Ungodly Rulers and National Judgment

Biblical Attitude Towards Ungodly Rulers

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: Civil Government

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 1995-03-05

Synopsis: John Weaver examines 1 Samuel 15 to define the biblical attitude toward ungodly rulers. He argues that Scripture requires civil rulers to be believers who fear God and obey His commands. Using Samuel's response to King Saul's disobedience, Weaver shows that righteous anger—grief that kindles to indignation—should drive believers to cry to the Lord, confront, rebuke, reject, and replace ungodly rulers. He contrasts this with modern apathy and cites early American colonial charters that mandated Christian profession for office, concluding that the church must recover a biblical mindset to restore godly governance.

[John Weaver] Alright, 1 Samuel chapter 15. 1 Samuel chapter 15. And let's read verses 1 through 11. I'm going to bring a message this morning which I have entitled, The Biblical Attitude Toward Ungodly Rulers. Look in 1 Samuel chapter 15, beginning there with verse 1. Samuel also said in the psalm, The Lord sent me to anoint me to be king over his people, over Israel.

[John Weaver] Now, therefore, hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord of hosts. I remember that in which Amalek did to Israel how he laid weight for them in the way when he came up from Egypt. And now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not. But slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox, sheep, camel, and Saul gathered the people together and numbered them in Tilaim, 200,000 footmen and 10,000 men of Judah. And Saul came to the city of Amalek and laid wait in the valley. And Saul said unto the Kenites, Go, depart, get you down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them. For you showed kindness to all the children of Israel when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites. And Saul smote the Amalekites from Havilah until thou comest to Shur, that is over against Egypt. And he took Agag, the king of the Amalekites, alive and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.

[John Weaver] But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the ox, and of the fatlings, and of the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them. But everything that was vile and refuse, that they utterly destroyed. Then came the word of the Lord unto Samuel, saying, It repented me that I have set up Saul to be king, for he is turned back from following me and has not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel, and he cried unto the Lord all night." Let me just begin this morning by telling you that the word of God teaches what is known as the biblical doctrine of dominion.

[John Weaver] I have preached on that in times past. It's not my intention to do so this morning. But in Genesis 3, you have what is known as the Great Charter, or the Dominion Charter, or the Great Mandate, where God created Adam and Eve, and God told them to multiply and subdue the earth. That's actually Genesis 1 and Genesis 2, to multiply and subdue the earth and have dominion over it. So God basically gave the earth to man to have dominion over. Man was to serve God as God's vice-president, so to speak, as he ruled over the earth for God and as unto God. Of course, everyone knows the story in Genesis chapter 3, when Adam sinned, God drove him out of the garden. But the interesting thing is, in Genesis chapter 9, God gives the same dominion mandate to Noah and to his sons. and once again they are commissioned to have dominion over the earth. God there placed the fear of man upon every creature, the Bible says. In the book of Psalms, Psalm 8, once again the Bible says that God has given the earth to the children of men and that we're to exercise dominion over the earth.

[John Weaver] When you come to the New Testament, the Great Commission is nothing more than this same dominion mandate now given in the terms And in the words of our Lord, that's why he said that we're to go out on all the earth and make disciples and baptize them, but the third thing is to teach them all things whatsoever I have commanded you. So he is still exercising dominion.

[John Weaver] Now, the point is this. We have lost the biblical attitude of dominion, and consequently we have developed unbiblical and ungodly attitudes. Let me just tell you very quickly how I came to prepare this message. I was sitting in church a couple of weeks ago on Wednesday night. In fact, I was going to be preaching for the peacock, and I was just flipping through my Bible and going to another passage, and this passage just fell open. I did not have any intention of reading this passage at all, but my eyes just caught verse 11. In fact, the last part of that verse, and it said, and it grieved Samuel, and he cried unto the Lord all night.

[John Weaver] Well, I knew what the context was about, and I thought, isn't that interesting? The Bible said it grieved Samuel, and we're talking about an ungodly ruler, and I said, Lord, I certainly want to be biblical, and I want to have a biblical attitude, and I want to know what my attitude is to be toward ungodly rulers. And so I began to study this passage out.

[John Weaver] Now, let me just tell you that an attitude is a disposition It is a mental frame of thinking that we develop toward an individual, or an action, or a subject. Now, unhappily, most of our attitudes are unbiblical, and thus they lead to apathy, to indifference, and to inaction. Let me just put that another way. Basically speaking, most attitudes are unbiblical, and that leads to disobedience, sin, and rebellion.

[John Weaver] Now, as a Christian, you've got to understand that we must submit and surrender our minds to the Word of God. In fact, we're to be biblical in our thinking in every sphere and every area of our lives. You see, one of our biggest problems is this, that we do not know how to think biblically. Remember what God said in Isaiah 55, verses 8 and 9? He said, for if the heavens are higher than the earth, for my weight is higher than your weight, and my fault is higher than your fault," says the Lord. Now, God is not going to condescend to think the way we think. Why? Because the way we think is sinful and wicked and wrong. For what we must learn to do is to put aside our humanistic way of thinking and surrender our minds to the Word of God and learn to have the attitude that God tells us that we're to have.

[John Weaver] For instance, let me give you some scriptures. You remember in Romans 12, 1 and 2, Paul said, I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

[John Weaver] Now listen, and be not conformed to this world. Don't be pressed into the mold of the world. Do not be conformed to this world, but be ye transformed. And the Greek word is metamorphosis. That's where we get our English word metamorphosis from. Being metamorphosized, let it go through changes. Someone tell me how? By the renewing of your mind. You see, that's why he said in Ephesians 4.23,"...and be renewed in the spirit of your mind." The Bible says in 1 Peter 4 and verse 1 that we're to arm ourselves with the mind of Christ. In Philippians 2 and verse 5, he said,"...let this mind be in you, which also was in Christ Jesus." So very obviously, we're to think the way Christ would have us to think. That is why 2 Corinthians chapter 10 and verse 5.

[John Weaver] The Apostle Paul wrote, casting down imaginations and every high sin or every high fault that exalted itself against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every fault to the obedience of Jesus Christ. Now, you and I can only think like Christ. We can only have a biblical attitude as we study and find out from the Bible what our attitudes ought to really be. Let me put it like this. Biblical thinking and Biblical attitudes require Biblical studies. It is impossible to think right unless we're taught right. Now that's why the Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 2 and verse 15 to show yourselves a proven to God workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. That is why Peter wrote in 2 Peter 3, verse 18, that grow in grace even in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

[John Weaver] So we have to learn to think the way Scripture tells us to think about ungodly rulers. but also about every other subject in the Bible.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to hold 1 Samuel 15, we're coming back there, but turn in your Bibles to Proverbs 29. Let me begin by showing you two passages that give us general truth in relationship to ungodly rulers. Here's Proverbs 29, and note verse 2. Here's the first general truth. The Bible says when the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice, but when the wicked bear it rule, the people mourn. Now, look at that. When the righteous are in authority, what happens? The people rejoice. Why? Because righteous men rule righteously and justly and honestly. But the Bible says, when the wicked bear through, the people mourn.

[John Weaver] Now the word mourn here means to groan, it means to sigh. There was the word groaning because of the persecution, the oppression, the tyranny. So when the wicked are in authority, the righteous then mourn and groan and sigh.

[John Weaver] Now look in Proverbs 28 and verse 12. The Bible says, when righteous men do rejoice, there is great glory. Well, when the wicked rise, a man is hidden. Now, isn't that interesting? When the wicked rise, a man is hidden. What does that mean? Well, when the wicked are in authority, the righteous men begin to hide their possessions and their families and themselves to keep their possessions from being stolen and to keep their family and themselves from being murdered.

[John Weaver] One of my favorite illustrations is when the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon. I don't know if you remember what Gideon was doing when the angel appeared to him. But the Mutinites had invaded the land, and Gideon was hiding behind a rock, threshing his wheat. Why was he hiding? To keep the Mutinites from stealing what he had. And the very first thing the angel says to him is,"'Hail, thou mighty man of valor!' You know, well, if you're a mighty man of valor, why are you hiding?" Well, this is why, because the wicked were in control.

[John Weaver] and he was trying to protect that which he had. Now, we've got to understand that it is God that has ordained civil government, and since God is the one that has ordained and instituted civil government, he has the absolute and sovereign right to lay down the qualifications for those who are going to be in civil government. I want you very quickly to turn your Bibles to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 17. I want to just very quickly give you about four passages. You should already know these passages, I've preached on them in times past, but I want to just show you very quickly the first, the most basic, and the most fundamental principle given in the Word of God concerning civil rulers. Look in Deuteronomy chapter 17 beginning there with verse 15. Look what God says. God says, Thou shalt in any wife set in king over thee, whom the Lord thy God shall choose. One from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee. Thou mayest not set a stranger over thee who is not thy brother."

[John Weaver] Now, here's the most basic and fundamental requirement. God said, you cannot have a civil ruler whom I do not choose. Moreover, he says, whomever you choose and whom I ordain, he must be one from among thy brethren. That is, he must be a believer. He says, thou shalt not set a stranger over thee. So very obviously, the very first requirement is that a man be a believer, that he be a Christian.

[John Weaver] Look in your Bible to the book of Exodus, chapter 18 and verse 21. Exodus chapter 18, verse 21. Here's another passage that's exceedingly clear, Exodus 18 verse 21. The Bible says,"...morever thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness, and place such over them to be rulers." Now watch,"...morever thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God. The fundamental requirement for being a civil ruler is fearing God.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to turn to your Bibles, please, to 2 Samuel, chapter 5. 2 Samuel, chapter 5. 2 Samuel, chapter 5. Look, if you would please, beginning with verse 1. 2 Samuel, chapter 5, verse 1.

[John Weaver] Now, I've just shown you where God requires all civil rulers to be believers. We should watch how this works out now when Israel comes to anoint David to be king over them. Note,"...then came all the tribes of Israel to David and to Hebron, and spake, saying, Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh." What was one of the first requirements? have to be a brother. So they said, We are thy bone and thy flesh. Now watch verse 2. Also in times past, when Saul was king over us, thou hast led us out and brought us to Israel. There's past testimony, there's character, there's integrity. They knew David was proven. Watch this. and the Lord said to thee, thou shalt feed my people Israel." So there's three requirements. First of all, he's a brother, he's a believer. Secondly, he had a godly testimony. And thirdly, most importantly, God said, you're to be the ruler.

[John Weaver] So here it is all put together. Now, one other passage. Look in 2 Samuel, chapter 23, and let's read the first three verses. In fact, I want you to underline in your Bibles How often David claims direct inspiration for what he says here. He tells us that God said this, but he says it in such a way that it's emphasized. Notice 2 Samuel 23 verse 1. Now, these be the last words of David. David, the son of Jesse, said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said, now look what David said. Watch now. The Spirit of the Lord spake by me, that's one time. His word was in my tongue, that's two times. The God of Israel said, that's three times. The Rock of Israel spake to me," that's four times, so four times David is claiming direct inspiration for this next statement. What did God say four times?

[John Weaver] He that rules over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. Isn't that interesting? David says four times, God says, if you're going to be a civil ruler, you've got to be just, and the only way you can be just is you must be a believer ruling in the fear of God, applying the Word of God. Now, our Christian forefathers who founded this nation took the Word of God very seriously. I'm going to take just a little time this morning and do some reading to you, because I have some copies of some of the original charters and constitutions of the 13 colonies. I want you to see how it was when our country was first founded. And then I want you to try to determine whether our forefathers were right, or whether we are right today, okay? Here are the fundamental constitutions for the providence of New Jersey.

[John Weaver] This was written in 1683. I'm just reading paragraph 16. Here's what it says. Yet it is also hereby provided that no man shall be admitted a member of the Great or Common Council or any other place of public trust who shall not profess faith in Jesus Christ. You could not be a ruler in New Jersey unless you were a Christian, professed faith in Jesus Christ. Here's the Charter of Delaware, 1701. And that all persons who also profess to believe in Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, shall be capable, notwithstanding other persuasions and practices in point of conscience and religion, to serve this government in any capacity, both legislatively and executively."

[John Weaver] Now, let me go back and leave out the parentheses. Here's literally what it said, and that all persons who also profess to believe in Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, shall be capable to serve this government in any capacity, both legislatively What does that mean? That means if you did not profess faith in Jesus Christ, you could not serve that government. Listen to this, this was the Charter of Pennsylvania in 1701.

[John Weaver] It says exactly the same thing. And that all persons who also profess to believe in Jesus Christ The Savior of the world shall be capable to serve this government in any capacity, both legislatively and executively. Here's the Constitution of Delaware, 1776, Article 22. Listen, every person who shall be chosen a member of either the House or appointed to any office or place of trust before taking his seat or entering upon the execution of his office shall take the following oath or affirmation. So, anybody who happened to be in government had to take this oath.

[John Weaver] Here it is, I blank, you put in your name. I blank, do profess faith in God the Father, and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, and in the Holy Ghost, one God, blessed forevermore, and I do acknowledge the holy scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be given by divine inspiration. So, if you were in Delaware in 1776 and wanted to be a public officer, you had to be a Christian. You had to believe that the Bible was indeed the Word of God.

[John Weaver] Listen to what the Constitution of Georgia said in 1777, Article 6. The representatives shall be chosen out of the residents in each county who shall have resided at least twelve months in this state, and they shall be of the Protestant religion and of the age of 21 years. They shall be. So you had to be a Christian believer in a Protestant or a Baptist. You could not be a Roman Catholic.

[John Weaver] You had to believe in Jesus Christ. Here's the Constitution of Maryland, 1776. This happens to be paragraph 55. That every person appointed to any office or prophet or trust shall, before he enters on the execution thereof, take the following oath. Now, here's the oath. I, blank, do swear that I do not hold myself bound in allegiance to the King of Great Britain, and that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to the state of Maryland, and shall also subscribe a declaration of disbelief in the Christian religion." How about that? Here's the Constitution for Massachusetts, 1780. Article 1. Any person, chosen governor, lieutenant governor, counselor, senator, or representative, unaccepting the trust, shall before he proceed to execute the duties of his place or office, make and subscribe to the following declaration. I, blank, do declare that I believe in the Christian religion and have a firm persuasion of its truth. and that I am seized and possessed in my own right of the property acquired by the Constitution as one qualified for the office or place in which I am elected.

[John Weaver] Did you hear that? I believe the Christian religion and have a firm persuasion of its truth." Here's New Hampshire, the Constitution of New Hampshire, 1784, and every denomination demeaning themselves quietly in this good subject of the state, shall be equally under the protection of the law, and no subordination of any one sect or denomination to another shall ever be established by law." That means you can't have the Baptist over the Presbyterian or the Presbyterian over the Baptist.

[John Weaver] Now, I'm continuing,"...provided nevertheless that no person shall be capable of being elected a senator who is not of the Protestant religion." Every member of the House of Representatives shall be chosen by ballot and shall be of a Protestant religion." Here's the Constitution of North Carolina, 1776. This happens to be paragraph 32, that no person who shall deny the being of God or the truth of the Protestant religion, or the divine authority either of the Old or the New Testaments, or who shall hold religious principles incompatible with the freedom and safety of the state, shall be capable of holding any office or place of trust or profit in the civil department within the state. So, if you believe anything contrary to the Old and New Testaments, anything contrary to Christianity, you could not hold a place of office or trust in North Carolina. Here's the Constitution of Pennsylvania, 1776, section 10, and each member of the House of Representatives, before he takes his seat, shall make him subscribe to the following declaration, quote, I do believe in one God, the Creator and Governor of the universe.

[John Weaver] and the rewarder of the good and the punisher of the wicked. And I do acknowledge the scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be given by divine inspiration. Constitution of South Carolina, 1778, that as soon as may be after the first meeting of the Senate and House of Representatives, they shall jointly in the House of Representatives choose by ballot from only themselves or from the people at large a governor and a commander-in-chief, a lieutenant governor, both to continue for two

[John Weaver] years a pretty council all of the Protestant religion. Paragraph 12, and that no person shall be eligible to a seat in the said Senate unless he be of the Protestant religion. 13. No person shall be eligible to sit in the House of Representatives unless he gives the promise of religion. 38. That all persons and religious societies who acknowledge that there is one God and a future state of rewards and punishments, and that God is publicly to be worshipped shall be freely tolerated. The Christian Protestant religion shall be deemed, and is hereby constituted and declared to be, the established religion of this state." That's all there is. So you had to be a Christian in order to be a civil officer.

