Romans: Law, Obedience, and Sanctification: Holiness and Obedience

The Bible And Treason

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: New Testament Studies

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2021-11-11

Synopsis: Pastor John Weaver examines the biblical concept of treason, using the examples of Zimri and Athaliah to illustrate that treason is first and foremost a sin against God's sovereignty. He contrasts lawful resistance to tyranny with unlawful usurpation, and argues that governments can commit treason by making sinful laws. The sermon applies these principles to modern issues such as church incorporation, 501(c)(3) status, and political betrayal of the U.S. Constitution, calling Christians to repentance and allegiance to God's kingdom.

[John Weaver] I want you to open your Bibles, if you would please today, to two passages. 1 Kings chapter 16 and 2 Kings chapter 11. We're going to be reading two verses. The title of the message is the Bible and treason. I think you will see that it is very applicable. So notice if you would please, 1st Kings chapter 16 and verse 20, the Bible says, now the rest of the acts of Zimri and his treason that he wrote are not, are they not written in the books of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? Then if you would turn to 2nd Kings chapter 11 and look, if you would please, at verse 14.

[John Weaver] We'll come back to this one. This is Athaliah. And when she looked, behold, the king stood by a pillar, as the manor was, and the princes and the trumpeters by the king. And all the people of the land rejoiced and blew with trumpets. And Athaliah rent her clothes and cried, Treason, treason. Treason is a word that reeks of treachery, subterfuge, espionage, and death. Treason is usually associated with such names as Judas, Benedict Arnold, and even the Rosenbergs. Treason is one of the few crimes that is named in the Constitution of the United States, and it is defined in that document as well. While most of us are aware of the political ramifications of treason, unhappily, we are woefully ignorant when it comes to the Bible and treason. Now the word treason only occurs five times in our Bible and in three passages. However, the Hebrew word for treason is the word kusher, and it is translated as treason five times, conspiracy nine times, and confederacy two times. So it is indeed a very broad word.

[John Weaver] I understand just from my reading and studying over the years, there's probably only been about 30 people that have been charged with treason since the founding of this country. Our constitution defines treason in article three and section three. And I want to read it to you and point out something that is exceedingly obvious that most people have forgotten, but here it is. Treason against the United States shall consist only in levying war against them or adhering to their enemies, giving them aid in comfort.

[John Weaver] No person shall be convicted of treason unless on the testimony of two witnesses to the same overt act or on a confession in open court. The Congress shall have the power to declare the punishment of treason But no attainer of treason shall work corruption of blood or forfeiture except during the life of the person attainted." Now, in order to be convicted of treason, according to the Constitution, there has to be at least one overt act, but there has to be at least two witnesses to that one overt act, and or there can be a confession of treason in open court.

[John Weaver] Here's the remarkable thing to me about this definition. I want you to listen, because this definition actually demonstrates states' sovereignty, or states' rights, and the plurality of the states. So listen carefully. The article says, treason against the United States, plural, shall consist only in levying war against them, plural. or adhering to their enemies, plural. So in other words, the definition of treason then refers to the plurality of the states and not to a central bureaucracy or a central government the way we have it. So initially, the crime of treason was against any or all of the Confederated States, individually or collectively, which made up the United States.

[John Weaver] Now, it is true that Congress alone had the power to declare the punishment of treason, but originally, Congress was to represent the states. See, what we forget is this. The federal government did not create the states. The states created the federal government. In that sense of the word, the states then were the masters, they were the sovereigns, and the federal government was to be the servants. Thus any attempt, listen carefully, thus any attempt to overthrow the union of the states, or subvert the constitution, which was the glue that held the states together, was considered treason.

[John Weaver] Now, if we meditate upon this line of thought, then I'm sure that we can come up with some names that obviously were treasonous individuals. And whether you like to admit it or not, Abraham Lincoln would be one of those men because he destroyed the Union in order to save the Union. Lincoln himself admitted to six constitutional violations. Mildred Rutherford in one of her books lists, I think, about 13 or 17 actual violations of the Constitution. But when you're thinking upon that line, you can only think of other historical figures. You can also think of modern day political figures as well that could be added to this.

[John Weaver] Now, let me mention something else in light of Article 3, Section 3. Here's what it says. So what in the world is attainder of treason? And the truth of the matter is attainder of treason referred to a practice that was carried on in Europe.

[John Weaver] where when an individual had committed treason against the king, then that individual's family was punished, ostracized, banished, and sometimes even put to death for what one member of that family did. And so our Constitution says, no, you can't do that. You cannot destroy a person's family because of the act of one individual. That's why in the book of Ezekiel chapter 18 verse 20, God says this. The soul that sinneth, it shall die.

[John Weaver] The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, and the father shall not bear the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.

[John Weaver] Now, when you get to second Kings chapter 14 in verse 6, Amaziah, who was the king, was putting to death the men that murdered his father, Joash. And here's what the Bible says, But the children of the murderers he slew not, according to that which was written in the book of the law of Moses, wherein the Lord commanded, saying, The father shall not be put to death for the children, nor the children be put to death for the fathers, but every man shall be put to death for his own sin.

[John Weaver] And thus, when we say in the Constitution, there is to be no attainder of treason, it is indeed a biblical context. Now, let me give you one other quote, and I'm going to come back with this quote in the end, at least. But this quote is from Black's Law Dictionary on treason. And it simply says this, treason, a breach of allegiance in one's government, usually committed through levying war against such government, or by giving aid and comfort to the enemy. The offense of attempting by overt acts to overthrow the government of the state to which the offender owes allegiance, or of betraying the state into the hands of a foreign power. Treason consists of two elements. Adherence to the enemy and rendering him aid and comfort.

[John Weaver] And then there's a whole list legal sites. Now the interesting thing is Black's Law Dictionary says that treason consists of two elements adhering to the enemy and of course rendering him aid and comfort.

[John Weaver] Now without going into details I'm just going to tell you there are actually different kinds of treason that are referred to in our legal system There is constructive treason, there is high treason, there is pettit treason, there is misprision of treason, and there is treason felony. So I wanted to give you this kind of a summary of a historical and legal background and make application to the Word of God and let you see what is actually happening when we look at certain passages of the Bible.

[John Weaver] Now when you look at 1 Kings chapter 16, we're reading about Zimri. And he said very clearly in 1 Kings chapter 16 and verse 20. Now the rest of the acts of Zimri and his treason that he wrought, are they not written in the books of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel?

[John Weaver] Now, in order to really understand this passage, you would really need to read all of chapter 16, especially verses 8 through 20. And I'm just going to try to summarize all this for you, because in this passage, you're going to find that Zimri murdered Elah the king. Now, it is true that Elah was an ungodly and wicked king. In fact, The truth of the matter is all the kings in the northern kingdom were wicked and ungodly. So what Elah was doing was he was drinking himself drunk. And of course, Zimri then seized the opportunity and murdered the king. Now we need to ask this question, what made Zimri's acts unlawful and treasonous? Certainly, murder is wrong. Self-will is wrong. And I'm probably sure that after reading the scriptures, Emery had no other motive other than to elevate himself and to usurp authority and to institute himself as king.

[John Weaver] In all probability, he had absolutely no desire to serve the people and certainly had no desire to obey God and honor him. So here's a man then who murdered a wicked ungodly king. What made it treason? Well, here's the problem. The problem with the murder of Elah was that he did have some legitimacy to his rule. You see, Elah was the son of Baasha.

