egypt, from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other gods." Stop right there. Now, the Scripture says they feared other gods. If they feared other gods, that means they did not fear the One True and the Living God. They left His fear and they feared other gods.
#51 | 37:53 to 38:29 | cleaned
Now, I told you in 1 Samuel chapter 8, you cannot understand 1 Samuel 8 unless you see this transition from one law structure to another. That is, from God's law structure to man's law structure. So God now says in verse 7, they feared other gods. Well, what was the consequence of fearing other gods? Look in verse 8. "And walked in the statutes of the heathen, whom the Lord cast out from before the children of Israel, and of the kings of Israel, which they had made." So when they changed gods, they changed laws. If you fear the one true and the living God, you will obey His law. If you fear a false God, you're going to obey His law. So what they've done in 2 Kings 17 is exactly what they did in Judges chapter 5. They chose new gods.
#52 | 38:31 to 39:36 | cleaned
Then was war in the gates. Look in verse 19 of 2 Kings chapter 17. You're going to see that Judah did the same thing. This boggles my mind. But watch verse 19. "Also Judah kept not the commandments of the Lord their God, but walked in the statutes of Israel which they had made." Now when you go back to verses 7 and 8, Israel had apostatized, they feared false gods, and the kings of Israel made laws according to their own will and what they wanted and according to their false gods. And now what does Judah do? Judah says, look, hey, we're going to just turn from God and His law. Now we're going to follow the same gods and the same law that Israel did. Judah was a southern kingdom. Judah was the tribe that had the Levites in it. Judah was for the tabernacle and where the temple was located. And yet they've chosen new gods.
#53 | 39:37 to 40:41 | cleaned
I want you to turn to the book of Micah, over toward the end of the Old Testament. The little book of Micah, chapter 6. I want to show it to you. Micah, chapter 6. Right before the book of Nahum. Micah, chapter 6. And let's begin reading there with verse 13. Watch this. Micah, chapter 6. Verse 13, and we'll read through verse 16.
#54 | 40:46 to 41:21 | cleaned
Now look what God says. Micah 6, verse 13. "Therefore also will I make thee sick in smiting thee, in making thee desolate because of thy sins." Wow.
#55 | 41:21 to 41:37 | cleaned
Now the Lord's not pulling any punches. He's saying you're going to be suffering. Watch verse 14. "Thou shalt eat, but not be satisfied; and thy casting down shall be in the midst of thee; and thou shalt take hold, but shalt not deliver; and that which thou deliverest will I give up to the sword. Thou shalt sow, but thou shalt not reap; thou shalt tread the olives, but thou shalt not anoint thee with oil; and sweet wine, but shalt not drink wine."
#56 | 41:38 to 42:09 | cleaned
Why is the curse of God upon these people? Why is there war upon these people? Here's why. Watch. "For the statutes of Omri are kept, and all the works of the house of Ahab, and ye walk in their counsels; that I should make thee a desolation, and the inhabitants thereof an hissing: therefore ye shall bear the reproach of my people."
#57 | 42:10 to 42:41 | cleaned
What did he just say? You want to know what war in the gates is all about? It's when you choose new gods. It's when you forsake the one true and the living God. It's when you forsake His law and you choose man's law over God's law. Go back in your Bibles to Psalm 69. I want to show you this verse. Psalm 69. This is a Messianic Psalm.
#58 | 42:43 to 43:18 | cleaned
And I've said that before, and someone says, well, aren't they all? Well, yes, they all are. But some are specifically Messianic Psalms. That is, they speak particularly of Jesus Christ. For instance, look in verse 4 of Psalm 69. He says, "They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head." In John 15, you have that verse spoken directly of Jesus Christ that hated me without a cause. Then if you look in verse 9, "For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me." In the New Testament, that's referred specifically to Jesus Christ. Now, look, if you would please, at verse 11. Still, we're talking about the Messiah, the Lord Jesus.
