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

Marked For Death Governmental Destruction - Part 2 of 2

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: Civil Government

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2013-12-31

Synopsis: In this sermon, Pastor John Weaver continues his exposition of 2 Chronicles 36, outlining five marks of a nation or government that is 'marked for death' by God. He covers the final three marks: failure to honor oaths and covenants, failure to repent despite warnings, and corruption of religion and the ministry. Using the example of King Zedekiah, Weaver emphasizes God's sovereignty over nations and the certainty of divine judgment upon covenant-breaking, impenitent, and apostate peoples. He applies these principles to modern America, warning of impending destruction unless there is national repentance.

[John Weaver] So 2 Chronicles chapter 36. You remember I began a message last week which I entitled, Marked for Death, Governmental Destruction. So if you'll look in 2 Chronicles chapter 36, let's begin reading there with verse 10. 2 Chronicles 36 verse 10. And when the year was expired, King Nebuchadnezzar sent and brought him to Babylon. with the goodly vessels of the house of the Lord, and made Zedekiah his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem. And Zedekiah was one in twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord his God, and humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet, speaking from the mouth of the Lord. And he also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God But he stiffened his neck and hardened his heart from turning unto the Lord God of Israel. Moreover, all the chief of the priests and the people transgressed very much after all the abominations of the heathen, and polluted the house of the Lord, which he had hallowed in Jerusalem.

[John Weaver] And the Lord God of their father sent to them by his messengers rising up betimes and sending, because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place. But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people till there was no remedy. Therefore he brought upon them the king of the Chaldees, who slew their young men with a sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion upon young men or maiden, or men or him that stooped for age.

[John Weaver] He gave them all into his hand. Now, last week I began a message which I entitled, Marked for Death, Governmental Destruction. And I told you that the title of the message was actually, I thought about it as I was reading 2 Chronicles 36 of an old Steven Seagal movie that was made back in 1990, which was titled Mark for Death. And that movie was about drug runners and folks who were fighting the drug dealers. And you know, I got to thinking, you know, that title is an excellent title for exactly what God is teaching us here in 2 Chronicles. chapter 36, because it's not just individuals oftentimes that are marked for death, it is governments and nations as well. So in this last message, the first message I brought on this subject, I demonstrated to you from Scripture where God is in absolute total control. He is the sovereign God of heaven and earth. In fact, the Bible teaches us that He is the governor among the nations.

[John Weaver] Now listen very quickly to Job 12 and verse 23. Listen to what God says. He, that is God, increases the nations and destroys them. He enlarges the nations and straightens them. So it's God then who increases and destroys. It's God who brings them into straights and it's God who enlarges them. So, God is in absolute control. The Bible says in Isaiah 40, verses 15 through 17, I want you to listen to what the Bible says about nations, because when you and I think of nations, when we just think of China, what, a billion people? Or more? Who knows? But when we think of the nations, we think of, oh man, that's gigantic. But listen to this.

[John Weaver] Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as a small dust of the balance. Behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing, And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beast thereof sufficient for a burnt offering. All nations before Him are as nothing, and they are counted to Him less than nothing in vanity. So all the greatness that you and I conceive of and think about in our nations and nationalities, God says they're nothing compared to Him.

[John Weaver] And He's in absolute total control. Charles Haddon Spurgeon said this, Men forget that all things are ordained in heaven. They see but the human force and the carnal passion, but the unseen Lord is far more real than these. He is at work behind and within the cloud. The foolish dream is that He is not, but He is near even now and on the way to bring in His hand that cup of spiced wine of vengeance one droid of which shall stagger all of his foes."

[John Weaver] And that's not only true of individuals, that's also true of governments, that's also true of nations as well. Now when I began this message last week, I asked, have you ever considered or wondered how governments die or how nations die? I also asked, are there any discernible marks or is there any way that we can tell when a nation happens to be in its death throes?" And I gave the answer, yes, there are marks. There are five marks given to us in our text. Now, we covered two of those marks last week. So, when we're talking about a nation or government being marked for death, the first mark was this. When a nation reaches the point that it fails to recognize and honor God's representatives.

[John Weaver] For instance, if you look in verse 12 concerning King Zedekiah, and he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, and humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet. In other words, Jeremiah was nothing to the king. The king, he thought, had all power, he had the position, he had the prerogatives, and he just refused to acknowledge Jeremiah. He would not humble himself. In other words, he mocked him, he disdained him, he counted him as absolutely nothing.

[John Weaver] And I said this last week and I want to say it again. A nation's attitude toward God's preachers is indicative of the state of that nation as well as the state of the hearts of individuals. And a quick perusal through the Word of God will demonstrate that very clearly. You remember even Elisha was mocked by young people. They said to Elisha, go up thou bald head, go up thou bald head.

[John Weaver] Evidently, he didn't have much hair either, brother. And what did he do? He turned around and cursed them in the name of the Lord, and two she-bears came out of the wood and tear, forty and two of them. So, make sure that you understand that an individual's and a nation's attitude towards God's representatives is indeed indicative of the state of their heart. The second mark that I pointed out last week is also in verse 12. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, and humbled on himself before Jeremiah the prophet." Note this, speaking from the mouth of the Lord. So the second mark of a government or a nation that's marked for death is a failure of the civil rulers to humble themselves under the Word of God. Now I pointed out last week that God's Word is not good advice that men may accept or reject at their pleasure. but rather it is His command that they despise and reject at His peril.

[John Weaver] For instance, hold 2 Chronicles 36, but very quickly turn in your Bibles to Psalm 2. Notice if you would, Psalm 2. 2 Chronicles 36, hold it, but go to Psalm 2. And I want you to notice, if you would, what the Word of God says concerning the civil rulers. Watch this carefully. Psalm 2, verse 1. The psalmist asked, why do the heathen rage and the people imagine a vain thing? Now remember, a vain thing is something useless, foolish, stupid, worthless. Now, look what happens in verse 2. The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against His anointed, saying, What? Let us break their bands asunder and cast away their cords from us, He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh, the Lord shall have them in derision.

[John Weaver] Then shall He speak unto them in His wrath, and vex them in His sore displeasure." Notice if you would please, here are all of these kings and rulers seeking to violate God's boundaries, break His chains, loose His bonds, and God's going to laugh and God's going to have them in derision. Now skip down to verse 12 and look at God's admonition to the civil rulers. He tells them, kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish from the way, when in the wrath is kindled but a little.

[John Weaver] Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him. So, the Word of God is teaching us very clearly, that those who refuse to humble themselves at the Word of God, shall indeed be destroyed by God and His righteous and just vengeance. So, notice if you would, the first two marks are number one, A failure to honor God's representatives, number two. A failure to humble themselves under the word of God.

[John Weaver] And if you'll go back to 2 Chronicles chapter 36, and look at verse 13, here you come to the third mark of death. Notice if you would, verse 13, the Bible says, and he, that is Zedekiah, also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God, but he stiffened his neck and hardened his heart from turning unto the Lord God of Israel." So the third mark of death is when a nation or a government fails to honor their oaths and covenants. May I remind you that it was Nebuchadnezzar who made Zedekiah king. Look back in verse 10. And when the year was expired, King Nebuchadnezzar sent and brought him, that is Jehoiachin, he brought him to Babylon with the goodly vessels of the house of the Lord and made Zedekiah his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem. So it was Nebuchadnezzar then who made Zedekiah king. Now I want you to note, Zedekiah took an oath of allegiance to Nebuchadnezzar as he was installed in his kingdom. For instance, in verse 13, and he rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God.

[John Weaver] So, Zedekiah then, had sworn fealty and constant obedience, by the name of God, to Nebuchadnezzar. And what Nebuchadnezzar was doing was this. He said, you profess to be the people of Jehovah? You profess to serve and worship Him.

[John Weaver] Now you swear by Him to me that you're going to obey me. So, Zedekiah's rebellion against Nebuchadnezzar was aggravated now by his perjury and his contempt of God. So, mark this down. Zedekiah received his crown on the express condition of swearing a solemn oath of fealty to and serving the king of Babylon. So what did he do? He rebelled. He revolted. He violated his oath and held God in contempt by disregarding his oath and joining in league with Pharaoh Hophra of Egypt.

[John Weaver] So here's what has happened. Zedekiah's own pride, his own stubbornness, his own rebellion, along with the incurable idolatry of the people, and their constant disregard for prophetic warnings, have now brought them down to where Nebuchadnezzar is going to destroy them. In fact, Nebuchadnezzar became the executioner of divine vengeance, and he commenced a third siege of Jerusalem. And then under this third siege, the temple is destroyed, the temple is looted, walls are broken down, everything is burned, and Judah is overthrown.

[John Weaver] Now, I want to show you something right now. I want to show you two things, but first of all, I want you to understand the violation of Zedekiah's oath from God's perspective. I want you to hold 2 Chronicles 36, but turn in your Bibles to the book of Ezekiel chapter 17. Ezekiel 17, and we're going to look at verses 11 through 21. Ezekiel 17, because God is here speaking about Zedekiah. Notice if you would, Ezekiel chapter 17, and let's begin reading there with verse 11. Notice, if you would, we're talking about Zedekiah's violation of his oath, not only to Nebuchadnezzar, but to God, for he had sworn by God. Ezekiel 17, verse 11. Moreover, the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Say now to the rebellious house, Know you not what these things mean?

[John Weaver] Tell them, Behold, the king of Babylon is come to Jerusalem, and hath taken the king thereof, and the princes thereof, and led them with him to Babylon, and hath taken the king's seed, and made a covenant with him, and hath taken an oath of him, he hath also taken the mighty of the land, that the kingdom might be base, that it might not lift itself up, but that by keeping of his covenant it might stand." I'll explain that in just a moment. But he rebelled against him in sending his ambassadors into Egypt, that they might receive him that give him horses and much people. Shall he prosper?

[John Weaver] Shall he escape that doeth such things? Or shall he break the covenant and be delivered?

[John Weaver] Now remember, he is sworn by God. And what has he done? He's sent down to Egypt for horses and for an army. God asks, shall he escape that doeth such things or shall he break that covenant and be delivered? Watch what he says in verse 16. As I live, saith the Lord God, surely in the place where the king dwelleth, that made him king, whose oath he despised, and whose covenant he break, even with him in the midst of Babylon, he shall die. Neither shall Pharaoh, with his mighty army and great company, make for him in the war, by casting up mounts and building forts, to cut off many people, seeing he despised the oath by breaking the covenant when, lo, he had given his hand and had done all these things, he shall not escape." Watch. Therefore thus said the Lord God as I live, surely mine oath that he hath despised, and my covenant that he hath broken, even it will I recompense upon his own head. and I will spread My net upon him, and he shall be taken in My snare, and I will bring him to Babylon, and will plead with him there for his trespass, that he had trespassed against Me.

[John Weaver] And all his fugitives with him, with all his band, shall fall by the sword, and they that remain shall be scattered toward all the winds, and you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken it." Now God says, look, He gave His Word. He swore by an oath to Me. And God says, you think I'm going to let Him get away with it? He's violated it. The one who made him king is going to take him to Babylon and he's going to die there.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to turn to 2 Kings chapter 25. Because I want you to see the judgment that God brought upon Zedekiah for despising the oath and violating the covenant. 2 Kings chapter 25. And I want you to look at the first seven verses. This is an interesting passage. I might add it was a horrible judgment that was inflicted upon Zedekiah for the violation of his oath and covenant. So 2nd Kings chapter 25 begin in there with verse 1.

[John Weaver] Notice, it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign in the tenth month in the tenth day of the month that Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon came he and all his hosts against Jerusalem and pitched against it and they built forts against it round about. And the city was besieged until the eleventh year of Zedekiah. So Zedekiah held out about a year and a half. And on the ninth day of the fourth month, the famine prevailed in the city, and there was no bread for the people of the land. And the city was broken up, and all the men of war fled by night, by the way of the gate between the two walls, which is by the king's garden. Now the Chaldees were against the city round about, and the king lit the way toward the plain. And the army of the Chaldees pursued after the king and overtook him in the plains of Jericho. And all his army were scattered from him. So they took the king and brought him up to the king of Babylon to Riblah.

[John Weaver] And they gave judgment upon him. Now watch what happened. And they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes. And put out the eyes of Zedekiah and bound him with fetters of brass and carried him to Babylon. So the last thing that Zedekiah saw with his eyes was his sons being murdered, slain. And then he was carried to Babylon where he died.

[John Weaver] Now it should be etched in our understanding the consequences of oath breaking. Zedekiah refused to make himself a servant to God. and therefore he became a servant and a slave to his enemies. Those who refuse to be humbled under the Word of God will ultimately be humbled by divine wrath.

[John Weaver] Now I want you to just stop and think how simple this really is. I tell people life can really be simple. It really can. All we have to do is obey. Do you realize, if Zedekiah had submitted himself and obeyed God, ruin would not have been brought upon him, his government, his people, and his nation. On the other hand, if Zedekiah had kept his oath and his covenant that he had given to Nebuchadnezzar, all that ruin and all that desolation still would not have come upon him. What God is teaching us is that an oath is a sacred thing.

[John Weaver] And all who violate their oaths are considered the worst of men. They are considered men who have abandoned God and consequently they are to be abhorred and avoided at all cost.

[John Weaver] Now it is true that Nebuchadnezzar was a heathen. Nebuchadnezzar was an enemy. Yet, Zedekiah had sworn by an oath unto God to him. And scripture teaches us that God is the avenger of all such men who are covenant breakers and oath breakers. So this should teach us that we're required to keep our oaths, especially when we swear by the one true and the living God.

[John Weaver] Now I want you to listen, if you would, just to a couple of scriptures. I want you to think of these. God said in Leviticus chapter 19 and verse 12, And you shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God, I am the Lord. Now if you're not to swear by God's names falsely, that means when you swear by His name, is to be in truth. In fact, in Deuteronomy 6 and verse 13, listen now, Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and serve Him, and shalt swear by His name. Wow! And then when you get to Deuteronomy 10 and verse 20, again God says, Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, Thou shalt serve Him, and unto Him shalt thou cleave, and swear by His name.

[John Weaver] In other words, what God is teaching us is this, that oaths are sacred things. And especially when we give an oath and when we swear by God, God requires us to keep our oaths. Unless, of course, an oath is made in violation to Him and His Word. I can give you one illustration where it would have been right to break an oath. Do you remember how King Herod swore to his, I guess, adopted daughter, after she danced before them, I'll give you whatever you ask, up to the half of my kingdom. And she said, give me the head of John the Baptist and a charger. And the Bible said the king was sad, yet nevertheless for his oath's sake. What?

[John Weaver] So it's alright to commit murder. No, no, it's not right to commit murder. He should not have violated his oath. He should have said, I've sinned, I've spoken wrongly, I can't do this, this is wicked and wrong. But if it's not contrary to God and God's Word, God requires us to keep our oaths. In the book of Numbers chapter 30 and verse 2, here's what God says, If a man vow a vow unto the Lord, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond, he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth.

[John Weaver] Now let me ask you a question. If a man will not keep his oath to God, What makes you think you'll keep an oath to his fellow men? One of the problems that we have in our country is with unsaved and ungodly politicians who do not understand this simple fact. They have no allegiance to God and consequently they have no allegiance to their people. They live for themselves alone. I almost laugh when I hear politicians.