[John Weaver] Now, in order to understand the implications, you have to know a little bit of Bible history. And I'm just going to try to summarize all of this rather than take the time to take you through every passage. You'll remember that in 1 Kings 11, God gave Jeroboam 10 of the 12 tribes. When you get to 1 Kings 12, Jeroboam decided if this people keep going down to Jerusalem, then their hearts are going to turn back to Rehoboam. and they're going to kill me."

[John Weaver] So in an act of self-preservation, in an act of trying to preserve his kingdom, what he did was he built two golden calves, put one in Bethel. I forget where he put the other one right now. And he said, these be thy gods, O Israel, who brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. And he forced the people basically to worship those two golden calves. And of course, many of the people left. A lot of the Levites left at the same time.

[John Weaver] Now, the interesting thing is God pronounces judgment against Jeroboam and against his house. When you get to 2 Kings, or not 2 Kings, but 1 Kings chapter 14, God used Baasha then to destroy the house of Jeroboam. God raised Baasha up to execute his judgment. Now, remember, if you would, Elah was Baasha's son. So if you look in 1 Kings 16, verses 1 and 2, verse 2 is the pivotal verse. Then the word of the Lord came to Jehu, the son of Hanani, against Baasha, saying, Forasmuch as I exalted thee out of the dust, and made thee prince over my people Israel, And thou hast walked in the way of Jeroboam, that hast made my people Israel to sin, to provoke me to anger with their sins. Behold, I will take away the posterity of Baasha and the posterity of his house, and will make thy house like the house of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat." You have to remember, it was Baasha that destroyed Jeroboam. But note, if you would, in verse 2, God says, for as much as I exalted thee out of the dust, and made the prince over my people Israel.

[John Weaver] So Baal did have some authority in the sense and some legitimacy because God raised him up in order that he might execute judgment against Jeroboam. And Elah was therefore the son of Baal, which would mean that he would have legitimacy as the heir of Baal. may remind you of Psalm 75, verses five and six, where the Bible says promotion cometh neither from the south, from the east or from the west, but God is judge.

[John Weaver] He put it down one and set it up another. You'll find the same truth in Daniel chapter two and verse 21. So God is a judge and God is the one who puts down kings and God is the one who puts up kings.

[John Weaver] Now, the interesting thing is this. Zimri was not chosen by God, nor was he chosen by the people. So, if you would look in verse 21, notice if you would, the Bible says, Then were the people of Israel divided in two parts. Half the people followed Tibni, the son of Gennath, to make him king, and half followed Omri. Nobody was for Zimri. Look in verse 16. And the people that were encamped heard say, Zimri hath conspired and also slain the king, whereof all Israel made Omri the captain of the host king over Israel that day in the camp." So, obviously, Zimri had no following, Zimri had no authority, Zimri had no one for him. Zimri was the man who just simply murdered Elah and anointed himself as king is what it amounted to. Now, the interesting thing is this. When you compare Zimri and David, may I remind you that it was King Saul who chased David and tried to kill him innumerable times. And David had opportunity to kill Saul over and over, and he refused.

[John Weaver] And on one occasion, Abishai, who was one of David's warriors and friends, when he caught Saul asleep there on the ground, Abishai said let me smite him to the ground this once just once I Will not smite a second time and in other words, he said David. Let me kill him. I'll make it clean I'll make it quick. I'll make it sure David said no he said this who can stretch forth his hand against the Lord's anointed and be guiltless and David will only say look God's going to take care of this and Either he's going to die a natural death or he's going to descend into battle and he'll be killed. But I am not going to have the kingdom at the price of murder or rebellion. I can wait. And so we're not going to kill Saul. So the attitude of David was totally different from the attitude of Zimri. Zimri conspired and murdered and stole that which neither God nor the people had given unto him. Now, I know you have not had time to read this chapter, and we did not take the time to read the entire chapter.

[John Weaver] But does anybody in here know how long Zim reigned? Here it is. He reigned a total of seven days. That's it. And in his last act of defiance, He burned the palace down with himself in it and killed himself as he destroyed the palace.

[John Weaver] Now, you remember that God also raised up Jehu, the son of Nimshi, to take care of Ahab and Jezebel and their house. But the interesting thing is Jezebel tried to use this incident of Zimri against Jehu. Because after Jehu had already killed Ahab, he went after Jezebel. And the Bible tells us that Jezebel tired her head and looked out the window and said to Jehu, Had Zimri peace who slew his master? In other words, Jehu, you better learn a lesson from history. But the problem was there was a vast difference between what Zimri had done and what Jehu was doing. Jehu was actually anointed king by a prophet at God's direction. And God told Jehu specifically to take care of the house of Ahab. So Jehu had authority to execute the judgment of God where Zimri had absolutely none.

[John Weaver] So the contrast is seen very clearly. between Zimri and David and Zimri and Jehu.

[John Weaver] Now, let me show you also what happened with Athaliah. So turn over, if you would, to 2 Kings 11. 2 Kings 11. And let's begin reading there with verse 1.

[John Weaver] Now this should shock you. And when Athaliah, the mother of Ahaziah, saw that her son was dead, She arose and destroyed all the seed royal. But Jehoshaphat, the daughter of King Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash, the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king's sons, which were slain, and they hid him, even him and his nurse, in the bedchamber from Athaliah, so that he was not slain. And he was hid with her, and he was with her hid in the house of the Lord six years, And Athaliah did reign over the land. Now, Athaliah did a very un-grandmotherly thing. She murdered all her grandchildren, except for Joash. And the only reason she did not murder him was that Jehoshaphat, who happened to be the wife of Jehoiada, who was the priest, stole Joash and hid him in the temple to keep Athaliah from murdering him. Wow. So for six years, he is now in the temple with Jehoiada, who is teaching him and training him.

[John Weaver] So let's ask a question and try to answer it. Who in the world is Athaliah? And why would a grandmother do such an un-grandmotherly thing? How could she murder her own grandchildren? Well, let me explain it. Athaliah was the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel. She had married Jehoram, who was king of Judah. Their son was Ahaziah. Jehoram had died. Ahaziah had died. So now her husband and her son, who was king, had died. The Bible tells you in 2 Chronicles 21, verse 6, that Athaliah and all this seed walked in the ways of the house of Ahab.

[John Weaver] That is, they were Baal worshipers. They were wicked. Also, in 2 Kings 8, verse 26, Athaliah is called the daughter of Amri. Actually, she was the granddaughter of Omri, but many times in the Bible, especially when someone acts like their grandfather, they were called the daughter or the son. But Omri was the father of Ahab. So Athaliah then had Omri, who was a murderer himself, as a grandfather, and Ahab and Jezebel as her parents. And so what Athaliah decided to do Well, since her husband was now dead and her son is now dead, she's going to take over the throne. So she is going to murder all of her grandchildren with the exception of Joash.

[John Weaver] Athali had absolutely no authority to rule, either from God or from the people. She simply stole the kingdom. And scripture declares in Isaiah 3 and verse 12, that when women and children rule, the land is under a curse. I want you to listen to the verse. Here it is. Isaiah three, verse 12. God said, as for my people, children are their oppressors and women rule over them. Oh, my people, they, which lead the cause he to her and destroy the way of our paths. So Athaliah now for six years is ruling and reigning over the land. For six years, Jehoiada is teaching and training Joash. When Joash turned seven years of age, they took him into the temple and had a coronation service. And in this coronation service, they gave him a testimony, which of course was a copy of the law. And, of course, they had the trumpeters. And by the way, the interesting thing is this. In the temple, Jehoiada had soldiers there guarding the king 24-7.

