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Dealing With Tyrants - 4

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• All right, if you look in your Bibles to the book of Ecclesiastes chapter 3, once again, it's not my intention to preach from this passage, but I do just simply want to point out a couple of statements here that will be relevant to what we'll be discussing today from the Word of God. Ecclesiastes 3, verse 1: "To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to rend, and a time to sew."

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• "A time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace."

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• Now, we've been discussing the biblical doctrine of war, and the last three weeks, including this week, I have been dealing in the biblical doctrine of war of methods of dealing with tyrants. We've discussed three things so far. We've shown you from the Bible that the most fundamental and basic method of dealing with tyrants is that of deception. Abraham used it. Isaac used it. So many of the patriarchs used deception. Another method was the method of avoidance.

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• And of course, that is clearly taught in the Word of God, where you just simply stay out of the way of the tyrant. The third way is what we know as violent self-defense, and we went through the Bible, and I showed you in the book of Judges particularly, how physical force or physical self-defense was used to overthrow and defeat tyranny.

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• Now, I want to call your attention to the fact that Hebrews 11, verses 32 through 34, by including these freedom fighters in the heroes of faith, demonstrates the fact that these men, although they fought physically and used violence, God still counted them as the heroes of faith. So they fought physically and yet at the same time they fought in faith. So the New Testament then specifically places its endorsement upon those Old Testament freedom fighters. Now, many individuals want to carp at the fact that the New Testament endorses the Old Testament freedom fighters, and then inevitably someone is going to come up and say, "But Brother Weaver, don't you know that in the New Testament, the New Testament disciples did not attempt to overthrow Rome with physical force?" And that is true. And therefore, they say, "Well, we have no New Testament examples. And so therefore, we're not to use physical force today." Well, that reasoning certainly is illogical and certainly unbiblical as well.

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• Let me tell you why. Number one, all of the Bible is the Word of God, not just the New Testament. All of the Bible is the Word of God and not just the New Testament. The New Testament does not cancel out the Old Testament, so you have then the entirety of the Word of God. In fact, when Paul wrote 2 Timothy 3:16, when he said, "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable," he had reference primarily to the Old Testament because the New Testament was not completed at that particular time. Secondly, I want you to note that the New Testament specifically tells us that the Old Testament was written for our admonition and for our learning and example.

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• If you would turn in your Bibles very quickly to the book of Romans chapter 15 and look at verse 4. Romans 15 and verse 4. Note what is said, Romans 15 verse 4. The Apostle Paul writes, "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope." So everything in the Old Testament now was written for our learning. Why? That we might have patience and that we might have hope. In other words, the same God of the Old Testament is the God of the New Testament. And what God did for His people in the Old, He will also do for His people in the New. Look in your Bibles to 1 Corinthians 10.

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• Let me explain this passage. 1 Corinthians 10. Note, if you would please, verse 6. In this passage, the Apostle Paul is taking what happened to Old Testament Israel and applying it to the Corinthian church in the New Testament age. He says in 1 Corinthians chapter 10 and verse 6, "Now these things were our examples to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted." Now look in verse 11. "Now all these things happened unto them for examples."

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• "And they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come." Now let's do just a little reasoning. If everything that happened to Israel in the Old Testament that was bad is our example that we should not do it, then everything that they did which was good is also our example that we should do it. You follow that? So very obviously, the New Testament then is saying that everything in the Old Testament is our example. It is there for our admonition and for our learning. Now, thirdly, before we finish this message today, it should be very obvious why the New Testament disciples did not attempt to overthrow Rome by force.

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• There were reasons why there was no violent uprising or self-defense against tyranny physically on the part of the disciples. Now the truth is they did use deception and they did use avoidance and they did develop a distinctly Christian subculture which was absolutely contrary to Rome and all of its teachings and laws. So the New Testament disciples did what they could to defend themselves and to overthrow wickedness and tyranny wherever possible.

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• Now, let me go further and reiterate a statement before I begin today. Violent self-defense is a lawful and biblical method to use in dealing with tyranny. However, there are solemn and serious considerations that must be faced and dealt with before that method is employed.

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• Now, remember, last week I gave you a caution. I said, do not use the message that I preached last week apart from and separate from the message that I'm going to bring this week, because although the Bible clearly teaches the use of physical force, it also clearly teaches that there are solemn and serious considerations that must be taken into account before this method is used. What are these considerations?

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• Well, let me begin with the first one today. The first consideration is this: Do we have the strength, resources, and ability to carry on a full-scale war on a long-term basis?