#59 | 43:19 to 44:06 | cleaned
"I made sackcloth also my garment; and I became a proverb to them." And what did he say? You will surely say to me, this proverb, "Physician, heal thyself." But notice what he says, "They that sit in the gate speak against me; and I was the song of the drunkards."
#60 | 44:08 to 44:34 | cleaned
Do you want to know why the federal government is against Christianity? Against Christ? Against the Bible? Do you know why many state governments are against Christ and against the Bible? Because they've chosen new gods. They claim to be God themselves. They want their own law and not God's law. And therefore, they speak against Christ. They speak against His law. They speak against His Word. They speak against His people. That's what our Lord said, they that sit in the gates speak against Me.
#61 | 44:38 to 45:18 | cleaned
What did they say in Psalm 2? "Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us." We don't like the limitations that God has placed upon us. We'll be our own gods. We'll do what we want to do. We'll rule the way we want to rule. If you will turn to John chapter 15, our Lord warned us of this. You've read these verses over and over, but let them take on a new light.
#62 | 45:18 to 45:47 | cleaned
When Jesus Christ said, they that sit in the gate speak against me, and I was a song of drunkards, which means they mocked Christ. They ridiculed Christ.
#63 | 45:49 to 45:58 | cleaned
Now look what he says in John chapter 15, verse 18. "If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord.
#64 | 46:00 to 46:20 | cleaned
If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also." The Bible says they chose new gods, and then war was in the gates. Do you realize the struggle that we are in as Christians? It's an age old struggle. It's not only an age old struggle, it is an endless struggle. It is a constant and continual struggle. Let me just spell this out for you. We're in a war. Those who proclaim that Jesus Christ is Lord are at war with those who say some other god is Lord. Those who say some other god is Lord are at war with those who proclaim that Jesus Christ is Lord. There's a war in the gates. It is a war over authority and dominion and jurisdiction. It's a war over who has the right to say and who has the right to give law. As Christians, we're fighting for the crown rights of Jesus Christ. For those who are not Christians, they're fighting for the crown rights of Caesar.
#65 | 46:21 to 47:48 | cleaned
It's either Christ or Caesar. It's either Christ or despotism, tyranny, and totalitarianism. It's either Christ or humanism. There is no other choice. There's a war in the gates, and let me point out that this war is not only a biblical war, it's not only a theological war, it is also a cultural war. I hope you've noticed that we have been consistently losing our Christian culture year after year after year after year. It's only a cultural war. It's also a political war.
#66 | 47:49 to 48:39 | cleaned
And don't try to tell me politics and Christianity do not mix. Do you know what the word politics means? It's from the Greek word politikos, which literally means of or from the people. Are we not people? There is indeed a Christian culture and a Christian politic. A Christian body politic. I tell people I'm not against government. Government's taught in the Bible. I'm just against corruption in government and wicked, tyrannical, totalitarian government. You can't live without government. But you can live without wickedness and tyranny and ungodliness. So it is indeed a war. And it's a war over jurisdiction. It's a war over authority.
#67 | 48:41 to 49:34 | cleaned
I've already quoted Isaiah 42 and verse 8 where God said, "I am the Lord: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images." I've got news for you. If you believe the Bible, you already know who wins the war. We already know who the victor is. We already know that it's the God of gods and King of kings and Lord of lords who has revealed Himself in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the Great I Am.