[John Weaver] And he said, nobody's to come in, nobody's to go out. You guard him. And when you read in Second Kings, also in the Book of Chronicles, Jehoiada gave the soldiers weapons that were stored in the temple in the house of God. And so they were guarding him up until the time of that coronation. And of course, when the coronation took place, here he is by the pillar, as all the princes and kings were when they were crowned, and the trumpets were playing, and the people were shouting, God save the king, God save the king.

[John Weaver] Evidently, Athaliah heard all the noise. And if you look in verse 14 again, And when she looked, she came down. Well, look at verse 13. And when Athaliah heard the noise of the guard and of the people, she came to the people into the temple of the Lord. Probably the only time she'd been there. And when she looked, behold, the king stood by a pillar, as the manor was, and the princes and the trumpeters by the king. And all the people of the land rejoiced and blew with trumpets. And Athaliah rent her clothes and cried, treason, treason. Wow.

[John Weaver] I want you to note something about this cry. The cry of treason, treason was, first of all, a charge and an indictment against Jehoiada and the people for inaugurating and coronating the King is King. It was not only a charge and indictment, but the second thing it was, It was a cry to any who followed Athaliah to have Johaniah and Joash and the people who followed them put to death. Why? Because it was treason. Treason was always punishable by death. Now, the interesting thing is this. Athaliah was still claiming at this point to have authority and jurisdiction as the queen and as the ruler, even though she had murdered to get the office, and even though she had stolen the office. I want you to think about this.

[John Weaver] There is an application that we could make today. According to the Bible, stealing an office It's treason. It's treason against God because it is a denial of his divine sovereignty and his divine providence. And it's treason against the people because the people never chose the ruler. You know, there's an interesting thing about David. It is true that God chose David to be king. But when you study, I think it's second, Samuel 7 or 14, the people come together and make a covenant with David and choose him to be king. Now, God chose David, but so did the people. And so here, Athaliah, she has stolen the office of authority and the office of the civil ruler, and now she has committed treason against God and also against the people.

[John Weaver] So what Jehoiada did was he commanded those soldiers there, to have her forth without the temple and to slay her." Look down, if you would, please, in verse 15 and 16. 2 Kings 11, verse 15,"'But Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of the hundreds and officers of the host, and said unto them, Have her forth without the ranges, and him that followeth her, kill with the sword. For the priest had said, Let her not be slain in the house of the Lord. And they laid hands on her, and as she went by the way, by which the horses came into the king's house, there was she slain."

[John Weaver] Now, the interesting thing is this. What Jehoiada and the soldiers did was the highest form of justice. Yet, according to the usurper, Athaliah, it was the highest crime. treason, treason. Here's an interesting thing, and we need to watch this. Those who are guilty of the vilest of the crimes are usually the first to charge others with that same vileness and that same crime, although the others are absolutely, totally innocent. And Jehoiada was innocent. The people who followed him were innocent. She was the guilty party. And yet at the same time, she is branding everyone else as being treasonous.

[John Weaver] Many of you will probably remember when Patrick Henry spoke to the House of Burgesses in Virginia. He said, and I'm quoting, that some good American will do to George III what Brutus did to Caesar. If you remember what Brutus did to Caesar, he killed him. And when John Robinson, who was the Speaker of the House, heard that, he went into a rage and he accused Patrick Henry of treason. That is when Henry said, if this be treason, then make the most of it.

[John Weaver] Obviously, it was not treason because Georgia Third and Parliament did not have any authority over the colonies because all of the colonies had a covenant, they had a constitution with the king, they were never under parliament, and each colony had its own legislature. So obviously it was not treason, neither could it be treason whatsoever.

[John Weaver] Now, let me tell you the problem that exists between treason and Christians. Most Christians only see treason as a crime against the state or the federal government. They do not see it as a crime against God. Listen carefully. Treason first and foremost is a sin and a crime and rebellion against the sovereign God of heaven and earth. because God is the sovereign lawgiver.

[John Weaver] Now, what we don't understand is this. It's not just individuals that can be treasonous. Governments can be treasonous. So I want you to hold 2 Kings 11, but turn in your Bibles to Psalm 94, Psalm 94. And let's look at verses 20 and 21. Psalm 94 verses 20 and 21. Watch this. Verse 20 is a question. Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee which frameth mischief by law?

[John Weaver] Now, verse 21, they gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous and condemn the innocent blood. So let's go back to this question. Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee which frameth mischief by law? First of all, I want you to note that it's a throne, which means it has authority, it has jurisdiction. So we're talking about a government, a civil government. But note, if you would, secondly, it is a throne of iniquity. Iniquity in the Bible is another word for sin. So it is a wicked civil government. It is an ungodly civil government. So here's the question. Shall the throne of iniquity, shall a wicked civil government have fellowship with thee? That is with God. So let's ask it like this. Can a wicked civil government, a rebellious, ungodly, reprobate civil government have fellowship with God?

[John Weaver] And the answer is no. Why? Look in verse 20, which frameth mischief by a law. So the word mischief in the Bible is another word for sin. So let me put it to you like this. What the question is asking is this in verse 20, shall a wicked civil government have fellowship with God, which makes sin legal? That's the question. That's the question. So here is the sovereign God of heaven and earth, and He issues forth His law. And the government turns around and says, we don't want that law. We don't like that law. We're going to make our own law. And what God says is wrong, we're going to make it right.

[John Weaver] Now, it's not only treason against God, it's treason against the people. Look in verse 21. They gathered themselves together against the soul of the righteous and condemned the innocent blood." Who is the they? Well, we were just talking about the civil government. That's what he's talking about, the throne of iniquity, the rulers there. They gathered themselves together against the soul of the righteous and condemned the innocent blood. In other words, they're the ones who persecute and prosecute and put to death the innocent and the people of God. So very clearly, it's not just individuals who can be treasonous, it is governments as well, very clearly.

[John Weaver] Now, let me go a little bit farther. I want you to understand treason, spiritual treason. We could go even farther and acknowledge that idolatry, In any shape, form, or fashion, it's treason against God. Again, here's the problem. See, most professing Christians are not going to bow down to an idol. I cannot even imagine a professing Christian bowing down before a statue of Buddha or Baal. It's just not going to happen.

[John Weaver] Not if they got any biblical knowledge in any sense at all. It will not happen. But the same Christian who would never ever bow down to an idol will entertain wrong, wicked, and unbiblical thoughts and ideas and concepts about God in their minds. And here's what we have forgotten. Idolatry begins in the mind, not in the workshop. Cars do not begin in the factory. Cars begin in the mind of an engineer who draws. And then once all the drawing is complete, then it is shipped to the factory and the factory makes what is drawn.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to listen carefully because each one of you understands Romans chapter one, is an indictment against the wicked for their idolatry. Here's what the Bible says. Listen carefully. Because that when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, but listen, neither were thankful, but became vain in their imagination and their foolish heart was darkened. And the next verse says they changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man.

[John Weaver] and a four-footed beast and birds and creeping things. Where did it begin? It began in the mind. So the point I'm trying to make is this. Anytime we entertain ideas in our mind that are contrary to God and unbiblical and unscriptural, it is a form of idolatry. If treason against the state If treason against the government is such a great and horrible crime, and it is, how much worse is treason against the sovereign God of heaven and earth who instituted civil government? If treason consists of betraying a state or government into the hands of a foreign power, how much worse is it to betray the kingdom of God into the hands of the wicked. If treason against an earthly government is to betray its power to the hands of the enemy, how much worse than is it to betray the kingdom of God into the hands of the enemy.