[John Weaver] Here is the Constitution of Vermont, 1777, Section 11, or Section 90. And each person on behalf of representatives before he takes his seat shall make and subscribe the following declaration. I do believe in God, the Creator and Governor of the universe, the Rewarder of the good and the Punisher of the wicked, and I do acknowledge the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be given by divine inspiration and own and profess the Protestant religion."

[John Weaver] You see, our forefathers actually believed that a man could not be a civil ruler unless he was a Christian. He thought he could not rule justly nor in the fear of God.

[John Weaver] Now let me go a little bit further. I want you to understand how seriously our forefathers took the word of God. Because every colony, let me rephrase that, every state, passed laws that made blasphemy a crime. Every colony made blasphemy a criminal act. Let me read to you just a couple of these. In Massachusetts, the General Court enacted a law entitled An Act Against Atheism and Blasphemy in 1697, and here's what it said, quote, that if any person shall presume willfully to blaspheme the holy name of God, Father, Son, or Holy Ghost, either by denying, cursing, or reproaching the true God, his creation or government of the world, or by denying, cursing, or reproaching the holy word of God, that is, the canonical scriptures contained in the books of the Old and New Testaments, Everyone so offended shall be punished by imprisonment not exceeding six months, and until they find surety for the good behavior, or by setting in the

[John Weaver] pillory, by whipping, boring through the tongue with a red-hot iron, or setting upon the gallows with a rope about their neck." Now, how about that? If you blaspheme God or the Bible, you either were in prison, you either had to sit on the pillar, that's where you had your feet and your hands and your head through, or you had your tongue bored through with a hot iron, or you had to sit upon the gallows with a rope around your neck. Tend to make you think, you know, before you try to blaspheme again. The General Assembly of Maryland passed this law in 1723, which prohibited anyone from wittingly, maliciously, and advisedly, by writing or speaking, blaspheme or curse God, or deny our Savior Jesus Christ to be the Son of God, shall for the first offense be bored through the term and find twenty pounds sterling. On a second offense, the offender is to be stigmatized by burning in the forehead the letter B, that is, blasphemer, and fine 40-pound sterling. From a third offense, the offender is to suffer death without the benefit of clergy.

[John Weaver] Pennsylvania, 1700, said this, that whosoever shall willfully, premeditatively, and despitefully blaspheme or speak loosely and profanely of Almighty God, Christ Jesus, the Holy Spirit, or the Scriptures of truth, and is legally convicted thereof, shall forfeit and pay the sum of ten pounds for the use of the poor of the county," noted, did not go just to the government. It went to the poor of the county where such offense shall be committed and or suffer three months' imprisonment and hard labor as aforesaid for the use of said poor.

[John Weaver] In Delaware, a law was passed in 1741 that required one guilty of blasphemy to be branded in his or her forehead with the letter B and to be publicly whipped on his or her bare back with thirty-nine lashes well laid on. I like that. Of course, I like the next one, too. The General Court of Connecticut in 1750 enacted a law that required the death penalty for any person guilty of blasphemy.

[John Weaver] Did our forefathers take the word of God seriously? Very obviously. Did our forefathers believe the word of God taught that you had to have Christian rulers? Very obviously. Let me ask you the question. Who is it that has apostatized? Who is it that has left the faith? Who is it that is wrong? It was certainly not our forefathers. It is we who are in America that have apostatized and have left the faith.

[John Weaver] Why in the world is it that we're in the mess that we're in today? We not only tolerate but choose and elect unprincipled and unconverted rulers. Why do we do that? Because we do not have a biblical attitude toward ungodly rulers. If our forefathers were alive today, Bill Clinton would not be President of the United States. Most of our congressmen would not be in office, either in the federal government or in the state governments.

[John Weaver] Why do we put up with it? Because we don't have a biblical attitude toward ungodly rulers. You say, but we were pointing to biblical attitudes. Well, look back in your Bibles to 1 Samuel chapter 15, and let me begin to show you what this biblical attitude toward ungodly rulers is. In verse 11 of 1 Samuel chapter 15, note if you would please, the Bible says, God said, It repented me that I set up Saul to be king, for he has turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel, and he cried unto the Lord all night. Now the thing that caught my attention when this verse just jumped out at me, And I would put it at grief, Samuel. And I got to thinking, well, Lord, I don't know if I'm really grieved for these ungodly civil rulers. You know, when you hear the word grief, a totally different thought enters our mind, you know. And I thought, what in the world? Well, now, let me just show you.

[John Weaver] King Saul has disobeyed God. He was the king now. He has publicly and willingly disobeyed God, and evidently it was not just this one time, because if you look in verse 11, God says he is turned back. The Lord's indicating not only it happened in time past, but now there is a continual course of turning back. The Hebrew word for turn back is the word shu, but it literally means to return, to go back, to retreat, and the evidence that Saul had turned from God is given in verse 11 when God said, He hath not performed my commandments. How does God know that Saul had turned back from Him?

[John Weaver] Well, you said, Brother Weaver, God's going to read his heart. Yes, but we can also know that Saul had turned back from God because he ceased performing his commandments. How do we know that we have ungodly rulers? Because they don't perform God's commandments. I don't care what they profess. I don't care how many times they say they're a Christian. If they do not obey the word of God, they are ungodly rulers.

[John Weaver] Some of you will remember when Jimmy Carter was elected President of the United States. He had an interview with Playboy magazine. And I mean, listen, all across the country were offended, up in arms, they were angry, they were upset that Jimmy Carter would be interviewed by Playboy magazine. Let me tell you something, folks. It didn't upset me when Jimmy Carter was interviewed by Playboy magazine. What upset me was what he said, because he promised If he were elected President of the United States, he would not allow his Christianity to interfere with his office. He kept that promise. He kept that promise.

[John Weaver] In fact, I don't even more believe he's a Christian than I believe that doorknob is over there. He said, but we rebuild all these houses I don't care, folks. You cannot turn your back upon the Word of God and deny Christ in spheres of your life and be a Christian. What does he say in 1 John 2? He said very clearly in verse 4, He that keepeth not my commandments, but he says he's a Christian, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. So we know we have ungodly Because they did not perform the Word of God.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to note something. Because Saul had rejected God, God rejected Saul. Look in your Bibles, verse 26. And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee. For thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord hath rejected thee from being king over Israel. And as Samuel turned about to go away, he laid hold upon the skirt of his man, laying it rent. And Samuel said unto him, The Lord hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of thine that is better than thou." Now watch what Samuel says. Samuel said, Saul, you rejected God. That's all right, because God rejected you.

[John Weaver] Now, let me point out something that most people never think about. Did you know that Saul reigned for 40 years? And probably anywhere from a half to a third of that reign was under the curse and the judgment of God. You see what most people think is this? Most people think, well, if God doesn't want somebody on the throne, or if someone is up there under the curse and judgment of God, well, boy, God just might have instantly. That's not so. Now, God did get Saul, but He did not get him instantly. You see, God's paydays are not always on Friday. And just because a civil ruler continues in office does not mean that that civil ruler has the approval of God. He can be in office and still be under the curse and the judgment of God, and God is just biding his time until he's smart enough. Now, I want you to note what Samuel's attitude was concerning Saul. Okay? Now, before I show you this, I want you to remember that Samuel is listed in Hebrews chapter 11 and verse 32 as one of the heroes of faith.

[John Weaver] He was a man of God. What, he said, the time would fail me to tell of Samson and of Gideon and of Arak, who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, stopped the mouths of the lions, quenched the vows of fire, were made strong, turned the armies of the aliens to flak. So Samson is given as a hero of faith. He is given as a man of God. So very obviously, whatever his attitude was toward King Saul had to be a biblical attitude because he was a man of God and a man of faith, right?

[John Weaver] Now, the Bible said, and it grieved Samuel. And it grieved What in the world does it mean when it says Aunt Grief, Samuel? Most of us, when we think of the word grief, we think of someone who's troubled, someone who's upset, someone who's often inconsolable. We think about a little woman who's at the funeral of her husband, weeping. Folks come up to her, put their arms around her, hug her, try to comfort her. Nothing you say will comfort her. Keep grieving.

[John Weaver] And sometimes grieve for months after that. Sometimes years. You think of parents who've lost children, and once again, their grief is just overwhelming, it seems like. And nothing you can say or do can console them. And when I looked at that verse, when it just hit me, I thought, Lord, I don't mourn and grieve over these ungodly rulers like that. Something must be wrong with me. I said, I better find out what it means.

[John Weaver] And boy, was I surprised. But you know, I found out I had a biblical attitude and didn't even know it. Why? Let me tell you what the word grieved means. The Hebrew word is hara, H-A-R-A is how we would spell it in English. Hara means to burn, be kindled, to cause fire to burn. The word emphasizes the kindling of anger. The word relates to a fire once it has gotten started and the heat is hot.

[John Weaver] The verb and its derivatives are used over 139 times in scripture. What does it mean when it says that Samuel was grieved? It literally means that Samuel was angry. He was exceedingly mad. Let me put it this way, as politely as I can. He was kicked off. He was ready to fight. I want to show you that this word is used both of God and man, and I'm going to show you how it means to really be ticked off. I want you to turn in your Bibles, first of all, to Genesis chapter 39. Genesis 39.

[John Weaver] Everyone knows this story. This is the story of Joseph, when Potiphar's wife has lied to her husband about Joseph.

[John Weaver] Now, let me ask you, men, what if some strange man came up to your wife, and maybe even in your presence, hit upon your wife and tried to seduce her right in front of you, would you just kind of casually say, well, we'll just see what happens? I tell you what, you mess with my wife, you're going to end up either on the floor or dead, one of the two. You follow me? Because I'm going to get angry real quickly. Look what happened. Genesis 39, verse 19. The Bible said it came to pass when his master, that is, Prodigal, heard these words of his wife, which he spake after him, saying, after this man had been by service to me, that his wrath was kindled."

[John Weaver] Don't you think he was upset? Well, of course he was.

[John Weaver] Now I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Numbers, chapter 25. Let me show you the same Hebrew word, this time in the next two passages I'm going to give you. the word is used in reference to God. Notice, if you would please, Numbers chapter 25, and in the context we're talking about the idolatry and the adultery that the Israelites were engaged in. Note, if you will please, verse 3,"...and Israel joined himself unto Baal-peor, and the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel." Watch now, verse 4,"...and the LORD said unto Moses, Take all the heads of the people, and hang them up before the LORD against the sun, that the fierce anger of the LORD may be turned away from Israel." Do you think it upset God when His people began to commit fornication and idolatry?

[John Weaver] so greatly exhausted, everyone that's involved in this, take him out and kill him. The word fierce anger is the same word translated greed in 1 Samuel 15.

[John Weaver] Now if you'll turn to Jeremiah chapter 25, let me show you just one of the passages, but two verses. Here's the same word, and it's translated once again, fierce anger. Jeremiah chapter 25, and notice you it's verse 37 and verse 38. And the Bible says, Jeremiah 25 verse 37, and the peaceable habitations are cut down because of the fierce anger, the horror of the Lord. He is forsaken his cupboard as the lion, for their land is desolate because of the fierceness of the oppressor and because of his, that is God's, fierce anger. So once again, we see this word is fierce anger. Samuel got mad. Samuel was angry. Now, I want to show you something. I want you to see that Samuel's attitude was the same as God's. Turn your Bibles to the book of Hosea, chapter 7. Let me show you God's attitude toward ungodly rulers. Very obviously, if Samuel was a godly man, he must have the same attitude that God has, and let's see what God's attitude toward ungodly rulers is. Hosea chapter 7, and let's begin reading there with verse 2.

[John Weaver] You're going to see there's some ungodly people mentioned here, as well as ungodly rulers. Now watch this. Hosea chapter 7, verse 2, and they consider not in their hearts, but I remember all their wickedness, Now, their own doings have beset them about there before my face. Now, once they, that is the people and those around the king, they make the king glad of their wickedness, and the princes, that is the other civil rulers, with their lies. They are all, that is, the people, the king, and the princess, they are all adulterers, as the oven heath by the baker, and seetheth from raging after he hath kneaded the dough until it meet leaven. In the day of our king, watch, the princess, that is, the rest of the civil rulers, have made him, that is, the king, sick with bodies of wine. He, that is, the king, stretched out his hands with the scorners." So you've got an ungodly, drunkard, debauched king who they have made ready their heart like an oven while they lie in wait.

[John Weaver] Their baker sleeps with all the night. In the morning it burns as a flaming fire. They are all hot as leather. They have debarred their judges. Watch now, all their kings are fallen. There is none among them that is a civil ruler that calleth unto me."

[John Weaver] Now let's get down to verse 13. unto them, says God, for they have fled from me, destruction unto them, because their friends dressed against me, who have redeemed them, yet they have spoken lies against me, and they have not tried in the need of their heart when they howled upon their bed, and assembled themselves for corn and wine, and they rebel against me. Though I have bowed and strengthened their arms, yet do they imagine mischief against me.

[John Weaver] They return, but not to the Most High. They are like a deceitful bow. They are princes, shall fall by the sword, for the range of their tongue, this shall be their derision in the land of Egypt." Would you say that God was upset with the ungodly rulers? Was He ticked off? Was He mad? Well, of course He was.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to turn back in your Bibles to 1 Thaddeus chapter 15. You see, there is a righteous anger. The Bible says in Ephesians 4 and verse 26, be angry and sin not, let not the sun go down upon your ramp. So there is a way to be righteously angry. Now, I want you to know that Samuel's anger was righteous because it led to a proper solution of the problem.

[John Weaver] You say, what are you talking about? Well, let's go back to verse 11. The Bible said, and it grieved Samuel. It kicked him off. He was upset. He was angry. He was mad. What was the first thing that Samuel's righteous anger drove him to do? The Bible said, and he cried unto the Lord all night. Now let me tell you what the word cried means. It means to shriek or to triumph because of danger or distress. To shriek? To shriek? Listen, tell me you want to pray and they'll go, now lay me down to sleep prayers. He was shrieking. He realized that not only he was in danger, but the people of land were in danger because of Saul. Saul had turned from God. That meant the judgment of God was only going to be upon Saul, but he would put up with it upon them as well. And so he cried then to the only one who could really help. So the very first thing his anger did then was it led him to cry to the Lord.

[John Weaver] Note the second thing his anger led him to do in verse 12. And when Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning, did you hear that? When Samuel rose early to what? To meet Saul. He confronted Saul. He didn't stay away from him, he confirmed him. He did not shirk from facing this ungodly man who had turned from God and disobeyed God. He had a face-to-face confrontation with him. I want you to note the third thing is he rebuked Saul. Look in verse 17.

[John Weaver] And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the Lord anointed thee king over Israel? And the Lord set thee on a journey, and said, Go and utter to destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them, until they be consumed. Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the Lord, but didst squirm from the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the Lord?" Did you get that? He said, Listen, Saul, when you were little in your sight, God made you king.

[John Weaver] Why do you think you're somewhat important? And why do you not use it to obey God? So he cried to the Lord, he confessed all, he rebuked Saul, that's not all. He rejected Saul. Look at it, if you would please, in verse 25. Saul says to Samuel, Now therefore I pray thee, pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship the Lord. And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee, for thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected thee from being king of Israel. Look, if you would please, Samuel was not interested in having prayer with Saul. Do you think that Samuel, the man of God, would have prayed at the inaugural of Bill Clinton?

[John Weaver] Or any of our modern day presidents? I've got news for you. Samuel wouldn't have had anything to do with it. Because you rejected God. I'm rejecting you. I don't have anything to do with you. You're a reprobate. What's this? Samuel Ranger led him. To cry to the Lord, to confront Saul, to rebuke Saul, to reject Saul, is one of the things that led him. to replace Saul. Look in chapter 16, verse 1, And the Lord said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul?

[John Weaver] Seeing I have rejected him from reigning your bishop, fill thine hand with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite, where I have provided thee a king among his sons." Go get me another one, Samuel. Go get me another one. I've got one after my own heart.