#68 | 49:36 to 50:10 | cleaned
He is the Ancient of Days. He is the Eternal. He is the Almighty. He is the Omnipotent, Omniscient, Omnipresent, Immutable, Infinite God of Heaven and Earth. And none can overthrow Him. He is the one who will win the war in the gates.
#69 | 50:10 to 50:32 | cleaned
Now, let me try to apply this. We who serve the Lord Jesus Christ should never be downtrodden, never be dejected and never be discouraged. We should never be looking at circumstances and we should never be looking at situations. I've asked people sometimes, how are you doing? Well, I'm doing well under the circumstances. And my normal response is, well, you shouldn't be under the circumstances, you should be above the circumstances. And the reason we should not be discouraged is because we know that Jesus Christ is absolute victor, that Jesus Christ is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. And we know, listen carefully, that He is even now in the process of subduing His enemies to Himself. You say, well it doesn't look like that.
#70 | 50:32 to 51:27 | cleaned
We walk by faith and not by sight. And let me tell you something, God's timetable is not our timetable. I've often said, I am so thankful that I'm not God. Because if I was God, I'd have killed me and a whole lot of others a lot sooner than we'd die, I can assure you. Listen, God is so absolutely long-suffering. It is amazing. But here's what the Scripture says. Listen, 1 Corinthians 15, verses 25 and verse 26, "For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
#71 | 51:28 to 52:05 | cleaned
The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death." Do you know what our Lord is doing? He's reigning right now. He is subduing His enemies. He is putting them under His feet according to His timetable, not ours. According to His way, not ours. And I know this, folks. I can assure you of this. The wicked have met their match in the Lord Jesus Christ. And He shall triumph over them totally and completely.
#72 | 52:06 to 52:42 | cleaned
Having that knowledge, we should never be discouraged. We should never be defeated. We should never be downtrodden. The second application is this. We should recognize the war in which we are engaged and stand definitively and distinctly for the crown rights of Jesus Christ. It does not matter whether we confront individuals, our families, our churches, our politicians, our state, or our nation. We've got to remember that Jesus Christ is Lord of all.
#73 | 52:43 to 53:26 | cleaned
You know what He said in Matthew 28 verse 18? He said this, "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth." The word power, there's jurisdiction. Authority. All authority, all jurisdiction is given to Jesus Christ. Which means when a new king raises his ugly head, or a new god, we should say like our forefathers, we have no king but King Jesus. He's our King. And we stand for His crown rights. Doesn't matter whether people like it or not. Doesn't matter whether they agree or not. It doesn't matter. We have to stand for what is right. I usually try to tell people like this and describe it like this. You know, here we are, let's say we're in the Vietnam War. Whether you agree with it or not is immaterial, but I'm just using it as an illustration. Here we are, we're in Vietnam.
#74 | 53:26 to 54:31 | cleaned
And we have in our laps an AR-15. And here comes the enemy soldiers, and they start gathering around us, and they start making fun of the AR-15. And they say, that is the sorriest weapon that's ever made. It will jam up. You can push it in the mud. It will blow up. You are not going to jump up if you were a soldier and say, I will have you to know this weapon is made of the finest metal and this weapon to do...
#75 | 54:33 to 55:05 | cleaned
No, no, no, no, no. When they start mocking, all you're going to do is point it at them and pull the trigger. They'll find out soon enough whether or not it works. Okay?
#76 | 55:06 to 55:17 | cleaned