[John Weaver] Here's what the Bible says in Proverbs 28 in verse 28, when the wicked rise, men hide themselves, but when they, the wicked perish, the righteous increase. When the wicked rise, men hide themselves. And when you get to Proverbs 29 in verse 2, when the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice, but when the wicked bear rule, the people mourn. Now, here's a good question. Since we're talking about treason, and since treason is a betrayal of government, how do we betray the kingdom of God into the hands of the wicked.

[John Weaver] How do we do that? Well, let me show you a very simple way. I want you to turn in your Bibles to 2 Kings chapter 17, 2 Kings 17. And I want you to look very carefully with me at verses 7 and 8. I'm going to show you this. But the simplest way, the simplest way to betray the kingdom of God into the hands of the enemy is by denying, denigrating, and deserting the law of God. Here it is, plain and simple.

[John Weaver] Second Kings 17 verse 7, For so it was, that the children of Israel had sinned against the Lord their God, who had brought them up out of the land of Egypt, from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other gods." Now, let me stop right there. Note, if you would, the Bible clearly says that the children of Israel sinned against the Lord, that is, they betrayed Him, they were traitors to Him, they forsook Him, and they feared other gods. What does it mean to fear of the gods? And how was it seen that they feared other gods? Verse 8, And walked in the statutes, that is, the laws of the heathen, whom the Lord cast out before the children of Israel and of the kings of Israel, which they had made. And so what they did then, they denied and they deserted the law of God.

[John Weaver] And they started following the law of man, the law of the wicked, the law of the ungodly, the law of the unrighteous. You have to remember, What the Bible said in Psalm 94 and verse 20, shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, which frameth mischief by law. And so what the people of Israel were doing was saying this, we like these ungodly laws a whole lot better than we do these godly laws. And thus they forsook God's law and they began to follow man's law. So whenever we begin to deny and denigrate and desert the law of God, we're guilty of treason. We're guilty of treason.

[John Weaver] 1st Kings chapter 8 makes that very clear. 1st Samuel chapter 8, not 1st Kings, but 1st Samuel chapter 8. Also 1st Samuel chapter 12 and verse 21.

[John Weaver] Now, there's another way that we can betray the kingdom of God into the hands of the wicked. And that is by denying not only by denying, but also by demoting and dismissing Jesus Christ as head of the church. You say, how can I do that? Well, let me remind you that the Bible says specifically that Jesus Christ is the head of the church. What does that mean? It means He rules and reigns sovereignly over His church. Here it is, Ephesians chapter 1 verse 22, And it put all things under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the church. Then the book of Colossians chapter 1 and verse 18, the Bible said, And he is the head of the body, the church, which is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he, Jesus Christ, might have the preeminence. So the Bible speaks very clearly of the fact that Jesus Christ is the head of the church. Now, how do we deny and how do we demote Jesus Christ from being the head of the church?

[John Weaver] Well, there are numerous ways. But one way is through church incorporation. Incorporating a church places the state as the head of the church and not Jesus Christ. Thus, what you do, you demote Christ and you pull him down and you put the state over Jesus Christ. Any incorporated entity is a creation and a creature of the state.

[John Weaver] Now, you say, how does that happen? Well, let me show you how it happens legally. practically and if you want to refute what I just said you need to read about State Street Baptist Church in Hollis versus Marshall which was a 1981 court decision a State Street Baptist Church was an older church it had been in existence for a hundred and forty years But State Street Baptist Church decided to incorporate. And they did. And later on, there was an argument in the church over money. Some people did not like how the money was being spent. And so some people then sued the church.

[John Weaver] The church's position was this. The state has no authority. The state has no jurisdiction over the church. We're independent. We're under the headship of Jesus Christ. The court ruled in favor of the people who are suing the church. And here is the ruling. I want you to listen to what the judge said. The State Street Baptist Church has been in existence for over 140 years. In 1973, The membership organized a non-profit corporation. Once the church determined to enter into the realm of Caesar by forming a corporation, it was required to abide by the rules of Caesar, or in this case, the statutes of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. You know what the court said? Jesus Christ is not your head. We are your head. You volunteered. You entered in to the realm of Caesar willingly. And now you have to abide by the edicts of Caesar. So if we deny Jesus Christ as the head of the church, it has to be an act of treason. We are removing him against the sovereign authority of God, the father and placing the state there further.

[John Weaver] Let me go on. Another reason It's when you talk about 501c3 tax-exempt churches. They, too, are state churches. Moreover, a 501c3 tax-exempt church has bargained with the government through the IRS to receive a handful of measly benefits.

[John Weaver] Now, if you would take the time to read IRS publication 557, you will find this paragraph. In fact, two paragraphs. The first one is this one churches. Although a church is integrated auxiliaries or convention or an association of churches is not required to file form 1023 to be exempt from federal income tax or to receive tax deductible contributions. Let me just stop right there. What did the IRS just say? A church does not have to file any form to be tax-exempt or to receive tax-exempt deductions. None. So if we hear our members of Freedom Baptist Church and Steve gives the church $10,000 and he wants to deduct it from his income tax and the IRS says, where is the tax-exempt number for Freedom Baptist Church? We don't have one. Don't need one because we're tax immune. That's just what this just said. Now, listen, I'm going to read it again. I'm going to finish the paragraph. Although a church is integrated auxiliaries or a convention or association of churches is not required, the file form 1023 to be exempt from federal income tax or to receive tax deductible contributions.

[John Weaver] The organization may find it advantageous. to obtain recognition of exemption. That's all. You're already exempt, but we'll recognize you if you apply. In this event, you should submit information showing that your organization is a church, a synagogue, association or convention of churches, religious order or religious organization that is an integral part of a church and that it is engaged in carrying out the function of a church. Hmm.

[John Weaver] Now, The publication just said you don't have to be a 501c3 to be tax exempt and receive tax deductible contributions. You might find it advantageous. But wait a minute. When you sign on the dotted line to get those few little measly benefits, you have to remember this. There's another paragraph. Moreover, in order to receive a tax exempt number, One of the requirements is that the practices and rituals associated with the organization's religious belief or creed are not illegal.

[John Weaver] I'm going to stop right there. Wow. Who's going to fuss about that? Unless of course they try to make the Bible illegal or the truth illegal. Okay. Let me finish. Hang on. In order to receive a tax-exempt number, one of the requirements is that the practices and rituals associated with the organization's religious belief or creed are not illegal or contrary to clearly defined public policy. Abortion is public policy. Sodomy is public policy. Socialism, fascism, Marxism, progressivism, and communism are all now public policy. So when you sign to get that, you are agreeing that you're not going to be speaking out against any public policy that the government says, this is what we're going to do. Here's another quote.

[John Weaver] The truth is incorporated churches are subject to total governmental control whom they may hire. That's why they can tell some of them they have to hire the Sodomites or LBGT, it doesn't matter, whom they may hire, what they may and may not teach and preach, they cannot conflict with public policy or assault the hearer's sense of mental well-being, self-esteem, or sexual orientation. The IRS prohibits such organizations from carrying on propaganda or otherwise attempting to influence legislation. This prohibition extends not only to the endorsement of a political candidate, but also to any other attempts to influence legislation including taking a public stand against such governmental protected abominations as abortion and homosexuality. Wow.

[John Weaver] So treason then is the offense of attempting by overt acts to overthrow the government of the state to which the offender owes allegiance or betraying the state into the hands of a foreign power. So here's a good question and I'm going to try to answer it for you. as a child of God, to whom do you owe allegiance? And the answer is, first and foremost, you owe allegiance to the kingdom of God. How does one overthrow the government of the state? To whom he would owe some allegiance, and the answer is by forsaking, breaking, transgressing, and repudiating the laws of the state. How does one betray and overthrow the kingdom of God? And the answer is the same by forsaking, breaking, transgressing, and repudiating the law of God.

