Introduction: Israel's Request for a King

Weaver reads 1 Samuel 8, where Israel demands a king to be like other nations and to fight their battles, rejecting God's direct rule.

Now the name of the first was Joel, and the name of the second Abiah, and they were judges in Beersheba. And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre and took bribes and perverted judgment. Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together and came to Samuel and to 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. But the thing displeased Samuel, and 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, and 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; yet protest solemnly unto them, and show them the manner of the king that shall reign over them. 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. Now, by the way, as we read through this, I want you to underline one word, the word, take. 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, 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 his instruments of his chariots.

And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, 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 goodly 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. And you shall cry out in the day, because of your king which you 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. Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of the Lord. The Lord said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said unto the men of Israel, Go ye, every man, into his tent.

Israel's Organization as a Militia

Weaver demonstrates from Exodus, Numbers, and Joshua that Israel left Egypt in military formation (by fives) and was organized as a militia with elders over tens, fifties, hundreds, and thousands.

We've just finished a series of three lessons on military regulations from Deuteronomy 20. I hope by now everyone understands that Israel was organized as a militia. In fact, if you do not know it, I want to make you aware of this certain truth, that when Israel left Egypt, when God ordered Israel out of the land of Egypt, they marched out in a military rank. For instance, look back in your Bibles, hold 1 Samuel, but look back in your Bibles to the book of Exodus, chapter 13. And note, if you would please, verse 18, Exodus chapter 13. And note, if you would please, verse 18. Note what the word of God says. But God led the people about through the way of the wilderness of the Red Sea, and the children of Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt. Now, the word harnessed there literally means they went up by five in a rank. So they were marching by five. You're going to find that this word harnessed is not only a military term, but it also refers to being armed.

For instance, look in your Bibles to the book of Numbers, chapter 32, and verse 17. Numbers, chapter 32, verse 17. Watch what is said. Numbers, chapter 32, verse 17. The people say that we ourselves will go ready armed before the children of Israel until we have brought them into their place, and our little ones shall dwell in the fenced cities because of the inhabitants of the land. Now, they said, but we will go ready armed. Now, the phrase ready armed means five in a rank. They were marching military style, ready armed. Turn in your Bibles, if you would, to the book of Joshua, and look in chapter 1 and verse 14. Joshua chapter 1, verse 14. He says, Your wives, your little ones, and your cattle shall remain in the land which Moses gave you on this side Jordan, but you shall pass before your brethren, armed or marshaled by five, all the mighty men of valor, and help them. So once again we find it is by five in a rank. The same thing is true in Joshua, chapter 4 and verse 12, and in the book of Judges, chapter 7 and verse 11.

So Israel came out of Egypt marching by five in a rank. They came out in military fashion. They came out as armed men of war. Now, according to the book of Exodus, chapter 18 and verse 25, the militia was organized as a nation, with elders over it, over tens, fifties, hundreds, and thousands. You see, five squads of ten men would be fifty, which would equal a platoon. Two platoons of fifty men would equal a hundred, which would be a company, and so on. Now, during the time of peace, the militia was led by elders. That is, the elders ordered the men and directed them. But in a time of war, very obviously, those men who were the most skilled in military maneuvering and military strategy, they would take positions as the heads of the militia and then order them in war.

So every able-bodied man, twenty years and over, was to present himself for battle when it was absolutely necessary. The minimum age was twenty years of age. Before I get started, let me make several deductions from what I've just shown you. Let me show you several very obvious implications and applications to these truths. It means, first of all, since Israel was organized as a militia, it meant, first of all, that every family was armed and trained in the use of arms. That had to be so because every family had to present every male twenty years and older for military service when the occasion demanded. So godly people have always sought to be armed and trained in weaponry. Now, where in the world can I make that statement? How can I say that godly people have always sought to be armed and trained in weaponry?

Implications of the Militia System

Weaver draws three applications: every family was armed and trained; tyrannical governments seek to disarm the people; and the militia could refuse to fight in unjust wars.