[John Weaver] And they've been caught in adultery or they've been caught in sodomy. And then they come up with this, well, my private life is my private business. I've got news for you. If you will violate your oath to your wife, what makes me think you won't violate your oath to me? I want you to turn very quickly in your Bibles to Luke chapter 18. 2 Chronicles 36. Look in Luke chapter 18.

[John Weaver] Let me show you how our Lord epitomizes the average politician. Look in Luke chapter 18, and let's begin reading there with verse 2. Watch if you would how our Lord speaks of this judge. Luke 18 verse 2. Saying, there was in a city a judge, now watch this judge, who feared not God, neither regarded man. And there was a widow in that city, and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me and mine adversary.

[John Weaver] And he would not for a while. But afterwards he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man. Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me."

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to note, Our Lord says in verse 6, And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge said. Did you hear what he said? Though I fear not God, nor regard man." He said, I'm going to avenge this little woman. Why? Not out of regard for justice, not out of regard for right and wrong, not out of regard for truth. I'm going to avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.

[John Weaver] So his oath meant absolutely nothing to him. The people meant nothing to him. Right and wrong meant nothing to him. Justice meant nothing to him. The only thing that mattered with this king was his convenience. That's all. Let me tell you something, folks. This king lived or this judge lived solely for his own benefit and convenience and that is it. Do you realize it is the same that is true with modern-day politicians?

[John Weaver] Most of them, there may be a few exceptions, but most of them sing a good song But when it comes to practicality, it's all about them. It's all about getting elected or it's all about getting re-elected. Or it's all about establishing themselves or their party. Everything is for them and they refuse and reject anything that is biblical and or constitutional.

[John Weaver] Now I'm trying to show you this third mark of a government or nation that is marked for destruction is when that government fails to honor its oaths and its covenants. Unhappily, our government has been known as a covenant breaker and an oath breaker for ages. And if you don't believe that, I want to challenge you to do something. I want to challenge you to read a little history and study a little history and see how deceitfully our own government dealt with the American Indians.

[John Weaver] You're going to find that most of their land was confiscated through fraud and deceit. I have several books at home. Some of the land was confiscated because they got the Indians drunk and made them sign their names. And sometimes our government nominated certain Indians chief and leaders and got them to sign the paper when the Indians had nothing to do with the tribe whose land they were signing away. It was all fraud and all deceit. Luther Standing Bear, an American Indian, said this, talking about the federal government, he said, they made us many promises, more than I can remember, but they never kept but one. They promised to take our land and they took it.

[John Weaver] It was not hard to see that the white people coveted every inch of land on which we lived. Greed. Humans wanted the last bit of ground which supported Indian feet. It was land, it has ever been land, for which the white man oppresses the Indian and to gain possession of which he commits any crime. Treaties that have been made are vain attempts to save a little of the fatherland Treaty is holy to us by the smoke of the pipe, but nothing is holy to the white man. Little by little, with greed and cruelty unsurpassed by the animal, he's taken all. The loaf is gone, and now the white man wants the crumbs. It was Chief Sitting Bull who said this, what treaty that the whites have kept has the red man broken, not one. I was astounded because as I was studying this, one author said this. Listen carefully. This blew my mind. Native Americans stood little chance against the surging white population. Eventually, the United States government would seize two billion acres of Indian territories.

[John Weaver] Two billion acres. Wow. I've told you in times past that one of my favorite movies, I guess the favorite western, is The Outlaw Josie Wales. I probably haven't seen it but twenty times. But, one of my favorite scenes in that movie is when Josie Wales rides to the camp of ten bears, the Comanche chief, and is going to try to have an honest agreement, an honest settlement with him, so that they can live on Comanche land. And Wales tells them that they can either choose to live together or die together. Here's what one critic said of this dialogue.

[John Weaver] I want you to listen. The exchange between the two men serves as a critique of the United States government policy from the perspective of both men. Wales notes that with governments you don't always get a fair word or a fair fight. This recalls the massacre of his unarmed comrades by the Union Army. And I might also add the murdering of his wife and children by the Red Legs. While Ten Bears remarks that it is sad that governments are chiefed by the double-tongued. So here's Josie saying, the government is bad. They slew our men. They slew my family. And Tin Bear says they never keep their word. And it's later on in that movie that Tin Bear said, in that same scene though, he says, paper cannot hold the words of iron. I want you to understand something, folks. Paper is no better than the men who sign it. And if men are not going to honor their oath, if they're not going to honor their covenant, The paper is absolutely worthless. It is a mere scrap of paper.

[John Weaver] I've told you, when I was a boy, I have seen my father make multi-thousand dollar deals with other farmers just by shaking hands. No paper was signed. They kept their word. They did what they said they were going to do. Today, you better get the man's word, you better get it on paper, you better get it notarized, and that still doesn't mean anything. Because the paper is no better than the men who sign it.

[John Weaver] One of the characteristics of a godly man in Psalm 15 verse 4 is this, he that sweareth to his own hurt and changeth not. Now, since Psalm 15 verse 4 is true, where does that leave our own government?

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to stop and think about this. Stop. Think. I could sit here all day long and tell you how our government has violated treaty after treaty and covenant after covenant with other nations and with other people, but let me tell you something, folks. Our government does not even keep its covenant with its own people. It disregards its own oaths. You look at the judges, you look at the presidents, you look at the cabinet members, you look at the politicians, you look at lawmen and a host of others who've taken an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States. Article 6, paragraph 2 and 3 of the United States Constitution, listen carefully. This Constitution, and the laws of the United States, which shall be made in pursuance thereof, and all treaties made, or which shall be made under the authority of the United States, which is the Constitution, shall be the supreme law of the land, and judges in every state shall be bound thereby, anything in the Constitution or laws of any state to the contrary, notwithstanding the senators and representatives before mention, and the members of the several state legislatures, and all executive and judicial officers, both of the United States and the several states, shall be bound by oath or affirmation to support this Constitution.

[John Weaver] Wow. And what do they do? They don't even read it. They don't even know what it says. And 99.9% of everything that every judge and every politician and the president and all of its cabinets do is in violation of the Constitution. Our government cannot keep its own word to its own people. So you could mark it down, folks. When a government violates its oath and breaks its covenants, it's marked for death. Why?

[John Weaver] Because it is transgression, it is perjury, it is rebellion. And as Ezekiel chapter 17, God said, I will avenge such. I'll take care of it. If you go back in your Bibles to 2 Chronicles chapter 36, I want you to look very quickly at the fourth point. The fourth evidence of being marked for death. You'll fight it in verse 13. Notice 2 Chronicles 36 and verse 13.

[John Weaver] And he also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar who had made him swear by God, but he stiffened his neck and hardened his heart from turning unto the Lord God of Israel. So the fourth mark of death is a failure to repent in the face of numerous warnings and admonitions. Notice what he did. He stiffened his neck and hardened his heart from turning to the Lord God of Israel.

[John Weaver] He wouldn't listen to Jeremiah. I don't care how many times Jeremiah taught him, or preached him, or warned him. He just simply would not listen. Do you realize that one of the clearest warnings in the Word of God is found in Proverbs 29 in verse 1. I want you to just listen. Here it is. He that being often reproved, hardened his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy."

[John Weaver] Do you remember that passage in 2 Chronicles 36? God sent the Chaldees and destroyed them all till there was no remedy. That's exactly what Proverbs 29 verse 1 says. And incidentally, by the way, Nebuchadnezzar, who exacted such a price from Zedekiah, also had a price exacted on himself, because in Daniel 5 and verse 20 we read about Nebuchadnezzar, but when his heart was lifted up and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne and they took his glory from him. And you remember how he was driven like a wild animal and for seven years ate grass like an ox.

[John Weaver] Now the truth is this. This not only happens to individuals, it happens to governments, it happens to nations as well. I want you to listen to what Nehemiah said about Israel as a whole. Listen carefully. Nehemiah 9 verse 16. But they and our fathers dealt proudly and hardened their necks and hearkened not to thy commandments. Did you hear that? And hearkened not to thy commandments. How many of our civil rulers hearken to God's commandments. In Jeremiah 19 in verse 15, listen now, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, Behold, I will bring upon this city, and upon all of her towns, all the evil that I have pronounced against it, because they have hardened their necks, that they might not hear my words.

[John Weaver] You know, the problem is this. Many people think that just because God does not smite a man or government or nation instantly, that somehow that man or that government or that nation is going to get away with their sin. No. You've got to remember that God is gracious, He is merciful, He is long-suffering, that is for sure. But do you remember what God told Abraham? He said, in Genesis 15, He said, know of a certainty. that your seed is going to go down into Egypt for a period of time, for 400 years. Why?

[John Weaver] He said in the next verse, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full. And guess what? After 400 years, God brought the children of Israel out of Egypt, put a sword in their hand, and said, slay every one of them, kill them all. 400 years God waited, and yet He destroyed them. Look how many times Pharaoh was warned. Look at all the plagues that he saw. And what did he do every time? He hardened his heart against God, and yet God brought him down.

[John Weaver] It doesn't matter if men are not smitten instantly, or governments, or nations. moves in His time. I want you to hold 2 Chronicles, but turn in your Bibles to Amos chapter 4. Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos. Look in Amos chapter 4. I know I've used this passage before, but I want you to see this. I want you to understand that God has a variety of ways of warning governments and nations.

[John Weaver] It's true He warns through His preachers, through His Word. But He also warns through various judgments. Look what He said. Amos chapter 4, beginning there with verse 6. Watch carefully. And I have also given you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, and one of bread in all your places, yet you have not returned unto Me, said the Lord. That is, He sent famine. It didn't do any good. Verse 7, And I also have withholden the rain from you, when there were yet three months to the harvest, and I caused it to rain upon one city, caused it not to rain upon another city. One piece was rained upon, and the piece whereupon it rained not withered. So two or three cities wandered into one city to drink water, but they were not satisfied. Yet you have not returned unto me, saith the Lord. So God has not only used famine, now he has used drought. Watch.

[John Weaver] I have smitten you with blasting and mildew, when your gardens and your vineyards and your fig trees and your olive trees increased. The palmer worm devoured them, yet you have not returned unto me, saith the Lord. Wow! Verse 10, I've sent among you the pestilence after the manner of Egypt. Your young men have I slain with a sword. War! And I've taken away your horses, and I've made the stink of your camps to come up to your nostrils. Yet you've not returned unto Me, saith the Lord. Verse 11, I've overthrown some of you as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. That is, supernatural judgments.

[John Weaver] And you were as a firebrand plucked out of the burning. Yet you've not returned unto Me, saith the Lord. Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel, and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel." What did God say? You just haven't been listening. I've only given you My Word. I've given you all of these judgments. You think of all the judgments that we have seen in this country. Think of the drought and the famine. And think of the floods. And think of the tornadoes and the hurricanes. Think of the earthquakes. Yet, we do not listen. You mark it down.

[John Weaver] When a government, when a nation stiffens its neck and hardens its heart and refuses to bow the knee to the Lord Jesus Christ, it is marked for destruction. If you'll go back to 2 Chronicles 36, I'll show you the fifth mark. Here it is. Verse 14. This is absolutely amazing. 2 Chronicles 36, verse 14. Here's the fifth mark. Moreover, all the chief of the priests and the people transgressed very much after all the abominations of the heathen and polluted the house of the Lord which He had hallowed in Jerusalem. The fifth mark of death is the corruption of religion and of the ministry. Look at verse 14. Moreover, all the chief of the priests, the priests, even the chief of them, the priests who should have instructed the people in the duties of true worship, and should have retained the pure worship of God, even the chief priests were ringleaders in idolatry. Instead of remaining faithful, they led the way in compromising and forsaking the Lord and emulated the wickedness of the heathen.

[John Weaver] I want to tell you something, folks. It would not take long to examine the churches in this country and find all kinds of compromise and wickedness and hatefulness. I want you to hold this passage, but turn to Ezekiel chapter 8. I want to show you exactly what God said in relationship to His people. Ezekiel chapter 8, and let's begin reading there verse 7. Ezekiel 8 verse 7. We'll go through verse 18. Ezekiel chapter 8, notice verse 7.

[John Weaver] God is showing Ezekiel the corruption of the priests and the leaders. Ezekiel 8 verse 7, And he brought me into the door of the court. And when I looked, behold, a hole in the wall. They're talking about the court of the temple. Then said unto me, Son of man, dig now in the wall. When I digged in the wall, behold, a door. And he said unto me, Go in and behold the wicked abominations they do here. So I went in and saw and behold every form of creeping things, and abominable beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel portrayed upon the wall round about. And there stood before them seventy men of the ancients of the house of Israel. And in the midst of them stood Jezaniah, the son of Shaphan, with every man his censer in his hand, and a thick cloud of incense went up. And he said unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen what the ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark? Now watch! every man in the chambers of his imagery.

[John Weaver] For they say, The Lord seeth us not. The Lord hath forsaken the earth. He said unto me, Turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations than they do. And he brought me to the door of the gate of the Lord's house, which is toward the north. Behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz. Then he said unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? Turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations than these. And he brought me to the inner court of the Lord's house. Behold, at the door of the temple of the Lord, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men with their backs toward the temple of the Lord, and their faces toward the east, worshipping the sun. And they worshipped the sun toward the east. Then said he unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here?

[John Weaver] For they have filled the land with violence, and have returned to provoke me to anger, and lo, they put the branch to their nose. Therefore will I also deal in fury. Mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity. And though they cry, my ears will allow voice, yet will I not hear them." So what is God doing? He's showing Ezekiel all of the secret sins of the house of Israel.

[John Weaver] As it was then, so it is today. Let me ask, where are the preachers and teachers of the Word of God that are man enough and bold enough and godly enough to call our government and its leaders to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. When you stop and think of the ministry today, unhappily, many of the pastors and teachers are the worst adulterers, fornicators, compromisers, Thieves, tricksters, and fraud artists, and they're all in the pulpit.

[John Weaver] I just read of one church in Virginia who sacked their pastor, found out he was having only multiple affairs with women in the church, but he raped two little girls down in Florida. All I'm trying to show you is this, folks. There is a corruption in the ministry. I want to show you something else. I want you to go back in your Bibles to 2 Chronicles 36. I want you to watch this. I'm fixing to tie this together for us. We'll look in 2 Chronicles chapter 36 again. I want you to look at verse 14. We're talking about the corruption in the ministry now. Watch carefully.

[John Weaver] He says, moreover all the chief priests and the people transgressed very much after all the abominations of the heathen, and polluted the house of the Lord which He had hallowed in Jerusalem. Now, watch. Not only the chief priests, but the people. The people liked it. The people wanted it. Now, watch what happens. Watch what happens. Look in verse 15. And the Lord God of their fathers said to them, not only to the priests but to the people, by His messengers. So although there's a lot of corruption in the ministry, although there are a lot of false preachers, God still has His truth. And the Lord God of their fathers sent to them by His messengers, rising up in times and sending, because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place. Now watch, but they, that is the people and the priests, but they mocked the messengers of God, and despised His, that is God's words, and misused His prophets, until the wrath of the Lord rose against His people, till there was no riveting."