[John Weaver] Now, what does that mean? It means that God's people in America have stacked back with unbiblical attitudes and have put up with and tolerated and sometimes have even chosen ungodly rulers. Let me tell you something, folks. When will we, as God's people, cry to the Lord Confront our ungodly rulers, rebuke them, reject them, and enslave them only when we have developed a biblical attitude of righteous anger and righteous indignation.

[John Weaver] Let me go a little bit further. We have not realized the danger that we're in with ungodly rulers. I want you to look in your Bibles, Hosea 5. This is a passage that you should be exceedingly familiar with. Hosea 5, look as you would at verses 10 and 11. Hosea 5, verse 10. Listen to what John's saying. Hosea 5, verse 10. God said, the princes of Judah, so we're talking about civil rulers, right? The princes of Judah will like them to remove the bounds.

[John Weaver] Now, the bound would be the boundary that God has placed around them. See, God that ordained civil rulers also ordained their ministers, also ordained their boundaries. But the princes did not like to stay in the limited boundaries that God had given them. So what did they do? They removed the boundaries. They did their own thing, so to speak. They rebelled against God. They did like King Saul. God said, the princes of Judah were like them that removed the bounds. Therefore, says God, I'll pour out my wrath upon them like water. God said, I will freely judge them because of their rebellion.

[John Weaver] But look at the next verse. Ephraim That is, the people, the tribe. Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment. Why are the people oppressed and broken in judgment? God says because he willingly walked after the commandment. That is, he willingly obeyed an apostate, ungodly, civil ruler. Now look in your Bibles to the book of Marker. Just turn right over a few books. Hosea, Joel, Amos, Jonah. and Micah. Watch, if you would, Micah 6 and verse 16. Look at it. Micah 6, verse 16. Here's why God sent Israel away into captivity.

[John Weaver] For the statutes of Omriah are kept." Remember, Omriah was the father of Ahab. For the statutes, let's read that so we can understand it. For the laws, for the regulations, for the laws of Omriah are kept, and all the works of the house of Ahab, and you there in their council, that is, in their laws and their regulations, that I should make thee a desolation, and in the hemisphere of a hissing, therefore you shall bear the reproach of my people." God said, you want to walk in the laws and the regulations of these ungodly civilians? He said, God, I'll judge you along with them. And just that they don't understand the danger that we're in.

[John Weaver] You know, I was thinking, I'm not going to say there is not one, but I'm going to say this, I do not believe that we have one consistent Christian ruler in any office of this land. whether it be state, county, city, or federal. Let me go a bit further. I do know this. I know, on the federal level, we do not have one civil ruler who upholds his constitutional rights. How do I know that? Because Article 6 says that this Constitution shall be the supreme law of the land. To our senators and representatives, examine every law to make sure it's constitutional or they just pass it. And if they're going to uphold their oath, how can they sit there when they know that there are myriads of laws in the books that are unconstitutional on their face? You don't have to study them, they're just unconstitutional. And what is happening?

[John Weaver] We have not kept a biblical attitude of righteous anger and righteous indignation, and we've gotten into apathy and indifference. We have become tolerant, And we have become persecuted, oppressed, and tyrannized because of our un-Biblical attitudes. It's time to get ticked off. It's time to get angry in the Biblical sense of the word. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to thee this day. We thank thee for Jesus Christ and for his love and for his mercy. And Lord, just knowing from your Word, but even from history, we see how far we've fallen in this country. Bring us back to thy sense. Give us, Lord, once again, a Christian nation upholding Christian principles and values. We pray, Father, Thou wilt overthrow the wicked and establish Thy people and Thy law and Thy righteousness. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray, Amen.

Biblical Attitude Towards Ungodly Rulers

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	3270617585
Subject	Civil Government
Course	Ungodly Rulers and National Judgment
Genre	Sermon
Date	1995-03-05
Dictation Name
Book	Book 010: Ungodly Rulers and National Judgment — Chapter 1
Source Timed Segments	78

Formatted Transcript

Introduction and the Dominion Mandate

Weaver introduces the topic from 1 Samuel 15 and explains the biblical doctrine of dominion, showing that God gave man authority over the earth, a mandate renewed in the Great Commission.

Alright, 1 Samuel chapter 15. 1 Samuel chapter 15. And let's read verses 1 through 11. I'm going to bring a message this morning which I have entitled, The Biblical Attitude Toward Ungodly Rulers. Look in 1 Samuel chapter 15, beginning there with verse 1.

Scripture Reading — 1 Samuel 15:1-11

Samuel also said unto Saul, The Lord sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel. Now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt. Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass. And Saul gathered the people together, and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah. And Saul came to a city of Amalek, and laid wait in the valley. And Saul said unto the Kenites, Go, depart, get you down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them: for ye showed kindness to all the children of Israel, when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites. And Saul smote the Amalekites from Havilah until thou comest to Shur, that is over against Egypt. And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.

But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them: but every thing that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly. Then came the word of the Lord unto Samuel, saying, It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the Lord all night. Let me just begin this morning by telling you that the word of God teaches what is known as the biblical doctrine of dominion. I have preached on that in times past. It's not my intention to do so this morning. But in Genesis 1 and 2, you have what is known as the Great Charter, or the Dominion Charter, or the Great Mandate, where God created Adam and Eve, and God told them to multiply and subdue the earth. That's actually Genesis 1 and Genesis 2, to multiply and subdue the earth and have dominion over it. So God basically gave the earth to man to have dominion over. Man was to serve God as God's vice-regent, so to speak, as he ruled over the earth for God and as unto God. Of course, everyone knows the story in Genesis chapter 3, when Adam sinned, God drove him out of the garden. But the interesting thing is, in Genesis chapter 9, God gives the same dominion mandate to Noah and to his sons, and once again they are commissioned to have dominion over the earth. God there placed the fear of man upon every creature, the Bible says. In the book of Psalms, Psalm 8, once again the Bible says that God has given the earth to the children of men and that we're to exercise dominion over the earth.

When you come to the New Testament, the Great Commission is nothing more than this same dominion mandate now given in the terms and in the words of our Lord. That's why he said that we're to go out into all the earth and make disciples and baptize them, but the third thing is to teach them all things whatsoever I have commanded you. So he is still exercising dominion.

The Need for Biblical Thinking

Weaver emphasizes that Christians must renew their minds according to Scripture, not conform to the world, and that biblical attitudes require biblical study.

Now, the point is this. We have lost the biblical attitude of dominion, and consequently we have developed unbiblical and ungodly attitudes. Let me just tell you very quickly how I came to prepare this message. I was sitting in church a couple of weeks ago on Wednesday night. In fact, I was going to be preaching for the Peacocks, and I was just flipping through my Bible and going to another passage, and this passage just fell open. I did not have any intention of reading this passage at all, but my eyes just caught verse 11. In fact, the last part of that verse, and it said, "...and it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the Lord all night."

Well, I knew what the context was about, and I thought, isn't that interesting? The Bible said it grieved Samuel, and we're talking about an ungodly ruler, and I said, Lord, I certainly want to be biblical, and I want to have a biblical attitude, and I want to know what my attitude is to be toward ungodly rulers. And so I began to study this passage out. Now, let me just tell you that an attitude is a disposition. It is a mental frame of thinking that we develop toward an individual, or an action, or a subject. Now, unhappily, most of our attitudes are unbiblical, and thus they lead to apathy, to indifference, and to inaction. Let me just put that another way. Basically speaking, most attitudes are unbiblical, and that leads to disobedience, sin, and rebellion.

Now, as a Christian, you've got to understand that we must submit and surrender our minds to the Word of God. In fact, we're to be biblical in our thinking in every sphere and every area of our lives. You see, one of our biggest problems is this, that we do not know how to think biblically. Remember what God said in Isaiah 55, verses 8 and 9? He said,

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 55:8-9

"For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts,"

saith the Lord. Now, God is not going to condescend to think the way we think. Why? Because the way we think is sinful and wicked and wrong. For what we must learn to do is to put aside our humanistic way of thinking and surrender our minds to the Word of God and learn to have the attitude that God tells us that we're to have.

For instance, let me give you some scriptures. You remember in Romans 12, 1 and 2, Paul said,

Scripture Reading — Romans 12:1-2

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service."

Now listen,

Scripture Reading — Romans 12:1-2

"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind."

Don't be pressed into the mold of the world. Do not be conformed to this world, but be ye transformed. And the Greek word is metamorphoo. That's where we get our English word metamorphosis from. Being metamorphosized, let it go through changes. Someone tell me how? By the renewing of your mind. You see, that's why he said in Ephesians 4:23, "...and be renewed in the spirit of your mind." The Bible says in 1 Peter 4 and verse 1 that we're to arm ourselves with the mind of Christ. In Philippians 2 and verse 5, he said, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." So very obviously, we're to think the way Christ would have us to think. That is why 2 Corinthians chapter 10 and verse 5.

The Apostle Paul wrote, "Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." Now, you and I can only think like Christ. We can only have a biblical attitude as we study and find out from the Bible what our attitudes ought to really be. Let me put it like this. Biblical thinking and biblical attitudes require biblical studies. It is impossible to think right unless we're taught right. Now that's why the Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 2 and verse 15 to "study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." That is why Peter wrote in 2 Peter 3, verse 18, "but grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ."

So we have to learn to think the way Scripture tells us to think about ungodly rulers, but also about every other subject in the Bible.

General Truths About Rulers

From Proverbs 29:2 and 28:12, Weaver shows that righteous rulers bring rejoicing, while wicked rulers cause mourning and hiding.

Now, I want you to hold 1 Samuel 15, we're coming back there, but turn in your Bibles to Proverbs 29. Let me begin by showing you two passages that give us general truth in relationship to ungodly rulers. Here's Proverbs 29, and note verse 2. Here's the first general truth. The Bible says,

Scripture Reading — Proverbs 29:2

"When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn."

Now, look at that. When the righteous are in authority, what happens? The people rejoice. Why? Because righteous men rule righteously and justly and honestly. But the Bible says, when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.

Now the word mourn here means to groan, it means to sigh. There was the word groaning because of the persecution, the oppression, the tyranny. So when the wicked are in authority, the righteous then mourn and groan and sigh. Now look in Proverbs 28 and verse 12. The Bible says,

Scripture Reading — Proverbs 28:12

"When righteous men do rejoice, there is great glory: but when the wicked rise, a man is hidden."

Now, isn't that interesting? When the wicked rise, a man is hidden. What does that mean? Well, when the wicked are in authority, the righteous men begin to hide their possessions and their families and themselves to keep their possessions from being stolen and to keep their family and themselves from being murdered.

One of my favorite illustrations is when the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon. I don't know if you remember what Gideon was doing when the angel appeared to him. But the Midianites had invaded the land, and Gideon was hiding behind a rock, threshing his wheat. Why was he hiding? To keep the Midianites from stealing what he had. And the very first thing the angel says to him is, "Hail, thou mighty man of valour!" You know, well, if you're a mighty man of valour, why are you hiding? Well, this is why, because the wicked were in control.

Biblical Qualifications for Civil Rulers

Weaver cites Deuteronomy 17:15, Exodus 18:21, 2 Samuel 5:1-2, and 2 Samuel 23:1-3 to prove that God requires rulers to be believers who fear Him and rule justly.

and he was trying to protect that which he had. Now, we've got to understand that it is God that has ordained civil government, and since God is the one that has ordained and instituted civil government, he has the absolute and sovereign right to lay down the qualifications for those who are going to be in civil government. I want you very quickly to turn your Bibles to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 17. I want to just very quickly give you about four passages. You should already know these passages, I've preached on them in times past, but I want to just show you very quickly the first, the most basic, and the most fundamental principle given in the Word of God concerning civil rulers. Look in Deuteronomy chapter 17 beginning there with verse 15. Look what God says. God says, "Thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee, whom the Lord thy God shall choose: one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee: thou mayest not set a stranger over thee, which is not thy brother."

Now, here's the most basic and fundamental requirement. God said, you cannot have a civil ruler whom I do not choose. Moreover, he says, whomever you choose and whom I ordain, he must be one from among thy brethren. That is, he must be a believer. He says, thou shalt not set a stranger over thee. So very obviously, the very first requirement is that a man be a believer, that he be a Christian. Look in your Bible to the book of Exodus, chapter 18 and verse 21. Exodus chapter 18, verse 21. Here's another passage that's exceedingly clear, Exodus 18 verse 21. The Bible says,

Scripture Reading — Exodus 18:21

"Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers."

Now watch,

Scripture Reading — Exodus 18:21

"Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God."

The fundamental requirement for being a civil ruler is fearing God.

Now, I want you to turn to your Bibles, please, to 2 Samuel, chapter 5. 2 Samuel, chapter 5. 2 Samuel, chapter 5. Look, if you would please, beginning with verse 1. 2 Samuel, chapter 5, verse 1.

Now, I've just shown you where God requires all civil rulers to be believers. We should watch how this works out now when Israel comes to anoint David to be king over them. Note, "Then came all the tribes of Israel to David unto Hebron, and spake, saying, Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh." What was one of the first requirements? He had to be a brother. So they said, We are thy bone and thy flesh. Now watch verse 2. "Also in time past, when Saul was king over us, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and the Lord said to thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel." So there's three requirements. First of all, he's a brother, he's a believer. Secondly, he had a godly testimony. And thirdly, most importantly, God said, you're to be the ruler.

So here it is all put together. Now, one other passage. Look in 2 Samuel, chapter 23, and let's read the first three verses. In fact, I want you to underline in your Bibles how often David claims direct inspiration for what he says here. He tells us that God said this, but he says it in such a way that it's emphasized. Notice 2 Samuel 23 verse 1.

Scripture Reading — 2 Samuel 23:1-3

"Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said,"

now look what David said. Watch now.

Scripture Reading — 2 Samuel 23:1-3

"The Spirit of the Lord spake by me,"

that's one time.

Scripture Reading — 2 Samuel 23:1-3

"and his word was in my tongue,"

that's two times.

Scripture Reading — 2 Samuel 23:1-3

"The God of Israel said,"

that's three times.

Scripture Reading — 2 Samuel 23:1-3

"the Rock of Israel spake to me,"

that's four times, so four times David is claiming direct inspiration for this next statement. What did God say four times?

"He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God." Isn't that interesting? David says four times, God says, if you're going to be a civil ruler, you've got to be just, and the only way you can be just is you must be a believer ruling in the fear of God, applying the Word of God. Now, our Christian forefathers who founded this nation took the Word of God very seriously. I'm going to take just a little time this morning and do some reading to you, because I have some copies of some of the original charters and constitutions of the 13 colonies. I want you to see how it was when our country was first founded. And then I want you to try to determine whether our forefathers were right, or whether we are right today, okay? Here are the fundamental constitutions for the province of New Jersey.

Historical Evidence from Colonial Charters

Weaver reads from early American colonial constitutions (New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, North Carolina, South Carolina, Vermont) showing they required Christian profession for public office.

This was written in 1683. I'm just reading paragraph 16. Here's what it says. "Yet it is also hereby provided that no man shall be admitted a member of the Great or Common Council or any other place of public trust who shall not profess faith in Jesus Christ." You could not be a ruler in New Jersey unless you were a Christian, professed faith in Jesus Christ. Here's the Charter of Delaware, 1701. "And that all persons who also profess to believe in Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world, shall be capable, notwithstanding other persuasions and practices in point of conscience and religion, to serve this government in any capacity, both legislatively and executively."

Now, let me go back and leave out the parentheses. Here's literally what it said, "and that all persons who also profess to believe in Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world, shall be capable to serve this government in any capacity, both legislatively and executively." What does that mean? That means if you did not profess faith in Jesus Christ, you could not serve that government. Listen to this, this was the Charter of Pennsylvania in 1701. It says exactly the same thing. "And that all persons who also profess to believe in Jesus Christ the Saviour of the world shall be capable to serve this government in any capacity, both legislatively and executively." Here's the Constitution of Delaware, 1776, Article 22. Listen, "Every person who shall be chosen a member of either House or appointed to any office or place of trust, before taking his seat or entering upon the execution of his office, shall take the following oath or affirmation." So, anybody who happened to be in government had to take this oath.