[John Weaver] You have to remember this, and I've told you this many times, a king rules by his law. And it is treason against God to forsake his law word. Subversion and rejection of God's law is an act of treason.

[John Weaver] Now, let me make some applications, and I'm going to try to tie some of these things together for us. Now listen carefully. First of all, Zimri. Zimri murdered a king whose reign had been appointed by God. He did so out of covetousness. He did so out of willful malice. He did what he did without divine authority or without human authority. He did what he did because he was a murderer and a thief. Jehoiada, Jehoiada on the other hand, did not rebel against God, nor did he rebel against God's ordained authority. What Jehoiada did was he resisted a murderer and a thief.

[John Weaver] Although Athaliah, who was the reigning power at that time, attributed his actions to being treasonous, and him being a traitor, his actions did not constitute treason, but rather they constituted justice. So if you don't get anything else today, I want you to get this. Please understand this. A simple biblical principle. It is not treason. And it is not rebellion to resist an unlawful government or an unlawful individual who is claiming authority that does not have that authority. Where there is no lawful authority, where there is no lawful power, it is not rebellion, it is resistance. It certainly is not treason. Black's Law Dictionary again defines treason as the offense of attempting by overt acts to overthrow the government of the state to which the offender owes allegiance or by betraying the state into the hands of a foreign power.

[John Weaver] So ask yourself this question. To whom do you owe allegiance? As a Christian, To whom do you owe allegiance? Let me answer that two ways. First of all, I'm going to answer it Godward. And secondly, I'm going to answer it manward. In reference to Godward answered our primary allegiance, our primary obligation and duty is to God and his kingdom. You remember that passage in Philippians chapter three, where the Apostle Paul himself said, for our citizenship is in heaven. And if you remember in Acts chapter 5, when those rulers told the apostles they could not preach and teach in the name of Jesus Christ, what did Peter and the others answer? We ought to obey God rather than man. So obviously and clearly, Godward, our allegiance is first and foremost and primarily to Him. Secondly, what do we owe manward? Let me ask some questions. Do we owe allegiance to a bureaucracy, a democracy, or one world government? How about a United Nations one world government? The answer is, manwardly speaking, we owe allegiance to a constitutional republic that was handed down to us by our forefathers who gave their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor.

[John Weaver] That's who we owe allegiance to, manward. The government that our illustrious civil rulers owe allegiance to, it's not the oil cartel. It's not the Zionist lobby. It's not the big pharma. It's not the CFR. It's not the Bilderbergers. It's not the UN. It's not the one world government. They owe allegiance to the constitutional republic to which they took an oath to uphold. And you can find that in Article 6, Clause 2, and Clause 3.

[John Weaver] I want to read it to you. Clause 2. This Constitution, and the laws of the United States which shall be made in pursuance thereof, and all treaties made, which shall be made under the authority of the United States. Okay, let me stop right there. What is the authority of the United States? It's the Constitution. So this Constitution, 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 of the laws of any state to the contrary, notwithstanding," here's clause three,"...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 of the several states, shall be bound by oath or affirmation to support this constitution." So every one of those senators, every one of those reps, every one of those judges, any officer of any nature whatsoever has taken an oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States and not to do so is treason.

[John Weaver] Because it is denying the states the Republican form of government that is demanded in the Constitution, and it's destroying the Constitution, which is the glue that holds the states together. So if treason, then, consists of betraying the state in the hands of a foreign power, who has done so? And who may do that most effectively? And the answer is civil government or the politicians or the leaders thereof.

[John Weaver] So I can ask you this question. Has America been betrayed and handed over to a foreign power monetarily and economically? And the answer is yes. How about politically? And the answer is yes. Is not an attempt to subvert, destroy, and mutilate American sovereignty treason? Is not an attempt to destroy the Constitutional Republic treason? And the answer is yes. So let me ask this. Do the citizens of America owe allegiance to a bastardized, bureaucratized, and democratized one-world government? Or do we owe our allegiance to the Constitutional Republic which our forefathers gave us." See, it is not treason to expose wickedness. It is not treason to expound the truth.

[John Weaver] It is right to do so. If speaking the truth and teaching right history is treason, then like Patrick Henry said, make the most of it. Because truth is still truth, error is still error, right is still right, wrong is still wrong. There'll probably be people who get upset over what I'm preaching today, but it's truth. It is truth. And you can deny it all you want until you read the word of God.

[John Weaver] Tyrants have risen and fallen. Empires have emerged and faded away. But the sovereign God of heaven and earth and his truth shall endure forever. I want to end with a quote by Matthew Henry. Listen to what he said. When men forsake God, they will be left to plague each other. Proud, aspiring men ruin each other. Omright struggled with Tibney for some years. Though we do not always understand the rules by which God governs nations and individuals in his providence, we may learn useful lessons from the history before us. Now listen carefully. When tyrants succeed each other, and massacres, conspiracies, and civil wars, we may be sure that the Lord has a controversy with the people for their sins.

[John Weaver] They are loudly called to repent and reform. Omri made himself infamous by his wickedness. Many wicked men have been men of might and renown and have built cities, and their names are found in history. But they have no name in the Lamb's Book of Life. Hmm. Let me tell you something, folks. I'd much rather have my name in the Lamb's Book of Life than to have a bridge or road named after me or some building.

[John Weaver] Treason, first and foremost, is a sin against God. You cannot sin against an individual. without first sinning against God. Hmm. If I murdered Steve, I would have already sinned against God in my mind and in my heart in determining that's what I was going to do. We have to understand treason is a crime that merits death. And God is the sovereign judge of all the earth. And you look how we as Christians have betrayed Him and His kingdom into the hands of the wicked. Wow.

[John Weaver] And as Matthew Henry said, when tyrants succeed each other one after the other, and there are nothing but wars and troubles and heartaches, God is calling us loudly to repent and reform. And that's what we need to hear. Repentance. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee this day. We thank You for Your Word. We thank You for Your truth. And we acknowledge, Lord, that we've sinned against Thee. We've grieved Thee so many times. We've betrayed Thee. We've done what Judas has done in many different in varying ways.

[John Weaver] Forgive us for our sins. Call us to repentance. Quicken us, Lord, that we may call upon thy name. Turn us, O Lord, and we shall be turned. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray. Amen.

[John Weaver] ♪

The Bible And Treason

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	ivweCBRpmdY
Subject	New Testament Studies
Course	Romans: Law, Obedience, and Sanctification: Holiness and Obedience
Genre	Sermon
Date	2021-11-11
Dictation Name
Book	Book 135: Romans: Law, Obedience, and Sanctification - Volume 2 — Chapter 33
Source Timed Segments	80

Formatted Transcript

Introduction to Treason

Weaver introduces the topic by reading 1 Kings 16:20 and 2 Kings 11:14, noting the word 'treason' appears five times in the Bible and is translated from the Hebrew 'qesher,' which also means conspiracy and confederacy.

I want you to open your Bibles, if you would please today, to two passages. 1 Kings chapter 16 and 2 Kings chapter 11. We're going to be reading two verses. The title of the message is "The Bible and Treason." I think you will see that it is very applicable. So notice, if you would please, 1 Kings chapter 16 and verse 20. The Bible says, "Now the rest of the acts of Zimri and his treason that he wrought, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?" Then if you would turn to 2 Kings chapter 11 and look, if you would please, at verse 14. We'll come back to this one. This is Athaliah.