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• Now stop and think about that. Do we have the resources, the strength, and the ability to carry on a long-term war on a full scale? I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Genesis, chapter 34. As you turn there, let me remind you that there is a vast difference between temporary operations and a full-scale war. Look in your Bibles, Genesis chapter 34, and let's begin reading there with verse 25.

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• I've used this illustration before, but not in this context. I want you to understand that this is where Dinah, the daughter of Jacob, was raped. And you remember how Simeon and Levi deceived Shechem and Hamor and said, "Unless you're circumcised, you can't marry with us and we certainly will not marry with you." And when the men agreed to be circumcised, on the third day, when all the men were sore, Simeon and Levi took their swords and went in and killed every man in the city and brought back the women and the cattle and everything that they had. Now look what is said in Genesis 34, beginning there with verse 25: "And it came to pass on the third day, when they were sore, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brethren, took each man his sword, and came upon the city boldly, and slew all the males. And they slew Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah out of Shechem's house, and went out. The sons of Jacob came upon the slain, and spoiled the city, because they had defiled their sister."

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• "They took their sheep, and their oxen, and their asses, and that which was in the city, and that which was in the field, and all their wealth, and all their little ones, and their wives took they captive, and spoiled even all that was in the house." And Jacob said, remember, he's the father, he's the patriarch. And Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, "Ye have troubled me to make me to stink among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites."

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• "And I, being few in number, they shall gather themselves together against me and slay me; and I shall be destroyed, I and my house."

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• Now, let me call your attention to several facts. First of all, Jacob did not know what Simeon and Levi were going to do. They simply took that upon themselves and went and did it. The consequences were these. Jacob said, "You boys don't understand what you've done. You've acted hastily and you've acted in anger. And yes, you have the ability and the strength and the resource to carry on a temporary operation. But now what is going to happen is this: all the Canaanites are going to environ us around. They will surround us and the entire family will be destroyed because of your temporary action." You see, these boys had the resources and the strength to have a temporary operation, but they were in no position to carry on a full-scale war on a long-term basis. And Jacob said, "What is going to happen is all of us are going to be slain because of what you did." Now, you see, the Canaanites would not care, nor would they be concerned about, nor would they even consider that Simeon and Levi acted independently.

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• They'd just simply come upon them and kill all of them. Now, the only thing that preserved them at this particular time was simply the sovereignty of God. God sovereignly protected Jacob and his family.

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• Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles, if you would please, to the book of Romans, chapter 14. Let me call your attention to this one very important verse. I want you to underline this, not only in your Bibles, but also in your minds. Look in the book of Romans, chapter 14 and verse 7. Look what the Word of God says. Romans 14, verse 7. God says, "For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself."

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• Now, let me repeat that. "No man liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself." What does that mean? That means that your attitudes and your actions always affect other people. That is why Jacob was so upset with Simeon and Levi. He said, "You are the boys that did this temporary operation, but you have brought danger upon the entire family, upon the entire clan. Because you never took some consideration or counsel, you just acted hastily and in anger." So it is foolish and unwise and unbiblical then, and even suicidal, to act without consideration and without counsel. You see, one operation is not a war. One act does not end it all. And what you've got to consider is usually a war is normally a full-scale operation. Usually it is a long-term war as well.

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• Do you realize when our forefathers began to fight for our independence in 1776, that war did not end until 1783 with the Treaty of Paris? That means that our forefathers fought for seven years. Do you remember in 1861, Abraham Lincoln called for 75,000 volunteers for three months. He was going to take 75,000 volunteers and in three months, defeat the South. At First Manassas or First Bull Run—it was Manassas Junction, but Bull Run Creek—when the Federals and the Southerners engaged in combat, did you realize there were congressmen out there, women and children there with picnic lunches to watch the battle? I mean, it was going to be over with very quickly. See, the Federals were going to whip the Southerners and that was it.

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• And at the rout, I mean, carriages, children, guns—all the Yankees were running as fast as they could back to Washington, leaving everything. Lincoln's little three-month exercise lasted for four years. You see, the point I'm trying to make is this: war in the Bible is a reality. But you've got to consider there's a vast difference between a temporary operation and a real full-scale war.

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• Now, to quote something to you as best I could today, I copied a section of the Declaration of the Causes and Necessities of Taking Up Arms, which was written in July of 1775, where our forefathers listed the declarations. And I made a big mistake. I ran this sheet through my fax machine, and then I brought that, and I just happened to notice this morning that half the words are gone now. So the fax did not hold, but here it is. I'll give it to you as best I can. Our forefathers wrote, "We are faced with the alternative of choosing an unconditional submission to the tyranny of irritated ministers or resistance by force."