Here it is, "I, [blank], do profess faith in God the Father, and in Jesus Christ His only Son, and in the Holy Ghost, one God, blessed for evermore; and I do acknowledge the holy scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be given by divine inspiration." So, if you were in Delaware in 1776 and wanted to be a public officer, you had to be a Christian. You had to believe that the Bible was indeed the Word of God. Listen to what the Constitution of Georgia said in 1777, Article 6. "The representatives shall be chosen out of the residents in each county who shall have resided at least twelve months in this state, and they shall be of the Protestant religion and of the age of 21 years." They shall be. So you had to be a Christian believer in a Protestant or a Baptist. You could not be a Roman Catholic.

You had to believe in Jesus Christ. Here's the Constitution of Maryland, 1776. This happens to be paragraph 55. "That every person appointed to any office of profit or trust shall, before he enters on the execution thereof, take the following oath." Now, here's the oath. "I, [blank], do swear that I do not hold myself bound in allegiance to the King of Great Britain, and that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to the state of Maryland; and shall also subscribe a declaration of my belief in the Christian religion." How about that? Here's the Constitution for Massachusetts, 1780. Article 1. "Any person chosen governor, lieutenant governor, counsellor, senator, or representative, and accepting the trust, shall before he proceed to execute the duties of his place or office, make and subscribe the following declaration: I, [blank], do declare that I believe the Christian religion and have a firm persuasion of its truth; and that I am seised and possessed, in my own right, of the property required by the constitution as one qualification for the office or place to which I am elected."

Did you hear that? "I believe the Christian religion and have a firm persuasion of its truth." Here's New Hampshire, the Constitution of New Hampshire, 1784, "and every denomination of Christians demeaning themselves quietly and as good subjects of the state, shall be equally under the protection of the law: and no subordination of any one sect or denomination to another shall ever be established by law." That means you can't have the Baptist over the Presbyterian or the Presbyterian over the Baptist. Now, I'm continuing, "provided nevertheless, that no person shall be capable of being elected a senator who is not of the Protestant religion." "Every member of the House of Representatives shall be chosen by ballot and shall be of the Protestant religion." Here's the Constitution of North Carolina, 1776. This happens to be paragraph 32, "that no person who shall deny the being of God or the truth of the Protestant religion, or the divine authority either of the Old or New Testaments, or who shall hold religious principles incompatible with the freedom and safety of the state, shall be capable of holding any office or place of trust or profit in the civil department within this state." So, if you believe anything contrary to the Old and New Testaments, anything contrary to Christianity, you could not hold a place of office or trust in North Carolina. Here's the Constitution of Pennsylvania, 1776, section 10, "and each member of the House of Representatives, before he takes his seat, shall make and subscribe the following declaration, quote, 'I do believe in one God, the Creator and Governor of the universe, the rewarder of the good and the punisher of the wicked. And I do acknowledge the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be given by divine inspiration.'"

Constitution of South Carolina, 1778, "that as soon as may be after the first meeting of the Senate and House of Representatives, they shall jointly in the House of Representatives choose by ballot from among themselves or from the people at large a governor and commander-in-chief, a lieutenant-governor, both to continue for two years, and a privy council, all of the Protestant religion." Paragraph 12, "and that no person shall be eligible to a seat in the said Senate unless he be of the Protestant religion." 13. "No person shall be eligible to sit in the House of Representatives unless he be of the Protestant religion." 38. "That all persons and religious societies who acknowledge that there is one God, and a future state of rewards and punishments, and that God is publicly to be worshipped, shall be freely tolerated. The Christian Protestant religion shall be deemed, and is hereby constituted and declared to be, the established religion of this state." That's all there is. So you had to be a Christian in order to be a civil officer.

Here is the Constitution of Vermont, 1777, Section 11, or Section 90. "And each member of the House of Representatives, before he takes his seat, shall make and subscribe the following declaration: I do believe in one God, the Creator and Governor of the universe, the rewarder of the good and punisher of the wicked. And I do acknowledge the scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be given by divine inspiration, and own and profess the Protestant religion." You see, our forefathers actually believed that a man could not be a civil ruler unless he was a Christian. He thought he could not rule justly nor in the fear of God.

Colonial Blasphemy Laws

Weaver details severe penalties for blasphemy in early American colonies, demonstrating how seriously they took God's Word.

Now let me go a little bit further. I want you to understand how seriously our forefathers took the word of God. Because every colony, let me rephrase that, every state, passed laws that made blasphemy a crime. Every colony made blasphemy a criminal act. Let me read to you just a couple of these. In Massachusetts, the General Court enacted a law entitled An Act Against Atheism and Blasphemy in 1697, and here's what it said, quote, "that if any person shall presume willfully to blaspheme the holy name of God, Father, Son, or Holy Ghost, either by denying, cursing, or reproaching the true God, his creation or government of the world, or by denying, cursing, or reproaching the holy word of God, that is, the canonical scriptures contained in the books of the Old and New Testaments, every one so offending shall be punished by imprisonment not exceeding six months, and until they find sureties for the good behavior, or by setting in the pillory, by whipping, boring through the tongue with a red-hot iron, or setting upon the gallows with a rope about their neck."

Now, how about that? If you blaspheme God or the Bible, you either were in prison, you either had to sit on the pillory, that's where you had your feet and your hands and your head through, or you had your tongue bored through with a hot iron, or you had to sit upon the gallows with a rope around your neck. Tend to make you think, you know, before you try to blaspheme again. The General Assembly of Maryland passed this law in 1723, which prohibited anyone from "wittingly, maliciously, and advisedly, by writing or speaking, blaspheme or curse God, or deny our Saviour Jesus Christ to be the Son of God, shall for the first offense be bored through the tongue and fined twenty pounds sterling. On a second offense, the offender is to be stigmatized by burning in the forehead the letter B, that is, blasphemer, and fined forty pounds sterling. From a third offense, the offender is to suffer death without the benefit of clergy."

Pennsylvania, 1700, said this, "that whosoever shall willfully, premeditatively, and despitefully blaspheme or speak loosely and profanely of Almighty God, Christ Jesus, the Holy Spirit, or the Scriptures of truth, and is legally convicted thereof, shall forfeit and pay the sum of ten pounds for the use of the poor of the county," noted, did not go just to the government. It went to the poor of the county where such offense shall be committed and or suffer three months' imprisonment and hard labor as aforesaid for the use of said poor. In Delaware, a law was passed in 1741 that required one guilty of blasphemy to be "branded in his or her forehead with the letter B and to be publicly whipped on his or her bare back with thirty-nine lashes well laid on." I like that. Of course, I like the next one, too. The General Court of Connecticut in 1750 enacted a law that required the death penalty for any person guilty of blasphemy.

Did our forefathers take the word of God seriously? Very obviously. Did our forefathers believe the word of God taught that you had to have Christian rulers? Very obviously. Let me ask you the question. Who is it that has apostatized? Who is it that has left the faith? Who is it that is wrong? It was certainly not our forefathers. It is we who are in America that have apostatized and have left the faith.

Samuel's Grief as Righteous Anger

Weaver explains that the Hebrew word for 'grieved' in 1 Samuel 15:11 means to burn with anger, showing Samuel's response was righteous indignation.

Why in the world is it that we're in the mess that we're in today? We not only tolerate but choose and elect unprincipled and unconverted rulers. Why do we do that? Because we do not have a biblical attitude toward ungodly rulers. If our forefathers were alive today, Bill Clinton would not be President of the United States. Most of our congressmen would not be in office, either in the federal government or in the state governments. Why do we put up with it? Because we don't have a biblical attitude toward ungodly rulers. You say, but we were pointing to biblical attitudes. Well, look back in your Bibles to 1 Samuel chapter 15, and let me begin to show you what this biblical attitude toward ungodly rulers is. In verse 11 of 1 Samuel chapter 15, note if you would please, the Bible says, God said, "It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the Lord all night." Now the thing that caught my attention when this verse just jumped out at me, and I would put it at grief, Samuel. And I got to thinking, well, Lord, I don't know if I'm really grieved for these ungodly civil rulers. You know, when you hear the word grief, a totally different thought enters our mind, you know. And I thought, what in the world? Well, now, let me just show you.

King Saul has disobeyed God. He was the king now. He has publicly and willingly disobeyed God, and evidently it was not just this one time, because if you look in verse 11, God says he is turned back. The Lord's indicating not only it happened in time past, but now there is a continual course of turning back. The Hebrew word for turn back is the word shub, but it literally means to return, to go back, to retreat, and the evidence that Saul had turned from God is given in verse 11 when God said, "He hath not performed my commandments." How does God know that Saul had turned back from Him? Well, you said, Brother Weaver, God's going to read his heart. Yes, but we can also know that Saul had turned back from God because he ceased performing his commandments. How do we know that we have ungodly rulers? Because they don't perform God's commandments. I don't care what they profess. I don't care how many times they say they're a Christian. If they do not obey the word of God, they are ungodly rulers.

Some of you will remember when Jimmy Carter was elected President of the United States. He had an interview with Playboy magazine. And I mean, listen, all across the country were offended, up in arms, they were angry, they were upset that Jimmy Carter would be interviewed by Playboy magazine. Let me tell you something, folks. It didn't upset me when Jimmy Carter was interviewed by Playboy magazine. What upset me was what he said, because he promised if he were elected President of the United States, he would not allow his Christianity to interfere with his office. He kept that promise. He kept that promise.

In fact, I don't even more believe he's a Christian than I believe that doorknob is over there. He said, but we rebuild all these houses. I don't care, folks. You cannot turn your back upon the Word of God and deny Christ in spheres of your life and be a Christian. What does he say in 1 John 2? He said very clearly in verse 4,

Scripture Reading — 1 John 2:4

"He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him."

So we know we have ungodly rulers because they did not perform the Word of God.

Now, I want you to note something. Because Saul had rejected God, God rejected Saul. Look in your Bibles, verse 26. "And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee: for thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord hath rejected thee from being king over Israel. And as Samuel turned about to go away, he laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle, and it rent. And Samuel said unto him, The Lord hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of thine, that is better than thou." Now watch what Samuel says. Samuel said, Saul, you rejected God. That's all right, because God rejected you.

Now, let me point out something that most people never think about. Did you know that Saul reigned for 40 years? And probably anywhere from a half to a third of that reign was under the curse and the judgment of God. You see what most people think is this? Most people think, well, if God doesn't want somebody on the throne, or if someone is up there under the curse and judgment of God, well, boy, God just might have instantly. That's not so. Now, God did get Saul, but He did not get him instantly. You see, God's paydays are not always on Friday. And just because a civil ruler continues in office does not mean that that civil ruler has the approval of God. He can be in office and still be under the curse and the judgment of God, and God is just biding his time until he's smart enough. Now, I want you to note what Samuel's attitude was concerning Saul. Okay? Now, before I show you this, I want you to remember that Samuel is listed in Hebrews chapter 11 and verse 32 as one of the heroes of faith.

He was a man of God. What, he said, "the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens." So Samuel is given as a hero of faith. He is given as a man of God. So very obviously, whatever his attitude was toward King Saul had to be a biblical attitude because he was a man of God and a man of faith, right?

Now, the Bible said, "and it grieved Samuel." And it grieved Samuel. What in the world does it mean when it says it grieved Samuel? Most of us, when we think of the word grief, we think of someone who's troubled, someone who's upset, someone who's often inconsolable. We think about a little woman who's at the funeral of her husband, weeping. Folks come up to her, put their arms around her, hug her, try to comfort her. Nothing you say will comfort her. Keep grieving.

And sometimes grieve for months after that. Sometimes years. You think of parents who've lost children, and once again, their grief is just overwhelming, it seems like. And nothing you can say or do can console them. And when I looked at that verse, when it just hit me, I thought, Lord, I don't mourn and grieve over these ungodly rulers like that. Something must be wrong with me. I said, I better find out what it means.

And boy, was I surprised. But you know, I found out I had a biblical attitude and didn't even know it. Why? Let me tell you what the word grieved means. The Hebrew word is charah, H-A-R-A is how we would spell it in English. Charah means to burn, be kindled, to cause fire to burn. The word emphasizes the kindling of anger. The word relates to a fire once it has gotten started and the heat is hot.

The verb and its derivatives are used over 139 times in scripture. What does it mean when it says that Samuel was grieved? It literally means that Samuel was angry. He was exceedingly mad. Let me put it this way, as politely as I can. He was ticked off. He was ready to fight. I want to show you that this word is used both of God and man, and I'm going to show you how it means to really be ticked off. I want you to turn in your Bibles, first of all, to Genesis chapter 39. Genesis 39.

Everyone knows this story. This is the story of Joseph, when Potiphar's wife has lied to her husband about Joseph. Now, let me ask you, men, what if some strange man came up to your wife, and maybe even in your presence, hit upon your wife and tried to seduce her right in front of you, would you just kind of casually say, well, we'll just see what happens? I tell you what, you mess with my wife, you're going to end up either on the floor or dead, one of the two. You follow me? Because I'm going to get angry real quickly. Look what happened. Genesis 39, verse 19. The Bible said, "And it came to pass, when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spake unto him, saying, After this manner did thy servant to me; that his wrath was kindled."

Don't you think he was upset? Well, of course he was. Now I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Numbers, chapter 25. Let me show you the same Hebrew word, this time in the next two passages I'm going to give you. The word is used in reference to God. Notice, if you would please, Numbers chapter 25, and in the context we're talking about the idolatry and the adultery that the Israelites were engaged in. Note, if you will please, verse 3, "And Israel joined himself unto Baalpeor: and the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel." Watch now, verse 4, "And the Lord said unto Moses, Take all the heads of the people, and hang them up before the Lord against the sun, that the fierce anger of the Lord may be turned away from Israel." Do you think it upset God when His people began to commit fornication and idolatry?

so greatly exhausted, everyone that's involved in this, take him out and kill him. The word fierce anger is the same word translated grieved in 1 Samuel 15. Now if you'll turn to Jeremiah chapter 25, let me show you just one of the passages, but two verses. Here's the same word, and it's translated once again, fierce anger. Jeremiah chapter 25, and notice if you will, it's verse 37 and verse 38. And the Bible says, Jeremiah 25 verse 37, "And the peaceable habitations are cut down because of the fierce anger of the Lord. He hath forsaken his covert, as the lion: for their land is desolate because of the fierceness of the oppressor, and because of his fierce anger." So once again, we see this word is fierce anger. Samuel got mad. Samuel was angry. Now, I want to show you something. I want you to see that Samuel's attitude was the same as God's. Turn your Bibles to the book of Hosea, chapter 7. Let me show you God's attitude toward ungodly rulers. Very obviously, if Samuel was a godly man, he must have the same attitude that God has, and let's see what God's attitude toward ungodly rulers is. Hosea chapter 7, and let's begin reading there with verse 2.

God's Attitude Toward Ungodly Rulers

From Hosea 7, Weaver demonstrates that God is angered by ungodly rulers and their wickedness.

You're going to see there's some ungodly people mentioned here, as well as ungodly rulers. Now watch this. Hosea chapter 7, verse 2, "And they consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness: now their own doings have beset them about; they are before my face. They make the king glad with their wickedness, and the princes with their lies. They are all adulterers, as an oven heated by the baker, who ceaseth from raising after he hath kneaded the dough, until it be leavened. In the day of our king the princes have made him sick with bottles of wine; he stretched out his hand with scorners. For they have made ready their heart like an oven, whiles they lie in wait: their baker sleepeth all the night; in the morning it burneth as a flaming fire. They are all hot as an oven, and have devoured their judges; all their kings are fallen: there is none among them that calleth unto me."

Now let's get down to verse 13. "Woe unto them! for they have fled from me: destruction unto them! because they have transgressed against me: though I have redeemed them, yet they have spoken lies against me. And they have not cried unto me with their heart, when they howled upon their beds: they assemble themselves for corn and wine, and they rebel against me. Though I have bound and strengthened their arms, yet do they imagine mischief against me." "They return, but not to the most High: they are like a deceitful bow: their princes shall fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue: this shall be their derision in the land of Egypt." Would you say that God was upset with the ungodly rulers? Was He ticked off? Was He mad? Well, of course He was.