Scripture Reading — 2 Kings 11:14

"And when she looked, behold, the king stood by a pillar, as the manner was, and the princes and the trumpeters by the king. And all the people of the land rejoiced and blew with trumpets. And Athaliah rent her clothes and cried, Treason, treason."

Treason is a word that reeks of treachery, subterfuge, espionage, and death. Treason is usually associated with such names as Judas, Benedict Arnold, and even the Rosenbergs. Treason is one of the few crimes that is named in the Constitution of the United States, and it is defined in that document as well. While most of us are aware of the political ramifications of treason, unhappily, we are woefully ignorant when it comes to the Bible and treason. Now the word "treason" only occurs five times in our Bible and in three passages. However, the Hebrew word for treason is the word "qesher," and it is translated as "treason" five times, "conspiracy" nine times, and "confederacy" two times. So it is indeed a very broad word.

Constitutional Definition of Treason

He reads Article 3, Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution, emphasizing that treason requires an overt act witnessed by two people or a confession in open court, and that the original language referred to the plurality of states.

"No person shall be convicted of treason unless on the testimony of two witnesses to the same overt act or on a confession in open court. The Congress shall have the power to declare the punishment of treason, but no attainder of treason shall work corruption of blood or forfeiture except during the life of the person attainted." Now, in order to be convicted of treason, according to the Constitution, there has to be at least one overt act, but there has to be at least two witnesses to that one overt act, and/or there can be a confession of treason in open court. Here's the remarkable thing to me about this definition. I want you to listen, because this definition actually demonstrates states' sovereignty, or states' rights, and the plurality of the states. So listen carefully. The article says, "Treason against the United States"—plural—"shall consist only in levying war against them"—plural—"or adhering to their enemies"—plural. So in other words, the definition of treason then refers to the plurality of the states and not to a central bureaucracy or a central government the way we have it. So initially, the crime of treason was against any or all of the confederated states, individually or collectively, which made up the United States.

Now, it is true that Congress alone had the power to declare the punishment of treason, but originally, Congress was to represent the states. See, what we forget is this: the federal government did not create the states. The states created the federal government. In that sense of the word, the states then were the masters, they were the sovereigns, and the federal government was to be the servants. Thus any attempt—listen carefully—thus any attempt to overthrow the union of the states, or subvert the Constitution, which was the glue that held the states together, was considered treason.

Attainder of Treason and Biblical Parallel

Weaver explains that attainder of treason, punishing a traitor's family, is prohibited by the Constitution, aligning with Ezekiel 18:20 and 2 Kings 14:6 which teach individual responsibility for sin.

where when an individual had committed treason against the king, then that individual's family was punished, ostracized, banished, and sometimes even put to death for what one member of that family did. And so our Constitution says, no, you can't do that. You cannot destroy a person's family because of the act of one individual. That's why in the book of Ezekiel chapter 18 verse 20, God says this: "The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, and the father shall not bear the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him."

Now, when you get to 2 Kings chapter 14 in verse 6, Amaziah, who was the king, was putting to death the men that murdered his father, Joash. And here's what the Bible says:

Scripture Reading — 2 Kings 14:6

"But the children of the murderers he slew not, according to that which was written in the book of the law of Moses, wherein the Lord commanded, saying, The father shall not be put to death for the children, nor the children be put to death for the fathers, but every man shall be put to death for his own sin."

Zimri's Treason

Zimri murdered King Elah and seized the throne without divine or popular authority, reigning only seven days before dying in a fire he set. His act was treason because he lacked legitimacy, unlike David who refused to kill Saul.

Now when you look at 1 Kings chapter 16, we're reading about Zimri. And it said very clearly in 1 Kings chapter 16 and verse 20: "Now the rest of the acts of Zimri and his treason that he wrought, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?" Now, in order to really understand this passage, you would really need to read all of chapter 16, especially verses 8 through 20. And I'm just going to try to summarize all this for you, because in this passage, you're going to find that Zimri murdered Elah the king. Now, it is true that Elah was an ungodly and wicked king. In fact, the truth of the matter is all the kings in the northern kingdom were wicked and ungodly. So what Elah was doing was he was drinking himself drunk. And of course, Zimri then seized the opportunity and murdered the king. Now we need to ask this question: what made Zimri's acts unlawful and treasonous? Certainly, murder is wrong. Self-will is wrong. And I'm probably sure that after reading the Scriptures, Zimri had no other motive other than to elevate himself and to usurp authority and to institute himself as king.

In all probability, he had absolutely no desire to serve the people and certainly had no desire to obey God and honor Him. So here's a man then who murdered a wicked, ungodly king. What made it treason? Well, here's the problem. The problem with the murder of Elah was that he did have some legitimacy to his rule. You see, Elah was the son of Baasha.

Now, in order to understand the implications, you have to know a little bit of Bible history. And I'm just going to try to summarize all of this rather than take the time to take you through every passage. You'll remember that in 1 Kings 11, God gave Jeroboam 10 of the 12 tribes. When you get to 1 Kings 12, Jeroboam decided, "If this people keep going down to Jerusalem, then their hearts are going to turn back to Rehoboam, and they're going to kill me."

So in an act of self-preservation, in an act of trying to preserve his kingdom, what he did was he built two golden calves, put one in Bethel—I forget where he put the other one right now—and he said, "These be thy gods, O Israel, who brought thee up out of the land of Egypt." And he forced the people basically to worship those two golden calves. And of course, many of the people left. A lot of the Levites left at the same time. Now, the interesting thing is God pronounces judgment against Jeroboam and against his house. When you get to 2 Kings—or not 2 Kings, but 1 Kings chapter 14—God used Baasha then to destroy the house of Jeroboam. God raised Baasha up to execute His judgment. Now, remember, if you would, Elah was Baasha's son. So if you look in 1 Kings 16, verses 1 and 2, verse 2 is the pivotal verse: "Then the word of the Lord came to Jehu the son of Hanani against Baasha, saying, Forasmuch as I exalted thee out of the dust, and made thee prince over my people Israel, and thou hast walked in the way of Jeroboam, and hast made my people Israel to sin, to provoke me to anger with their sins; behold, I will take away the posterity of Baasha and the posterity of his house, and will make thy house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat." You have to remember, it was Baasha that destroyed Jeroboam. But note, if you would, in verse 2, God says, "Forasmuch as I exalted thee out of the dust, and made thee prince over my people Israel."

So Baasha did have some authority in the sense and some legitimacy because God raised him up in order that he might execute judgment against Jeroboam. And Elah was therefore the son of Baasha, which would mean that he would have legitimacy as the heir of Baasha. May I remind you of Psalm 75, verses 5 and 6, where the Bible says, "Promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is judge: He putteth down one, and setteth up another." You'll find the same truth in Daniel chapter 2 and verse 21. So God is judge, and God is the one who puts down kings, and God is the one who puts up kings.

Now, the interesting thing is this: Zimri was not chosen by God, nor was he chosen by the people. So, if you would look in verse 21, notice if you would, the Bible says, "Then were the people of Israel divided into two parts: half the people followed Tibni the son of Ginath, to make him king; and half followed Omri." Nobody was for Zimri. Look in verse 16: "And the people that were encamped heard say, Zimri hath conspired, and hath also slain the king: wherefore all Israel made Omri, the captain of the host, king over Israel that day in the camp." So, obviously, Zimri had no following, Zimri had no authority, Zimri had no one for him. Zimri was the man who just simply murdered Elah and anointed himself as king is what it amounted to. Now, the interesting thing is this: when you compare Zimri and David, may I remind you that it was King Saul who chased David and tried to kill him innumerable times. And David had opportunity to kill Saul over and over, and he refused.