[John Weaver] Now, let me show you something. Why do you think God's prophets were mocked and despised? The answer is because, number one, the false prophets and the corrupted ministry had the power and the politics and the positions. Moreover, the people were not interested in obeying God and following God. They were wanting to follow the false leaders. It's interesting. It's interesting. You can stand up and preach the truth and everybody will turn away and walk away from it. And yet you get some guy that will stand up and preach Contrary to the truth and contrary to Christ, and people will flock to Him like everything. It's amazing. Look at all the cults that are flourishing that are absolutely contrary to Jesus Christ and contrary to His Word.

[John Weaver] What is that telling us? There's a corruption. It's a mark of death. How many preachers do you know today that cry out against sodomy? How many cry out against aborticide? How many cry out against socialism, communism and Marxism and economic fraud? How many cry out against governmental abuse, martial law and even a military police force? How many cry out against the sins of our nation? So let's ask the question, where are our preachers?

[John Weaver] The truth is, God's true preachers are probably few and far between and they're hated and despised, ridiculed and mocked, listened and isolated. Do you think those in control and power want to hear the truth? Do you think they want the people to hear the truth? The answer is no. What does that mean? It means that government That nation is marked for death. If we do not wish to die, we must repent and turn to the Lord. I want you to turn to one last passage. I want you to turn to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 4. Deuteronomy chapter 4. And I want to begin reading there with verse 5, and I want you to see what God says. Deuteronomy chapter 4 and verse 5. Look what God did for His people. Deuteronomy chapter 4, verse 5. Moses says, Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the Lord my God commanded me.

[John Weaver] that you should do so in the land whether you go to possess it. Now look what he says, Keep therefore and do them, for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations which shall hear all these statutes and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people. For what nation is there so great, who with God so nigh unto them, as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon Him for. And what nation is there so great that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law which I set before you this day?" The mark of God's people and the mark of God's government and the mark of God's nation is a people, is a government, is a nation that observes God's law and God's word.

[John Weaver] I just read, I did not even have time to read it all, and it just blows my mind. I think it was the Department of Parks and Recreation, the federal branch, that is now posting signs on Islam and how Islam has really elevated and honored women. Really? Really? All I'm trying to show you is this, folks. When you have a government and a nation that refuses to honor and recognize God's preachers, refuses to honor and humble themselves at His Word, and refuses to keep their oath and their covenant, and refuses to hear and be warned and repent after repeated admonitions. And when you see a corruption of the ministry and religion as a whole, and the downtrodden truth of God, and the elevation of heresy and evil, you can marker down that that government and that nation is marked for death. What did God say?

[John Weaver] He said He gave them up till there was no remedy. The only remedy left was destruction. Therefore He brought upon them the King of the Chaldees, who slew young man and maiden, old man and him that stooped for age. He gave them all into His hands. You know, our Lord said it very plainly in Luke 13. Repent or perish. And we must not only repent individually, familially, ecclesiastically, but nationally.

[John Weaver] If you'd read Ezra 9, and I believe it's Nehemiah 9, you'll find that those two godly men not only confessed their sins, they also confess the sins of their nation. And it's about time we get on with some confessing and some repenting, or else there will be no remedy. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee this day. We thank You for Your love, Your grace.

[John Weaver] Lord, look how gracious You've been to us. Look how longsuffering You've been to us. Look how merciful. The very fact that we're here today is indicative of the mercy of God. It is the Lord's mercies that we're not consumed. For Thy compassions, they fail not. They're new every morning. Great is Thy faithfulness. O Lord, awaken Thy people. Give us ears to hear and hearts to obey and minds to understand and a will to follow Thee and Thy Word.

[John Weaver] In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray. Amen.

[John Weaver] Thank you.

Marked For Death Governmental Destruction - Part 2 of 2

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	DfFq0r2-6ok
Subject	Civil Government
Course	Civil Government: Power, Nations, and Constitutional Order: War in the Gates
Genre	Sermon
Date	2013-12-31
Dictation Name
Book	Book 016: Marked for Death - Governmental Destruction — Chapter 2
Source Timed Segments	77

Formatted Transcript

Introduction and Review

Weaver reviews the first two marks of governmental destruction from the previous sermon: failure to honor God's representatives and failure to humble themselves under God's Word.

So 2 Chronicles chapter 36. You remember I began a message last week which I entitled, "Marked for Death, Governmental Destruction." So if you'll look in 2 Chronicles chapter 36, let's begin reading there with verse 10. 2 Chronicles 36 verse 10:

Scripture Reading — 2 Chronicles 36:10-17

"And when the year was expired, King Nebuchadnezzar sent and brought him to Babylon, with the goodly vessels of the house of the Lord, and made Zedekiah his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem. And Zedekiah was one and twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord his God, and humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet, speaking from the mouth of the Lord. And he also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God: but he stiffened his neck and hardened his heart from turning unto the Lord God of Israel. Moreover, all the chief of the priests and the people transgressed very much after all the abominations of the heathen, and polluted the house of the Lord, which he had hallowed in Jerusalem." "And the Lord God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes and sending; because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place. But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people, till there was no remedy. Therefore he brought upon them the king of the Chaldees, who slew their young men with a sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion upon young man or maiden, old man, or him that stooped for age."

He gave them all into his hand. Now, last week I began a message which I entitled, "Marked for Death, Governmental Destruction." And I told you that the title of the message was actually—I thought about it as I was reading 2 Chronicles 36—of an old Steven Seagal movie that was made back in 1990, which was titled "Marked for Death." And that movie was about drug runners and folks who were fighting the drug dealers. And you know, I got to thinking, you know, that title is an excellent title for exactly what God is teaching us here in 2 Chronicles chapter 36, because it's not just individuals oftentimes that are marked for death, it is governments and nations as well. So in this last message, the first message I brought on this subject, I demonstrated to you from Scripture where God is in absolute total control. He is the sovereign God of heaven and earth. In fact, the Bible teaches us that He is the governor among the nations.

Now listen very quickly to Job 12 and verse 23. Listen to what God says: "He," that is God,

Scripture Reading — Job 12:23

"increases the nations and destroys them: He enlarges the nations and straiteneth them."

So it's God then who increases and destroys. It's God who brings them into straits and it's God who enlarges them. So, God is in absolute control. The Bible says in Isaiah 40, verses 15 through 17, I want you to listen to what the Bible says about nations, because when you and I think of nations, when we just think of China, what, a billion people? Or more? Who knows? But when we think of the nations, we think of, oh man, that's gigantic. But listen to this.

"Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing. And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering. All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity." So all the greatness that you and I conceive of and think about in our nations and nationalities, God says they're nothing compared to Him. And He's in absolute total control. Charles Haddon Spurgeon said this: "Men forget that all things are ordained in heaven. They see but the human force and the carnal passion, but the unseen Lord is far more real than these. He is at work behind and within the cloud. The foolish dream is that He is not, but He is near even now and on the way to bring in His hand that cup of spiced wine of vengeance, one drop of which shall stagger all of His foes."

And that's not only true of individuals, that's also true of governments, that's also true of nations as well. Now when I began this message last week, I asked, have you ever considered or wondered how governments die or how nations die? I also asked, are there any discernible marks or is there any way that we can tell when a nation happens to be in its death throes? And I gave the answer, yes, there are marks. There are five marks given to us in our text. Now, we covered two of those marks last week. So, when we're talking about a nation or government being marked for death, the first mark was this: when a nation reaches the point that it fails to recognize and honor God's representatives.

For instance, if you look in verse 12 concerning King Zedekiah: "And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, and humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet." In other words, Jeremiah was nothing to the king. The king, he thought, had all power, he had the position, he had the prerogatives, and he just refused to acknowledge Jeremiah. He would not humble himself. In other words, he mocked him, he disdained him, he counted him as absolutely nothing. And I said this last week and I want to say it again. A nation's attitude toward God's preachers is indicative of the state of that nation as well as the state of the hearts of individuals. And a quick perusal through the Word of God will demonstrate that very clearly. You remember even Elisha was mocked by young people. They said to Elisha, "Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head."

Evidently, he didn't have much hair either, brother. And what did he do? He turned around and cursed them in the name of the Lord, and two she-bears came out of the wood and tore forty and two of them. So, make sure that you understand that an individual's and a nation's attitude towards God's representatives is indeed indicative of the state of their heart. The second mark that I pointed out last week is also in verse 12: "And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, and humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet." Note this: "speaking from the mouth of the Lord." So the second mark of a government or a nation that's marked for death is a failure of the civil rulers to humble themselves under the Word of God. Now I pointed out last week that God's Word is not good advice that men may accept or reject at their pleasure, but rather it is His command that they despise and reject at His peril.

For instance, hold 2 Chronicles 36, but very quickly turn in your Bibles to Psalm 2. Notice if you would, Psalm 2. 2 Chronicles 36, hold it, but go to Psalm 2. And I want you to notice, if you would, what the Word of God says concerning the civil rulers. Watch this carefully. Psalm 2, verse 1. The psalmist asked,

Scripture Reading — Psalm 2:1-5, 12

"Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?"

Now remember, a vain thing is something useless, foolish, stupid, worthless. Now, look what happens in verse 2.

Scripture Reading — Psalm 2:1-5, 12

"The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision."

"Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure." Notice if you would please, here are all of these kings and rulers seeking to violate God's boundaries, break His chains, loose His bonds, and God's going to laugh and God's going to have them in derision. Now skip down to verse 12 and look at God's admonition to the civil rulers. He tells them, "Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little." "Blessed are all they that put their trust in him." So, the Word of God is teaching us very clearly, that those who refuse to humble themselves at the Word of God, shall indeed be destroyed by God and His righteous and just vengeance. So, notice if you would, the first two marks are number one, a failure to honor God's representatives, number two, a failure to humble themselves under the word of God.

Third Mark: Failure to Honor Oaths and Covenants

Zedekiah rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar, breaking his oath sworn by God. God avenges covenant-breaking, as seen in Zedekiah's horrific judgment.

And if you'll go back to 2 Chronicles chapter 36, and look at verse 13, here you come to the third mark of death. Notice if you would, verse 13, the Bible says, "And he," that is Zedekiah, "also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God: but he stiffened his neck and hardened his heart from turning unto the Lord God of Israel." So the third mark of death is when a nation or a government fails to honor their oaths and covenants. May I remind you that it was Nebuchadnezzar who made Zedekiah king. Look back in verse 10. "And when the year was expired, King Nebuchadnezzar sent and brought him," that is Jehoiachin, "he brought him to Babylon with the goodly vessels of the house of the Lord and made Zedekiah his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem." So it was Nebuchadnezzar then who made Zedekiah king. Now I want you to note, Zedekiah took an oath of allegiance to Nebuchadnezzar as he was installed in his kingdom. For instance, in verse 13, "and he rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God."

So, Zedekiah then, had sworn fealty and constant obedience, by the name of God, to Nebuchadnezzar. And what Nebuchadnezzar was doing was this. He said, "You profess to be the people of Jehovah? You profess to serve and worship Him." "Now you swear by Him to me that you're going to obey me." So, Zedekiah's rebellion against Nebuchadnezzar was aggravated now by his perjury and his contempt of God. So, mark this down. Zedekiah received his crown on the express condition of swearing a solemn oath of fealty to and serving the king of Babylon. So what did he do? He rebelled. He revolted. He violated his oath and held God in contempt by disregarding his oath and joining in league with Pharaoh Hophra of Egypt.

So here's what has happened. Zedekiah's own pride, his own stubbornness, his own rebellion, along with the incurable idolatry of the people, and their constant disregard for prophetic warnings, have now brought them down to where Nebuchadnezzar is going to destroy them. In fact, Nebuchadnezzar became the executioner of divine vengeance, and he commenced a third siege of Jerusalem. And then under this third siege, the temple is destroyed, the temple is looted, walls are broken down, everything is burned, and Judah is overthrown.

Now, I want to show you something right now. I want to show you two things, but first of all, I want you to understand the violation of Zedekiah's oath from God's perspective. I want you to hold 2 Chronicles 36, but turn in your Bibles to the book of Ezekiel chapter 17. Ezekiel 17, and we're going to look at verses 11 through 21. Ezekiel 17, because God is here speaking about Zedekiah. Notice if you would, Ezekiel chapter 17, and let's begin reading there with verse 11. Notice, if you would, we're talking about Zedekiah's violation of his oath, not only to Nebuchadnezzar, but to God, for he had sworn by God. Ezekiel 17, verse 11. "Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Say now to the rebellious house, Know ye not what these things mean?"

"Tell them, Behold, the king of Babylon is come to Jerusalem, and hath taken the king thereof, and the princes thereof, and led them with him to Babylon; and hath taken of the king's seed, and made a covenant with him, and hath taken an oath of him: he hath also taken the mighty of the land: that the kingdom might be base, that it might not lift itself up, but that by keeping of his covenant it might stand." I'll explain that in just a moment. "But he rebelled against him in sending his ambassadors into Egypt, that they might give him horses and much people. Shall he prosper?" "Shall he escape that doeth such things? or shall he break the covenant, and be delivered?"

Now remember, he is sworn by God. And what has he done? He's sent down to Egypt for horses and for an army. God asks, "Shall he escape that doeth such things? or shall he break that covenant, and be delivered?" Watch what he says in verse 16. "As I live, saith the Lord God, surely in the place where the king dwelleth that made him king, whose oath he despised, and whose covenant he brake, even with him in the midst of Babylon he shall die. Neither shall Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company make for him in the war, by casting up mounts, and building forts, to cut off many persons: seeing he despised the oath by breaking the covenant, when, lo, he had given his hand, and hath done all these things, he shall not escape." Watch. "Therefore thus saith the Lord God; As I live, surely mine oath that he hath despised, and my covenant that he hath broken, even it will I recompense upon his own head. And I will spread my net upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare, and I will bring him to Babylon, and will plead with him there for his trespass that he hath trespassed against me."

"And all his fugitives with all his bands shall fall by the sword, and they that remain shall be scattered toward all winds: and ye shall know that I the Lord have spoken it." Now God says, look, He gave His Word. He swore by an oath to Me. And God says, you think I'm going to let Him get away with it? He's violated it. The one who made him king is going to take him to Babylon and he's going to die there.

Now, I want you to turn to 2 Kings chapter 25. Because I want you to see the judgment that God brought upon Zedekiah for despising the oath and violating the covenant. 2 Kings chapter 25. And I want you to look at the first seven verses. This is an interesting passage. I might add it was a horrible judgment that was inflicted upon Zedekiah for the violation of his oath and covenant. So 2 Kings chapter 25 begin in there with verse 1.

Notice, "And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came, he, and all his host, against Jerusalem, and pitched against it; and they built forts against it round about. And the city was besieged unto the eleventh year of king Zedekiah." So Zedekiah held out about a year and a half. "And on the ninth day of the fourth month the famine prevailed in the city, and there was no bread for the people of the land. And the city was broken up, and all the men of war fled by night by the way of the gate between two walls, which is by the king's garden: (now the Chaldees were against the city round about:) and the king went the way toward the plain. And the army of the Chaldees pursued after the king, and overtook him in the plains of Jericho: and all his army were scattered from him. So they took the king, and brought him up to the king of Babylon to Riblah."