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• "The latter is our course. We have counted the cost of this contest, and nothing is so dreadful as voluntary slavery. Honor, justice, and humanity forbid us tamely to surrender that freedom which was purchased from our gallant ancestors, and which our inheritance, our families, have a right to receive from us. We cannot receive the infamy and guilt of resigning succeeding generations to hereditary bondage." I'm skipping now. They say, "We gratefully acknowledge, as signal instances of divine favor upon us, that His providence would not allow us to be called into this severe controversy until we were grown up to our present strength and had previously exercised warlike operations and possessed the means of defending our lives."

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• "With hearts fortified with these animated reflections, we most solemnly before God and the world declare that, exercising the utmost energy of those powers which our beneficent Creator has graciously bestowed upon us, the arms which we have been compelled by our enemies to assume, we will, in defiance to every hazard, with unabating firmness and perseverance, employ them for the preservation of our liberties, being with one mind and resolve." And then he continues. But notice what our forefathers say.

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• "We gratefully acknowledge as signal instances of divine favor toward us that His providence would not allow us to be called into this severe controversy until we were grown up to our present strength and had previously been exercised in warlike operations and possessed the means of defending ourselves." So our forefathers recognized that there is a consideration before you ever engage in a war as to whether or not you have the resources, the strength, and the ability to engage in war on a long-term basis.

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• Now, if you will look in your Bibles to the book of Luke chapter 14, you'll see our Lord's admonition and wisdom in this area. Look in Luke chapter 14, beginning there with verse 28. Luke 14, verse 28. Look at what our Lord says. Luke 14, verse 28. Our Lord says, "For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?"

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• "Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace." What is our Lord saying? Our Lord is saying, you better count the cost. And He uses the illustration of one king making war with another king. And so, one king has inferior forces. He considers, "Am I able with my inferior forces to defeat this king coming with a greater force?" And once he considers he's not able, then he sends and desires peace. So, our Lord is emphasizing the fact: whenever a war is to be engaged in, somebody must faithfully count the cost. So you have your first consideration, and that is, do we have the strength and the resources and the abilities to carry on a full-scale war on a long-term basis? Here's the second consideration.

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• Number two, do we have a reasonable hope of winning? Do we have a reasonable hope of winning?

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• Now you say, "But Brother Weaver, I have heard you during this series preach on faith, and everywhere you have demonstrated from Scripture how God has used inferior weaponry and smallness of number to defeat overpowering odds and superior weaponry." That is true. I preached that, and I taught that. And right beside that, I'm teaching that the Bible does speak about a reasonable hope of winning. You say, "Brother Weaver, that appears to be a conflict. That appears to be contradictory." Well, it just appears to be because it certainly is not. Because the Bible does teach that we must also consider the fact—we must ask ourselves this question: Do we have a reasonable hope of winning? Now, when there was no reasonable hope of winning in the Bible, the saints used deception. They used avoidance and submitted only whenever they had to.

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• And they were simply biding their time until Providence changed the circumstances. You say, "Now, Brother Weaver, you've got to explain this a little further. What do you mean when there is a reasonable hope of winning?" Well, let me just say it point blank, and I'm going to show it to you from Scripture. There is no reasonable hope of winning when God is not on your side. Now, what do I mean by that statement?

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• You see, what most of us have forgotten is this: that tyranny and oppression are punishments sent by God because of our sin and because of our rebellion.

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• Now, let me show you that in the Bible. Turn in your Bibles, if you would please, to the book of Leviticus, chapter 26. Leviticus 26 to begin with, and we'll read verses 14, 15 and then 17 through 25. Leviticus chapter 26, verse 14 and 15. Look what God says. Leviticus 26, verse 14, God says, "But if ye will not hearken unto me, and will not do all these commandments; and if ye shall despise my statutes, or if your soul abhor my judgments, so that ye will not do all my commandments, but that ye break my covenant," then God proceeds to list the curses. If the people will not obey, skip down to verse 17.