Now, I want you to turn back in your Bibles to 1 Samuel chapter 15. You see, there is a righteous anger. The Bible says in Ephesians 4 and verse 26, "Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath." So there is a way to be righteously angry. Now, I want you to know that Samuel's anger was righteous because it led to a proper solution of the problem.

Samuel's Righteous Actions

Weaver outlines Samuel's response: he cried to the Lord, confronted Saul, rebuked him, rejected him, and was sent to anoint a replacement.

You say, what are you talking about? Well, let's go back to verse 11. The Bible said, "and it grieved Samuel." It ticked him off. He was upset. He was angry. He was mad. What was the first thing that Samuel's righteous anger drove him to do? The Bible said, "and he cried unto the Lord all night." Now let me tell you what the word cried means. It means to shriek or to cry out because of danger or distress. To shriek? To shriek? Listen, tell me you want to pray and they'll go, now lay me down to sleep prayers. He was shrieking. He realized that not only he was in danger, but the people of the land were in danger because of Saul. Saul had turned from God. That meant the judgment of God was not only going to be upon Saul, but he would put up with it upon them as well. And so he cried then to the only one who could really help. So the very first thing his anger did then was it led him to cry to the Lord.

Note the second thing his anger led him to do in verse 12. "And when Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning," did you hear that? When Samuel rose early to what? To meet Saul. He confronted Saul. He didn't stay away from him, he confronted him. He did not shirk from facing this ungodly man who had turned from God and disobeyed God. He had a face-to-face confrontation with him. I want you to note the third thing is he rebuked Saul. Look in verse 17.

"And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the Lord anointed thee king over Israel? And the Lord sent thee on a journey, and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed. Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the Lord, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the Lord?" Did you get that? He said, Listen, Saul, when you were little in your own sight, God made you king. Why do you think you're somewhat important? And why do you not use it to obey God? So he cried to the Lord, he confronted Saul, he rebuked Saul, that's not all. He rejected Saul. Look at it, if you would please, in verse 25. Saul says to Samuel, "Now therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship the Lord. And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee: for thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord hath rejected thee from being king over Israel." Look, if you would please, Samuel was not interested in having prayer with Saul. Do you think that Samuel, the man of God, would have prayed at the inaugural of Bill Clinton?

Or any of our modern day presidents? I've got news for you. Samuel wouldn't have had anything to do with it. Because you rejected God. I'm rejecting you. I don't have anything to do with you. You're a reprobate. What's this? Samuel's anger led him to cry to the Lord, to confront Saul, to rebuke Saul, to reject Saul, and one of the things that led him to replace Saul. Look in chapter 16, verse 1, "And the Lord said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons." Go get me another one, Samuel. Go get me another one. I've got one after my own heart.

Now, what does that mean? It means that God's people in America have slacked back with unbiblical attitudes and have put up with and tolerated and sometimes have even chosen ungodly rulers. Let me tell you something, folks. When will we, as God's people, cry to the Lord, confront our ungodly rulers, rebuke them, reject them, and replace them? Only when we have developed a biblical attitude of righteous anger and righteous indignation.

The Danger of Tolerating Ungodly Rulers

Using Hosea 5:10-11 and Micah 6:16, Weaver warns that following ungodly rulers brings God's judgment on the people.

Let me go a little bit further. We have not realized the danger that we're in with ungodly rulers. I want you to look in your Bibles, Hosea 5. This is a passage that you should be exceedingly familiar with. Hosea 5, look as you would at verses 10 and 11. Hosea 5, verse 10. Listen to what God's saying. Hosea 5, verse 10. God said, "The princes of Judah were like them that remove the bound."

Now, the bound would be the boundary that God has placed around them. See, God that ordained civil rulers also ordained their ministries, also ordained their boundaries. But the princes did not like to stay in the limited boundaries that God had given them. So what did they do? They removed the boundaries. They did their own thing, so to speak. They rebelled against God. They did like King Saul. God said, "The princes of Judah were like them that remove the bound: therefore I will pour out my wrath upon them like water." God said, I will freely judge them because of their rebellion.

But look at the next verse. "Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment." That is, the people, the tribe. Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment. Why are the people oppressed and broken in judgment? God says, "because he willingly walked after the commandment." That is, he willingly obeyed an apostate, ungodly, civil ruler. Now look in your Bibles to the book of Micah. Just turn right over a few books. Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, and Micah. Watch, if you would, Micah 6 and verse 16. Look at it. Micah 6, verse 16. Here's why God sent Israel away into captivity.

"For the statutes of Omri are kept." Remember, Omri was the father of Ahab. "For the statutes," let's read that so we can understand it. "For the laws, for the regulations, for the statutes of Omri are kept, and all the works of the house of Ahab, and ye walk in their counsels; that I should make thee a desolation, and the inhabitants thereof an hissing: therefore ye shall bear the reproach of my people." God said, you want to walk in the laws and the regulations of these ungodly civil rulers? He said, God, I'll judge you along with them. And just that they don't understand the danger that we're in. You know, I was thinking, I'm not going to say there is not one, but I'm going to say this, I do not believe that we have one consistent Christian ruler in any office of this land, whether it be state, county, city, or federal. Let me go a bit further. I do know this. I know, on the federal level, we do not have one civil ruler who upholds his constitutional oath. How do I know that? Because Article 6 says that this Constitution shall be the supreme law of the land. Our senators and representatives are to examine every law to make sure it's constitutional or they just pass it. And if they're going to uphold their oath, how can they sit there when they know that there are myriads of laws in the books that are unconstitutional on their face? You don't have to study them, they're just unconstitutional. And what is happening?

Call to Righteous Anger and Action

Weaver concludes that the church must develop righteous anger to cry, confront, rebuke, reject, and replace ungodly rulers, and prays for national repentance.

We have not kept a biblical attitude of righteous anger and righteous indignation, and we've gotten into apathy and indifference. We have become tolerant, and we have become persecuted, oppressed, and tyrannized because of our unbiblical attitudes. It's time to get ticked off. It's time to get angry in the biblical sense of the word. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to thee this day. We thank thee for Jesus Christ and for his love and for his mercy. And Lord, just knowing from your Word, but even from history, we see how far we've fallen in this country. Bring us back to thy sense. Give us, Lord, once again, a Christian nation upholding Christian principles and values. We pray, Father, Thou wilt overthrow the wicked and establish Thy people and Thy law and Thy righteousness. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray, Amen.

You know, I was thinking, I'm not going to say there is not one, but I'm going to say this, I do not believe that we have one consistent Christian ruler in any office of this land, whether it be state, county, city, or federal. Let me go a bit further. I do know this. I know, on the federal level, we do not have one civil ruler who upholds his constitutional oath. How do I know that? Because Article 6 says that this Constitution shall be the supreme law of the land. Our senators and representatives are to examine every law to make sure it's constitutional or they just pass it. And if they're going to uphold their oath, how can they sit there when they know that there are myriads of laws in the books that are unconstitutional on their face? You don't have to study them, they're just unconstitutional. And what is happening?

Study Guide

Major Themes

Biblical Dominion Mandate

Summary: God gave man authority to rule the earth under His sovereignty, a mandate renewed in the Great Commission.

Evidence: Weaver explains Genesis 1-2, Genesis 9, Psalm 8, and Matthew 28:18-20 as the dominion charter.

Renewing the Mind with Scripture

Summary: Christians must reject worldly thinking and be transformed by renewing their minds according to God's Word.

Evidence: Weaver cites Romans 12:1-2, Ephesians 4:23, 1 Peter 4:1, Philippians 2:5, and 2 Corinthians 10:5.

God's Qualifications for Rulers

Summary: Civil rulers must be believers who fear God, rule justly, and obey His commands.

Evidence: Weaver references Deuteronomy 17:15, Exodus 18:21, 2 Samuel 5:1-2, and 2 Samuel 23:1-3.

Righteous Anger Toward Ungodly Rulers

Summary: The biblical attitude toward ungodly rulers is not apathy but righteous anger that leads to action.

Evidence: Weaver defines the Hebrew word 'charah' (grieved) as burning anger and shows Samuel's response.

Consequences of Tolerating Wicked Rulers

Summary: When God's people willingly follow ungodly rulers, they share in the judgment that comes upon them.

Evidence: Weaver cites Hosea 5:10-11 and Micah 6:16 to show oppression and desolation result from obeying ungodly commands.

Historical Apostasy of America

Summary: Modern America has abandoned the biblical standards for civil rulers that the founding colonies upheld.

Evidence: Weaver contrasts colonial charters requiring Christian profession with today's tolerance of ungodly rulers.

Key Arguments

Biblical thinking is mandatory for Christians

Summary: Christians must submit their minds to Scripture and not be conformed to the world's patterns.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'we must submit and surrender our minds to the Word of God' and cites Romans 12:2.

God requires civil rulers to be believers

Summary: The Bible explicitly commands that rulers be chosen from among God's people and fear Him.

Evidence: Weaver points to Deuteronomy 17:15: 'one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee: thou mayest not set a stranger over thee.'

Early American law reflected biblical standards

Summary: Colonial charters and constitutions required Christian faith for public office, showing they took God's Word seriously.

Evidence: Weaver reads from New Jersey's 1683 charter: 'no man shall be admitted... who shall not profess faith in Jesus Christ.'

Samuel's grief was righteous anger

Summary: The Hebrew word 'charah' means to burn with anger, indicating Samuel was righteously indignant, not merely sad.

Evidence: Weaver explains the word and shows its use in Genesis 39:19 and Numbers 25:3-4 for fierce anger.

Righteous anger leads to godly action

Summary: Samuel's anger drove him to cry to God, confront Saul, rebuke him, reject him, and seek a replacement.

Evidence: Weaver traces Samuel's actions in 1 Samuel 15:11-16:1.

Tolerating ungodly rulers brings judgment

Summary: When people willingly obey ungodly rulers, they come under the same judgment as those rulers.

Evidence: Weaver cites Hosea 5:11: 'Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment, because he willingly walked after the commandment.'

Modern America has apostatized from biblical foundations

Summary: The nation has abandoned the requirement for Christian rulers, leading to ungodly leadership.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'It is we who are in America that have apostatized and have left the faith.'

Christians must replace ungodly rulers

Summary: The biblical pattern is not passive acceptance but active replacement of wicked leaders with godly ones.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'When will we... cry to the Lord, confront our ungodly rulers, rebuke them, reject them, and replace them?'

Scripture References

1 Samuel 15:1-11

Context: Weaver reads the passage about Saul's disobedience and God's rejection of him as king.

Genesis 1-2

Context: Weaver references the Dominion Mandate given to Adam and Eve.

Genesis 9

Context: Weaver notes the dominion mandate renewed to Noah.

Psalm 8

Context: Weaver mentions that God gave the earth to the children of men.

Matthew 28:18-20

Context: Weaver equates the Great Commission with the dominion mandate.

Isaiah 55:8-9

Context: Weaver quotes to show God's thoughts are higher than man's.

Romans 12:1-2

Context: Weaver cites to urge transformation by renewing the mind.

Ephesians 4:23

Context: Weaver references being renewed in the spirit of the mind.

1 Peter 4:1

Context: Weaver mentions arming ourselves with the mind of Christ.

Philippians 2:5

Context: Weaver quotes to have the mind of Christ.

2 Corinthians 10:5

Context: Weaver cites bringing every thought captive to Christ.

2 Timothy 2:15

Context: Weaver references studying to rightly divide the word.

2 Peter 3:18

Context: Weaver mentions growing in grace and knowledge.

Proverbs 29:2

Context: Weaver reads that when the righteous rule, people rejoice; when the wicked rule, people mourn.

Proverbs 28:12

Context: Weaver reads that when the wicked rise, a man is hidden.

Deuteronomy 17:15

Context: Weaver cites that a king must be chosen by God from among the brethren.

Exodus 18:21

Context: Weaver reads that rulers must be able men who fear God.

2 Samuel 5:1-2

Context: Weaver shows David was chosen as a brother with a godly testimony and God's appointment.

2 Samuel 23:1-3

Context: Weaver emphasizes that a ruler must be just, ruling in the fear of God.

1 John 2:4

Context: Weaver quotes that whoever says he knows God but does not keep His commandments is a liar.

Historical References

Colonial Charter of New Jersey (1683)

Context: Weaver reads that no man could hold public trust without professing faith in Jesus Christ.

Charter of Delaware (1701)

Context: Weaver reads that all persons professing belief in Jesus Christ could serve in government.

Charter of Pennsylvania (1701)

Context: Weaver reads the same requirement as Delaware.

Constitution of Delaware (1776)

Context: Weaver reads the oath requiring faith in the Trinity and divine inspiration of Scripture.

Constitution of Georgia (1777)

Context: Weaver reads that representatives must be of the Protestant religion.

Constitution of Maryland (1776)

Context: Weaver reads the oath requiring a declaration of belief in the Christian religion.

Constitution of Massachusetts (1780)

Context: Weaver reads the declaration requiring belief in the Christian religion.

Constitution of New Hampshire (1784)

Context: Weaver reads that senators and representatives must be of the Protestant religion.

Constitution of North Carolina (1776)

Context: Weaver reads that no one denying the Protestant religion or divine authority of Scripture could hold office.

Constitution of South Carolina (1778)

Context: Weaver reads that the governor, lieutenant-governor, privy council, senators, and representatives must be of the Protestant religion, and Christianity is the established religion.

Important Quotes

and it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the Lord all night.

Significance: This verse sparked Weaver's study on the biblical attitude toward ungodly rulers, highlighting Samuel's emotional response.

When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.

Significance: Weaver uses this to establish the general biblical principle about the effects of righteous versus wicked rulers.

Thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee, whom the Lord thy God shall choose: one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee: thou mayest not set a stranger over thee, which is not thy brother.

Significance: Weaver cites this as the fundamental requirement that civil rulers must be believers.

He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.

Significance: Weaver emphasizes this as God's direct command for civil rulers, repeated four times for emphasis.

It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments.

Significance: Weaver uses God's words to show that disobedience to God's commands marks an ungodly ruler.

He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

Significance: Weaver quotes 1 John 2:4 to argue that professing Christians who disobey God's Word are not truly saved.

Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath.

Significance: Weaver cites Ephesians 4:26 to justify righteous anger as a biblical response.

Discussion Questions

What does the Bible teach about the qualifications for civil rulers, and how should that influence our voting?

Context: Weaver spent significant time on Deuteronomy 17:15, Exodus 18:21, and 2 Samuel 23:1-3.

How can we distinguish between righteous anger and sinful anger when responding to ungodly leaders?

Context: Weaver explained that Samuel's grief was actually burning anger that led to godly action.

In what ways have modern Christians adopted an unbiblical attitude of apathy toward ungodly rulers?

Context: Weaver contrasted Samuel's response with the tolerance and indifference he sees today.

What does Hosea 5:10-11 teach about the consequences of willingly following ungodly rulers?

Context: Weaver warned that the people were oppressed because they willingly walked after the commandment of ungodly princes.

How should the historical example of America's Christian colonial charters inform our expectations for government today?

Context: Weaver read multiple colonial constitutions that required Christian profession for office.

What practical steps can Christians take to 'cry to the Lord, confront, rebuke, reject, and replace' ungodly rulers?

Context: Weaver outlined Samuel's actions as a pattern for believers.

Why does Weaver argue that a ruler's disobedience to God's commands proves they are ungodly, regardless of their profession of faith?

Context: Weaver cited 1 John 2:4 and the example of Saul.

How does the dominion mandate (Genesis 1:28, Matthew 28:18-20) relate to our responsibility in civil government?

Context: Weaver introduced the sermon by connecting the dominion mandate to the Great Commission.

Applications

Renew your mind with Scripture to develop biblical attitudes

Summary: Christians must study the Bible to learn God's perspective on rulers and reject worldly thinking.

Evidence: Weaver said, 'Biblical thinking and biblical attitudes require biblical studies.'

Evaluate rulers by God's standards, not human credentials

Summary: A ruler's profession of faith is meaningless if they do not obey God's commands.

Evidence: Weaver stated, 'If they do not obey the word of God, they are ungodly rulers.'