"And they gave judgment upon him." Now watch what happened. "And they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him with fetters of brass, and carried him to Babylon." So the last thing that Zedekiah saw with his eyes was his sons being murdered, slain. And then he was carried to Babylon where he died.

The Sacredness of Oaths

Scripture commands keeping oaths made in God's name. A man who breaks his oath to God cannot be trusted to keep oaths to men.

Now it should be etched in our understanding the consequences of oath breaking. Zedekiah refused to make himself a servant to God, and therefore he became a servant and a slave to his enemies. Those who refuse to be humbled under the Word of God will ultimately be humbled by divine wrath. Now I want you to just stop and think how simple this really is. I tell people life can really be simple. It really can. All we have to do is obey. Do you realize, if Zedekiah had submitted himself and obeyed God, ruin would not have been brought upon him, his government, his people, and his nation. On the other hand, if Zedekiah had kept his oath and his covenant that he had given to Nebuchadnezzar, all that ruin and all that desolation still would not have come upon him. What God is teaching us is that an oath is a sacred thing.

And all who violate their oaths are considered the worst of men. They are considered men who have abandoned God and consequently they are to be abhorred and avoided at all cost. Now it is true that Nebuchadnezzar was a heathen. Nebuchadnezzar was an enemy. Yet, Zedekiah had sworn by an oath unto God to him. And scripture teaches us that God is the avenger of all such men who are covenant breakers and oath breakers. So this should teach us that we're required to keep our oaths, especially when we swear by the one true and the living God.

Now I want you to listen, if you would, just to a couple of scriptures. I want you to think of these. God said in Leviticus chapter 19 and verse 12, "And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the Lord." Now if you're not to swear by God's name falsely, that means when you swear by His name, it is to be in truth. In fact, in Deuteronomy 6 and verse 13, listen now,

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 10:20

"Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name."

Wow! And then when you get to Deuteronomy 10 and verse 20, again God says,

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 10:20

"Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God; him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name."

In other words, what God is teaching us is this, that oaths are sacred things. And especially when we give an oath and when we swear by God, God requires us to keep our oaths. Unless, of course, an oath is made in violation to Him and His Word. I can give you one illustration where it would have been right to break an oath. Do you remember how King Herod swore to his, I guess, adopted daughter, after she danced before them, "I'll give you whatever you ask, up to the half of my kingdom." And she said, "Give me the head of John the Baptist in a charger." And the Bible said the king was sad, yet nevertheless for his oath's sake. What?

So it's alright to commit murder? No, no, it's not right to commit murder. He should not have violated his oath. He should have said, "I've sinned, I've spoken wrongly, I can't do this, this is wicked and wrong." But if it's not contrary to God and God's Word, God requires us to keep our oaths. In the book of Numbers chapter 30 and verse 2, here's what God says, "If a man vow a vow unto the Lord, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth."

Now let me ask you a question. If a man will not keep his oath to God, what makes you think he'll keep an oath to his fellow men? One of the problems that we have in our country is with unsaved and ungodly politicians who do not understand this simple fact. They have no allegiance to God and consequently they have no allegiance to their people. They live for themselves alone. I almost laugh when I hear politicians. And they've been caught in adultery or they've been caught in sodomy. And then they come up with this, "Well, my private life is my private business." I've got news for you. If you will violate your oath to your wife, what makes me think you won't violate your oath to me? I want you to turn very quickly in your Bibles to Luke chapter 18. 2 Chronicles 36. Look in Luke chapter 18.

Let me show you how our Lord epitomizes the average politician. Look in Luke chapter 18, and let's begin reading there with verse 2. Watch if you would how our Lord speaks of this judge. Luke 18 verse 2.

Scripture Reading — Luke 18:2-6

"Saying, There was in a city a judge,"

now watch this judge,

Scripture Reading — Luke 18:2-6

"which feared not God, neither regarded man: And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary."

Modern Politicians as Covenant-Breakers

Like the unjust judge in Luke 18, modern politicians often fear not God nor regard man, living for self-interest and breaking oaths.

"And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me." Now, I want you to note, our Lord says in verse 6, "And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith." Did you hear what he said? "Though I fear not God, nor regard man." He said, "I'm going to avenge this little woman." Why? Not out of regard for justice, not out of regard for right and wrong, not out of regard for truth. "I'm going to avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me."

So his oath meant absolutely nothing to him. The people meant nothing to him. Right and wrong meant nothing to him. Justice meant nothing to him. The only thing that mattered with this judge was his convenience. That's all. Let me tell you something, folks. This judge lived solely for his own benefit and convenience and that is it. Do you realize it is the same that is true with modern-day politicians?

Most of them, there may be a few exceptions, but most of them sing a good song. But when it comes to practicality, it's all about them. It's all about getting elected or it's all about getting re-elected. Or it's all about establishing themselves or their party. Everything is for them and they refuse and reject anything that is biblical and or constitutional.

Now I'm trying to show you this third mark of a government or nation that is marked for destruction is when that government fails to honor its oaths and its covenants. Unhappily, our government has been known as a covenant breaker and an oath breaker for ages. And if you don't believe that, I want to challenge you to do something. I want to challenge you to read a little history and study a little history and see how deceitfully our own government dealt with the American Indians.

Historical Examples of American Covenant-Breaking

The U.S. government has a long history of breaking treaties with Native Americans through fraud and deceit, illustrating national covenant-breaking.

You're going to find that most of their land was confiscated through fraud and deceit. I have several books at home. Some of the land was confiscated because they got the Indians drunk and made them sign their names. And sometimes our government nominated certain Indians chief and leaders and got them to sign the paper when the Indians had nothing to do with the tribe whose land they were signing away. It was all fraud and all deceit. Luther Standing Bear, an American Indian, said this, talking about the federal government, he said, "They made us many promises, more than I can remember, but they never kept but one. They promised to take our land and they took it."

"It was not hard to see that the white people coveted every inch of land on which we lived. Greed. Humans wanted the last bit of ground which supported Indian feet. It was land, it has ever been land, for which the white man oppresses the Indian and to gain possession of which he commits any crime. Treaties that have been made are vain attempts to save a little of the fatherland. Treaty is holy to us by the smoke of the pipe, but nothing is holy to the white man. Little by little, with greed and cruelty unsurpassed by the animal, he's taken all. The loaf is gone, and now the white man wants the crumbs." It was Chief Sitting Bull who said this, "What treaty that the whites have kept has the red man broken? Not one." I was astounded because as I was studying this, one author said this. Listen carefully. This blew my mind. "Native Americans stood little chance against the surging white population. Eventually, the United States government would seize two billion acres of Indian territories."

Two billion acres. Wow. I've told you in times past that one of my favorite movies, I guess the favorite western, is "The Outlaw Josey Wales." I probably haven't seen it but twenty times. But, one of my favorite scenes in that movie is when Josey Wales rides to the camp of Ten Bears, the Comanche chief, and is going to try to have an honest agreement, an honest settlement with him, so that they can live on Comanche land. And Wales tells them that they can either choose to live together or die together. Here's what one critic said of this dialogue. I want you to listen. "The exchange between the two men serves as a critique of the United States government policy from the perspective of both men. Wales notes that with governments you don't always get a fair word or a fair fight. This recalls the massacre of his unarmed comrades by the Union Army." And I might also add the murdering of his wife and children by the Red Legs. "While Ten Bears remarks that it is sad that governments are chiefed by the double-tongued." So here's Josey saying, the government is bad. They slew our men. They slew my family. And Ten Bears says they never keep their word. And it's later on in that movie that Ten Bears said, in that same scene though, he says, "Paper cannot hold the words of iron." I want you to understand something, folks. Paper is no better than the men who sign it. And if men are not going to honor their oath, if they're not going to honor their covenant, the paper is absolutely worthless. It is a mere scrap of paper.

I've told you, when I was a boy, I have seen my father make multi-thousand dollar deals with other farmers just by shaking hands. No paper was signed. They kept their word. They did what they said they were going to do. Today, you better get the man's word, you better get it on paper, you better get it notarized, and that still doesn't mean anything. Because the paper is no better than the men who sign it. One of the characteristics of a godly man in Psalm 15 verse 4 is this, "He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not." Now, since Psalm 15 verse 4 is true, where does that leave our own government?

Fourth Mark: Failure to Repent Despite Warnings

Zedekiah stiffened his neck and hardened his heart. God warns through preachers and judgments, but impenitence leads to sudden destruction.

Because it is transgression, it is perjury, it is rebellion. And as Ezekiel chapter 17, God said, "I will avenge such. I'll take care of it." If you go back in your Bibles to 2 Chronicles chapter 36, I want you to look very quickly at the fourth point. The fourth evidence of being marked for death. You'll find it in verse 13. Notice 2 Chronicles 36 and verse 13. "And he also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar who had made him swear by God: but he stiffened his neck and hardened his heart from turning unto the Lord God of Israel." So the fourth mark of death is a failure to repent in the face of numerous warnings and admonitions. Notice what he did. He stiffened his neck and hardened his heart from turning to the Lord God of Israel.

He wouldn't listen to Jeremiah. I don't care how many times Jeremiah taught him, or preached him, or warned him. He just simply would not listen. Do you realize that one of the clearest warnings in the Word of God is found in Proverbs 29 in verse 1. I want you to just listen. Here it is. "He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy."

Scripture Reading — Proverbs 29:1

Do you remember that passage in 2 Chronicles 36? God sent the Chaldees and destroyed them all till there was no remedy. That's exactly what Proverbs 29 verse 1 says. And incidentally, by the way, Nebuchadnezzar, who exacted such a price from Zedekiah, also had a price exacted on himself, because in Daniel 5 and verse 20 we read about Nebuchadnezzar, "But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him." And you remember how he was driven like a wild animal and for seven years ate grass like an ox.

Now the truth is this. This not only happens to individuals, it happens to governments, it happens to nations as well. I want you to listen to what Nehemiah said about Israel as a whole. Listen carefully. Nehemiah 9 verse 16. "But they and our fathers dealt proudly, and hardened their necks, and hearkened not to thy commandments." Did you hear that? "And hearkened not to thy commandments." How many of our civil rulers hearken to God's commandments? In Jeremiah 19 in verse 15, listen now, "Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring upon this city and upon all her towns all the evil that I have pronounced against it, because they have hardened their necks, that they might not hear my words."

You know, the problem is this. Many people think that just because God does not smite a man or government or nation instantly, that somehow that man or that government or that nation is going to get away with their sin. No. You've got to remember that God is gracious, He is merciful, He is long-suffering, that is for sure. But do you remember what God told Abraham? He said, in Genesis 15, He said,

Scripture Reading — Genesis 15:13-16

"Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years."

Why? He said in the next verse,

Scripture Reading — Genesis 15:13-16

"for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full."

And guess what? After 400 years, God brought the children of Israel out of Egypt, put a sword in their hand, and said, "Slay every one of them, kill them all." 400 years God waited, and yet He destroyed them. Look how many times Pharaoh was warned. Look at all the plagues that he saw. And what did he do every time? He hardened his heart against God, and yet God brought him down.

It doesn't matter if men are not smitten instantly, or governments, or nations. God moves in His time. I want you to hold 2 Chronicles, but turn in your Bibles to Amos chapter 4. Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos. Look in Amos chapter 4. I know I've used this passage before, but I want you to see this. I want you to understand that God has a variety of ways of warning governments and nations.

It's true He warns through His preachers, through His Word. But He also warns through various judgments. Look what He said. Amos chapter 4, beginning there with verse 6. Watch carefully.

Scripture Reading — Amos 4:6-12

"And I also have given you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, and want of bread in all your places: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord."

That is, He sent famine. It didn't do any good. Verse 7,

Scripture Reading — Amos 4:6-12

"And also I have withholden the rain from you, when there were yet three months to the harvest: and I caused it to rain upon one city, and caused it not to rain upon another city: one piece was rained upon, and the piece whereupon it rained not withered. So two or three cities wandered unto one city, to drink water; but they were not satisfied: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord."

So God has not only used famine, now he has used drought. Watch.

"I have smitten you with blasting and mildew: when your gardens and your vineyards and your fig trees and your olive trees increased, the palmerworm devoured them: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord." Wow! Verse 10, "I have sent among you the pestilence after the manner of Egypt: your young men have I slain with the sword, and have taken away your horses; and I have made the stink of your camps to come up unto your nostrils: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord." Verse 11, "I have overthrown some of you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah." That is, supernatural judgments. "And ye were as a firebrand plucked out of the burning: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord. Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel." What did God say? You just haven't been listening. I've not only given you My Word. I've given you all of these judgments. You think of all the judgments that we have seen in this country. Think of the drought and the famine. And think of the floods. And think of the tornadoes and the hurricanes. Think of the earthquakes. Yet, we do not listen. You mark it down.

Fifth Mark: Corruption of Religion and the Ministry

The chief priests led in idolatry and polluted the temple. Corrupt ministers and false religion mark a nation for death.

When a government, when a nation stiffens its neck and hardens its heart and refuses to bow the knee to the Lord Jesus Christ, it is marked for destruction. If you'll go back to 2 Chronicles 36, I'll show you the fifth mark. Here it is. Verse 14. This is absolutely amazing. 2 Chronicles 36, verse 14. Here's the fifth mark. "Moreover all the chief of the priests, and the people, transgressed very much after all the abominations of the heathen; and polluted the house of the Lord which he had hallowed in Jerusalem." The fifth mark of death is the corruption of religion and of the ministry. Look at verse 14. "Moreover all the chief of the priests," the priests, even the chief of them, the priests who should have instructed the people in the duties of true worship, and should have retained the pure worship of God, even the chief priests were ringleaders in idolatry. Instead of remaining faithful, they led the way in compromising and forsaking the Lord and emulated the wickedness of the heathen.

I want to tell you something, folks. It would not take long to examine the churches in this country and find all kinds of compromise and wickedness and hatefulness. I want you to hold this passage, but turn to Ezekiel chapter 8. I want to show you exactly what God said in relationship to His people. Ezekiel chapter 8, and let's begin reading there verse 7. Ezekiel 8 verse 7. We'll go through verse 18. Ezekiel chapter 8, notice verse 7.

God is showing Ezekiel the corruption of the priests and the leaders. Ezekiel 8 verse 7,

Scripture Reading — Ezekiel 8:7-18

"And he brought me to the door of the court; and when I looked, behold a hole in the wall."

They're talking about the court of the temple.

Scripture Reading — Ezekiel 8:7-18

"Then said he unto me, Son of man, dig now in the wall: and when I had digged in the wall, behold a door. And he said unto me, Go in, and behold the wicked abominations that they do here. So I went in and saw; and behold every form of creeping things, and abominable beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel, pourtrayed upon the wall round about. And there stood before them seventy men of the ancients of the house of Israel, and in the midst of them stood Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan, with every man his censer in his hand; and a thick cloud of incense went up. Then said he unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen what the ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark?"

Now watch!

Scripture Reading — Ezekiel 8:7-18

"every man in the chambers of his imagery."