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• "And I will set my face against you, and ye shall be slain before your enemies: they that hate you shall reign over you; and ye shall flee when none pursueth you. And if ye will not yet for all this hearken unto me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins. And I will break the pride of your power; and I will make your heaven as iron, and your earth as brass: and your strength shall be spent in vain: and your"

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• "land shall not yield her increase, neither shall the trees of the land yield their fruits. And if ye walk contrary unto me, and will not hearken unto me; I will bring seven times more plagues upon you according to your sins. I will also send wild beasts among you, which shall rob you of your children, and destroy your cattle, and make you few in number; and your highways shall be desolate. And if ye will not be reformed by me by these things, but will walk contrary unto me; then will I also walk contrary unto you, and will punish you yet seven times for your sins. And I will bring a sword upon you, that shall avenge the quarrel of my covenant: and when ye are gathered together within your cities, I will send the pestilence among you; and ye shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy."

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• Now, note if you will, this passage speaks of tyranny and oppression because of sin and rebellion. If you will turn in your Bibles to the book of Deuteronomy, chapter 28. Deuteronomy 28. And once again, let's read verse 15, because here God is beginning to show you the curses for disobedience. Deuteronomy 28 verse 15: "But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee." Now note, God said, if you don't obey, all of these curses are going to come upon you and overtake you. What are they? Skip down to verse 25. Here's some of them. "The Lord shall cause thee to be smitten before thine enemies."

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• "Thou shalt go out one way against them, and flee seven ways before them: and shalt be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth. And thy carcass shall be meat unto all fowls of the air, and unto the beasts of the earth, and no man shall fray them away. The Lord will smite thee with the botch of Egypt, and with the emerods, and with the scab, and with the itch, whereof thou canst not be healed. The Lord shall smite thee with madness, and blindness, and astonishment of heart: and thou shalt grope at noonday, as the blind gropeth in darkness, and thou shalt not prosper in thy ways: and thou shalt be only oppressed and spoiled evermore, and no man shall save thee." Now, there are two other passages before we go further. I want you to turn to Proverbs, chapter 16, and look at verse 7. Proverbs 16, verse 7.

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• Then I will show you an illustration of this truth. Proverbs 16, verse 7. Look at what God says. Proverbs 16, verse 7. The Word of God declares, "When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him."

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• Now, the opposite is equally true. When a man's ways displease the Lord, He raises up enemies against him. You say, "Brother Weaver, you'll have to show me that from Scripture." OK, look in your Bibles to 1 Kings chapter 11. 1 Kings 11. You remember Solomon was counted as one of the wisest men upon the earth. In fact, God sent by Nathan and said to call Solomon's name Jedidiah, which meant "beloved of the Lord." And Solomon did indeed love the Lord and serve Him, but when he was old, he departed from the Lord and began to introduce idolatry into the land. First Kings 11. Look, if you would please.

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• And let's begin reading with verse 6. "And Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord, and went not fully after the Lord, as did David his father. Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon. And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods. And the Lord was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the Lord God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice." Now, since God is angry with Solomon, what does God do? Well, let's look in verse 14. "And the Lord stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite."

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• "He was of the king's seed in Edom." God said, "I'll raise up an adversary. I'll raise up an enemy." That's not all. Skip down to verse 23. "And God stirred him up another adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah, which fled from his lord Hadadezer king of Zobah: and he gathered men unto him, and became captain over a band, when David slew them of Zobah: and they went to Damascus, and dwelt therein, and reigned in Damascus. And he was an adversary to Israel all the days of Solomon, beside the mischief that Hadad did: and he abhorred Israel, and reigned over Syria." So God just simply raised up adversaries, God raised up enemies. So when a man's ways please the Lord, He may get even his enemies to be at peace with him. But when a man's ways displease the Lord, God raises up enemies to oppress for judgment's sake.

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• Now let me point this out, folks. When God sovereignly raises up an enemy against us, only God can call him off. It's absolutely useless to fight against an enemy who has been raised up for our punishment. We won't win. You say, "Show me that in the Scripture." Well, turn in your Bibles to Jeremiah chapter 27. Jeremiah 27. I hope you remember that God took Judah and sent her into captivity into Babylon. Who did God use to whip Judah? Well, the answer is Nebuchadnezzar. Look at this, Jeremiah chapter 27.

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• Let's begin reading with verse 1. "In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah came this word unto Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, Thus saith the Lord to me; Make thee bonds and yokes, and put them upon thy neck, and send them"—now note who these bonds and yokes are to be sent to—"to the king of Edom, and to the king of Moab, and to the king of the Ammonites, and to the king of Tyrus, and to the king of Zidon, by the hand of the messengers which come to Jerusalem unto Zedekiah king of Judah." So it's to Zedekiah as well. "And command them to say unto their masters, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Thus shall ye say unto your masters." Now look what God says to all these kings.