Now, according to the book of Exodus, chapter 18 and verse 25, the militia was organized as a nation, with elders over it, over tens, fifties, hundreds, and thousands. You see, five squads of ten men would be fifty, which would equal a platoon. Two platoons of fifty men would equal a hundred, which would be a company, and so on. Now, during the time of peace, the militia was led by elders. That is, the elders ordered the men and directed them. But in a time of war, very obviously, those men who were the most skilled in military maneuvering and military strategy, they would take positions as the heads of the militia and then order them in war.

So every able-bodied man, twenty years and over, was to present himself for battle when it was absolutely necessary. The minimum age was twenty years of age. Before I get started, let me make several deductions from what I've just shown you. Let me show you several very obvious implications and applications to these truths. It means, first of all, since Israel was organized as a militia, it meant, first of all, that every family was armed and trained in the use of arms. That had to be so because every family had to present every male twenty years and older for military service when the occasion demanded. So godly people have always sought to be armed and trained in weaponry. Now, where in the world can I make that statement? How can I say that godly people have always sought to be armed and trained in weaponry?

Let me give you a couple of reasons. First of all, because they understand, biblically speaking, that self-defense is obligatory. When God says, Thou shalt not kill, the sixth commandment, the opposite or the positive of Thou shalt not kill, is Thou shalt preserve life. That means every individual has an obligation to preserve his own life. So self-defense is obligatory if you are going to keep the commandments of God. You must defend yourself. Secondly, godly people understand that depraved, perverted people will always seek to pervert dominion and try to oppress and tyrannize others, and therefore they must have weapons to overthrow tyranny and wickedness. Now, let me make a simple statement, and I want you to understand it, write it in your minds, inscribe it in your souls, but here it is. There is nothing sinful, wicked, wrong, or unbiblical with the just use of force.

Let me say that again. There is nothing sinful, wicked, wrong, or unbiblical with the just use of force. Now, if there was something wrong in and of itself with the just use of force, then God himself would be sinful, because God used force or power to create. God used force and power to redeem. God uses force and power to preserve and sustain. And I might point out that God also uses force and power to punish and destroy. If you will turn in your Bibles very quickly to the book of Revelation, chapter 19, and let's begin reading there with verse 11. There are many passages that I could read, but this one is clear enough. Notice, if you would, Revelation, chapter 19, beginning with verse 11. The Word of God says, And I saw heaven open, and behold, a white horse. And he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.

So we're talking about Christ now. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns, and he had a name written that no man knew but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood, and his name is called the Word of God. And the armies who followed in heaven followed upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, and out of his mouth forth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations, and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and the wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords. And I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God. Watch now, that ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and of the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. And I saw the beasts of the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse and against his army.

And then he goes on and shows how everything was destroyed by Christ. So very obviously we have a just use of force here, where Christ is punishing and destroying the wicked. So very obviously there is nothing wrong with the just use of force. You say, Brother Weaver, where in the world did Israel gather its arms from? Because I remember reading in my Bible that Israel was a bunch of slaves, and slaves usually are not armed. That's true.

But have you ever thought that once God drowned Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea, that probably thousands of weapons washed up on the shore. And very obviously, they gathered those weapons up that Pharaoh's army lost. Not only that, some of those men were skilled enough to make their own weaponry. Thirdly, after every successful battle, they armed themselves with the weaponry of their defeated enemies. They confiscated and took those weapons and used them. So very obviously they were armed. By the way, I want you to note that in the Bible, when the citizens presented themselves for military service, usually they brought their own weapons with them. Look in your Bibles to the book of Numbers, chapter 31 and verse 3.