Cultivate righteous anger against wickedness in government

Summary: Believers should be grieved to the point of indignation over ungodly leadership, not apathetic.

Evidence: Weaver explained that Samuel's grief was burning anger, and said, 'It's time to get ticked off.'

Pray fervently for God's intervention against ungodly rulers

Summary: Samuel's first response was to cry out to the Lord all night.

Evidence: Weaver noted, 'the very first thing his anger did then was it led him to cry to the Lord.'

Confront and rebuke ungodly rulers when possible

Summary: Samuel did not avoid Saul but confronted him face-to-face with his sin.

Evidence: Weaver said, 'He confronted Saul. He did not shirk from facing this ungodly man.'

Refuse to give spiritual legitimacy to ungodly rulers

Summary: Samuel rejected Saul's request for prayer and fellowship, refusing to participate in his hypocrisy.

Evidence: Weaver said, 'Samuel wouldn't have had anything to do with it. Because you rejected God. I'm rejecting you.'

Work to replace ungodly rulers with godly ones

Summary: God sent Samuel to anoint David as a replacement for Saul.

Evidence: Weaver urged, 'When will we... replace them?'

Recognize the danger of tolerating ungodly rulers

Summary: Willingly following ungodly rulers brings God's judgment on the people.

Evidence: Weaver warned from Hosea 5:11 that Ephraim was oppressed because he willingly walked after the commandment.

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T21:00:12Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T13:12:45Z