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• "I have made the earth, the man and the beast that are upon the ground, by my great power and by my outstretched arm, and have given it unto whom it seemed meet unto me. And now have I given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon," note, "and the beasts of the field have I given him also to serve him. And all nations shall serve him, and his son, and his son's son, until the very time of his land come: and then many nations and great kings shall serve themselves of him. And it shall come to pass, that the nation and kingdom which will not serve the same Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, and that will not put their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, that nation will I punish, saith the Lord, with the sword, and with the famine, and with the pestilence, until I have consumed them by his hand." Now, did the king of Edom, the king of Moab, the king of the Ammonites, the king of Tyre, the king of Sidon, the king of Judah—did they prosper when they fought against Nebuchadnezzar?

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• No, they all lost. Why? Because God had raised up Nebuchadnezzar to punish the land because of their sins. It was useless for Israel to fight against the Assyrians. Why? God had ordained the Assyrians for the punishment.

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• Now, I told you so far there's two considerations that you have to keep in mind. The first one is this: Do we have the strength? Do we have the ability? Do we have the resources to carry on a full-scale war on a long-term basis? The second one is, do we have a reasonable hope of winning? You say, "Brother Weaver, if we don't have a reasonable hope of winning, what is to be our attitude?" Let me show you.

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• Turn in your Bibles to the book of Micah, chapter 7. Micah, chapter 7. Okay, Micah is one of the minor prophets. Micah, chapter 7. You have Amos, and Obadiah, and Jonah, and then Micah. In the book of Micah, chapter 7, I want you to watch this closely. What is to be our attitude? What is to be our disposition when there is no reasonable hope of winning?

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• When God has sovereignly raised up an enemy against us because of our sins and our rebellion. In Micah 7, we have the answer. Micah says, "Therefore I will look unto the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation." Did you get that? "I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me. Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me. I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me: he will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousness." What did Micah say? Micah said, "I'll just bear the indignation of the Lord. I'm going to wait for Him because God's judgment is not going to last forever upon His people."

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• That's why He told Jeremiah, "You tell these kings that everybody's going to serve Nebuchadnezzar and his son and his son's son until the end come. When the end of my judgment has come, then I'm going to release the people." And that's what Micah's saying. Micah's saying, "Look, what we will have to do is use deception, use avoidance, and just simply bear the indignation until God is favorable toward us."

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• But we've got to seriously consider: Do we have a reasonable hope of winning? That's a legitimate, lawful, and biblical question. There's a third consideration that we must take, and that is this: Are the people tired, not only of tyranny, but of sin? Are the people tired, not only of tyranny, but also of sin? Another way of asking the same question is this: Are the hearts of the people set upon liberty and freedom? Now, very obviously, when you ask those questions, you've got to realize it does not take 100% of the people at all times to be crying for liberty and freedom. But generally, you've got to ask that question. Why? Let me show you.

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• I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Judges, chapter 3. We read every one of these verses last week. I did not emphasize them as we studied through the book of Judges, but I want to go back today and emphasize this one point. Note, if you would, Judges, chapter 3, and let's read verse 9. Look carefully at this verse. I said you must consider: are the people tired not only of tyranny, but of sin as well?

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• Are their hearts set for liberty and freedom? Judges chapter 3 verse 9: "And when"—note now—"the children of Israel cried unto the Lord, the Lord raised up a deliverer." Now who was crying? The children as a whole.

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• Now that doesn't mean necessarily every Israelite individually cried, but at least there was an awakening, there was a movement, there was a desire among most of the people. Look in your Bibles at verse 15 of Judges chapter 3: "But when the children of Israel cried unto the Lord, the Lord raised them up a deliverer." Notice the children of Israel who are crying. Look in Judges chapter 4 and verse 3: "And the children of Israel cried unto the Lord." Look in Judges 6, verses 6 and 7: "And Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites; and the children of Israel cried unto the Lord. And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried unto the Lord because of the Midianites," the people were tired of the tyranny. They were tired of the oppression. They were also tired of sin. Look in Judges chapter 10 and verse 10. Judges 10 and verse 10. Look at what they say. Judges 10 verse 10: "And the children of Israel cried unto the Lord, saying, We have sinned against thee, both because we have forsaken our God, and also served Baalim."

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• So it wasn't just the tyranny they were tired of. They were also tired of their sin. Let me ask you a question. Do you think God would be pleased to deliver a people from tyranny just so they can continue their rebellion against Him? Well, of course not. So the truth of the matter is, there has to be a segment of the people that are weary with tyranny and oppression. They're tired of their sin. They're tired of disobeying God. They're tired of reaping the judgments of God.