Note, if you would, verse 3. God is sending the people to war, and the Bible says, and Moses spake unto the people, saying, Arm some of yourselves unto the war. Where were they getting their arms? Out of their own homes. So very obviously, the people were armed in and of themselves. In 1 Samuel 25 and verse 13, 1 Samuel 25, verse 13, the Word of God says this, And David said unto his men, Gird ye on every man his sword. So every man had his own weapon. That's like David saying, Pick you up, every man his AR-15 or his AK-47. Everybody was armed. And so therefore, they brought their arms from home. So the very first implication of Israel being a national militia was that every family was armed and trained in the use of arms. Can you think of a country today where every family is armed and trained in the use of arms? Say it. Switzerland.

How many wars have they been in lately? None. None. By the way, the people over there have automatic weapons, too. Not just semi-automatic. They have automatic weapons. But they are all trained in weaponry and in defense of their country. Here is a second application. The second application is, it is the wicked, satanic and evil aim of a tyrannical and oppressive government to disarm the people. It is the wicked, satanic and evil aim of a tyrannical and oppressive government to disarm the people.

Now, I want you to look in your Bibles to 1 Samuel chapter 13. Whenever you have tyranny, whenever you have oppression, one of the main aims is to disarm the people. In 1 Samuel, chapter 13, let's begin reading there with verse 17. I want you to watch what happens. And the spoilers came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies. One company turned the way that leadeth to Ophrah unto the land of Shual. Now, the Philistines have come against the Israelites. Now watch. Another company turned the way to Beth-horon. Another company turned the way of the water that looked into the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness. 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 to sharpen the goads.

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 were they found. Isn't that interesting? So when Saul and Jonathan went to fight the Philistines, there were only two with swords. Why? Because the Philistines were a wicked, tyrannical, oppressive people, and they said, We're not going to let the Israelites arm themselves, lest they use those arms against us. Any time you find a wicked, tyrannical government, it will always seek to disarm its people.

Now, I want to take just a few moments to do this. I want to read you some quotations from our founding fathers. The Second Amendment to the Constitution says that the right to bear arms shall not be infringed. Let me tell you what our Founding Fathers said, not only about arms and weaponry, but about the militia. Listen carefully. By the way, when America was first formed, America was based upon the militia organization is found in the Bible in ancient Israel. Now listen carefully. Here's what Thomas Jefferson said, No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms. Sounds pretty reasonable. Here's what John Adams said, Arms in the hands of citizens may be used at individual discretion in private self-defense. Here's James Madison, the father of the Constitution.

The Constitution preserves the advantage of being armed, which Americans possess over the people of almost every other nation, where the governments are afraid to trust the people with arms. Here's what Thomas Paine said, ...arms discourage and keep the invader and plunderer in awe, and preserve order in the world as well as property. Hard mischief would ensue were the law-abiding deprived of the use of them. Thomas Jefferson said once again, Laws that forbid the carrying of arms disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes. Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants. They serve rather to encourage than to prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man. Here's what Richard Henry Lee said, ...a militia, when properly formed, are in fact the people themselves, and include all men capable of bearing arms. To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms and be taught alike how to use them. Samuel Adams, ...the Constitution shall never be construed to prevent the people of the United States who are peaceable citizens from keeping their own arms.

George Mason asks, Sir, what is the militia? It is the whole people. To disarm the people is the best and most effectual way to enslave them. Alexander Hamilton, The best we can hope for concerning the people at large is that they be properly armed. Thomas Jefferson, The strongest reason for the people to retain, to keep the right and bear arms is as a last resort to protect themselves against tyranny in government. As the bumper sticker says, the Second Amendment is not about duck hunting, stupid. That's what Thomas Jefferson said. The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is as a last resort to protect themselves against tyranny in government. Listen to Patrick Henry. The militia, sir, is our ultimate safety. We can have no security without it. The great object is that every man be armed.

Everyone who is able may have a gun. George Washington, That no man should scruple or hesitate a moment to use arms in defense of so valuable a blessing as liberty, on which all the good and evil of life depends, is clearly my opinion. Yet arms should be the last resort. He said, but there is to be no scruple about using them. So very obviously our Founding Fathers talked about the militia, they talked about the right to bear arms, because godly people knew that arms were to be used to defend themselves and preserve their liberties. I hope many of you know, and I did not bring it with me, but there is a code in the United States Code that says the militia is every able-bodied man in America. We have a militia in America. I did not bring it with me, but I do have a birth certificate, and I have an unusual birth certificate. What's so unusual about my birth certificate? Because on my birth certificate, there is a little block that says, Militia District.