"For they say, The Lord seeth us not; the Lord hath forsaken the earth. He said also unto me, Turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations that they do. Then he brought me to the door of the gate of the Lord's house which was toward the north; and, behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz. Then said he unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations than these. And he brought me into the inner court of the Lord's house, and, behold, at the door of the temple of the Lord, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of the Lord, and their faces toward the east; and they worshipped the sun toward the east. Then he said unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here?"

"For they have filled the land with violence, and have returned to provoke me to anger: and, lo, they put the branch to their nose. Therefore will I also deal in fury: mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: and though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice, yet will I not hear them." So what is God doing? He's showing Ezekiel all of the secret sins of the house of Israel. As it was then, so it is today. Let me ask, where are the preachers and teachers of the Word of God that are man enough and bold enough and godly enough to call our government and its leaders to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ? When you stop and think of the ministry today, unhappily, many of the pastors and teachers are the worst adulterers, fornicators, compromisers, thieves, tricksters, and fraud artists, and they're all in the pulpit.

The Rejection of God's Messengers

Despite God's compassion, the people mocked His messengers. True preachers are hated, while false ones flourish, signaling impending judgment.

He says, "Moreover all the chief of the priests, and the people, transgressed very much after all the abominations of the heathen; and polluted the house of the Lord which he had hallowed in Jerusalem." Now, watch. Not only the chief priests, but the people. The people liked it. The people wanted it. Now, watch what happens. Watch what happens. Look in verse 15. "And the Lord God of their fathers sent to them," not only to the priests but to the people, "by his messengers." So although there's a lot of corruption in the ministry, although there are a lot of false preachers, God still has His truth. "And the Lord God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place." Now watch, "But they," that is the people and the priests, "but they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people, till there was no remedy."

Now, let me show you something. Why do you think God's prophets were mocked and despised? The answer is because, number one, the false prophets and the corrupted ministry had the power and the politics and the positions. Moreover, the people were not interested in obeying God and following God. They were wanting to follow the false leaders. It's interesting. It's interesting. You can stand up and preach the truth and everybody will turn away and walk away from it. And yet you get some guy that will stand up and preach contrary to the truth and contrary to Christ, and people will flock to him like everything. It's amazing. Look at all the cults that are flourishing that are absolutely contrary to Jesus Christ and contrary to His Word.

What is that telling us? There's a corruption. It's a mark of death. How many preachers do you know today that cry out against sodomy? How many cry out against aborticide? How many cry out against socialism, communism and Marxism and economic fraud? How many cry out against governmental abuse, martial law and even a military police force? How many cry out against the sins of our nation? So let's ask the question, where are our preachers?

The truth is, God's true preachers are probably few and far between and they're hated and despised, ridiculed and mocked, listened and isolated. Do you think those in control and power want to hear the truth? Do you think they want the people to hear the truth? The answer is no. What does that mean? It means that government, that nation is marked for death. If we do not wish to die, we must repent and turn to the Lord. I want you to turn to one last passage. I want you to turn to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 4. Deuteronomy chapter 4. And I want to begin reading there with verse 5, and I want you to see what God says. Deuteronomy chapter 4 and verse 5. Look what God did for His people. Deuteronomy chapter 4, verse 5. Moses says, "Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the Lord my God commanded me."

Call to National Repentance

A nation that observes God's law is great. America exhibits all five marks and must repent nationally or face destruction without remedy.

"that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it." Now look what he says, "Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people. For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him for? And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day?" The mark of God's people and the mark of God's government and the mark of God's nation is a people, is a government, is a nation that observes God's law and God's word.

I just read, I did not even have time to read it all, and it just blows my mind. I think it was the Department of Parks and Recreation, the federal branch, that is now posting signs on Islam and how Islam has really elevated and honored women. Really? Really? All I'm trying to show you is this, folks. When you have a government and a nation that refuses to honor and recognize God's preachers, refuses to honor and humble themselves at His Word, and refuses to keep their oath and their covenant, and refuses to hear and be warned and repent after repeated admonitions, and when you see a corruption of the ministry and religion as a whole, and the downtrodden truth of God, and the elevation of heresy and evil, you can mark it down that that government and that nation is marked for death. What did God say?

He said He gave them up till there was no remedy. The only remedy left was destruction. "Therefore he brought upon them the king of the Chaldees, who slew their young men with the sword... and had no compassion upon young man or maiden, old man, or him that stooped for age: he gave them all into his hand." You know, our Lord said it very plainly in Luke 13, "Repent or perish." And we must not only repent individually, familially, ecclesiastically, but nationally. If you'd read Ezra 9, and I believe it's Nehemiah 9, you'll find that those two godly men not only confessed their sins, they also confessed the sins of their nation. And it's about time we get on with some confessing and some repenting, or else there will be no remedy. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee this day. We thank You for Your love, Your grace.

Study Guide

Major Themes

God's Sovereignty Over Nations

Summary: God is in absolute control of nations, increasing and destroying them according to His will.

Evidence: Job 12:23: 'He increases the nations and destroys them: He enlarges the nations and straiteneth them.'

The Sacredness of Oaths

Summary: Oaths made in God's name are binding and sacred; God avenges those who break them.

Evidence: Ezekiel 17:19: 'mine oath that he hath despised, and my covenant that he hath broken, even it will I recompense upon his own head.'

Impenitence and Hardness of Heart

Summary: Refusing to repent after repeated warnings leads to sudden, irremediable destruction.

Evidence: Proverbs 29:1: 'He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.'

Corruption of Religious Leadership

Summary: When priests and ministers lead in idolatry and compromise, it is a sign of national decay and coming judgment.

Evidence: 2 Chronicles 36:14: 'all the chief of the priests... transgressed very much after all the abominations of the heathen.'

National Repentance Required

Summary: Nations must repent of covenant-breaking, idolatry, and rejection of God's Word to avoid destruction.

Evidence: Luke 13: 'Repent or perish.'

Key Arguments

Oath-breaking brings divine vengeance

Summary: Zedekiah's violation of his oath to Nebuchadnezzar, sworn by God, resulted in the slaughter of his sons, his blinding, and exile.

Evidence: 2 Kings 25:7: 'they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah.'

Covenant-breaking politicians cannot be trusted

Summary: If a man breaks his oath to God, he will not keep his oath to men; modern politicians exemplify this.

Evidence: Luke 18:2: 'a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man.'

America's history of treaty-breaking

Summary: The U.S. government has a long record of breaking treaties with Native Americans, demonstrating national covenant-breaking.

Evidence: Luther Standing Bear: 'They made us many promises... but they never kept but one. They promised to take our land and they took it.'

Hardness of heart leads to destruction

Summary: Zedekiah stiffened his neck and hardened his heart, refusing to turn to God despite Jeremiah's warnings.

Evidence: 2 Chronicles 36:13: 'he stiffened his neck and hardened his heart from turning unto the Lord God of Israel.'

God warns through judgments

Summary: God sends famine, drought, pestilence, and other calamities to call nations to repentance, but they often do not return to Him.

Evidence: Amos 4:6-11: 'yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord.'

Corrupt ministers lead people astray

Summary: The chief priests were ringleaders in idolatry, and the people followed them into abominations.

Evidence: Ezekiel 8:10-11: 'every form of creeping things... and all the idols of the house of Israel, pourtrayed upon the wall.'

True preachers are mocked and rejected

Summary: God's messengers are despised and misused, while false prophets flourish, indicating a nation ripe for judgment.

Evidence: 2 Chronicles 36:16: 'they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets.'

National greatness comes from obeying God's law

Summary: A nation is great when it observes God's statutes and judgments, which are righteous and wise.

Evidence: Deuteronomy 4:6-8: 'Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.'

Scripture References

2 Chronicles 36:10-17

Context: The primary text describing Zedekiah's reign, rebellion, and the destruction of Jerusalem.

Job 12:23

Context: God increases and destroys nations, demonstrating His sovereignty.

Isaiah 40:15-17

Context: Nations are as a drop of a bucket and counted as nothing before God.

Psalm 2:1-5, 12

Context: Kings and rulers rebel against God, but He laughs and warns them to kiss the Son.

Ezekiel 17:11-21

Context: God's pronouncement against Zedekiah for despising his oath and breaking the covenant.

2 Kings 25:1-7

Context: The siege of Jerusalem and the judgment on Zedekiah: his sons slain, his eyes put out.

Leviticus 19:12

Context: Command not to swear falsely by God's name.

Deuteronomy 6:13

Context: Command to fear God and swear by His name.

Deuteronomy 10:20

Context: Command to fear God, serve Him, and swear by His name.

Numbers 30:2

Context: A man must not break his word but do all that proceeds out of his mouth.

Luke 18:2-6

Context: The unjust judge who feared not God nor regarded man, illustrating selfish politicians.

Psalm 15:4

Context: A godly man swears to his own hurt and changes not.

Proverbs 29:1

Context: He who hardens his neck after reproof will be suddenly destroyed without remedy.

Daniel 5:20

Context: Nebuchadnezzar's heart was lifted up and hardened in pride, and he was deposed.

Nehemiah 9:16

Context: Israel dealt proudly and hardened their necks, not hearkening to God's commandments.

Jeremiah 19:15

Context: God brings evil because they hardened their necks and would not hear His words.

Genesis 15:13-16

Context: The iniquity of the Amorites was not yet full; God waited 400 years before judgment.

Amos 4:6-12

Context: God sent famine, drought, blight, pestilence, and overthrow, yet Israel did not return; prepare to meet God.

Ezekiel 8:7-18

Context: Ezekiel sees the secret idolatry of the elders and priests in the temple; God will not hear their cries.

Deuteronomy 4:5-8

Context: Observing God's statutes makes a nation great and wise in the sight of other nations.

Historical References

King Zedekiah

Context: Last king of Judah, installed by Nebuchadnezzar, rebelled and broke his oath, leading to Jerusalem's destruction.

Nebuchadnezzar

Context: King of Babylon who made Zedekiah king, later destroyed Jerusalem, and was himself humbled by God.

Jeremiah the prophet

Context: God's messenger to Zedekiah, whom the king refused to humble himself before.

Pharaoh Hophra of Egypt

Context: Zedekiah allied with Egypt in rebellion against Babylon, violating his oath.

American Indian treaties

Context: U.S. government broke numerous treaties with Native Americans, seizing two billion acres through fraud and deceit.

Luther Standing Bear

Context: Native American who said the government made many promises but only kept the one to take their land.

Chief Sitting Bull

Context: Stated that no treaty the whites kept had the red man broken.

The Outlaw Josey Wales (film)

Context: Dialogue between Josey Wales and Ten Bears critiques U.S. government as double-tongued and untrustworthy.

U.S. Constitution, Article 6

Context: Requires all officers to be bound by oath to support the Constitution, which is often violated.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Context: Quoted on God's unseen work behind human events and His coming vengeance.

Important Quotes

Men forget that all things are ordained in heaven. They see but the human force and the carnal passion, but the unseen Lord is far more real than these. He is at work behind and within the cloud. The foolish dream is that He is not, but He is near even now and on the way to bring in His hand that cup of spiced wine of vengeance, one drop of which shall stagger all of His foes.

Significance: Spurgeon's quote emphasizes God's sovereign control over history and the certainty of divine judgment, supporting the sermon's theme.

They made us many promises, more than I can remember, but they never kept but one. They promised to take our land and they took it.

Significance: Luther Standing Bear's statement illustrates the U.S. government's history of covenant-breaking with Native Americans.

What treaty that the whites have kept has the red man broken? Not one.

Significance: Chief Sitting Bull's rhetorical question underscores the consistent pattern of treaty violations by the U.S. government.

Paper cannot hold the words of iron.

Significance: From the film The Outlaw Josey Wales, this quote highlights that treaties are worthless without integrity.

He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.

Significance: Psalm 15:4 defines a godly man as one who keeps his oath even when it is costly, contrasting with covenant-breakers.

He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.

Significance: Proverbs 29:1 warns of the sudden destruction that comes upon those who refuse correction, a key mark of national death.

Repent or perish.

Significance: Jesus' simple command in Luke 13 summarizes the only escape from the judgment described in the sermon.

Discussion Questions

How does God's sovereignty over nations affect the way we view current political events?

Context: Weaver emphasizes that God increases and destroys nations according to His will.

In what ways do modern politicians demonstrate a lack of fear of God and regard for people, similar to the unjust judge in Luke 18?

Context: Weaver compares modern politicians to the judge who feared not God nor man.

What are some examples of covenant-breaking in our nation's history, and how should Christians respond to such injustices?

Context: Weaver cites the U.S. government's broken treaties with Native Americans.

Why is it significant that Zedekiah 'stiffened his neck and hardened his heart'? How does this apply to individuals and nations today?

Context: The fourth mark of death is impenitence despite warnings.

What forms of corruption in the ministry do you see today, and how do they contribute to national decay?

Context: Weaver describes the chief priests leading in idolatry and the people following.

How can we discern between true and false messengers of God in a time of widespread religious corruption?

Context: Weaver notes that God still sends true messengers even when false ones dominate.

What does national repentance look like, and what role should the church play in calling for it?

Context: Weaver calls for repentance individually, familially, ecclesiastically, and nationally.

How does the concept of 'no remedy' in 2 Chronicles 36:16 challenge our assumptions about God's patience?

Context: Weaver warns that there comes a point when judgment is inevitable.

Applications

Honor God's representatives

Summary: Recognize and respect God's true preachers and messengers, as a nation's attitude toward them reflects its spiritual state.

Evidence: 2 Chronicles 36:12: 'humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet.'

Keep your oaths

Summary: Be a person of integrity who keeps promises and oaths, especially those made in God's name, even when it is costly.

Evidence: Psalm 15:4: 'He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.'

Repent when warned

Summary: Do not harden your heart when confronted with sin; respond to God's warnings through His Word and circumstances.

Evidence: Proverbs 29:1: 'He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed.'

Discern true from false ministry

Summary: Test religious leaders by their adherence to Scripture; avoid those who compromise with idolatry and worldliness.

Evidence: Ezekiel 8:10-11: 'every form of creeping things... and all the idols of the house of Israel.'

Pray for national repentance

Summary: Confess not only personal sins but also the sins of the nation, following the examples of Ezra and Nehemiah.

Evidence: Ezra 9 and Nehemiah 9: examples of confessing national sins.

Submit to God's Word in all areas

Summary: Civil rulers and all people must humble themselves under the authority of Scripture, not treat it as optional advice.

Evidence: Psalm 2:12: 'Kiss the Son, lest he be angry.'

Evaluate political leaders by their oath-keeping

Summary: Support leaders who fear God and keep their oaths; be wary of those who break covenants for personal gain.

Evidence: Luke 18:2: 'a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man.'

Heed God's judgments as calls to return

Summary: View natural disasters and national crises as divine warnings to repent and turn back to God.

Evidence: Amos 4:6-12: 'yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord.'