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• Now, let me just share with you very quickly three problems that I see in this area. The first one I've just casually mentioned. Many people wickedly wish to be free from tyranny and oppression just simply where they can do their own thing. That is, rebel and live like the devil. They want to be free of the punishment of their sins just so they can live in the pleasure of their sins.

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• Folks, listen, true liberty is in serving God. Many today who would overthrow the present reigns of tyranny and oppression, if they could, would overthrow the very throne of God Himself, just because they are rebellious and anarchist, and they don't like anyone telling them what to do, not even God. They are not only not Christians, they're not patriots either. I want you to turn in your Bibles, Deuteronomy, chapter 28.

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• Let me show you this passage. You see, what most people do not realize is this: as God's people, we have a choice. We will either serve God, or we will serve our enemies, but we're going to serve one or the other. Look what God says, Deuteronomy chapter 28, beginning there with verse 45. Remember, this is still part of the curses. He says, "Moreover all these curses shall come upon thee, and shall pursue thee, and overtake thee, till thou be destroyed; because thou hearkenedst not unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which he commanded thee: and they shall be upon thee for a sign and for a wonder, and upon thy seed for ever. Because"—watch now, verse 47—"because thou servedst not the Lord thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things; therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies." You're either going to serve God or your enemies, but you're going to serve if you're His people.

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• So you've got to understand. Freedom from oppression and freedom from tyranny is so that we may serve God more efficiently and effectively. It's not so we can just simply rebel and do our own thing. There's a second problem that I've seen in this. And that is most people have grown so accustomed to tyranny. Our freedoms have evaporated so slowly and gradually that we really don't even realize what we've lost. Even in my lifetime, there have been tremendous usurpations of power, a tremendous loss of rights, and yet most people do not have the faintest clue as to what's going on. It's just like the state of Georgia calling for a thumbprint on the driver's license. Do you realize it's only a minority of the people that have lifted up a voice and protested and said, "You're not going to get our fingerprints. It's none of your business. You don't deserve it. You don't need it."

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• We have the right to privacy. Most people don't even say anything. They'll just go in and press the thumbprint down. Do you understand what I'm saying? Many of you probably have heard of, if you've not read, George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four. You remember in there they had doublespeak and doublethink? Well, in George Orwell's 1984, in doublespeak, freedom meant slavery and slavery meant freedom. In other words, the slave thought he was free. Do you realize the average American today thinks he is free? Now, I will grant you, we have more freedom in this country now, what little bit is left, than most other countries have. But if our forefathers were here, they would be absolutely horrified at the slavery we have meekly submitted to.

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• So, the truth of the matter is this: a vast majority of Americans have no idea what's going on. Not the slightest. There's a third problem. And that's the root problem. The root problem is the people do not know who God is. Our God is the sovereign, omnipotent ruler of the universe.

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• Now, let me tell you this. Everybody is going to recognize a sovereign. That doesn't mean they're going to recognize the sovereign God of the universe, but they're going to recognize a sovereign because power and authority must come from somewhere.

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• Now, listen, folks, if you don't know who God is, if you do not know that He is the only absolutely sovereign, independent God of heaven and earth, then the only other alternative would be government. That's why people say, "Well, you can't fight City Hall. They can do whatever they want to do." They're saying that government is God. Now, let me explain. What most people have done is this: they have made government God. And since they do not know who God is, and they do not know that God is the only sovereign, they cannot recognize tyranny. They cannot recognize oppression. Listen, folks, if you know that God is sovereign, if you know that God has instituted government, if you know that God has set the bounds and the limits of government, if you know that God has said to government, "Hitherto shalt thou go, and no further," then you're capable of recognizing tyranny. But if you don't know that, you don't know where the boundaries end or the limits end. You see, one of the root problems is we don't know who God is.

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• And we're not going to find out without the Word of God and without awakening. Sam Adams said that the reason the American Revolution was so successful was that the revolution was already in the hearts and minds of the people. You see, it's the truth of God that will make us hunger not only for righteousness, but also for liberty and freedom. Do you remember what Paul said in Galatians chapter 5 and verse 1? Listen now: "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free." Freedom is in Christ. If we wish to see a reviving, if we wish to see an awakening, if we wish to see a turning back to the old ways, we must disseminate the Word of God. If we want to see the people stirred, it's only the Word of God that's going to stir them. You see, it is regeneration and conversion alone that will make the soul long, not only for righteousness, but for liberty and freedom.