And I am in the second Militia District of Georgia, and I was assigned that position from birth. So am I a militiaman? I guess I am. The state gave it to me. You see what I'm saying? So very obviously, godly men have sought to be armed because they knew that wicked, oppressive, cruel, tyrannical governments would always seek to disarm them. Thirdly, let me make another application. Since the militia was a citizen army, even though the state had the right to summon the militia, the citizens could refuse to fight. In other words, the government did not control the people. The people controlled the government. There were no unpopular wars in the Bible. Why? Because if there was no reason to fight, the people would not fight. You see what I'm saying? It was not the government coming along saying, well, we're going to send you over to Vietnam, or we're going to send you over to Saudi Arabia. The people said, we've got no business over there. They're not bothering us.

Let somebody else protect their oil wells. I mean, we're not doing that. Let me show you. Look in your Bibles to 1 Kings chapter 12. Let me show you how this division came about. Everybody understands that Rehoboam was king over Israel, and he tried to tax the people unmercifully, and so the people just simply separated. Note, if you would, 1 Kings 12 and verse 16. So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, in other words, he would not listen, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David?

Neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse. To your own tents, O Israel, watch this. Now see to thine own house, David. So Israel departed into their tents. What did the ten tribes say? We're not fighting for you anymore. Not only that, we're not serving you anymore. Take care of your own house. They're saying, we're not only refusing to fight for you, we're refusing to serve you.

Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles, if you would please, to 1 Samuel, chapter 22. Let me just show you this. Even when there was an elite bodyguard, even there the people knew when not to fight. In 1 Samuel, chapter 22, what has happened now? David has escaped from Saul. Saul has been seeking to kill David. David goes to Ahimelech, a priest at Nob. Ahimelech does not know that David is fleeing from Saul, and David lies to Ahimelech, and Ahimelech gives him some of the sacred bread and gives him the sword of Goliath. Well, Saul finds out about it through Doeg the Edomite, and Doeg is there with Saul, and Saul is going to kill all the Lord's priests because they are conspiring against him, and they didn't even know what was happening. Watch 1 Samuel 22, and let's begin reading there with verse 16.

And the king said, Thou shalt surely die, Ahimelech, thou and all thy father's house. Now, what did Ahimelech do? Just gave David the sword of Goliath, gave him some bread from the altar. That was it. It's not just Ahimelech now, it's all of his house. Watch carefully. And the king said unto the footmen, that is, to his militia, to his army that stood about him, Turn and slay the priests of the Lord, because their hand also is with David, and because they knew when he fled and did not show it to me. But the servants of the king would not put forth their hand to fall upon the priests of the Lord. And the king said to Doeg, who was an Edomite, Turn thou and fall upon the priest, and Doeg the Edomite turned, and he fell upon the priest, and slew him that day fourscore and five persons that did wear linen ephod. So Doeg the Edomite slew eighty-five priests when the Israelites said, We're not about to kill the Lord's anointed.

We're not going to do that. We're not going to fight for you. We're not going to murder those people. So you see, in the Bible, the militia could refuse to fight. By the way, I hope you know that even in our service today, as ungodly and as unbiblical as it is, our men do have a moral obligation to disobey an immoral command. That never changes. Many of them do not, but they have a moral obligation to disobey an immoral command.

The Sin of David's Census and Standing Army

Weaver explains that David's numbering of Israel in peacetime (1 Chronicles 21) was a violation of God's law, leading to the creation of a professional standing army divided into twelve military districts, which cost David the privilege of building the temple.