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T19:27:38Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T12:25:21Z

Clean Transcript

Marked For Death Governmental Destruction - Part 2 of 2

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

So 2 Chronicles chapter 36. You remember I began a message last week which I entitled, "Marked for Death, Governmental Destruction." So if you'll look in 2 Chronicles chapter 36, let's begin reading there with verse 10. 2 Chronicles 36 verse 10: "And when the year was expired, King Nebuchadnezzar sent and brought him to Babylon, with the goodly vessels of the house of the Lord, and made Zedekiah his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem. And Zedekiah was one and twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord his God, and humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet, speaking from the mouth of the Lord. And he also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God: but he stiffened his neck and hardened his heart from turning unto the Lord God of Israel. Moreover, all the chief of the priests and the people transgressed very much after all the abominations of the heathen, and polluted the house of the Lord, which he had hallowed in Jerusalem."
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"And the Lord God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes and sending; because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place. But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people, till there was no remedy. Therefore he brought upon them the king of the Chaldees, who slew their young men with a sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion upon young man or maiden, old man, or him that stooped for age."
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He gave them all into his hand. Now, last week I began a message which I entitled, "Marked for Death, Governmental Destruction." And I told you that the title of the message was actually—I thought about it as I was reading 2 Chronicles 36—of an old Steven Seagal movie that was made back in 1990, which was titled "Marked for Death." And that movie was about drug runners and folks who were fighting the drug dealers. And you know, I got to thinking, you know, that title is an excellent title for exactly what God is teaching us here in 2 Chronicles chapter 36, because it's not just individuals oftentimes that are marked for death, it is governments and nations as well. So in this last message, the first message I brought on this subject, I demonstrated to you from Scripture where God is in absolute total control. He is the sovereign God of heaven and earth. In fact, the Bible teaches us that He is the governor among the nations.
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Now listen very quickly to Job 12 and verse 23. Listen to what God says: "He," that is God, "increases the nations and destroys them: He enlarges the nations and straiteneth them." So it's God then who increases and destroys. It's God who brings them into straits and it's God who enlarges them. So, God is in absolute control. The Bible says in Isaiah 40, verses 15 through 17, I want you to listen to what the Bible says about nations, because when you and I think of nations, when we just think of China, what, a billion people? Or more? Who knows? But when we think of the nations, we think of, oh man, that's gigantic. But listen to this.
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"Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing. And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering. All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity." So all the greatness that you and I conceive of and think about in our nations and nationalities, God says they're nothing compared to Him.
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And He's in absolute total control. Charles Haddon Spurgeon said this: "Men forget that all things are ordained in heaven. They see but the human force and the carnal passion, but the unseen Lord is far more real than these. He is at work behind and within the cloud. The foolish dream is that He is not, but He is near even now and on the way to bring in His hand that cup of spiced wine of vengeance, one drop of which shall stagger all of His foes."
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And that's not only true of individuals, that's also true of governments, that's also true of nations as well. Now when I began this message last week, I asked, have you ever considered or wondered how governments die or how nations die? I also asked, are there any discernible marks or is there any way that we can tell when a nation happens to be in its death throes? And I gave the answer, yes, there are marks. There are five marks given to us in our text. Now, we covered two of those marks last week. So, when we're talking about a nation or government being marked for death, the first mark was this: when a nation reaches the point that it fails to recognize and honor God's representatives.
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For instance, if you look in verse 12 concerning King Zedekiah: "And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, and humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet." In other words, Jeremiah was nothing to the king. The king, he thought, had all power, he had the position, he had the prerogatives, and he just refused to acknowledge Jeremiah. He would not humble himself. In other words, he mocked him, he disdained him, he counted him as absolutely nothing.
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And I said this last week and I want to say it again. A nation's attitude toward God's preachers is indicative of the state of that nation as well as the state of the hearts of individuals. And a quick perusal through the Word of God will demonstrate that very clearly. You remember even Elisha was mocked by young people. They said to Elisha, "Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head."
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Evidently, he didn't have much hair either, brother. And what did he do? He turned around and cursed them in the name of the Lord, and two she-bears came out of the wood and tore forty and two of them. So, make sure that you understand that an individual's and a nation's attitude towards God's representatives is indeed indicative of the state of their heart. The second mark that I pointed out last week is also in verse 12: "And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, and humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet." Note this: "speaking from the mouth of the Lord." So the second mark of a government or a nation that's marked for death is a failure of the civil rulers to humble themselves under the Word of God. Now I pointed out last week that God's Word is not good advice that men may accept or reject at their pleasure, but rather it is His command that they despise and reject at His peril.
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For instance, hold 2 Chronicles 36, but very quickly turn in your Bibles to Psalm 2. Notice if you would, Psalm 2. 2 Chronicles 36, hold it, but go to Psalm 2. And I want you to notice, if you would, what the Word of God says concerning the civil rulers. Watch this carefully. Psalm 2, verse 1. The psalmist asked, "Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?" Now remember, a vain thing is something useless, foolish, stupid, worthless. Now, look what happens in verse 2. "The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision."
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"Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure." Notice if you would please, here are all of these kings and rulers seeking to violate God's boundaries, break His chains, loose His bonds, and God's going to laugh and God's going to have them in derision. Now skip down to verse 12 and look at God's admonition to the civil rulers. He tells them, "Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little."
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"Blessed are all they that put their trust in him." So, the Word of God is teaching us very clearly, that those who refuse to humble themselves at the Word of God, shall indeed be destroyed by God and His righteous and just vengeance. So, notice if you would, the first two marks are number one, a failure to honor God's representatives, number two, a failure to humble themselves under the word of God.
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And if you'll go back to 2 Chronicles chapter 36, and look at verse 13, here you come to the third mark of death. Notice if you would, verse 13, the Bible says, "And he," that is Zedekiah, "also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God: but he stiffened his neck and hardened his heart from turning unto the Lord God of Israel." So the third mark of death is when a nation or a government fails to honor their oaths and covenants. May I remind you that it was Nebuchadnezzar who made Zedekiah king. Look back in verse 10. "And when the year was expired, King Nebuchadnezzar sent and brought him," that is Jehoiachin, "he brought him to Babylon with the goodly vessels of the house of the Lord and made Zedekiah his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem." So it was Nebuchadnezzar then who made Zedekiah king. Now I want you to note, Zedekiah took an oath of allegiance to Nebuchadnezzar as he was installed in his kingdom. For instance, in verse 13, "and he rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God."
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So, Zedekiah then, had sworn fealty and constant obedience, by the name of God, to Nebuchadnezzar. And what Nebuchadnezzar was doing was this. He said, "You profess to be the people of Jehovah? You profess to serve and worship Him."
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"Now you swear by Him to me that you're going to obey me." So, Zedekiah's rebellion against Nebuchadnezzar was aggravated now by his perjury and his contempt of God. So, mark this down. Zedekiah received his crown on the express condition of swearing a solemn oath of fealty to and serving the king of Babylon. So what did he do? He rebelled. He revolted. He violated his oath and held God in contempt by disregarding his oath and joining in league with Pharaoh Hophra of Egypt.
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So here's what has happened. Zedekiah's own pride, his own stubbornness, his own rebellion, along with the incurable idolatry of the people, and their constant disregard for prophetic warnings, have now brought them down to where Nebuchadnezzar is going to destroy them. In fact, Nebuchadnezzar became the executioner of divine vengeance, and he commenced a third siege of Jerusalem. And then under this third siege, the temple is destroyed, the temple is looted, walls are broken down, everything is burned, and Judah is overthrown.
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Now, I want to show you something right now. I want to show you two things, but first of all, I want you to understand the violation of Zedekiah's oath from God's perspective. I want you to hold 2 Chronicles 36, but turn in your Bibles to the book of Ezekiel chapter 17. Ezekiel 17, and we're going to look at verses 11 through 21. Ezekiel 17, because God is here speaking about Zedekiah. Notice if you would, Ezekiel chapter 17, and let's begin reading there with verse 11. Notice, if you would, we're talking about Zedekiah's violation of his oath, not only to Nebuchadnezzar, but to God, for he had sworn by God. Ezekiel 17, verse 11. "Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Say now to the rebellious house, Know ye not what these things mean?"
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"Tell them, Behold, the king of Babylon is come to Jerusalem, and hath taken the king thereof, and the princes thereof, and led them with him to Babylon; and hath taken of the king's seed, and made a covenant with him, and hath taken an oath of him: he hath also taken the mighty of the land: that the kingdom might be base, that it might not lift itself up, but that by keeping of his covenant it might stand." I'll explain that in just a moment. "But he rebelled against him in sending his ambassadors into Egypt, that they might give him horses and much people. Shall he prosper?"
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"Shall he escape that doeth such things? or shall he break the covenant, and be delivered?"
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Now remember, he is sworn by God. And what has he done? He's sent down to Egypt for horses and for an army. God asks, "Shall he escape that doeth such things? or shall he break that covenant, and be delivered?" Watch what he says in verse 16. "As I live, saith the Lord God, surely in the place where the king dwelleth that made him king, whose oath he despised, and whose covenant he brake, even with him in the midst of Babylon he shall die. Neither shall Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company make for him in the war, by casting up mounts, and building forts, to cut off many persons: seeing he despised the oath by breaking the covenant, when, lo, he had given his hand, and hath done all these things, he shall not escape." Watch. "Therefore thus saith the Lord God; As I live, surely mine oath that he hath despised, and my covenant that he hath broken, even it will I recompense upon his own head. And I will spread my net upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare, and I will bring him to Babylon, and will plead with him there for his trespass that he hath trespassed against me."
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"And all his fugitives with all his bands shall fall by the sword, and they that remain shall be scattered toward all winds: and ye shall know that I the Lord have spoken it." Now God says, look, He gave His Word. He swore by an oath to Me. And God says, you think I'm going to let Him get away with it? He's violated it. The one who made him king is going to take him to Babylon and he's going to die there.
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Now, I want you to turn to 2 Kings chapter 25. Because I want you to see the judgment that God brought upon Zedekiah for despising the oath and violating the covenant. 2 Kings chapter 25. And I want you to look at the first seven verses. This is an interesting passage. I might add it was a horrible judgment that was inflicted upon Zedekiah for the violation of his oath and covenant. So 2 Kings chapter 25 begin in there with verse 1.
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Notice, "And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came, he, and all his host, against Jerusalem, and pitched against it; and they built forts against it round about. And the city was besieged unto the eleventh year of king Zedekiah." So Zedekiah held out about a year and a half. "And on the ninth day of the fourth month the famine prevailed in the city, and there was no bread for the people of the land. And the city was broken up, and all the men of war fled by night by the way of the gate between two walls, which is by the king's garden: (now the Chaldees were against the city round about:) and the king went the way toward the plain. And the army of the Chaldees pursued after the king, and overtook him in the plains of Jericho: and all his army were scattered from him. So they took the king, and brought him up to the king of Babylon to Riblah."
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"And they gave judgment upon him." Now watch what happened. "And they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him with fetters of brass, and carried him to Babylon." So the last thing that Zedekiah saw with his eyes was his sons being murdered, slain. And then he was carried to Babylon where he died.
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Now it should be etched in our understanding the consequences of oath breaking. Zedekiah refused to make himself a servant to God, and therefore he became a servant and a slave to his enemies. Those who refuse to be humbled under the Word of God will ultimately be humbled by divine wrath.
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Now I want you to just stop and think how simple this really is. I tell people life can really be simple. It really can. All we have to do is obey. Do you realize, if Zedekiah had submitted himself and obeyed God, ruin would not have been brought upon him, his government, his people, and his nation. On the other hand, if Zedekiah had kept his oath and his covenant that he had given to Nebuchadnezzar, all that ruin and all that desolation still would not have come upon him. What God is teaching us is that an oath is a sacred thing.
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And all who violate their oaths are considered the worst of men. They are considered men who have abandoned God and consequently they are to be abhorred and avoided at all cost.
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Now it is true that Nebuchadnezzar was a heathen. Nebuchadnezzar was an enemy. Yet, Zedekiah had sworn by an oath unto God to him. And scripture teaches us that God is the avenger of all such men who are covenant breakers and oath breakers. So this should teach us that we're required to keep our oaths, especially when we swear by the one true and the living God.
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Now I want you to listen, if you would, just to a couple of scriptures. I want you to think of these. God said in Leviticus chapter 19 and verse 12, "And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the Lord." Now if you're not to swear by God's name falsely, that means when you swear by His name, it is to be in truth. In fact, in Deuteronomy 6 and verse 13, listen now, "Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name." Wow! And then when you get to Deuteronomy 10 and verse 20, again God says, "Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God; him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name."
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In other words, what God is teaching us is this, that oaths are sacred things. And especially when we give an oath and when we swear by God, God requires us to keep our oaths. Unless, of course, an oath is made in violation to Him and His Word. I can give you one illustration where it would have been right to break an oath. Do you remember how King Herod swore to his, I guess, adopted daughter, after she danced before them, "I'll give you whatever you ask, up to the half of my kingdom." And she said, "Give me the head of John the Baptist in a charger." And the Bible said the king was sad, yet nevertheless for his oath's sake. What?
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So it's alright to commit murder? No, no, it's not right to commit murder. He should not have violated his oath. He should have said, "I've sinned, I've spoken wrongly, I can't do this, this is wicked and wrong." But if it's not contrary to God and God's Word, God requires us to keep our oaths. In the book of Numbers chapter 30 and verse 2, here's what God says, "If a man vow a vow unto the Lord, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth."
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Now let me ask you a question. If a man will not keep his oath to God, what makes you think he'll keep an oath to his fellow men? One of the problems that we have in our country is with unsaved and ungodly politicians who do not understand this simple fact. They have no allegiance to God and consequently they have no allegiance to their people. They live for themselves alone. I almost laugh when I hear politicians.
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And they've been caught in adultery or they've been caught in sodomy. And then they come up with this, "Well, my private life is my private business." I've got news for you. If you will violate your oath to your wife, what makes me think you won't violate your oath to me? I want you to turn very quickly in your Bibles to Luke chapter 18. 2 Chronicles 36. Look in Luke chapter 18.
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Let me show you how our Lord epitomizes the average politician. Look in Luke chapter 18, and let's begin reading there with verse 2. Watch if you would how our Lord speaks of this judge. Luke 18 verse 2. "Saying, There was in a city a judge," now watch this judge, "which feared not God, neither regarded man: And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary."
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"And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me."
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Now, I want you to note, our Lord says in verse 6, "And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith." Did you hear what he said? "Though I fear not God, nor regard man." He said, "I'm going to avenge this little woman." Why? Not out of regard for justice, not out of regard for right and wrong, not out of regard for truth. "I'm going to avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me."
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So his oath meant absolutely nothing to him. The people meant nothing to him. Right and wrong meant nothing to him. Justice meant nothing to him. The only thing that mattered with this judge was his convenience. That's all. Let me tell you something, folks. This judge lived solely for his own benefit and convenience and that is it. Do you realize it is the same that is true with modern-day politicians?
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Most of them, there may be a few exceptions, but most of them sing a good song. But when it comes to practicality, it's all about them. It's all about getting elected or it's all about getting re-elected. Or it's all about establishing themselves or their party. Everything is for them and they refuse and reject anything that is biblical and or constitutional.
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Now I'm trying to show you this third mark of a government or nation that is marked for destruction is when that government fails to honor its oaths and its covenants. Unhappily, our government has been known as a covenant breaker and an oath breaker for ages. And if you don't believe that, I want to challenge you to do something. I want to challenge you to read a little history and study a little history and see how deceitfully our own government dealt with the American Indians.
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You're going to find that most of their land was confiscated through fraud and deceit. I have several books at home. Some of the land was confiscated because they got the Indians drunk and made them sign their names. And sometimes our government nominated certain Indians chief and leaders and got them to sign the paper when the Indians had nothing to do with the tribe whose land they were signing away. It was all fraud and all deceit. Luther Standing Bear, an American Indian, said this, talking about the federal government, he said, "They made us many promises, more than I can remember, but they never kept but one. They promised to take our land and they took it."