And on one occasion, Abishai, who was one of David's warriors and friends, when he caught Saul asleep there on the ground, Abishai said, "Let me smite him to the ground this once, just once. I will not smite a second time." In other words, he said, "David, let me kill him. I'll make it clean, I'll make it quick, I'll make it sure." David said, "No." He said this: "Who can stretch forth his hand against the Lord's anointed and be guiltless?" And David would only say, "Look, God's going to take care of this. Either he's going to die a natural death or he's going to descend into battle and he'll be killed. But I am not going to have the kingdom at the price of murder or rebellion. I can wait." And so we're not going to kill Saul. So the attitude of David was totally different from the attitude of Zimri. Zimri conspired and murdered and stole that which neither God nor the people had given unto him. Now, I know you have not had time to read this chapter, and we did not take the time to read the entire chapter.

But does anybody in here know how long Zimri reigned? Here it is: he reigned a total of seven days. That's it. And in his last act of defiance, he burned the palace down with himself in it and killed himself as he destroyed the palace.

Athaliah's Usurpation and Cry of Treason

Athaliah, daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, murdered the royal seed except Joash, who was hidden. When Joash was crowned at age seven, Athaliah cried 'Treason, treason,' though she was the true usurper.

Now, let me show you also what happened with Athaliah. So turn over, if you would, to 2 Kings 11. 2 Kings 11. And let's begin reading there with verse 1.

Now this should shock you. "And when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal. But Jehosheba, the daughter of king Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king's sons which were slain; and they hid him, even him and his nurse, in the bedchamber from Athaliah, so that he was not slain. And he was with her hid in the house of the Lord six years. And Athaliah did reign over the land." Now, Athaliah did a very un-grandmotherly thing. She murdered all her grandchildren, except for Joash. And the only reason she did not murder him was that Jehosheba, who happened to be the wife of Jehoiada, who was the priest, stole Joash and hid him in the temple to keep Athaliah from murdering him. Wow. So for six years, he is now in the temple with Jehoiada, who is teaching him and training him.

So let's ask a question and try to answer it. Who in the world is Athaliah? And why would a grandmother do such an un-grandmotherly thing? How could she murder her own grandchildren? Well, let me explain it. Athaliah was the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel. She had married Jehoram, who was king of Judah. Their son was Ahaziah. Jehoram had died. Ahaziah had died. So now her husband and her son, who was king, had died. The Bible tells you in 2 Chronicles 21, verse 6, that Athaliah and all this seed walked in the ways of the house of Ahab.

That is, they were Baal worshipers. They were wicked. Also, in 2 Kings 8, verse 26, Athaliah is called the daughter of Omri. Actually, she was the granddaughter of Omri, but many times in the Bible, especially when someone acts like their grandfather, they were called the daughter or the son. But Omri was the father of Ahab. So Athaliah then had Omri, who was a murderer himself, as a grandfather, and Ahab and Jezebel as her parents. And so what Athaliah decided to do—well, since her husband was now dead and her son is now dead, she's going to take over the throne. So she is going to murder all of her grandchildren with the exception of Joash.

Athaliah had absolutely no authority to rule, either from God or from the people. She simply stole the kingdom. And Scripture declares in Isaiah 3 and verse 12 that when women and children rule, the land is under a curse. I want you to listen to the verse. Here it is, Isaiah 3, verse 12. God said,

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 3:12

"As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths."

So Athaliah now for six years is ruling and reigning over the land. For six years, Jehoiada is teaching and training Joash. When Joash turned seven years of age, they took him into the temple and had a coronation service. And in this coronation service, they gave him a testimony, which of course was a copy of the law. And, of course, they had the trumpeters. And by the way, the interesting thing is this: in the temple, Jehoiada had soldiers there guarding the king 24/7.

And he said, "Nobody's to come in, nobody's to go out. You guard him." And when you read in 2 Kings, also in the book of Chronicles, Jehoiada gave the soldiers weapons that were stored in the temple in the house of God. And so they were guarding him up until the time of that coronation. And of course, when the coronation took place, here he is by the pillar, as all the princes and kings were when they were crowned, and the trumpets were playing, and the people were shouting, "God save the king, God save the king." Evidently, Athaliah heard all the noise. And if you look in verse 14 again, "And when she looked..."—she came down. Well, look at verse 13: "And when Athaliah heard the noise of the guard and of the people, she came to the people into the temple of the Lord." Probably the only time she'd been there. "And when she looked, behold, the king stood by a pillar, as the manner was, and the princes and the trumpeters by the king. And all the people of the land rejoiced and blew with trumpets. And Athaliah rent her clothes and cried, Treason, treason." Wow.

I want you to note something about this cry. The cry of "Treason, treason" was, first of all, a charge and an indictment against Jehoiada and the people for inaugurating and coronating the king as king. It was not only a charge and indictment, but the second thing it was, it was a cry to any who followed Athaliah to have Jehoiada and Joash and the people who followed them put to death. Why? Because it was treason. Treason was always punishable by death. Now, the interesting thing is this: Athaliah was still claiming at this point to have authority and jurisdiction as the queen and as the ruler, even though she had murdered to get the office, and even though she had stolen the office. I want you to think about this.

Governments Can Commit Treason

Psalm 94:20-21 shows that a 'throne of iniquity' which frames mischief by law commits treason against God by legalizing sin and persecuting the righteous.

Now, what we don't understand is this: it's not just individuals that can be treasonous. Governments can be treasonous. So I want you to hold 2 Kings 11, but turn in your Bibles to Psalm 94, Psalm 94. And let's look at verses 20 and 21. Psalm 94 verses 20 and 21. Watch this. Verse 20 is a question: "Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, which frameth mischief by a law?"

Now, verse 21: "They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood." So let's go back to this question: "Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, which frameth mischief by a law?" First of all, I want you to note that it's a throne, which means it has authority, it has jurisdiction. So we're talking about a government, a civil government. But note, if you would, secondly, it is a throne of iniquity. Iniquity in the Bible is another word for sin. So it is a wicked civil government. It is an ungodly civil government. So here's the question: "Shall the throne of iniquity"—shall a wicked civil government—"have fellowship with thee?" That is with God. So let's ask it like this: can a wicked civil government, a rebellious, ungodly, reprobate civil government have fellowship with God?

And the answer is no. Why? Look in verse 20: "which frameth mischief by a law." So the word "mischief" in the Bible is another word for sin. So let me put it to you like this: what the question is asking is this in verse 20: "Shall a wicked civil government have fellowship with God, which makes sin legal?" That's the question. That's the question. So here is the sovereign God of heaven and earth, and He issues forth His law. And the government turns around and says, "We don't want that law. We don't like that law. We're going to make our own law. And what God says is wrong, we're going to make it right."

Now, it's not only treason against God, it's treason against the people. Look in verse 21: "They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood." Who is the "they"? Well, we were just talking about the civil government. That's what he's talking about, the throne of iniquity, the rulers there. They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous and condemn the innocent blood. In other words, they're the ones who persecute and prosecute and put to death the innocent and the people of God. So very clearly, it's not just individuals who can be treasonous, it is governments as well, very clearly.

Spiritual Treason: Idolatry and Lawlessness

Idolatry begins in the mind as vain imaginations (Romans 1), and forsaking God's law for man's law is treason (2 Kings 17:7-8). Denying Christ's headship through church incorporation or 501(c)(3) status also constitutes treason.