Now, all I'm trying to say is this. When someone wants to come along and challenge you or challenge Jesus Christ, just point the Scripture at them and pull the trigger. They'll find out soon enough whether or not it's the Word of God or not, or whether it works or not. Because I've got news for you, the Scripture that will not convert them will condemn them. It will work one way or the other. So we have to make sure that we stand for the crown rights of Jesus Christ. The third one is this. Oh, Lord, have mercy.
#77 | 55:18 to 55:51 | cleaned
If we do not want war in our gates, if we don't want war in our laps, if we don't want it in our front rooms, if we don't want it in our towns and our cities and our state and our nation, we must not forsake God and His law. We must not forsake Him and His Word. Do you realize the safest place to be as a child of God is right smack dab in the middle of the arms of the Lord Jesus Christ. I'm telling you. Proverbs 18, verse 10 says, "The name of the Lord is a strong tower:
#78 | 55:51 to 56:31 | cleaned
the righteous runneth into it, and is safe." And I might add, only the righteous will run into it. But that's the place to be. We're living in dangerous times. We're living in desperate times. And now is not the time to forsake Scripture. It's not the time to forsake Christ. You better be running as close to Him and getting as close to Him as you can possibly get.
#79 | 56:32 to 57:03 | cleaned
My last application is this. Listen carefully. What it all boils down to is this. It's Christ or Caesar. It's Christ or a false god. It's Christ or humanism.
#80 | 57:04 to 57:21 | cleaned
Now, everyone in this room knows that Christians were put to death in the Roman Empire. What most people do not know, however, is that Christians were not put to death in the Roman Empire just simply for being Christians. In the Roman Empire, you could believe whatever you wanted to believe. If you wanted to worship Zeus, have at it. If you wanted to worship Aphrodite, go for it. If you wanted to worship Jesus Christ, who cares? The Roman Empire could care less who you worship. Just so, once a year, you swore by the genius of Caesar and you said, Caesar is Lord. Caesar gives me the right to believe what I want to believe. And Christians refused to swear by the genius of Caesar. They refused to say Caesar is Lord. Consequently, they were put to death not just because they were Christians, but they were put to death because they were counted as traitors to the Roman Empire and traitors to the emperor cult.
#81 | 57:23 to 58:42 | cleaned
My question is, who is Lord? Who is Lord in your gates? Who is the authority in your life? Who has jurisdiction in your home? Who has jurisdiction in your church? Who has jurisdiction in your town, in your city, in your state and in your nation? What you see going on in our country is what has been going on. There's a war in the gates. It's a struggle for jurisdiction, for authority and dominion. And we will either submit to Christ's authority and jurisdiction, or we'll end up submitting to man's authority and jurisdiction.
#82 | 58:52 to 1:00:03 | cleaned
And when the early apostles were faced with that, they said in Acts 5 and verse 29, "We ought to obey God rather than men." If you don't want war in your gates, you stand fast in the word of God. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee this night. We thank You for Your Word, for Your truth. And Lord, help us to understand there is indeed a war. There's a war for our minds, a war for our bodies, a war for our allegiance, a war for our homes, our families, our children. And Lord, we must not allow a new god or a false god to usurp the jurisdiction and the authority of Jesus Christ. And Lord, this great people who once worshiped Thee openly now mock Thee and refuse Thee and forsake Thee. But Lord, Thou dost have a remnant. Thou dost have an elect. And I pray that You would stir us up. Enable us, Lord, to cry out and to stand in the fight for the crown rights of Jesus Christ, in whose name we ask and pray.
#83 | 1:00:05 to 1:01:30 | cleaned
Amen.
#84 | 1:01:31 to 1:01:31 | cleaned