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"It was not hard to see that the white people coveted every inch of land on which we lived. Greed. Humans wanted the last bit of ground which supported Indian feet. It was land, it has ever been land, for which the white man oppresses the Indian and to gain possession of which he commits any crime. Treaties that have been made are vain attempts to save a little of the fatherland. Treaty is holy to us by the smoke of the pipe, but nothing is holy to the white man. Little by little, with greed and cruelty unsurpassed by the animal, he's taken all. The loaf is gone, and now the white man wants the crumbs." It was Chief Sitting Bull who said this, "What treaty that the whites have kept has the red man broken? Not one." I was astounded because as I was studying this, one author said this. Listen carefully. This blew my mind. "Native Americans stood little chance against the surging white population. Eventually, the United States government would seize two billion acres of Indian territories."
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Two billion acres. Wow. I've told you in times past that one of my favorite movies, I guess the favorite western, is "The Outlaw Josey Wales." I probably haven't seen it but twenty times. But, one of my favorite scenes in that movie is when Josey Wales rides to the camp of Ten Bears, the Comanche chief, and is going to try to have an honest agreement, an honest settlement with him, so that they can live on Comanche land. And Wales tells them that they can either choose to live together or die together. Here's what one critic said of this dialogue.
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I want you to listen. "The exchange between the two men serves as a critique of the United States government policy from the perspective of both men. Wales notes that with governments you don't always get a fair word or a fair fight. This recalls the massacre of his unarmed comrades by the Union Army." And I might also add the murdering of his wife and children by the Red Legs. "While Ten Bears remarks that it is sad that governments are chiefed by the double-tongued." So here's Josey saying, the government is bad. They slew our men. They slew my family. And Ten Bears says they never keep their word. And it's later on in that movie that Ten Bears said, in that same scene though, he says, "Paper cannot hold the words of iron." I want you to understand something, folks. Paper is no better than the men who sign it. And if men are not going to honor their oath, if they're not going to honor their covenant, the paper is absolutely worthless. It is a mere scrap of paper.
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I've told you, when I was a boy, I have seen my father make multi-thousand dollar deals with other farmers just by shaking hands. No paper was signed. They kept their word. They did what they said they were going to do. Today, you better get the man's word, you better get it on paper, you better get it notarized, and that still doesn't mean anything. Because the paper is no better than the men who sign it.
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One of the characteristics of a godly man in Psalm 15 verse 4 is this, "He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not." Now, since Psalm 15 verse 4 is true, where does that leave our own government?
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Now, I want you to stop and think about this. Stop. Think. I could sit here all day long and tell you how our government has violated treaty after treaty and covenant after covenant with other nations and with other people, but let me tell you something, folks. Our government does not even keep its covenant with its own people. It disregards its own oaths. You look at the judges, you look at the presidents, you look at the cabinet members, you look at the politicians, you look at lawmen and a host of others who've taken an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States. Article 6, paragraph 2 and 3 of the United States Constitution, listen carefully. "This Constitution, and the laws of the United States which shall be made in pursuance thereof; and all treaties made, or which shall be made, under the authority of the United States, shall be the supreme law of the land; and the judges in every state shall be bound thereby, anything in the Constitution or laws of any state to the contrary notwithstanding. The senators and representatives before mentioned, and the members of the several state legislatures, and all executive and judicial officers, both of the United States and of the several states, shall be bound by oath or affirmation, to support this Constitution."
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Wow. And what do they do? They don't even read it. They don't even know what it says. And 99.9% of everything that every judge and every politician and the president and all of its cabinets do is in violation of the Constitution. Our government cannot keep its own word to its own people. So you could mark it down, folks. When a government violates its oath and breaks its covenants, it's marked for death. Why?
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Because it is transgression, it is perjury, it is rebellion. And as Ezekiel chapter 17, God said, "I will avenge such. I'll take care of it." If you go back in your Bibles to 2 Chronicles chapter 36, I want you to look very quickly at the fourth point. The fourth evidence of being marked for death. You'll find it in verse 13. Notice 2 Chronicles 36 and verse 13.
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"And he also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar who had made him swear by God: but he stiffened his neck and hardened his heart from turning unto the Lord God of Israel." So the fourth mark of death is a failure to repent in the face of numerous warnings and admonitions. Notice what he did. He stiffened his neck and hardened his heart from turning to the Lord God of Israel.
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He wouldn't listen to Jeremiah. I don't care how many times Jeremiah taught him, or preached him, or warned him. He just simply would not listen. Do you realize that one of the clearest warnings in the Word of God is found in Proverbs 29 in verse 1. I want you to just listen. Here it is. "He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy."
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Do you remember that passage in 2 Chronicles 36? God sent the Chaldees and destroyed them all till there was no remedy. That's exactly what Proverbs 29 verse 1 says. And incidentally, by the way, Nebuchadnezzar, who exacted such a price from Zedekiah, also had a price exacted on himself, because in Daniel 5 and verse 20 we read about Nebuchadnezzar, "But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him." And you remember how he was driven like a wild animal and for seven years ate grass like an ox.
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Now the truth is this. This not only happens to individuals, it happens to governments, it happens to nations as well. I want you to listen to what Nehemiah said about Israel as a whole. Listen carefully. Nehemiah 9 verse 16. "But they and our fathers dealt proudly, and hardened their necks, and hearkened not to thy commandments." Did you hear that? "And hearkened not to thy commandments." How many of our civil rulers hearken to God's commandments? In Jeremiah 19 in verse 15, listen now, "Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring upon this city and upon all her towns all the evil that I have pronounced against it, because they have hardened their necks, that they might not hear my words."
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You know, the problem is this. Many people think that just because God does not smite a man or government or nation instantly, that somehow that man or that government or that nation is going to get away with their sin. No. You've got to remember that God is gracious, He is merciful, He is long-suffering, that is for sure. But do you remember what God told Abraham? He said, in Genesis 15, He said, "Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years." Why?
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He said in the next verse, "for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full." And guess what? After 400 years, God brought the children of Israel out of Egypt, put a sword in their hand, and said, "Slay every one of them, kill them all." 400 years God waited, and yet He destroyed them. Look how many times Pharaoh was warned. Look at all the plagues that he saw. And what did he do every time? He hardened his heart against God, and yet God brought him down.
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It doesn't matter if men are not smitten instantly, or governments, or nations. God moves in His time. I want you to hold 2 Chronicles, but turn in your Bibles to Amos chapter 4. Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos. Look in Amos chapter 4. I know I've used this passage before, but I want you to see this. I want you to understand that God has a variety of ways of warning governments and nations.
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It's true He warns through His preachers, through His Word. But He also warns through various judgments. Look what He said. Amos chapter 4, beginning there with verse 6. Watch carefully. "And I also have given you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, and want of bread in all your places: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord." That is, He sent famine. It didn't do any good. Verse 7, "And also I have withholden the rain from you, when there were yet three months to the harvest: and I caused it to rain upon one city, and caused it not to rain upon another city: one piece was rained upon, and the piece whereupon it rained not withered. So two or three cities wandered unto one city, to drink water; but they were not satisfied: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord." So God has not only used famine, now he has used drought. Watch.
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"I have smitten you with blasting and mildew: when your gardens and your vineyards and your fig trees and your olive trees increased, the palmerworm devoured them: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord." Wow! Verse 10, "I have sent among you the pestilence after the manner of Egypt: your young men have I slain with the sword, and have taken away your horses; and I have made the stink of your camps to come up unto your nostrils: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord." Verse 11, "I have overthrown some of you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah." That is, supernatural judgments.
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"And ye were as a firebrand plucked out of the burning: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord. Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel." What did God say? You just haven't been listening. I've not only given you My Word. I've given you all of these judgments. You think of all the judgments that we have seen in this country. Think of the drought and the famine. And think of the floods. And think of the tornadoes and the hurricanes. Think of the earthquakes. Yet, we do not listen. You mark it down.
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When a government, when a nation stiffens its neck and hardens its heart and refuses to bow the knee to the Lord Jesus Christ, it is marked for destruction. If you'll go back to 2 Chronicles 36, I'll show you the fifth mark. Here it is. Verse 14. This is absolutely amazing. 2 Chronicles 36, verse 14. Here's the fifth mark. "Moreover all the chief of the priests, and the people, transgressed very much after all the abominations of the heathen; and polluted the house of the Lord which he had hallowed in Jerusalem." The fifth mark of death is the corruption of religion and of the ministry. Look at verse 14. "Moreover all the chief of the priests," the priests, even the chief of them, the priests who should have instructed the people in the duties of true worship, and should have retained the pure worship of God, even the chief priests were ringleaders in idolatry. Instead of remaining faithful, they led the way in compromising and forsaking the Lord and emulated the wickedness of the heathen.
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I want to tell you something, folks. It would not take long to examine the churches in this country and find all kinds of compromise and wickedness and hatefulness. I want you to hold this passage, but turn to Ezekiel chapter 8. I want to show you exactly what God said in relationship to His people. Ezekiel chapter 8, and let's begin reading there verse 7. Ezekiel 8 verse 7. We'll go through verse 18. Ezekiel chapter 8, notice verse 7.
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God is showing Ezekiel the corruption of the priests and the leaders. Ezekiel 8 verse 7, "And he brought me to the door of the court; and when I looked, behold a hole in the wall." They're talking about the court of the temple. "Then said he unto me, Son of man, dig now in the wall: and when I had digged in the wall, behold a door. And he said unto me, Go in, and behold the wicked abominations that they do here. So I went in and saw; and behold every form of creeping things, and abominable beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel, pourtrayed upon the wall round about. And there stood before them seventy men of the ancients of the house of Israel, and in the midst of them stood Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan, with every man his censer in his hand; and a thick cloud of incense went up. Then said he unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen what the ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark?" Now watch! "every man in the chambers of his imagery."
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"For they say, The Lord seeth us not; the Lord hath forsaken the earth. He said also unto me, Turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations that they do. Then he brought me to the door of the gate of the Lord's house which was toward the north; and, behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz. Then said he unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations than these. And he brought me into the inner court of the Lord's house, and, behold, at the door of the temple of the Lord, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of the Lord, and their faces toward the east; and they worshipped the sun toward the east. Then he said unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here?"
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"For they have filled the land with violence, and have returned to provoke me to anger: and, lo, they put the branch to their nose. Therefore will I also deal in fury: mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: and though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice, yet will I not hear them." So what is God doing? He's showing Ezekiel all of the secret sins of the house of Israel.
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As it was then, so it is today. Let me ask, where are the preachers and teachers of the Word of God that are man enough and bold enough and godly enough to call our government and its leaders to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ? When you stop and think of the ministry today, unhappily, many of the pastors and teachers are the worst adulterers, fornicators, compromisers, thieves, tricksters, and fraud artists, and they're all in the pulpit.
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I just read of one church in Virginia who sacked their pastor, found out he was not only having multiple affairs with women in the church, but he raped two little girls down in Florida. All I'm trying to show you is this, folks. There is a corruption in the ministry. I want to show you something else. I want you to go back in your Bibles to 2 Chronicles 36. I want you to watch this. I'm fixing to tie this together for us. We'll look in 2 Chronicles chapter 36 again. I want you to look at verse 14. We're talking about the corruption in the ministry now. Watch carefully.
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He says, "Moreover all the chief of the priests, and the people, transgressed very much after all the abominations of the heathen; and polluted the house of the Lord which he had hallowed in Jerusalem." Now, watch. Not only the chief priests, but the people. The people liked it. The people wanted it. Now, watch what happens. Watch what happens. Look in verse 15. "And the Lord God of their fathers sent to them," not only to the priests but to the people, "by his messengers." So although there's a lot of corruption in the ministry, although there are a lot of false preachers, God still has His truth. "And the Lord God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place." Now watch, "But they," that is the people and the priests, "but they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people, till there was no remedy."
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Now, let me show you something. Why do you think God's prophets were mocked and despised? The answer is because, number one, the false prophets and the corrupted ministry had the power and the politics and the positions. Moreover, the people were not interested in obeying God and following God. They were wanting to follow the false leaders. It's interesting. It's interesting. You can stand up and preach the truth and everybody will turn away and walk away from it. And yet you get some guy that will stand up and preach contrary to the truth and contrary to Christ, and people will flock to him like everything. It's amazing. Look at all the cults that are flourishing that are absolutely contrary to Jesus Christ and contrary to His Word.
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What is that telling us? There's a corruption. It's a mark of death. How many preachers do you know today that cry out against sodomy? How many cry out against aborticide? How many cry out against socialism, communism and Marxism and economic fraud? How many cry out against governmental abuse, martial law and even a military police force? How many cry out against the sins of our nation? So let's ask the question, where are our preachers?
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The truth is, God's true preachers are probably few and far between and they're hated and despised, ridiculed and mocked, listened and isolated. Do you think those in control and power want to hear the truth? Do you think they want the people to hear the truth? The answer is no. What does that mean? It means that government, that nation is marked for death. If we do not wish to die, we must repent and turn to the Lord. I want you to turn to one last passage. I want you to turn to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 4. Deuteronomy chapter 4. And I want to begin reading there with verse 5, and I want you to see what God says. Deuteronomy chapter 4 and verse 5. Look what God did for His people. Deuteronomy chapter 4, verse 5. Moses says, "Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the Lord my God commanded me."
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"that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it." Now look what he says, "Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people. For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him for? And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day?" The mark of God's people and the mark of God's government and the mark of God's nation is a people, is a government, is a nation that observes God's law and God's word.
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I just read, I did not even have time to read it all, and it just blows my mind. I think it was the Department of Parks and Recreation, the federal branch, that is now posting signs on Islam and how Islam has really elevated and honored women. Really? Really? All I'm trying to show you is this, folks. When you have a government and a nation that refuses to honor and recognize God's preachers, refuses to honor and humble themselves at His Word, and refuses to keep their oath and their covenant, and refuses to hear and be warned and repent after repeated admonitions, and when you see a corruption of the ministry and religion as a whole, and the downtrodden truth of God, and the elevation of heresy and evil, you can mark it down that that government and that nation is marked for death. What did God say?
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He said He gave them up till there was no remedy. The only remedy left was destruction. "Therefore he brought upon them the king of the Chaldees, who slew their young men with the sword... and had no compassion upon young man or maiden, old man, or him that stooped for age: he gave them all into his hand." You know, our Lord said it very plainly in Luke 13, "Repent or perish." And we must not only repent individually, familially, ecclesiastically, but nationally.
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If you'd read Ezra 9, and I believe it's Nehemiah 9, you'll find that those two godly men not only confessed their sins, they also confessed the sins of their nation. And it's about time we get on with some confessing and some repenting, or else there will be no remedy. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee this day. We thank You for Your love, Your grace.
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Lord, look how gracious You've been to us. Look how longsuffering You've been to us. Look how merciful. The very fact that we're here today is indicative of the mercy of God. It is the Lord's mercies that we're not consumed. For Thy compassions, they fail not. They're new every morning. Great is Thy faithfulness. O Lord, awaken Thy people. Give us ears to hear and hearts to obey and minds to understand and a will to follow Thee and Thy Word.
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In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray. Amen.
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Thank you.
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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T19:27:38Z

Marked For Death Governmental Destruction - Part 2 of 2

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

In this sermon, Pastor John Weaver continues his exposition of 2 Chronicles 36, outlining five marks of a nation or government that is 'marked for death' by God. He covers the final three marks: failure to honor oaths and covenants, failure to repent despite warnings, and corruption of religion and the ministry. Using the example of King Zedekiah, Weaver emphasizes God's sovereignty over nations and the certainty of divine judgment upon covenant-breaking, impenitent, and apostate peoples. He applies these principles to modern America, warning of impending destruction unless there is national repentance.