Now, I read this morning 1 Samuel 8. Why did I read 1 Samuel 8? Well, I wanted to show you one of the main reasons why Israel asked for a king. Look back in your Bibles to 1 Samuel 8 and verse 20. There are actually two or three reasons given here, depending on how you divide the verse. First Samuel 8 and verse 20, even after Samuel says, You don't want a king, here's what it's going to be like. They said, No, we do want a king. Here's why. Look in verse 20. Number one, that we may also be like all the nations. Peer pressure. We'll be just like everybody else. They've got a king, we want a king. And then our king may judge us.

In other words, he's our Supreme Court. Watch thirdly. And go out before us and fight our battles. We want somebody to fight for us. What we're willing to do is this. We're willing to deny our personal responsibilities to defend our lives, our families, our homes, and we're willing to give up our rights just so we can have a king who will fight for us. So here is a clear repudiation of self-responsibility. They're no longer going to be concerned with self-defense. They're going to let someone else fight for them. Now, there is nothing wrong with a king in and of himself if the king is going to be God's king. See what I'm saying?

God could use a monarchy. He did so in the Bible. But here's what Samuel is saying. Samuel is saying, what you're doing is this, you're trading God for man. You're trading a theocracy for statism. What you're going to have is this, you're going to have a king who is ultimately going to take your sons and take your money and take the best of everything that you've got, and everything will be for the government and not for God and not for the people. So he says, what you're trying to get now, instead of a theocracy, that is the rule of God over you, you're going to trade it for statism, which is the rule of state over you. And so the state then is going to take your sons, listen carefully, and make a professional army. That's what he says. Look in verse 11, 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 and for his chariots, and to be his horsemen, and some shall run before his chariots, and he will appoint them captains over thousands and captains over fifties, and so on and so on. Men will no longer serve in the militia only in times of invasion and in times of war. Now they will be ripped from their families and torn from their homes to do their civic duty and fight for the state whenever and wherever the state demands. I want you to understand that in the beginning of this, some of the kings were originally satisfied to have their own private corps of bodyguards and professional soldiers. For instance, Saul had his 3,000. David had his 600. But unhappily, it did not stop with 3,000 or 600. I want you to understand that David, although he was a man after God's own heart, David is the one man that committed the sin that Samuel prophesied would happen. I want you to turn in your Bibles to 1 Chronicles 21.

Let me show you this. You also find this in 2 Samuel 24, but we're not going to be reading from there. We'll look at it in 1 Chronicles 21. Let's begin reading there with verse 1. And Satan stood up against Israel and provoked David to number Israel. And David said to Joab and to the rulers of the people, Go number Israel from Beersheba even to Dan, and bring the number of them to me, that I may know them. And Joab answered, The Lord make his people a hundred times so many more as they be, but, my lord the king, are they not all my lord's servants? And why then doth my lord require this thing? Why will he be a cause of trespass to Israel? Nevertheless, the king's word prevailed against Joab. Wherefore, Joab departed, and went throughout all Israel, and came to Jerusalem. And Joab gave the sum of the number of the people unto David, and all of Israel were a thousand thousand and a hundred thousand men that drew sword. That's a million and a hundred thousand.

And Judah was four hundred thousand, threescore and ten thousand men, so that's four hundred and seventy thousand men that drew sword. So you've got a million and a half people here that are prepared to fight. But Levi and Benjamin counted he not among them, for the king's word was an abomination to Joab. So here are two tribes that weren't even counted. And God was displeased with this thing, therefore he smote Israel. And David said unto God, I have sinned greatly because I have done this thing, but now I beseech thee, do away with the iniquity of thy servant, for I have done very foolishly. The Lord's statement again, David's here saying, and you know the choice that God gave David.

Now, let's get down to verse 14. So the Lord sent a pestilence over Israel, and there fell of Israel 70,000 men. So 70,000 now have died of the plague. And of course, you know how David buys the threshing floor of Ornan, and he sets up the sacrifice and the plague stays. Look in verse 30, ...but David could not go before it to inquire of God, for he was afraid, because of the sword of the angel of the Lord. In other words, the angel had just killed 70,000 men and David said, I'm afraid, too. So what has David done? He has mustered Israel in a time of peace. Let me show you what David did was a clear violation of the law of God. First and foremost, I want you to note that the army was not David's army, it was God's army.