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• Look in your Bibles, if you would please, to the book of Second Corinthians, chapter 3. Let me show you something about the Holy Spirit. This may surprise you, but note, if you would please. Second Corinthians, chapter 3, and let's read verse 17. Second Corinthians 3, verse 17. Look what the Bible says. "Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty."

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• Are you listening to what I'm about to say? Civil liberty is based upon spiritual liberty. Listen, folks, what difference does it make to a man who is a slave to his own sins and his own lusts as to whether or not he is free in other areas? He is already a slave. He doesn't think like a free man. He thinks like a slave. Only people who have been liberated by the Spirit of God and by the Lord Jesus Christ, they're the ones that long after freedom because they want to serve Him and honor Him and do what He commands.

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• So the truth of the matter is this: we've got to understand that civil liberty is based upon spiritual liberty. And if we want the people to hunger and cry after liberty and freedom, we must give them the Word of God, which there has been precious little of in this country. There's a fourth consideration. And then let me try to tie things together for you. The fourth one is really the most important. And that is this: Is God directing the effort?

  #67 | 47:07 to 47:48 | cleaned

• Are His presence, blessings, and power upon it? I've just finished reading a little book written around 1830 on the life of George Washington. It was a delightful little book. If everyone could read that book, oh, you talk about the providences of God and how God blessed the American armies, how God blessed the soldiers, how God blessed the leaders, how God gave insight. Tremendous book. There is no way in the world that you can read that little book and not understand that the blessings and the presence and the power of God was upon George Washington and those men fighting the war for independence.

  #68 | 47:50 to 48:41 | cleaned

• Let me show you what our attitude is. Look in your Bibles to the book of Exodus, chapter 33. This is what our attitude should be. Notice Exodus, chapter 33. We've got to consider whether or not God is in the effort. In Exodus, chapter 33, God is going to deliver the people, He's going to take Moses and leave the people, and notice what Moses says. Exodus 33, verse 14: "And he said," that is God said to Moses, "My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest." God said, "Now Moses, don't worry about it. I'm going to go with you." Look at what Moses responded in verse 15: "And he said unto him," that is unto God, "If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence." God, if You're not in it, I don't want to be in it. If Your power and blessings are not upon it, I don't have anything to do with it. Do you remember what the Bible says in the book of Zechariah, chapter 4, verse 6?

  #69 | 48:43 to 49:52 | cleaned

• Most of you don't. But once I start it, you'll remember it. God says, "Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts." You remember that title, the Lord of Hosts? What does it mean? The Lord of the Armies. Not by might, not by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord of the Armies. If God is in it, success is absolutely assured. If God is not in it, failure is assured.

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• Look in your Bibles, if you would please, to the book of Acts chapter 5. Let me show you the counsel that Gamaliel gave concerning the disciples. It is still excellent counsel. Look at Acts chapter 5, beginning there with verse 34. Acts 5, verse 34. The council, of course, was wanting to fight against the disciples. "Then stood there up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the apostles forth a little space." Get them out of here.

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• Now hear what I'm about to say. "And said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men. For before these days rose up Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nought." In other words, he died and many of those who followed him, the rest of them, scattered. Verse 37: "After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed." He lost it. "And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought."

  #72 | 51:13 to 52:04 | cleaned

• "But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God." Isn't that interesting? If it's of God, you're not going to overthrow it. It's going to be successful. That's all there is to it, folks. So we've got to know whether or not God is in an effort. We've got to know whether His blessings and presence and power is upon it. Are you listening? It was God who raised up the judges. It was God who raised up the prophets. It was God who raised up Moses and Joshua. It was God who empowered and enabled them. And if God is in it, the tyrants had better tremble. And if God is not in it, the people had better repent.

  #73 | 52:04 to 53:03 | cleaned

• Let me quote a passage that everyone here can quote. Listen carefully. 2 Chronicles 7, verse 14: "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." Note, "If my people." The problem is not really with the wicked, folks. The problem is with us. So we've got to discern whether or not God is in an effort.

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• If He is, it shall be successful. If He's not, it'll be overthrown.

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• Now, let me make a couple of applications. First of all, we must heed these considerations before anyone, any group, any state, or any nation attempts to physically overthrow tyranny. You've got to consider these things as an irreducible minimum.