Clean Transcript

Biblical Attitude Towards Ungodly Rulers

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

Alright, 1 Samuel chapter 15. 1 Samuel chapter 15. And let's read verses 1 through 11. I'm going to bring a message this morning which I have entitled, The Biblical Attitude Toward Ungodly Rulers. Look in 1 Samuel chapter 15, beginning there with verse 1. Samuel also said unto Saul, The Lord sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel.
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Now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt. Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass. And Saul gathered the people together, and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah. And Saul came to a city of Amalek, and laid wait in the valley. And Saul said unto the Kenites, Go, depart, get you down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them: for ye showed kindness to all the children of Israel, when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites. And Saul smote the Amalekites from Havilah until thou comest to Shur, that is over against Egypt. And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.
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But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them: but every thing that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly. Then came the word of the Lord unto Samuel, saying, It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the Lord all night. Let me just begin this morning by telling you that the word of God teaches what is known as the biblical doctrine of dominion.
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I have preached on that in times past. It's not my intention to do so this morning. But in Genesis 1 and 2, you have what is known as the Great Charter, or the Dominion Charter, or the Great Mandate, where God created Adam and Eve, and God told them to multiply and subdue the earth. That's actually Genesis 1 and Genesis 2, to multiply and subdue the earth and have dominion over it. So God basically gave the earth to man to have dominion over. Man was to serve God as God's vice-regent, so to speak, as he ruled over the earth for God and as unto God. Of course, everyone knows the story in Genesis chapter 3, when Adam sinned, God drove him out of the garden. But the interesting thing is, in Genesis chapter 9, God gives the same dominion mandate to Noah and to his sons, and once again they are commissioned to have dominion over the earth. God there placed the fear of man upon every creature, the Bible says. In the book of Psalms, Psalm 8, once again the Bible says that God has given the earth to the children of men and that we're to exercise dominion over the earth.
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When you come to the New Testament, the Great Commission is nothing more than this same dominion mandate now given in the terms and in the words of our Lord. That's why he said that we're to go out into all the earth and make disciples and baptize them, but the third thing is to teach them all things whatsoever I have commanded you. So he is still exercising dominion.
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Now, the point is this. We have lost the biblical attitude of dominion, and consequently we have developed unbiblical and ungodly attitudes. Let me just tell you very quickly how I came to prepare this message. I was sitting in church a couple of weeks ago on Wednesday night. In fact, I was going to be preaching for the Peacocks, and I was just flipping through my Bible and going to another passage, and this passage just fell open. I did not have any intention of reading this passage at all, but my eyes just caught verse 11. In fact, the last part of that verse, and it said, "...and it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the Lord all night."
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Well, I knew what the context was about, and I thought, isn't that interesting? The Bible said it grieved Samuel, and we're talking about an ungodly ruler, and I said, Lord, I certainly want to be biblical, and I want to have a biblical attitude, and I want to know what my attitude is to be toward ungodly rulers. And so I began to study this passage out.
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Now, let me just tell you that an attitude is a disposition. It is a mental frame of thinking that we develop toward an individual, or an action, or a subject. Now, unhappily, most of our attitudes are unbiblical, and thus they lead to apathy, to indifference, and to inaction. Let me just put that another way. Basically speaking, most attitudes are unbiblical, and that leads to disobedience, sin, and rebellion.
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Now, as a Christian, you've got to understand that we must submit and surrender our minds to the Word of God. In fact, we're to be biblical in our thinking in every sphere and every area of our lives. You see, one of our biggest problems is this, that we do not know how to think biblically. Remember what God said in Isaiah 55, verses 8 and 9? He said, "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts," saith the Lord. Now, God is not going to condescend to think the way we think. Why? Because the way we think is sinful and wicked and wrong. For what we must learn to do is to put aside our humanistic way of thinking and surrender our minds to the Word of God and learn to have the attitude that God tells us that we're to have.
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For instance, let me give you some scriptures. You remember in Romans 12, 1 and 2, Paul said, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service."
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Now listen, "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind." Don't be pressed into the mold of the world. Do not be conformed to this world, but be ye transformed. And the Greek word is metamorphoo. That's where we get our English word metamorphosis from. Being metamorphosized, let it go through changes. Someone tell me how? By the renewing of your mind. You see, that's why he said in Ephesians 4:23, "...and be renewed in the spirit of your mind." The Bible says in 1 Peter 4 and verse 1 that we're to arm ourselves with the mind of Christ. In Philippians 2 and verse 5, he said, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." So very obviously, we're to think the way Christ would have us to think. That is why 2 Corinthians chapter 10 and verse 5.
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The Apostle Paul wrote, "Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." Now, you and I can only think like Christ. We can only have a biblical attitude as we study and find out from the Bible what our attitudes ought to really be. Let me put it like this. Biblical thinking and biblical attitudes require biblical studies. It is impossible to think right unless we're taught right. Now that's why the Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 2 and verse 15 to "study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." That is why Peter wrote in 2 Peter 3, verse 18, "but grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ."
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So we have to learn to think the way Scripture tells us to think about ungodly rulers, but also about every other subject in the Bible.
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Now, I want you to hold 1 Samuel 15, we're coming back there, but turn in your Bibles to Proverbs 29. Let me begin by showing you two passages that give us general truth in relationship to ungodly rulers. Here's Proverbs 29, and note verse 2. Here's the first general truth. The Bible says, "When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn." Now, look at that. When the righteous are in authority, what happens? The people rejoice. Why? Because righteous men rule righteously and justly and honestly. But the Bible says, when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.
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Now the word mourn here means to groan, it means to sigh. There was the word groaning because of the persecution, the oppression, the tyranny. So when the wicked are in authority, the righteous then mourn and groan and sigh.
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Now look in Proverbs 28 and verse 12. The Bible says, "When righteous men do rejoice, there is great glory: but when the wicked rise, a man is hidden." Now, isn't that interesting? When the wicked rise, a man is hidden. What does that mean? Well, when the wicked are in authority, the righteous men begin to hide their possessions and their families and themselves to keep their possessions from being stolen and to keep their family and themselves from being murdered.
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One of my favorite illustrations is when the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon. I don't know if you remember what Gideon was doing when the angel appeared to him. But the Midianites had invaded the land, and Gideon was hiding behind a rock, threshing his wheat. Why was he hiding? To keep the Midianites from stealing what he had. And the very first thing the angel says to him is, "Hail, thou mighty man of valour!" You know, well, if you're a mighty man of valour, why are you hiding? Well, this is why, because the wicked were in control.
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and he was trying to protect that which he had. Now, we've got to understand that it is God that has ordained civil government, and since God is the one that has ordained and instituted civil government, he has the absolute and sovereign right to lay down the qualifications for those who are going to be in civil government. I want you very quickly to turn your Bibles to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 17. I want to just very quickly give you about four passages. You should already know these passages, I've preached on them in times past, but I want to just show you very quickly the first, the most basic, and the most fundamental principle given in the Word of God concerning civil rulers. Look in Deuteronomy chapter 17 beginning there with verse 15. Look what God says. God says, "Thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee, whom the Lord thy God shall choose: one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee: thou mayest not set a stranger over thee, which is not thy brother."
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Now, here's the most basic and fundamental requirement. God said, you cannot have a civil ruler whom I do not choose. Moreover, he says, whomever you choose and whom I ordain, he must be one from among thy brethren. That is, he must be a believer. He says, thou shalt not set a stranger over thee. So very obviously, the very first requirement is that a man be a believer, that he be a Christian.
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Look in your Bible to the book of Exodus, chapter 18 and verse 21. Exodus chapter 18, verse 21. Here's another passage that's exceedingly clear, Exodus 18 verse 21. The Bible says, "Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers." Now watch, "Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God." The fundamental requirement for being a civil ruler is fearing God.
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Now, I want you to turn to your Bibles, please, to 2 Samuel, chapter 5. 2 Samuel, chapter 5. 2 Samuel, chapter 5. Look, if you would please, beginning with verse 1. 2 Samuel, chapter 5, verse 1.
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Now, I've just shown you where God requires all civil rulers to be believers. We should watch how this works out now when Israel comes to anoint David to be king over them. Note, "Then came all the tribes of Israel to David unto Hebron, and spake, saying, Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh." What was one of the first requirements? He had to be a brother. So they said, We are thy bone and thy flesh. Now watch verse 2. "Also in time past, when Saul was king over us, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and the Lord said to thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel." So there's three requirements. First of all, he's a brother, he's a believer. Secondly, he had a godly testimony. And thirdly, most importantly, God said, you're to be the ruler.
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So here it is all put together. Now, one other passage. Look in 2 Samuel, chapter 23, and let's read the first three verses. In fact, I want you to underline in your Bibles how often David claims direct inspiration for what he says here. He tells us that God said this, but he says it in such a way that it's emphasized. Notice 2 Samuel 23 verse 1. "Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said," now look what David said. Watch now. "The Spirit of the Lord spake by me," that's one time. "and his word was in my tongue," that's two times. "The God of Israel said," that's three times. "the Rock of Israel spake to me," that's four times, so four times David is claiming direct inspiration for this next statement. What did God say four times?
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"He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God." Isn't that interesting? David says four times, God says, if you're going to be a civil ruler, you've got to be just, and the only way you can be just is you must be a believer ruling in the fear of God, applying the Word of God. Now, our Christian forefathers who founded this nation took the Word of God very seriously. I'm going to take just a little time this morning and do some reading to you, because I have some copies of some of the original charters and constitutions of the 13 colonies. I want you to see how it was when our country was first founded. And then I want you to try to determine whether our forefathers were right, or whether we are right today, okay? Here are the fundamental constitutions for the province of New Jersey.
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This was written in 1683. I'm just reading paragraph 16. Here's what it says. "Yet it is also hereby provided that no man shall be admitted a member of the Great or Common Council or any other place of public trust who shall not profess faith in Jesus Christ." You could not be a ruler in New Jersey unless you were a Christian, professed faith in Jesus Christ. Here's the Charter of Delaware, 1701. "And that all persons who also profess to believe in Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world, shall be capable, notwithstanding other persuasions and practices in point of conscience and religion, to serve this government in any capacity, both legislatively and executively."
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Now, let me go back and leave out the parentheses. Here's literally what it said, "and that all persons who also profess to believe in Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world, shall be capable to serve this government in any capacity, both legislatively and executively." What does that mean? That means if you did not profess faith in Jesus Christ, you could not serve that government. Listen to this, this was the Charter of Pennsylvania in 1701.
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It says exactly the same thing. "And that all persons who also profess to believe in Jesus Christ the Saviour of the world shall be capable to serve this government in any capacity, both legislatively and executively." Here's the Constitution of Delaware, 1776, Article 22. Listen, "Every person who shall be chosen a member of either House or appointed to any office or place of trust, before taking his seat or entering upon the execution of his office, shall take the following oath or affirmation." So, anybody who happened to be in government had to take this oath.
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Here it is, "I, [blank], do profess faith in God the Father, and in Jesus Christ His only Son, and in the Holy Ghost, one God, blessed for evermore; and I do acknowledge the holy scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be given by divine inspiration." So, if you were in Delaware in 1776 and wanted to be a public officer, you had to be a Christian. You had to believe that the Bible was indeed the Word of God.
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Listen to what the Constitution of Georgia said in 1777, Article 6. "The representatives shall be chosen out of the residents in each county who shall have resided at least twelve months in this state, and they shall be of the Protestant religion and of the age of 21 years." They shall be. So you had to be a Christian believer in a Protestant or a Baptist. You could not be a Roman Catholic.
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You had to believe in Jesus Christ. Here's the Constitution of Maryland, 1776. This happens to be paragraph 55. "That every person appointed to any office of profit or trust shall, before he enters on the execution thereof, take the following oath." Now, here's the oath. "I, [blank], do swear that I do not hold myself bound in allegiance to the King of Great Britain, and that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to the state of Maryland; and shall also subscribe a declaration of my belief in the Christian religion." How about that? Here's the Constitution for Massachusetts, 1780. Article 1. "Any person chosen governor, lieutenant governor, counsellor, senator, or representative, and accepting the trust, shall before he proceed to execute the duties of his place or office, make and subscribe the following declaration: I, [blank], do declare that I believe the Christian religion and have a firm persuasion of its truth; and that I am seised and possessed, in my own right, of the property required by the constitution as one qualification for the office or place to which I am elected."
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Did you hear that? "I believe the Christian religion and have a firm persuasion of its truth." Here's New Hampshire, the Constitution of New Hampshire, 1784, "and every denomination of Christians demeaning themselves quietly and as good subjects of the state, shall be equally under the protection of the law: and no subordination of any one sect or denomination to another shall ever be established by law." That means you can't have the Baptist over the Presbyterian or the Presbyterian over the Baptist.
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Now, I'm continuing, "provided nevertheless, that no person shall be capable of being elected a senator who is not of the Protestant religion." "Every member of the House of Representatives shall be chosen by ballot and shall be of the Protestant religion." Here's the Constitution of North Carolina, 1776. This happens to be paragraph 32, "that no person who shall deny the being of God or the truth of the Protestant religion, or the divine authority either of the Old or New Testaments, or who shall hold religious principles incompatible with the freedom and safety of the state, shall be capable of holding any office or place of trust or profit in the civil department within this state." So, if you believe anything contrary to the Old and New Testaments, anything contrary to Christianity, you could not hold a place of office or trust in North Carolina. Here's the Constitution of Pennsylvania, 1776, section 10, "and each member of the House of Representatives, before he takes his seat, shall make and subscribe the following declaration, quote, 'I do believe in one God, the Creator and Governor of the universe, the rewarder of the good and the punisher of the wicked. And I do acknowledge the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be given by divine inspiration.'"
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Constitution of South Carolina, 1778, "that as soon as may be after the first meeting of the Senate and House of Representatives, they shall jointly in the House of Representatives choose by ballot from among themselves or from the people at large a governor and commander-in-chief, a lieutenant-governor, both to continue for two years, and a privy council, all of the Protestant religion."
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Paragraph 12, "and that no person shall be eligible to a seat in the said Senate unless he be of the Protestant religion." 13. "No person shall be eligible to sit in the House of Representatives unless he be of the Protestant religion." 38. "That all persons and religious societies who acknowledge that there is one God, and a future state of rewards and punishments, and that God is publicly to be worshipped, shall be freely tolerated. The Christian Protestant religion shall be deemed, and is hereby constituted and declared to be, the established religion of this state." That's all there is. So you had to be a Christian in order to be a civil officer.
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Here is the Constitution of Vermont, 1777, Section 11, or Section 90. "And each member of the House of Representatives, before he takes his seat, shall make and subscribe the following declaration: I do believe in one God, the Creator and Governor of the universe, the rewarder of the good and punisher of the wicked. And I do acknowledge the scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be given by divine inspiration, and own and profess the Protestant religion."
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You see, our forefathers actually believed that a man could not be a civil ruler unless he was a Christian. He thought he could not rule justly nor in the fear of God.
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Now let me go a little bit further. I want you to understand how seriously our forefathers took the word of God. Because every colony, let me rephrase that, every state, passed laws that made blasphemy a crime. Every colony made blasphemy a criminal act. Let me read to you just a couple of these. In Massachusetts, the General Court enacted a law entitled An Act Against Atheism and Blasphemy in 1697, and here's what it said, quote, "that if any person shall presume willfully to blaspheme the holy name of God, Father, Son, or Holy Ghost, either by denying, cursing, or reproaching the true God, his creation or government of the world, or by denying, cursing, or reproaching the holy word of God, that is, the canonical scriptures contained in the books of the Old and New Testaments, every one so offending shall be punished by imprisonment not exceeding six months, and until they find sureties for the good behavior, or by setting in the pillory, by whipping, boring through the tongue with a red-hot iron, or setting upon the gallows with a rope about their neck."
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Now, how about that? If you blaspheme God or the Bible, you either were in prison, you either had to sit on the pillory, that's where you had your feet and your hands and your head through, or you had your tongue bored through with a hot iron, or you had to sit upon the gallows with a rope around your neck. Tend to make you think, you know, before you try to blaspheme again. The General Assembly of Maryland passed this law in 1723, which prohibited anyone from "wittingly, maliciously, and advisedly, by writing or speaking, blaspheme or curse God, or deny our Saviour Jesus Christ to be the Son of God, shall for the first offense be bored through the tongue and fined twenty pounds sterling. On a second offense, the offender is to be stigmatized by burning in the forehead the letter B, that is, blasphemer, and fined forty pounds sterling. From a third offense, the offender is to suffer death without the benefit of clergy."
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Pennsylvania, 1700, said this, "that whosoever shall willfully, premeditatively, and despitefully blaspheme or speak loosely and profanely of Almighty God, Christ Jesus, the Holy Spirit, or the Scriptures of truth, and is legally convicted thereof, shall forfeit and pay the sum of ten pounds for the use of the poor of the county," noted, did not go just to the government. It went to the poor of the county where such offense shall be committed and or suffer three months' imprisonment and hard labor as aforesaid for the use of said poor.
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In Delaware, a law was passed in 1741 that required one guilty of blasphemy to be "branded in his or her forehead with the letter B and to be publicly whipped on his or her bare back with thirty-nine lashes well laid on." I like that. Of course, I like the next one, too. The General Court of Connecticut in 1750 enacted a law that required the death penalty for any person guilty of blasphemy.
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Did our forefathers take the word of God seriously? Very obviously. Did our forefathers believe the word of God taught that you had to have Christian rulers? Very obviously. Let me ask you the question. Who is it that has apostatized? Who is it that has left the faith? Who is it that is wrong? It was certainly not our forefathers. It is we who are in America that have apostatized and have left the faith.
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Why in the world is it that we're in the mess that we're in today? We not only tolerate but choose and elect unprincipled and unconverted rulers. Why do we do that? Because we do not have a biblical attitude toward ungodly rulers. If our forefathers were alive today, Bill Clinton would not be President of the United States. Most of our congressmen would not be in office, either in the federal government or in the state governments.
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Why do we put up with it? Because we don't have a biblical attitude toward ungodly rulers. You say, but we were pointing to biblical attitudes. Well, look back in your Bibles to 1 Samuel chapter 15, and let me begin to show you what this biblical attitude toward ungodly rulers is. In verse 11 of 1 Samuel chapter 15, note if you would please, the Bible says, God said, "It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the Lord all night." Now the thing that caught my attention when this verse just jumped out at me, and I would put it at grief, Samuel. And I got to thinking, well, Lord, I don't know if I'm really grieved for these ungodly civil rulers. You know, when you hear the word grief, a totally different thought enters our mind, you know. And I thought, what in the world? Well, now, let me just show you.
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King Saul has disobeyed God. He was the king now. He has publicly and willingly disobeyed God, and evidently it was not just this one time, because if you look in verse 11, God says he is turned back. The Lord's indicating not only it happened in time past, but now there is a continual course of turning back. The Hebrew word for turn back is the word shub, but it literally means to return, to go back, to retreat, and the evidence that Saul had turned from God is given in verse 11 when God said, "He hath not performed my commandments." How does God know that Saul had turned back from Him?
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Well, you said, Brother Weaver, God's going to read his heart. Yes, but we can also know that Saul had turned back from God because he ceased performing his commandments. How do we know that we have ungodly rulers? Because they don't perform God's commandments. I don't care what they profess. I don't care how many times they say they're a Christian. If they do not obey the word of God, they are ungodly rulers.
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Some of you will remember when Jimmy Carter was elected President of the United States. He had an interview with Playboy magazine. And I mean, listen, all across the country were offended, up in arms, they were angry, they were upset that Jimmy Carter would be interviewed by Playboy magazine. Let me tell you something, folks. It didn't upset me when Jimmy Carter was interviewed by Playboy magazine. What upset me was what he said, because he promised if he were elected President of the United States, he would not allow his Christianity to interfere with his office. He kept that promise. He kept that promise.
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In fact, I don't even more believe he's a Christian than I believe that doorknob is over there. He said, but we rebuild all these houses. I don't care, folks. You cannot turn your back upon the Word of God and deny Christ in spheres of your life and be a Christian. What does he say in 1 John 2? He said very clearly in verse 4, "He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him." So we know we have ungodly rulers because they did not perform the Word of God.
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Now, I want you to note something. Because Saul had rejected God, God rejected Saul. Look in your Bibles, verse 26. "And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee: for thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord hath rejected thee from being king over Israel. And as Samuel turned about to go away, he laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle, and it rent. And Samuel said unto him, The Lord hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of thine, that is better than thou." Now watch what Samuel says. Samuel said, Saul, you rejected God. That's all right, because God rejected you.
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Now, let me point out something that most people never think about. Did you know that Saul reigned for 40 years? And probably anywhere from a half to a third of that reign was under the curse and the judgment of God. You see what most people think is this? Most people think, well, if God doesn't want somebody on the throne, or if someone is up there under the curse and judgment of God, well, boy, God just might have instantly. That's not so. Now, God did get Saul, but He did not get him instantly. You see, God's paydays are not always on Friday. And just because a civil ruler continues in office does not mean that that civil ruler has the approval of God. He can be in office and still be under the curse and the judgment of God, and God is just biding his time until he's smart enough. Now, I want you to note what Samuel's attitude was concerning Saul. Okay? Now, before I show you this, I want you to remember that Samuel is listed in Hebrews chapter 11 and verse 32 as one of the heroes of faith.
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He was a man of God. What, he said, "the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens." So Samuel is given as a hero of faith. He is given as a man of God. So very obviously, whatever his attitude was toward King Saul had to be a biblical attitude because he was a man of God and a man of faith, right?
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Now, the Bible said, "and it grieved Samuel." And it grieved Samuel. What in the world does it mean when it says it grieved Samuel? Most of us, when we think of the word grief, we think of someone who's troubled, someone who's upset, someone who's often inconsolable. We think about a little woman who's at the funeral of her husband, weeping. Folks come up to her, put their arms around her, hug her, try to comfort her. Nothing you say will comfort her. Keep grieving.
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And sometimes grieve for months after that. Sometimes years. You think of parents who've lost children, and once again, their grief is just overwhelming, it seems like. And nothing you can say or do can console them. And when I looked at that verse, when it just hit me, I thought, Lord, I don't mourn and grieve over these ungodly rulers like that. Something must be wrong with me. I said, I better find out what it means.
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And boy, was I surprised. But you know, I found out I had a biblical attitude and didn't even know it. Why? Let me tell you what the word grieved means. The Hebrew word is charah, H-A-R-A is how we would spell it in English. Charah means to burn, be kindled, to cause fire to burn. The word emphasizes the kindling of anger. The word relates to a fire once it has gotten started and the heat is hot.
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The verb and its derivatives are used over 139 times in scripture. What does it mean when it says that Samuel was grieved? It literally means that Samuel was angry. He was exceedingly mad. Let me put it this way, as politely as I can. He was ticked off. He was ready to fight. I want to show you that this word is used both of God and man, and I'm going to show you how it means to really be ticked off. I want you to turn in your Bibles, first of all, to Genesis chapter 39. Genesis 39.
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Everyone knows this story. This is the story of Joseph, when Potiphar's wife has lied to her husband about Joseph.
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Now, let me ask you, men, what if some strange man came up to your wife, and maybe even in your presence, hit upon your wife and tried to seduce her right in front of you, would you just kind of casually say, well, we'll just see what happens? I tell you what, you mess with my wife, you're going to end up either on the floor or dead, one of the two. You follow me? Because I'm going to get angry real quickly. Look what happened. Genesis 39, verse 19. The Bible said, "And it came to pass, when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spake unto him, saying, After this manner did thy servant to me; that his wrath was kindled."
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Don't you think he was upset? Well, of course he was.
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Now I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Numbers, chapter 25. Let me show you the same Hebrew word, this time in the next two passages I'm going to give you. The word is used in reference to God. Notice, if you would please, Numbers chapter 25, and in the context we're talking about the idolatry and the adultery that the Israelites were engaged in. Note, if you will please, verse 3, "And Israel joined himself unto Baalpeor: and the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel." Watch now, verse 4, "And the Lord said unto Moses, Take all the heads of the people, and hang them up before the Lord against the sun, that the fierce anger of the Lord may be turned away from Israel." Do you think it upset God when His people began to commit fornication and idolatry?
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so greatly exhausted, everyone that's involved in this, take him out and kill him. The word fierce anger is the same word translated grieved in 1 Samuel 15.
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Now if you'll turn to Jeremiah chapter 25, let me show you just one of the passages, but two verses. Here's the same word, and it's translated once again, fierce anger. Jeremiah chapter 25, and notice if you will, it's verse 37 and verse 38. And the Bible says, Jeremiah 25 verse 37, "And the peaceable habitations are cut down because of the fierce anger of the Lord. He hath forsaken his covert, as the lion: for their land is desolate because of the fierceness of the oppressor, and because of his fierce anger." So once again, we see this word is fierce anger. Samuel got mad. Samuel was angry. Now, I want to show you something. I want you to see that Samuel's attitude was the same as God's. Turn your Bibles to the book of Hosea, chapter 7. Let me show you God's attitude toward ungodly rulers. Very obviously, if Samuel was a godly man, he must have the same attitude that God has, and let's see what God's attitude toward ungodly rulers is. Hosea chapter 7, and let's begin reading there with verse 2.
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You're going to see there's some ungodly people mentioned here, as well as ungodly rulers. Now watch this. Hosea chapter 7, verse 2, "And they consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness: now their own doings have beset them about; they are before my face. They make the king glad with their wickedness, and the princes with their lies. They are all adulterers, as an oven heated by the baker, who ceaseth from raising after he hath kneaded the dough, until it be leavened. In the day of our king the princes have made him sick with bottles of wine; he stretched out his hand with scorners. For they have made ready their heart like an oven, whiles they lie in wait: their baker sleepeth all the night; in the morning it burneth as a flaming fire. They are all hot as an oven, and have devoured their judges; all their kings are fallen: there is none among them that calleth unto me."
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Now let's get down to verse 13. "Woe unto them! for they have fled from me: destruction unto them! because they have transgressed against me: though I have redeemed them, yet they have spoken lies against me. And they have not cried unto me with their heart, when they howled upon their beds: they assemble themselves for corn and wine, and they rebel against me. Though I have bound and strengthened their arms, yet do they imagine mischief against me."
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"They return, but not to the most High: they are like a deceitful bow: their princes shall fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue: this shall be their derision in the land of Egypt." Would you say that God was upset with the ungodly rulers? Was He ticked off? Was He mad? Well, of course He was.
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Now, I want you to turn back in your Bibles to 1 Samuel chapter 15. You see, there is a righteous anger. The Bible says in Ephesians 4 and verse 26, "Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath." So there is a way to be righteously angry. Now, I want you to know that Samuel's anger was righteous because it led to a proper solution of the problem.
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You say, what are you talking about? Well, let's go back to verse 11. The Bible said, "and it grieved Samuel." It ticked him off. He was upset. He was angry. He was mad. What was the first thing that Samuel's righteous anger drove him to do? The Bible said, "and he cried unto the Lord all night." Now let me tell you what the word cried means. It means to shriek or to cry out because of danger or distress. To shriek? To shriek? Listen, tell me you want to pray and they'll go, now lay me down to sleep prayers. He was shrieking. He realized that not only he was in danger, but the people of the land were in danger because of Saul. Saul had turned from God. That meant the judgment of God was not only going to be upon Saul, but he would put up with it upon them as well. And so he cried then to the only one who could really help. So the very first thing his anger did then was it led him to cry to the Lord.
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Note the second thing his anger led him to do in verse 12. "And when Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning," did you hear that? When Samuel rose early to what? To meet Saul. He confronted Saul. He didn't stay away from him, he confronted him. He did not shirk from facing this ungodly man who had turned from God and disobeyed God. He had a face-to-face confrontation with him. I want you to note the third thing is he rebuked Saul. Look in verse 17.
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"And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the Lord anointed thee king over Israel? And the Lord sent thee on a journey, and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed. Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the Lord, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the Lord?" Did you get that? He said, Listen, Saul, when you were little in your own sight, God made you king.
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Why do you think you're somewhat important? And why do you not use it to obey God? So he cried to the Lord, he confronted Saul, he rebuked Saul, that's not all. He rejected Saul. Look at it, if you would please, in verse 25. Saul says to Samuel, "Now therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship the Lord. And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee: for thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord hath rejected thee from being king over Israel." Look, if you would please, Samuel was not interested in having prayer with Saul. Do you think that Samuel, the man of God, would have prayed at the inaugural of Bill Clinton?
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Or any of our modern day presidents? I've got news for you. Samuel wouldn't have had anything to do with it. Because you rejected God. I'm rejecting you. I don't have anything to do with you. You're a reprobate. What's this? Samuel's anger led him to cry to the Lord, to confront Saul, to rebuke Saul, to reject Saul, and one of the things that led him to replace Saul. Look in chapter 16, verse 1, "And the Lord said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons." Go get me another one, Samuel. Go get me another one. I've got one after my own heart.
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Now, what does that mean? It means that God's people in America have slacked back with unbiblical attitudes and have put up with and tolerated and sometimes have even chosen ungodly rulers. Let me tell you something, folks. When will we, as God's people, cry to the Lord, confront our ungodly rulers, rebuke them, reject them, and replace them? Only when we have developed a biblical attitude of righteous anger and righteous indignation.
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Let me go a little bit further. We have not realized the danger that we're in with ungodly rulers. I want you to look in your Bibles, Hosea 5. This is a passage that you should be exceedingly familiar with. Hosea 5, look as you would at verses 10 and 11. Hosea 5, verse 10. Listen to what God's saying. Hosea 5, verse 10. God said, "The princes of Judah were like them that remove the bound."
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Now, the bound would be the boundary that God has placed around them. See, God that ordained civil rulers also ordained their ministries, also ordained their boundaries. But the princes did not like to stay in the limited boundaries that God had given them. So what did they do? They removed the boundaries. They did their own thing, so to speak. They rebelled against God. They did like King Saul. God said, "The princes of Judah were like them that remove the bound: therefore I will pour out my wrath upon them like water." God said, I will freely judge them because of their rebellion.
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But look at the next verse. "Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment." That is, the people, the tribe. Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment. Why are the people oppressed and broken in judgment? God says, "because he willingly walked after the commandment." That is, he willingly obeyed an apostate, ungodly, civil ruler. Now look in your Bibles to the book of Micah. Just turn right over a few books. Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, and Micah. Watch, if you would, Micah 6 and verse 16. Look at it. Micah 6, verse 16. Here's why God sent Israel away into captivity.
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"For the statutes of Omri are kept." Remember, Omri was the father of Ahab. "For the statutes," let's read that so we can understand it. "For the laws, for the regulations, for the statutes of Omri are kept, and all the works of the house of Ahab, and ye walk in their counsels; that I should make thee a desolation, and the inhabitants thereof an hissing: therefore ye shall bear the reproach of my people." God said, you want to walk in the laws and the regulations of these ungodly civil rulers? He said, God, I'll judge you along with them. And just that they don't understand the danger that we're in.
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You know, I was thinking, I'm not going to say there is not one, but I'm going to say this, I do not believe that we have one consistent Christian ruler in any office of this land, whether it be state, county, city, or federal. Let me go a bit further. I do know this. I know, on the federal level, we do not have one civil ruler who upholds his constitutional oath. How do I know that? Because Article 6 says that this Constitution shall be the supreme law of the land. Our senators and representatives are to examine every law to make sure it's constitutional or they just pass it. And if they're going to uphold their oath, how can they sit there when they know that there are myriads of laws in the books that are unconstitutional on their face? You don't have to study them, they're just unconstitutional. And what is happening?
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We have not kept a biblical attitude of righteous anger and righteous indignation, and we've gotten into apathy and indifference. We have become tolerant, and we have become persecuted, oppressed, and tyrannized because of our unbiblical attitudes. It's time to get ticked off. It's time to get angry in the biblical sense of the word. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to thee this day. We thank thee for Jesus Christ and for his love and for his mercy. And Lord, just knowing from your Word, but even from history, we see how far we've fallen in this country. Bring us back to thy sense. Give us, Lord, once again, a Christian nation upholding Christian principles and values. We pray, Father, Thou wilt overthrow the wicked and establish Thy people and Thy law and Thy righteousness. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray, Amen.
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You know, I was thinking, I'm not going to say there is not one, but I'm going to say this, I do not believe that we have one consistent Christian ruler in any office of this land, whether it be state, county, city, or federal. Let me go a bit further. I do know this. I know, on the federal level, we do not have one civil ruler who upholds his constitutional oath. How do I know that? Because Article 6 says that this Constitution shall be the supreme law of the land. Our senators and representatives are to examine every law to make sure it's constitutional or they just pass it. And if they're going to uphold their oath, how can they sit there when they know that there are myriads of laws in the books that are unconstitutional on their face? You don't have to study them, they're just unconstitutional. And what is happening?
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We have not kept a biblical attitude of righteous anger and righteous indignation, and we've gotten into apathy and indifference. We have become tolerant, and we have become persecuted, oppressed, and tyrannized because of our unbiblical attitudes. It's time to get ticked off. It's time to get angry in the biblical sense of the word. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to thee this day. We thank thee for Jesus Christ and for his love and for his mercy. And Lord, just knowing from your Word, but even from history, we see how far we've fallen in this country. Bring us back to thy sense. Give us, Lord, once again, a Christian nation upholding Christian principles and values. We pray, Father, Thou wilt overthrow the wicked and establish Thy people and Thy law and Thy righteousness. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray, Amen.
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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T21:00:12Z