Don't you remember the title in Scripture, Jehovah Sabaoth? And what did I tell you that meant? It's the Lord God of the what? Of the armies. He's not only God of the armies of heaven, but he's God of the armies of the earth, especially the army of his own people. And so David then was going to boast in his army. He was going to literally steal it from God. So what David is doing is giving a peacetime muster. Secondly, the militia or the army could only be mustered in a time of war. There is no war going on. David wants to simply glory in the fact that, hey, I've got a couple of million fighting men under my belt. Joab, as wicked as he was, knew exactly what David was doing was wrong. He tried to stop David. David wouldn't listen. Now watch this. Not only was David mistaken in the sense that the army was God's and not David's. Secondly, he was giving a mustering time of peace instead of a time of war, which was unbiblical.

Thirdly, if you will remember, and we've gone over this passage two times already, Exodus chapter 30 teaches that whenever the army was mustered, every man must give a half-shekel to the sanctuary. And here the army was mustered and the half-shekel was not taken. Go back and read Exodus 30. It says you better take it lest a plague fall out upon you. It was money given to God, recognizing God's providential safety of the soldiers during battle. So this money was not taken during this particular time. I want you to see how wicked David was here. Evidently, David was going to even number the Levites. Look down, if you would please, to verse 6. The Bible says, But Levi and Benjamin counted he not among them, for the king's word was an abomination to Joab. Now, we just went over a couple of weeks ago how Numbers chapter 1, verses 47 through 49 tells us that the Levites were not to be mustered. They were not to be counted. David was going to go ahead and count them as well. Look in your Bibles, 1 Chronicles 21, verse 6, which we just read, But Levi and Benjamin counted he not among them. Why? For the king's word was an abomination. In other words, Joab knew better. But David is going to count anyhow. Everything that David did in this instance was unbiblical, ungodly, and statist.

Now, wait a minute, we're not through. I want you to turn over to 1 Chronicles 27. I think you're going to get the gist of what David has done. Watch carefully.

Now the children of Israel, after their number, after this muster, to wit, the chief fathers and captains of thousands and hundreds and other officers that served the king in any matter of the courses which came in and went out month by month throughout all the months of the year, of every course there were 24,000. Ah, what did David do? And here's what I want. I want you to divide the land into 12 military districts. And I want there to be 24,000 men in each district. So that means then, once a month, there's going to be 24,000 men on duty, and we're going to swap it about. Now, watch. Verse 2, ...over the first course for the first month was Jashobeam the son of Zabdiel, and in his course were twenty-four thousand. Of the course of Perez was the chief of all the captains of the host of the first month, and over the course of the second month was Dodai an Ahohite, and of his course was Mikloth also the ruler, and his course likewise were twenty-four thousand.

And you read all down and you find that here are all these people numbered. Now, skip down to verse 23, if you would. But David took not the number of them from twenty years old and under, because the Lord had said he would increase Israel like to the stars of the heaven. Joab, the son of Zeruiah, began to number, but he finished not. Because there fell wrath for it against Israel, neither was the number put in the account of the Chronicles of the King David. Ah, what has happened? When you get to 1 Chronicles 27, here are the courses that Joab numbered at the request of David. So actually what you have in First Chronicles, Chapter 27, is you have the land divided into twelve military districts. By the way, I don't know if you've noticed this or not, or even thought about it, but when David divided the land into twelve military districts, he did not do so according to tribal lines. He violated the tribal allegiances. Why? No local loyalties. I suppose it may be news to most of you to find out that America has been divided into military districts the same way right now.