Introduction and Review

Weaver reviews the first two marks of governmental destruction from the previous sermon: failure to honor God's representatives and failure to humble themselves under God's Word.

Scripture Reading — 2 Chronicles 36:10-17

"And when the year was expired, King Nebuchadnezzar sent and brought him to Babylon, with the goodly vessels of the house of the Lord, and made Zedekiah his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem. And Zedekiah was one and twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord his God, and humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet, speaking from the mouth of the Lord. And he also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God: but he stiffened his neck and hardened his heart from turning unto the Lord God of Israel. Moreover, all the chief of the priests and the people transgressed very much after all the abominations of the heathen, and polluted the house of the Lord, which he had hallowed in Jerusalem." "And the Lord God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes and sending; because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place. But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people, till there was no remedy. Therefore he brought upon them the king of the Chaldees, who slew their young men with a sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion upon young man or maiden, old man, or him that stooped for age."

Now listen very quickly to Job 12 and verse 23. Listen to what God says: "He," that is God,

Scripture Reading — Job 12:23

"increases the nations and destroys them: He enlarges the nations and straiteneth them."

Scripture Reading — Psalm 2:1-5, 12

"Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?"

Now remember, a vain thing is something useless, foolish, stupid, worthless. Now, look what happens in verse 2.

Scripture Reading — Psalm 2:1-5, 12

"The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision."

Third Mark: Failure to Honor Oaths and Covenants

Zedekiah rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar, breaking his oath sworn by God. God avenges covenant-breaking, as seen in Zedekiah's horrific judgment.

The Sacredness of Oaths

Scripture commands keeping oaths made in God's name. A man who breaks his oath to God cannot be trusted to keep oaths to men.

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 10:20

"Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name."

Wow! And then when you get to Deuteronomy 10 and verse 20, again God says,

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 10:20

"Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God; him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name."

Scripture Reading — Luke 18:2-6

"Saying, There was in a city a judge,"

now watch this judge,

Scripture Reading — Luke 18:2-6

"which feared not God, neither regarded man: And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary."

Modern Politicians as Covenant-Breakers

Like the unjust judge in Luke 18, modern politicians often fear not God nor regard man, living for self-interest and breaking oaths.

Historical Examples of American Covenant-Breaking

The U.S. government has a long history of breaking treaties with Native Americans through fraud and deceit, illustrating national covenant-breaking.

Fourth Mark: Failure to Repent Despite Warnings

Zedekiah stiffened his neck and hardened his heart. God warns through preachers and judgments, but impenitence leads to sudden destruction.

Scripture Reading — Proverbs 29:1

Do you remember that passage in 2 Chronicles 36? God sent the Chaldees and destroyed them all till there was no remedy. That's exactly what Proverbs 29 verse 1 says. And incidentally, by the way, Nebuchadnezzar, who exacted such a price from Zedekiah, also had a price exacted on himself, because in Daniel 5 and verse 20 we read about Nebuchadnezzar, "But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him." And you remember how he was driven like a wild animal and for seven years ate grass like an ox.

Scripture Reading — Genesis 15:13-16

"Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years."

Why? He said in the next verse,

Scripture Reading — Genesis 15:13-16

"for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full."

It's true He warns through His preachers, through His Word. But He also warns through various judgments. Look what He said. Amos chapter 4, beginning there with verse 6. Watch carefully.

Scripture Reading — Amos 4:6-12

"And I also have given you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, and want of bread in all your places: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord."

That is, He sent famine. It didn't do any good. Verse 7,

Scripture Reading — Amos 4:6-12

"And also I have withholden the rain from you, when there were yet three months to the harvest: and I caused it to rain upon one city, and caused it not to rain upon another city: one piece was rained upon, and the piece whereupon it rained not withered. So two or three cities wandered unto one city, to drink water; but they were not satisfied: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord."

So God has not only used famine, now he has used drought. Watch.

Fifth Mark: Corruption of Religion and the Ministry

The chief priests led in idolatry and polluted the temple. Corrupt ministers and false religion mark a nation for death.

God is showing Ezekiel the corruption of the priests and the leaders. Ezekiel 8 verse 7,

Scripture Reading — Ezekiel 8:7-18

"And he brought me to the door of the court; and when I looked, behold a hole in the wall."

They're talking about the court of the temple.

Scripture Reading — Ezekiel 8:7-18

"Then said he unto me, Son of man, dig now in the wall: and when I had digged in the wall, behold a door. And he said unto me, Go in, and behold the wicked abominations that they do here. So I went in and saw; and behold every form of creeping things, and abominable beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel, pourtrayed upon the wall round about. And there stood before them seventy men of the ancients of the house of Israel, and in the midst of them stood Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan, with every man his censer in his hand; and a thick cloud of incense went up. Then said he unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen what the ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark?"

Now watch!

Scripture Reading — Ezekiel 8:7-18

"every man in the chambers of his imagery."

The Rejection of God's Messengers

Despite God's compassion, the people mocked His messengers. True preachers are hated, while false ones flourish, signaling impending judgment.

Call to National Repentance

A nation that observes God's law is great. America exhibits all five marks and must repent nationally or face destruction without remedy.

Marked For Death Governmental Destruction - Part 2 of 2

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	DfFq0r2-6ok
Subject	Civil Government
Course	Civil Government: Power, Nations, and Constitutional Order: War in the Gates
Genre	Sermon
Date	2013-12-31
Dictation Name
Book	Book 016: Marked for Death - Governmental Destruction — Chapter 2
Source Timed Segments	77

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction and Review: Weaver reviews the first two marks of governmental destruction from the previous sermon: failure to honor God's representatives and failure to humble themselves under God's Word.
Third Mark: Failure to Honor Oaths and Covenants: Zedekiah rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar, breaking his oath sworn by God. God avenges covenant-breaking, as seen in Zedekiah's horrific judgment.
The Sacredness of Oaths: Scripture commands keeping oaths made in God's name. A man who breaks his oath to God cannot be trusted to keep oaths to men.
Modern Politicians as Covenant-Breakers: Like the unjust judge in Luke 18, modern politicians often fear not God nor regard man, living for self-interest and breaking oaths.
Historical Examples of American Covenant-Breaking: The U.S. government has a long history of breaking treaties with Native Americans through fraud and deceit, illustrating national covenant-breaking.
Fourth Mark: Failure to Repent Despite Warnings: Zedekiah stiffened his neck and hardened his heart. God warns through preachers and judgments, but impenitence leads to sudden destruction.
Fifth Mark: Corruption of Religion and the Ministry: The chief priests led in idolatry and polluted the temple. Corrupt ministers and false religion mark a nation for death.
The Rejection of God's Messengers: Despite God's compassion, the people mocked His messengers. True preachers are hated, while false ones flourish, signaling impending judgment.
Call to National Repentance: A nation that observes God's law is great. America exhibits all five marks and must repent nationally or face destruction without remedy.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

Oath-breaking brings divine vengeance

Zedekiah's violation of his oath to Nebuchadnezzar, sworn by God, resulted in the slaughter of his sons, his blinding, and exile.

2 Kings 25:7: 'they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah.'

Covenant-breaking politicians cannot be trusted

If a man breaks his oath to God, he will not keep his oath to men; modern politicians exemplify this.

Luke 18:2: 'a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man.'

America's history of treaty-breaking

The U.S. government has a long record of breaking treaties with Native Americans, demonstrating national covenant-breaking.

Luther Standing Bear: 'They made us many promises... but they never kept but one. They promised to take our land and they took it.'

Hardness of heart leads to destruction

Zedekiah stiffened his neck and hardened his heart, refusing to turn to God despite Jeremiah's warnings.

2 Chronicles 36:13: 'he stiffened his neck and hardened his heart from turning unto the Lord God of Israel.'

God warns through judgments

God sends famine, drought, pestilence, and other calamities to call nations to repentance, but they often do not return to Him.

Amos 4:6-11: 'yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord.'

Corrupt ministers lead people astray

The chief priests were ringleaders in idolatry, and the people followed them into abominations.

Ezekiel 8:10-11: 'every form of creeping things... and all the idols of the house of Israel, pourtrayed upon the wall.'

True preachers are mocked and rejected

God's messengers are despised and misused, while false prophets flourish, indicating a nation ripe for judgment.

2 Chronicles 36:16: 'they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets.'

National greatness comes from obeying God's law

A nation is great when it observes God's statutes and judgments, which are righteous and wise.

Deuteronomy 4:6-8: 'Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.'

Scripture References

2 Chronicles 36:10-17: The primary text describing Zedekiah's reign, rebellion, and the destruction of Jerusalem.
Job 12:23: God increases and destroys nations, demonstrating His sovereignty.
Isaiah 40:15-17: Nations are as a drop of a bucket and counted as nothing before God.
Psalm 2:1-5, 12: Kings and rulers rebel against God, but He laughs and warns them to kiss the Son.
Ezekiel 17:11-21: God's pronouncement against Zedekiah for despising his oath and breaking the covenant.
2 Kings 25:1-7: The siege of Jerusalem and the judgment on Zedekiah: his sons slain, his eyes put out.
Leviticus 19:12: Command not to swear falsely by God's name.
Deuteronomy 6:13: Command to fear God and swear by His name.
Deuteronomy 10:20: Command to fear God, serve Him, and swear by His name.
Numbers 30:2: A man must not break his word but do all that proceeds out of his mouth.
Luke 18:2-6: The unjust judge who feared not God nor regarded man, illustrating selfish politicians.
Psalm 15:4: A godly man swears to his own hurt and changes not.
Proverbs 29:1: He who hardens his neck after reproof will be suddenly destroyed without remedy.
Daniel 5:20: Nebuchadnezzar's heart was lifted up and hardened in pride, and he was deposed.
Nehemiah 9:16: Israel dealt proudly and hardened their necks, not hearkening to God's commandments.
Jeremiah 19:15: God brings evil because they hardened their necks and would not hear His words.
Genesis 15:13-16: The iniquity of the Amorites was not yet full; God waited 400 years before judgment.
Amos 4:6-12: God sent famine, drought, blight, pestilence, and overthrow, yet Israel did not return; prepare to meet God.
Ezekiel 8:7-18: Ezekiel sees the secret idolatry of the elders and priests in the temple; God will not hear their cries.
Deuteronomy 4:5-8: Observing God's statutes makes a nation great and wise in the sight of other nations.

Historical References

King Zedekiah: Last king of Judah, installed by Nebuchadnezzar, rebelled and broke his oath, leading to Jerusalem's destruction.
Nebuchadnezzar: King of Babylon who made Zedekiah king, later destroyed Jerusalem, and was himself humbled by God.
Jeremiah the prophet: God's messenger to Zedekiah, whom the king refused to humble himself before.
Pharaoh Hophra of Egypt: Zedekiah allied with Egypt in rebellion against Babylon, violating his oath.
American Indian treaties: U.S. government broke numerous treaties with Native Americans, seizing two billion acres through fraud and deceit.
Luther Standing Bear: Native American who said the government made many promises but only kept the one to take their land.
Chief Sitting Bull: Stated that no treaty the whites kept had the red man broken.
The Outlaw Josey Wales (film): Dialogue between Josey Wales and Ten Bears critiques U.S. government as double-tongued and untrustworthy.
U.S. Constitution, Article 6: Requires all officers to be bound by oath to support the Constitution, which is often violated.
Charles Haddon Spurgeon: Quoted on God's unseen work behind human events and His coming vengeance.

Important Quotes

Men forget that all things are ordained in heaven. They see but the human force and the carnal passion, but the unseen Lord is far more real than these. He is at work behind and within the cloud. The foolish dream is that He is not, but He is near even now and on the way to bring in His hand that cup of spiced wine of vengeance, one drop of which shall stagger all of His foes.

Spurgeon's quote emphasizes God's sovereign control over history and the certainty of divine judgment, supporting the sermon's theme.

They made us many promises, more than I can remember, but they never kept but one. They promised to take our land and they took it.

Luther Standing Bear's statement illustrates the U.S. government's history of covenant-breaking with Native Americans.

What treaty that the whites have kept has the red man broken? Not one.

Chief Sitting Bull's rhetorical question underscores the consistent pattern of treaty violations by the U.S. government.

Paper cannot hold the words of iron.

From the film The Outlaw Josey Wales, this quote highlights that treaties are worthless without integrity.

He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.

Psalm 15:4 defines a godly man as one who keeps his oath even when it is costly, contrasting with covenant-breakers.

He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.

Proverbs 29:1 warns of the sudden destruction that comes upon those who refuse correction, a key mark of national death.

Repent or perish.

Jesus' simple command in Luke 13 summarizes the only escape from the judgment described in the sermon.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

How does God's sovereignty over nations affect the way we view current political events?

[Context]

Weaver emphasizes that God increases and destroys nations according to His will.

[Question]

In what ways do modern politicians demonstrate a lack of fear of God and regard for people, similar to the unjust judge in Luke 18?

[Context]

Weaver compares modern politicians to the judge who feared not God nor man.

[Question]

What are some examples of covenant-breaking in our nation's history, and how should Christians respond to such injustices?

[Context]

Weaver cites the U.S. government's broken treaties with Native Americans.

[Question]

Why is it significant that Zedekiah 'stiffened his neck and hardened his heart'? How does this apply to individuals and nations today?

[Context]

The fourth mark of death is impenitence despite warnings.

[Question]

What forms of corruption in the ministry do you see today, and how do they contribute to national decay?

[Context]

Weaver describes the chief priests leading in idolatry and the people following.

[Question]

How can we discern between true and false messengers of God in a time of widespread religious corruption?

[Context]

Weaver notes that God still sends true messengers even when false ones dominate.

[Question]

What does national repentance look like, and what role should the church play in calling for it?

[Context]

Weaver calls for repentance individually, familially, ecclesiastically, and nationally.

[Question]

How does the concept of 'no remedy' in 2 Chronicles 36:16 challenge our assumptions about God's patience?

[Context]

Weaver warns that there comes a point when judgment is inevitable.

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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T12:25:21Z