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T22:48:06Z

War in the Gates

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

John Weaver expounds Judges 5:8, arguing that 'war in the gates' is not accidental but results from choosing new gods—forsaking the true God and His law. He demonstrates that 'gates' in Scripture often symbolize authority, jurisdiction, and law. When a people reject God's law for man's law, they invite conflict at every level of society. The sermon applies this to modern cultural and political battles, urging Christians to stand for the crown rights of Jesus Christ against all rival claims to lordship.

Introduction: The Text and Its Context

Weaver introduces Judges 5:8 and the song of Deborah and Barak, noting the phrase 'war in the gates' and its connection to choosing new gods.

Scripture Reading — Judges 5:8

" War in the Gates. And I think you'll see the importance of this subject just momentarily. So let's look in Judges chapter 5 and verse 8. Of course, this is dealing with the song of Deborah and Barak. And in verse 8, the Word of God says, "

War in the Gates is Personal and Close

Using the movie 'Enemy at the Gates' and the story of Wilmer McLean, Weaver illustrates that war in the gates means conflict is up close and personal, affecting individuals and nations directly.

The Cause: Choosing New Gods

Weaver explains that war in the gates is not accidental; it is caused by choosing new gods, which provokes God's jealousy and leads to defenselessness.

Scripture Reading — Proverbs 26:2

"The curse causeless shall not come."

So there is a reason why there was war in the gates in Judges chapter 5 and verse 8. So if you'll look at it, the Bible says this, "They chose new gods. Then was there war in the gates."

Scripture Reading — Exodus 34:14

"For thou shalt worship no other god: for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God."

Biblical Usage of 'Gates'

Weaver surveys various biblical uses of 'gates': literal gates, triumphal entry, entrance into worship, and blessings/protection. He emphasizes that context determines meaning.

I do not have to flood you with scriptures on this. Let me give you one. In Deuteronomy 3 and verse 5, the scripture says,

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 3:5

"All these cities were fenced with high walls, gates, and bars; beside unwalled towns a great many."

Look in Psalm 100, and let's begin reading there with verse 3. Psalm 100, verse 3.

Scripture Reading — Psalm 100:3-4

"Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name."

Scripture Reading — Psalm 147:13-14

"For he hath strengthened the bars of thy gates; he hath blessed thy children within thee. He maketh peace in thy borders, and filleth thee with the finest of the wheat."

So here the word gates simply represents the blessings of God and the protection of God.

Gates as Authority, Law, and Dominion

Weaver demonstrates that 'gates' often represent authority, law, jurisdiction, and dominion, citing passages where judges, elders, and kings sit in the gates.

Scripture Reading — Genesis 22:17

"That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies."

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 16:18

"Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, which the Lord thy God giveth thee, throughout thy tribes: and they shall judge the people with just judgment."

So, where were the judges? In the gates. And the judges were to judge for God. They were to judge according to God's law. If you would look in Deuteronomy 17, and let's read the first five verses.

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 16:18

"Thou shalt not sacrifice unto the Lord thy God any bullock, or sheep, wherein is blemish, or any evilfavouredness: for that is an abomination unto the Lord thy God. If there be found among you, within any of thy gates which the Lord thy God giveth thee, man or woman, that hath wrought wickedness in the sight of the Lord thy God, in transgressing his covenant, and hath gone and served other gods, and worshipped them, either the sun, or moon, or any

And look, if you would please, at verse three through five. Psalm 127, beginning with verse three.

Scripture Reading — Psalm 127:3-5

"Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate."

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 1:15

"For, lo, I will call all the families of the kingdoms of the north, saith the Lord; and they shall come, and they shall set every one his throne at the entering of the gates of Jerusalem, and against all the walls thereof round about, and against all the cities of Judah."

The Transition from God's Law to Man's Law

Using 1 Samuel 8 and 2 Kings 17, Weaver shows that rejecting God as king means rejecting His law and adopting man's law, leading to war in the gates.

Christ vs. Caesar: The Ongoing War

Weaver applies the principle to the present, arguing that the cultural and political war is a war over jurisdiction—Christ's crown rights versus humanistic, tyrannical government.

Applications for Believers

Weaver concludes with applications: do not be discouraged because Christ is victor; stand for Christ's crown rights; do not forsake God's law; and recognize the choice is Christ or Caesar.

No, no, no, no, no. When they start mocking, all you're going to do is point it at them and pull the trigger. They'll find out soon enough whether or not it works. Okay?

My last application is this. Listen carefully. What it all boils down to is this. It's Christ or Caesar. It's Christ or a false god. It's Christ or humanism.