Breaking down, once again, loyalties. Let me explain that to you. I'm from the South. I don't care one stinking thing about football. I don't care. I never have liked it, never played it, never liked it. I don't even watch it on TV. Don't go to it in person. To me, it's a waste of time. Other folks, they really enjoy it. But you know what? If I see advertised the Washington Redskins, that is a football team, isn't it, playing Who? No, no, give me one down south here. Who? Falcons. All right, the Atlanta Falcons. If I see the Washington Redskins playing the Atlanta Falcons, you know what I do? Automatically say, I hope the Falcons win. And I don't even care anything about it. You know why? Because I'm a Southerner and they're from the South. That's local loyalty.

Well, let me tell you something. Do you know I'd fight for Alabama and I'd fight for Florida just like I'd fight for Georgia? I'd fight for anyone in the South like that. Why? That's local loyalty. But once that is ripped apart, to whom do you give your allegiance? To some military officer over some military district that you don't even know? The point I'm trying to make is this, folks.

Everything that David did in his sin in 1 Chronicles 21 has been followed by men ever since. Let me show you something else that is very, very important. I want you to understand that it was this sin that cost David the blessing of building the temple. Watch 1 Chronicles 28, verse 3. Then David the king stood upon his feet and said, Hear me, my brethren and my people, as for me, I had it in my heart to build a house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and for the footstool of our God, and had made ready for the building. But God said to me, Thou shalt not build a house for my name, because thou hast been a man of war, and hast shed blood. Now, wait a minute. Wait a minute. Wait a minute. Is God saying to David, David, you can't build my house because you killed a lot of people? May I remind you that God told David to kill a lot of those people.

Is the only reason David couldn't build the temple because he killed people? Well, Solomon killed people, too. He may not have killed as many as David, but he certainly had people killed. No, I want you to understand 1 Chronicles 21 is the mustering, the numbering of the people. 1 Chronicles 27 shows you the 12 military districts he set up. 1 Chronicles 28, God says you can't build my house. Let me show you why David was the one most likely to build the house. Look in your Bibles to 1 Chronicles 26 and verse 27. We went over this verse a few weeks ago. Watch this. 1 Chronicles 26, verse 27. The Bible says, Out of the spoils won in battles did they dedicate to maintain the house of the Lord. David fought more battles than anybody. David had more spoils. David had more money. He was the most logical one to build a house for God, because he had prepared to do it. But God says, no, you're not going to build my house now. Why?

Because what David did was this. David created a standing professional army. It was to be on the job 12 months out of the year. You see, although a percentage of the spoils from the battle went to the church, went to the ministry, and David fought many battles, yet God says, David, you can't do it. You can't build my temple because of this. Now, I want you to see something. Turn in your Bibles, if you would, to 2 Chronicles 26. I want you to see this standing army did not stop.

The Continuation of the Standing Army under Uzziah

Weaver notes that King Uzziah perpetuated the standing army system, showing that the pattern established by David continued in Israel's history.

It continued to go and continued to grow. 2 Chronicles 26, let's begin reading there with verse 11. Here we're reading about King Uzziah. Uzziah was a good king. He served 52 years. But watch what is said. Moreover, Uzziah had a host of fighting men that went out to war by bands according to the number of their account by the hand of Jeiel. Did you hear that? They went out to war by bands according to the number of their account.

In other words, he's done the same thing now that David has done. In other words, he's continued it. The bottom hand of Jeiel described Maaseiah, the ruler, under the hand of Hananiah, one of the king's captains. The whole number of the chief of the fathers of the mighty men of valor were 2,600. That's just the chief. Under their hand was an army of 300,000 and 7,500 that made war with mighty power to help the king against the enemy. And Uzziah prepared for them throughout all the host shields and spears and helmets and habergeons and bows and slings to cast stones. And he made in Jerusalem engines invented by cunning men to be on the towers and upon bulwarks, to shoot arrows and great stones withal. And his name was spread far abroad, for he was marvelously helped, till he was strong. What has he done? He has continued the standing army.