  #76 | 53:58 to 54:23 | cleaned

• Now, I began this message by posing an objection. And that objection is, "But Brother Weaver, there is no New Testament illustration to fight against tyranny physically. I mean, the New Testament disciples didn't. Therefore, we're not obligated to fight against tyranny. We're to just sit back and let tyrants rage." Well, that's certainly an unbiblical attitude. But let me tell you why. The New Testament disciples did not attempt to overthrow the Roman tyranny by force. They did not attempt to do so precisely because of what I have just preached this morning.

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• First of all, they did not have the resources nor the ability nor the strength to carry on a full-scale war on a long-term basis. Now let's go back and rephrase what I just said. Let's suppose they did have the resources. Let's suppose they did have the abilities. Let's suppose they did have the strength to carry on a full-scale war on a long-term basis.

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• They still would not have done it. Why? Because they knew that the judgment of God was upon the land, and God had decreed to punish the land and the nation for its sin, its disobedience, and its rejection of Christ Messiah. Let me show you that in black and white. Look in Matthew chapter 24. Matthew 24. Every one of these passages that I'm about to read to you

  #79 | 55:43 to 56:20 | cleaned

• is about the destruction of Jerusalem, which occurred in 70 A.D. Now Christ lived to be 33, so that this means within 40 years after His crucifixion, the land was destroyed. Watch this. Matthew 24, verse 15, He says, "When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) then let them which be in Judaea" do what? Flee, get out.

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• I'm not telling you to fight. He's telling you to get out of there. Now, I cannot prove what I'm about to tell you, but Josephus, the historian, records that he says that no Christian died during this particular time. Millions of Jews did. But he said the Christians took heed to their Lord's warning and left. So He says, "Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day."

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• And then He goes on to talk about the great tribulation that they're going to be facing. Look in your Bibles, if you would, to Mark chapter 13. Mark 13, beginning there with verse 14, you're going to see essentially the same thing. Mark 13, verse 14: "But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains."

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• "And let him that is on the housetop not go down into the house, neither enter therein, to take any thing out of his house: and let him that is in the field not turn back again for to take up his garment. But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter." What is He saying? Get out of there. Don't stand and fight. There's no reason to. And we'll explain.

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• Look in Luke chapter 21. Luke chapter 21, beginning there with verse 20. Luke 21, verse 20: "And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies"—we're talking about the destruction of Jerusalem—"when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto."

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• "For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people. And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled."

  #85 | 59:22 to 59:44 | cleaned

• What did our Lord say? There's no reason to fight. I have ordained judgment and destruction. Look in your Bibles, Luke chapter 23. Look at what Jesus Christ said, beginning there with verse 26, when He was on His way to be crucified. Look in Luke 23, verse 26: "And as they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross, that he might bear it after Jesus."

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• "And there followed him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented him. But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children. For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck. Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us."

  #87 | 1:00:18 to 1:00:41 | cleaned

• "For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?" What did our Lord say? Don't weep for Me. You better weep for yourselves. There were some Jews who tried to resist Titus. They were mutilated. I read an account several months ago on the destruction of Jerusalem. Let me tell you something, folks. You have never, ever read anything more horrifying in your entire life.

  #88 | 1:00:42 to 1:01:13 | cleaned

• What do you think the people did at Masada? They tried to resist the Roman troops. Were they successful? No. Why? Because God had decreed punishment and judgment because of the sin, disobedience, and rejection of Christ. No wonder there was no uprising. If the disciples had had strength and power and resource, they still would not have fought. For Christ told them to flee. He told them not to fight.

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• Get out of the land. Because there's going to be destruction. So although there is a lawful, legitimate use of physical force to overthrow tyrants, there must be considerations taken before that method is employed. And these four that I've given you this morning are very minimum. Probably many more, but at least these four must be considered. Let's pray. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we ask You to help us. Teach us.

  #90 | 1:01:45 to 1:02:22 | cleaned

• Build us up in the most holy faith. Lord, enable us to see that not only there are great truths in the Word of God, there are many considerations to be taken into account in implementing these truths. Enable us, Father, to be faithful in our lives. Teach us, Lord. Grant us Thy Word. Grant us Thy truth. Stir the people of this land that we may turn from our sins and turn back to Thee, the one true and living God.

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• In the name of Jesus Christ we pray, Amen.

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• You may contact Freedom Ministries by mail at 7400 Abercorn, that's A-B-E-R-C-O-R-N, Street, Suite 705, PMB 175, Savannah, Georgia, 31406. Or give us a call at 912-925-7000.

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• You can also visit our website at www.dominionministry.com

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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-06T02:10:24Z