War in the Gates

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	61013220131
Subject	Civil Government
Course	Civil Government: Power, Nations, and Constitutional Order: War in the Gates
Genre	Sermon
Date	2013-06-10
Dictation Name
Book	Book 009: Civil Government: Power, Nations, and Constitutional Order — Chapter 15
Source Timed Segments	84

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction: The Text and Its Context: Weaver introduces Judges 5:8 and the song of Deborah and Barak, noting the phrase 'war in the gates' and its connection to choosing new gods.
War in the Gates is Personal and Close: Using the movie 'Enemy at the Gates' and the story of Wilmer McLean, Weaver illustrates that war in the gates means conflict is up close and personal, affecting individuals and nations directly.
The Cause: Choosing New Gods: Weaver explains that war in the gates is not accidental; it is caused by choosing new gods, which provokes God's jealousy and leads to defenselessness.
Biblical Usage of 'Gates': Weaver surveys various biblical uses of 'gates': literal gates, triumphal entry, entrance into worship, and blessings/protection. He emphasizes that context determines meaning.
Gates as Authority, Law, and Dominion: Weaver demonstrates that 'gates' often represent authority, law, jurisdiction, and dominion, citing passages where judges, elders, and kings sit in the gates.
The Transition from God's Law to Man's Law: Using 1 Samuel 8 and 2 Kings 17, Weaver shows that rejecting God as king means rejecting His law and adopting man's law, leading to war in the gates.
Christ vs. Caesar: The Ongoing War: Weaver applies the principle to the present, arguing that the cultural and political war is a war over jurisdiction—Christ's crown rights versus humanistic, tyrannical government.
Applications for Believers: Weaver concludes with applications: do not be discouraged because Christ is victor; stand for Christ's crown rights; do not forsake God's law; and recognize the choice is Christ or Caesar.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

War in the gates is caused by idolatry

The text explicitly states that choosing new gods led to war in the gates, showing a direct causal link.

Judges 5:8: 'They chose new gods; then was war in the gates.'

God's jealousy demands exclusive worship

Because God is jealous, He will not tolerate the worship of other gods and will bring judgment on those who forsake Him.

Exodus 34:14; Deuteronomy 4:24; Isaiah 42:8.

A weaponless people is a defeated people

The lack of shields and spears among Israel indicates their defenselessness due to spiritual apostasy and tyranny.

Judges 5:8; 1 Samuel 13:19-22.

Gates represent authority and law

Throughout Scripture, gates are the place of judgment, rulership, and dominion, so war in the gates is a war over jurisdiction.

Genesis 22:17; Deuteronomy 16:18; Psalm 127:5; Jeremiah 1:15.

Rejecting God as king means rejecting His law

In 1 Samuel 8, Israel's demand for a human king was a rejection of God's reign and His law, leading to tyranny.

1 Samuel 8:7; 1 Samuel 12:12.

Changing gods changes laws

When Israel feared other gods, they walked in the statutes of the heathen, showing that law follows lordship.

2 Kings 17:7-8; Micah 6:16.

The war is between Christ and Caesar

The cultural and political war is ultimately a war over who is Lord—Christ or humanistic government.

Psalm 69:12; John 15:18-20; Acts 5:29.

Christ is the ultimate victor

Despite appearances, Christ is reigning and will put all enemies under His feet, so believers should not be discouraged.

1 Corinthians 15:25-26.

Scripture References

Judges 5:8: The primary text: 'They chose new gods; then was war in the gates: was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?'
Proverbs 26:2: Cited to show that the curse does not come without a cause, implying war in the gates has a reason.
Exodus 34:14: God's name is Jealous; He is a jealous God.
Deuteronomy 4:24: The Lord thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.
Isaiah 42:8: God will not give His glory to another or His praise to graven images.
Judges 3:31: Shamgar slew six hundred Philistines with an ox goad, showing the lack of proper weapons.
1 Samuel 13:19-22: No smith in Israel; only Saul and Jonathan had swords and spears, illustrating weaponless people.
Exodus 15:3: The Lord is a man of war: the Lord is his name.
Deuteronomy 3:5: Cities fenced with high walls, gates, and bars—literal gates.
Psalm 24:7-9: Lift up your heads, O ye gates; the King of glory shall come in—triumphal entry.
Psalm 100:3-4: Enter into his gates with thanksgiving—entrance into worship.
Psalm 118:19: Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the Lord.
Psalm 147:13-14: He hath strengthened the bars of thy gates—blessings and protection.
Genesis 22:17: Thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies—dominion.
Genesis 24:60: Let thy seed possess the gate of those which hate them—authority over enemies.
Deuteronomy 16:18: Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates—judgment in the gates.
Deuteronomy 17:2-5: Idolaters brought to the gates for judgment—gates as place of law.
Psalm 127:3-5: They shall speak with the enemies in the gate—children controlling the gate.
Isaiah 13:2: Go into the gates of the nobles—nobles sit in gates.
Jeremiah 1:15: They shall set every one his throne at the entering of the gates of Jerusalem—conquering kings set thrones in gates.