Now, let me ask a question. You say, Brother Weaver, when David numbered the people, God judged him. And God judged the people because no one stopped him, and they all knew what he was doing wrong. Seventy thousand died! Why did David, in his repentance, not undo what he had done? Why didn't David say, not only I have sinned, but Lord, I have sinned, I'm going to undo everything I've done. He said, I've sinned, but he didn't say, I'm going to undo everything I've done. Let me answer that question for you.

1 Samuel 8, verse 20. We want a king. Why? That we may be like other nations, and that he may judge us and what? And fight our battles for us. God gave the people exactly what they wanted. When they gave up their personal responsibility to fight and defend their families, their homes, and their land, they gave up a number of their rights and began to be exposed to tyranny and oppression.

Applications for Today

Weaver applies the biblical principles to modern America, arguing that a large professional army is a tool of tyranny, while a small professional force alongside an armed militia provides a balance of power. He warns against government disarmament efforts.

Let me make a couple of applications before I close today. First of all, a large, professional, standing army, historically speaking, has always been the weapon of tyranny and oppression. Look in Rome. You know who got to be the ruler in Rome? Whoever controlled the army. Julius Caesar did not win by popular election. Julius Caesar happened to be a military genius. He had control of the army. How does China keep their people in subjection? By the army. You saw Tiananmen Square on TV, you saw the tanks rolling over the people. How are we kept in subjection in America?

You say, Brother Weaver, you don't understand. In America, our armed forces are not used against us. That's why, Brother Weaver, there's the Posse Comitatus Act that forbids the federal government from using our armed forces against us. Tell that to the folks at Waco. Tell that to Randy Weaver and his family. Our soldiers were used against our citizens. Second, it is proper to have a small professional army to defend the land while the militia is being organized. I've just finished reading a book on the life of George Washington, and it specifically deals with the founding of our country. Do you know George Washington, probably at the height, only had a maximum of 8,000 men? Usually it was around 3,000. Those 3,000 or 4,000 were the ones who stayed with him through the war. The rest of the men that he had came and went as militiamen from different states or colonies. There is nothing wrong with having a small standing army, which will defend the country while the militia is being organized. Nor is there anything wrong with having the small standing army to lead the organized militia, because they are the professional soldiers.

But you say, Brother Weaver, where in the world was the militia so important in the Bible? The same reason it is so important today. Because the militia was the balance of power. What am I talking about? You see, if the government is the only one who has weaponry, if the government is the only one who has trained individuals to use that weaponry, then the government can run roughshod over its citizens at its pleasure. But if the government only has small armed forces and the people are armed and trained, it's not very likely that the government is going to attempt to tyrannize or to oppress the people. In other words, the militia gives us a balance of power.

That's why in the Bible, God's army was composed of what we would know as citizen militiamen. Here was the balance of power. Let me put it to you once again. It's impossible. It's impossible for a government to run roughshod over an armed and trained citizenry. It's impossible. And if you're wondering why the Brady Bill was passed, the assault rifle ban was passed, why Brady II is coming up, you need wonder no longer because it has always been the aim of a wicked, tyrannical, oppressive government to disarm its citizens. Fear the government that fears an armed citizenry. You see, God's law is so simple.

His answers are so obvious and so right. And yet men all over this country still refuse it. They'd rather be slaves than free. They'd rather give up their rights than to exercise personal responsibility. Father, we vow to thee this day in the name of Jesus Christ, help us to see, Lord, our responsibilities before thee. Help us to see, Lord, the source of tyranny and oppression, it's when we forsake thee, the one true and living God. It's when we turn our backs upon the true King and the true Lord of heaven and earth. Secondly, it comes when we forsake our own personal responsibility and we want someone else to do our work and our job and our fighting for us. Give us, Lord, grace and mercy to turn our hearts back to Thee, and give us courage and stamina to do what we need to do, and to train ourselves and to teach ourselves in Thy law and Thy word, and be obedient in every area of our lives. In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray.

Amen. This program was produced by Dominion Ministry. For more information about Pastor Weaver's sermons, you may contact Dominion Ministry 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 912-925-0995.