Biblical Attitude Towards Ungodly Rulers

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

John Weaver examines 1 Samuel 15 to define the biblical attitude toward ungodly rulers. He argues that Scripture requires civil rulers to be believers who fear God and obey His commands. Using Samuel's response to King Saul's disobedience, Weaver shows that righteous anger—grief that kindles to indignation—should drive believers to cry to the Lord, confront, rebuke, reject, and replace ungodly rulers. He contrasts this with modern apathy and cites early American colonial charters that mandated Christian profession for office, concluding that the church must recover a biblical mindset to restore godly governance.

Introduction and the Dominion Mandate

Weaver introduces the topic from 1 Samuel 15 and explains the biblical doctrine of dominion, showing that God gave man authority over the earth, a mandate renewed in the Great Commission.

Scripture Reading — 1 Samuel 15:1-11

Samuel also said unto Saul, The Lord sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel. Now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt. Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass. And Saul gathered the people together, and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah. And Saul came to a city of Amalek, and laid wait in the valley. And Saul said unto the Kenites, Go, depart, get you down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them: for ye showed kindness to all the children of Israel, when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites. And Saul smote the Amalekites from Havilah until thou comest to Shur, that is over against Egypt. And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.

The Need for Biblical Thinking

Weaver emphasizes that Christians must renew their minds according to Scripture, not conform to the world, and that biblical attitudes require biblical study.

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 55:8-9

"For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts,"

For instance, let me give you some scriptures. You remember in Romans 12, 1 and 2, Paul said,

Scripture Reading — Romans 12:1-2

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service."

Now listen,

Scripture Reading — Romans 12:1-2

"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind."

So we have to learn to think the way Scripture tells us to think about ungodly rulers, but also about every other subject in the Bible.

General Truths About Rulers

From Proverbs 29:2 and 28:12, Weaver shows that righteous rulers bring rejoicing, while wicked rulers cause mourning and hiding.

Scripture Reading — Proverbs 29:2

"When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn."

Scripture Reading — Proverbs 28:12

"When righteous men do rejoice, there is great glory: but when the wicked rise, a man is hidden."

Biblical Qualifications for Civil Rulers

Weaver cites Deuteronomy 17:15, Exodus 18:21, 2 Samuel 5:1-2, and 2 Samuel 23:1-3 to prove that God requires rulers to be believers who fear Him and rule justly.

Scripture Reading — Exodus 18:21

"Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers."

Now watch,

Scripture Reading — Exodus 18:21

"Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God."

The fundamental requirement for being a civil ruler is fearing God.

Now, I want you to turn to your Bibles, please, to 2 Samuel, chapter 5. 2 Samuel, chapter 5. 2 Samuel, chapter 5. Look, if you would please, beginning with verse 1. 2 Samuel, chapter 5, verse 1.

Scripture Reading — 2 Samuel 23:1-3

"Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said,"

now look what David said. Watch now.

Scripture Reading — 2 Samuel 23:1-3

"The Spirit of the Lord spake by me,"

that's one time.

Scripture Reading — 2 Samuel 23:1-3

"and his word was in my tongue,"

that's two times.

Scripture Reading — 2 Samuel 23:1-3

"The God of Israel said,"

that's three times.

Scripture Reading — 2 Samuel 23:1-3

"the Rock of Israel spake to me,"

that's four times, so four times David is claiming direct inspiration for this next statement. What did God say four times?

Historical Evidence from Colonial Charters

Colonial Blasphemy Laws

Weaver details severe penalties for blasphemy in early American colonies, demonstrating how seriously they took God's Word.

Samuel's Grief as Righteous Anger

Weaver explains that the Hebrew word for 'grieved' in 1 Samuel 15:11 means to burn with anger, showing Samuel's response was righteous indignation.

Scripture Reading — 1 John 2:4

"He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him."

So we know we have ungodly rulers because they did not perform the Word of God.

God's Attitude Toward Ungodly Rulers

From Hosea 7, Weaver demonstrates that God is angered by ungodly rulers and their wickedness.

Samuel's Righteous Actions

Weaver outlines Samuel's response: he cried to the Lord, confronted Saul, rebuked him, rejected him, and was sent to anoint a replacement.

The Danger of Tolerating Ungodly Rulers

Using Hosea 5:10-11 and Micah 6:16, Weaver warns that following ungodly rulers brings God's judgment on the people.

Call to Righteous Anger and Action

Weaver concludes that the church must develop righteous anger to cry, confront, rebuke, reject, and replace ungodly rulers, and prays for national repentance.

Biblical Attitude Towards Ungodly Rulers

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	3270617585
Subject	Civil Government
Course	Ungodly Rulers and National Judgment
Genre	Sermon
Date	1995-03-05
Dictation Name
Book	Book 010: Ungodly Rulers and National Judgment — Chapter 1
Source Timed Segments	78

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction and the Dominion Mandate: Weaver introduces the topic from 1 Samuel 15 and explains the biblical doctrine of dominion, showing that God gave man authority over the earth, a mandate renewed in the Great Commission.
The Need for Biblical Thinking: Weaver emphasizes that Christians must renew their minds according to Scripture, not conform to the world, and that biblical attitudes require biblical study.
General Truths About Rulers: From Proverbs 29:2 and 28:12, Weaver shows that righteous rulers bring rejoicing, while wicked rulers cause mourning and hiding.
Biblical Qualifications for Civil Rulers: Weaver cites Deuteronomy 17:15, Exodus 18:21, 2 Samuel 5:1-2, and 2 Samuel 23:1-3 to prove that God requires rulers to be believers who fear Him and rule justly.
Historical Evidence from Colonial Charters: Weaver reads from early American colonial constitutions (New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, North Carolina, South Carolina, Vermont) showing they required Christian profession for public office.
Colonial Blasphemy Laws: Weaver details severe penalties for blasphemy in early American colonies, demonstrating how seriously they took God's Word.
Samuel's Grief as Righteous Anger: Weaver explains that the Hebrew word for 'grieved' in 1 Samuel 15:11 means to burn with anger, showing Samuel's response was righteous indignation.
God's Attitude Toward Ungodly Rulers: From Hosea 7, Weaver demonstrates that God is angered by ungodly rulers and their wickedness.
Samuel's Righteous Actions: Weaver outlines Samuel's response: he cried to the Lord, confronted Saul, rebuked him, rejected him, and was sent to anoint a replacement.
The Danger of Tolerating Ungodly Rulers: Using Hosea 5:10-11 and Micah 6:16, Weaver warns that following ungodly rulers brings God's judgment on the people.
Call to Righteous Anger and Action: Weaver concludes that the church must develop righteous anger to cry, confront, rebuke, reject, and replace ungodly rulers, and prays for national repentance.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

Biblical thinking is mandatory for Christians

Christians must submit their minds to Scripture and not be conformed to the world's patterns.

Weaver says, 'we must submit and surrender our minds to the Word of God' and cites Romans 12:2.

God requires civil rulers to be believers

The Bible explicitly commands that rulers be chosen from among God's people and fear Him.

Weaver points to Deuteronomy 17:15: 'one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee: thou mayest not set a stranger over thee.'

Early American law reflected biblical standards

Colonial charters and constitutions required Christian faith for public office, showing they took God's Word seriously.

Weaver reads from New Jersey's 1683 charter: 'no man shall be admitted... who shall not profess faith in Jesus Christ.'

Samuel's grief was righteous anger

The Hebrew word 'charah' means to burn with anger, indicating Samuel was righteously indignant, not merely sad.

Weaver explains the word and shows its use in Genesis 39:19 and Numbers 25:3-4 for fierce anger.

Righteous anger leads to godly action

Samuel's anger drove him to cry to God, confront Saul, rebuke him, reject him, and seek a replacement.

Weaver traces Samuel's actions in 1 Samuel 15:11-16:1.

Tolerating ungodly rulers brings judgment

When people willingly obey ungodly rulers, they come under the same judgment as those rulers.

Weaver cites Hosea 5:11: 'Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment, because he willingly walked after the commandment.'

Modern America has apostatized from biblical foundations

The nation has abandoned the requirement for Christian rulers, leading to ungodly leadership.

Weaver states, 'It is we who are in America that have apostatized and have left the faith.'

Christians must replace ungodly rulers

The biblical pattern is not passive acceptance but active replacement of wicked leaders with godly ones.

Weaver says, 'When will we... cry to the Lord, confront our ungodly rulers, rebuke them, reject them, and replace them?'

Scripture References

1 Samuel 15:1-11: Weaver reads the passage about Saul's disobedience and God's rejection of him as king.
Genesis 1-2: Weaver references the Dominion Mandate given to Adam and Eve.
Genesis 9: Weaver notes the dominion mandate renewed to Noah.
Psalm 8: Weaver mentions that God gave the earth to the children of men.
Matthew 28:18-20: Weaver equates the Great Commission with the dominion mandate.
Isaiah 55:8-9: Weaver quotes to show God's thoughts are higher than man's.
Romans 12:1-2: Weaver cites to urge transformation by renewing the mind.
Ephesians 4:23: Weaver references being renewed in the spirit of the mind.
1 Peter 4:1: Weaver mentions arming ourselves with the mind of Christ.
Philippians 2:5: Weaver quotes to have the mind of Christ.
2 Corinthians 10:5: Weaver cites bringing every thought captive to Christ.
2 Timothy 2:15: Weaver references studying to rightly divide the word.
2 Peter 3:18: Weaver mentions growing in grace and knowledge.
Proverbs 29:2: Weaver reads that when the righteous rule, people rejoice; when the wicked rule, people mourn.
Proverbs 28:12: Weaver reads that when the wicked rise, a man is hidden.
Deuteronomy 17:15: Weaver cites that a king must be chosen by God from among the brethren.
Exodus 18:21: Weaver reads that rulers must be able men who fear God.
2 Samuel 5:1-2: Weaver shows David was chosen as a brother with a godly testimony and God's appointment.
2 Samuel 23:1-3: Weaver emphasizes that a ruler must be just, ruling in the fear of God.
1 John 2:4: Weaver quotes that whoever says he knows God but does not keep His commandments is a liar.

Historical References

Colonial Charter of New Jersey (1683): Weaver reads that no man could hold public trust without professing faith in Jesus Christ.
Charter of Delaware (1701): Weaver reads that all persons professing belief in Jesus Christ could serve in government.
Charter of Pennsylvania (1701): Weaver reads the same requirement as Delaware.
Constitution of Delaware (1776): Weaver reads the oath requiring faith in the Trinity and divine inspiration of Scripture.
Constitution of Georgia (1777): Weaver reads that representatives must be of the Protestant religion.
Constitution of Maryland (1776): Weaver reads the oath requiring a declaration of belief in the Christian religion.
Constitution of Massachusetts (1780): Weaver reads the declaration requiring belief in the Christian religion.
Constitution of New Hampshire (1784): Weaver reads that senators and representatives must be of the Protestant religion.
Constitution of North Carolina (1776): Weaver reads that no one denying the Protestant religion or divine authority of Scripture could hold office.
Constitution of South Carolina (1778): Weaver reads that the governor, lieutenant-governor, privy council, senators, and representatives must be of the Protestant religion, and Christianity is the established religion.

Important Quotes

and it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the Lord all night.

This verse sparked Weaver's study on the biblical attitude toward ungodly rulers, highlighting Samuel's emotional response.

When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.

Weaver uses this to establish the general biblical principle about the effects of righteous versus wicked rulers.

Thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee, whom the Lord thy God shall choose: one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee: thou mayest not set a stranger over thee, which is not thy brother.

Weaver cites this as the fundamental requirement that civil rulers must be believers.

He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.

Weaver emphasizes this as God's direct command for civil rulers, repeated four times for emphasis.

It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments.

Weaver uses God's words to show that disobedience to God's commands marks an ungodly ruler.

He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

Weaver quotes 1 John 2:4 to argue that professing Christians who disobey God's Word are not truly saved.

Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath.

Weaver cites Ephesians 4:26 to justify righteous anger as a biblical response.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

What does the Bible teach about the qualifications for civil rulers, and how should that influence our voting?

[Context]

Weaver spent significant time on Deuteronomy 17:15, Exodus 18:21, and 2 Samuel 23:1-3.

[Question]

How can we distinguish between righteous anger and sinful anger when responding to ungodly leaders?

[Context]

Weaver explained that Samuel's grief was actually burning anger that led to godly action.

[Question]

In what ways have modern Christians adopted an unbiblical attitude of apathy toward ungodly rulers?

[Context]

Weaver contrasted Samuel's response with the tolerance and indifference he sees today.

[Question]

What does Hosea 5:10-11 teach about the consequences of willingly following ungodly rulers?

[Context]

Weaver warned that the people were oppressed because they willingly walked after the commandment of ungodly princes.

[Question]

How should the historical example of America's Christian colonial charters inform our expectations for government today?

[Context]

Weaver read multiple colonial constitutions that required Christian profession for office.

[Question]

What practical steps can Christians take to 'cry to the Lord, confront, rebuke, reject, and replace' ungodly rulers?

[Context]

Weaver outlined Samuel's actions as a pattern for believers.

[Question]

Why does Weaver argue that a ruler's disobedience to God's commands proves they are ungodly, regardless of their profession of faith?

[Context]

Weaver cited 1 John 2:4 and the example of Saul.

[Question]

How does the dominion mandate (Genesis 1:28, Matthew 28:18-20) relate to our responsibility in civil government?

[Context]

Weaver introduced the sermon by connecting the dominion mandate to the Great Commission.

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