Historical References

Wilmer McLean: The American Civil War began in his front yard at Manassas and ended in his front parlor at Appomattox Courthouse, illustrating war in the gates.
Battle of Stalingrad (World War II): Referenced via the movie 'Enemy at the Gates' to illustrate close combat at the gates.
Roman Empire persecution of Christians: Christians were executed for refusing to say 'Caesar is Lord,' not merely for being Christians.

Important Quotes

They chose new gods. Then was war in the gates.

The central text of the sermon, establishing the causal link between idolatry and conflict.

War in the gates does not happen by accident. There's always a reason.

Summarizes the sermon's thesis that spiritual apostasy leads to societal war.

A weaponless people and a people that lack a warrior spirit is already a defeated and enslaved people.

Highlights the consequence of forsaking God: defenselessness and defeat.

When a king conquered a city, he put his throne in the gate.

Explains the biblical symbolism of gates as seats of authority and dominion.

They traded God for a man. And they traded God's law for man's law.

Captures the essence of 1 Samuel 8 and the transition from theocracy to human monarchy.

They that sit in the gate speak against me; and I was the song of the drunkards.

Messianic prophecy applied to Christ being opposed by those in authority.

It's either Christ or Caesar. It's either Christ or despotism, tyranny, and totalitarianism.

The ultimate dichotomy presented in the sermon: allegiance to Christ or to humanistic government.

We ought to obey God rather than men.

The apostolic response to the war in the gates, cited as the model for believers.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

What does it mean that 'war in the gates' is not accidental but has a cause? How does this apply to our personal lives and nation?

[Context]

Based on the principle from Proverbs 26:2 and Judges 5:8 that choosing new gods leads to war.

[Question]

In what ways do we see 'gates' as places of authority and law in our society today? Who sits in those gates?

[Context]

From the survey of biblical passages where gates represent dominion and judgment.

[Question]

How does the transition from God's law to man's law in 1 Samuel 8 parallel modern political shifts?

[Context]

Discussion of Israel's demand for a king and the consequences of rejecting God's direct rule.

[Question]

What are some 'new gods' that our culture has chosen, and how have they led to 'war in the gates'?

[Context]

Application of the sermon's main thesis to contemporary idolatry and cultural conflict.

[Question]

How should Christians respond when those 'who sit in the gate speak against' Christ and His law?

[Context]

From Psalm 69:12 and John 15:18-20 regarding persecution and opposition.

[Question]

What does it mean to stand for the 'crown rights of Jesus Christ' in our families, churches, and political engagement?

[Context]

Application point urging believers to stand definitively for Christ's authority.

[Question]

How does the certainty of Christ's ultimate victory (1 Corinthians 15:25-26) change our perspective on current cultural battles?

[Context]

Encouragement not to be discouraged because Christ is reigning and subduing enemies.

[Question]

In what practical ways can we ensure that we do not forsake God and His law in our daily lives?

[Context]

Final application warning against forsaking God's Word and the safety found in Christ.

Applications

Format deepseek deepseek-v4-pro structured study JSON | Source Commentary.net transcript enrichment

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T14:09:51Z