Not if they've got any biblical knowledge in any sense at all. It will not happen. But the same Christian who would never ever bow down to an idol will entertain wrong, wicked, and unbiblical thoughts and ideas and concepts about God in their minds. And here's what we have forgotten: idolatry begins in the mind, not in the workshop. Cars do not begin in the factory. Cars begin in the mind of an engineer who draws. And then once all the drawing is complete, then it is shipped to the factory and the factory makes what is drawn.

Now, I want you to listen carefully because each one of you understands Romans chapter 1 is an indictment against the wicked for their idolatry. Here's what the Bible says. Listen carefully:

Scripture Reading — Romans 1:21-23

"Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, but"

—listen—

Scripture Reading — Romans 1:21-23

"neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened."

And the next verse says they

Scripture Reading — Romans 1:21-23

"changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things."

Where did it begin? It began in the mind. So the point I'm trying to make is this: anytime we entertain ideas in our mind that are contrary to God and unbiblical and unscriptural, it is a form of idolatry. If treason against the state, if treason against the government is such a great and horrible crime—and it is—how much worse is treason against the sovereign God of heaven and earth who instituted civil government? If treason consists of betraying a state or government into the hands of a foreign power, how much worse is it to betray the kingdom of God into the hands of the wicked? If treason against an earthly government is to betray its power to the hands of the enemy, how much worse then is it to betray the kingdom of God into the hands of the enemy?

Here's what the Bible says in Proverbs 28, verse 28:

Scripture Reading — Proverbs 28:28

"When the wicked rise, men hide themselves: but when they perish, the righteous increase."

When the wicked rise, men hide themselves. And when you get to Proverbs 29, verse 2: "When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn." Now, here's a good question. Since we're talking about treason, and since treason is a betrayal of government, how do we betray the kingdom of God into the hands of the wicked? How do we do that? Well, let me show you a very simple way. I want you to turn in your Bibles to 2 Kings chapter 17, 2 Kings 17. And I want you to look very carefully with me at verses 7 and 8. I'm going to show you this. But the simplest way, the simplest way to betray the kingdom of God into the hands of the enemy is by denying, denigrating, and deserting the law of God. Here it is, plain and simple.

2 Kings 17 verse 7:

Scripture Reading — 2 Kings 17:7-8

"For so it was, that the children of Israel had sinned against the Lord their God, which had brought them up out of the land of Egypt, from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other gods."

Now, let me stop right there. Note, if you would, the Bible clearly says that the children of Israel sinned against the Lord, that is, they betrayed Him, they were traitors to Him, they forsook Him, and they feared other gods. What does it mean to fear other gods? And how was it seen that they feared other gods? Verse 8:

Scripture Reading — 2 Kings 17:7-8

"And walked in the statutes"

—that is, the laws—

Scripture Reading — 2 Kings 17:7-8

"of the heathen, whom the Lord cast out from before the children of Israel, and of the kings of Israel, which they had made."

And so what they did then, they denied and they deserted the law of God.

And they started following the law of man, the law of the wicked, the law of the ungodly, the law of the unrighteous. You have to remember what the Bible said in Psalm 94 and verse 20: "Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, which frameth mischief by a law?" And so what the people of Israel were doing was saying this: "We like these ungodly laws a whole lot better than we do these godly laws." And thus they forsook God's law and they began to follow man's law. So whenever we begin to deny and denigrate and desert the law of God, we're guilty of treason. We're guilty of treason. 1 Samuel chapter 8 makes that very clear. 1 Samuel chapter 8—not 1 Kings, but 1 Samuel chapter 8. Also 1 Samuel chapter 12 and verse 21.

Now, there's another way that we can betray the kingdom of God into the hands of the wicked. And that is by denying—not only by denying, but also by demoting and dismissing Jesus Christ as head of the church. You say, "How can I do that?" Well, let me remind you that the Bible says specifically that Jesus Christ is the head of the church. What does that mean? It means He rules and reigns sovereignly over His church. Here it is, Ephesians chapter 1 verse 22: "And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church." Then the book of Colossians chapter 1 and verse 18, the Bible said, "And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence." So the Bible speaks very clearly of the fact that Jesus Christ is the head of the church. Now, how do we deny and how do we demote Jesus Christ from being the head of the church?

Well, there are numerous ways. But one way is through church incorporation. Incorporating a church places the state as the head of the church and not Jesus Christ. Thus, what you do, you demote Christ and you pull Him down and you put the state over Jesus Christ. Any incorporated entity is a creation and a creature of the state.

Now, you say, "How does that happen?" Well, let me show you how it happens legally, practically. And if you want to refute what I just said, you need to read about State Street Baptist Church v. Marshall, which was a 1981 court decision. State Street Baptist Church was an older church; it had been in existence for 140 years. But State Street Baptist Church decided to incorporate. And they did. And later on, there was an argument in the church over money. Some people did not like how the money was being spent. And so some people then sued the church.

The church's position was this: "The state has no authority. The state has no jurisdiction over the church. We're independent. We're under the headship of Jesus Christ." The court ruled in favor of the people who were suing the church. And here is the ruling. I want you to listen to what the judge said: "The State Street Baptist Church has been in existence for over 140 years. In 1973, the membership organized a non-profit corporation. Once the church determined to enter into the realm of Caesar by forming a corporation, it was required to abide by the rules of Caesar, or in this case, the statutes of the Commonwealth of Kentucky." You know what the court said? "Jesus Christ is not your head. We are your head. You volunteered. You entered into the realm of Caesar willingly. And now you have to abide by the edicts of Caesar." So if we deny Jesus Christ as the head of the church, it has to be an act of treason. We are removing Him against the sovereign authority of God the Father and placing the state there. Further,

let me go on. Another reason is when you talk about 501(c)(3) tax-exempt churches. They, too, are state churches. Moreover, a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt church has bargained with the government through the IRS to receive a handful of measly benefits.

Now, if you would take the time to read IRS Publication 557, you will find this paragraph. In fact, two paragraphs. The first one is this one: "Churches. Although a church, its integrated auxiliaries, or a convention or association of churches is not required to file Form 1023 to be exempt from federal income tax or to receive tax-deductible contributions..." Let me just stop right there. What did the IRS just say? A church does not have to file any form to be tax-exempt or to receive tax-exempt deductions. None. So if we here at members of Freedom Baptist Church, and Steve gives the church $10,000 and he wants to deduct it from his income tax, and the IRS says, "Where is the tax-exempt number for Freedom Baptist Church?" We don't have one. Don't need one because we're tax immune. That's just what this just said. Now, listen, I'm going to read it again. I'm going to finish the paragraph: "Although a church, its integrated auxiliaries, or a convention or association of churches is not required to file Form 1023 to be exempt from federal income tax or to receive tax-deductible contributions,

the organization may find it advantageous to obtain recognition of exemption." That's all. You're already exempt, but we'll recognize you if you apply. "In this event, you should submit information showing that your organization is a church, a synagogue, association or convention of churches, religious order or religious organization that is an integral part of a church and that it is engaged in carrying out the function of a church." Hmm. Now, the publication just said you don't have to be a 501(c)(3) to be tax-exempt and receive tax-deductible contributions. You might find it advantageous. But wait a minute. When you sign on the dotted line to get those few little measly benefits, you have to remember this: there's another paragraph. Moreover, in order to receive a tax-exempt number, one of the requirements is that the practices and rituals associated with the organization's religious belief or creed are not illegal.

I'm going to stop right there. Wow. Who's going to fuss about that? Unless, of course, they try to make the Bible illegal or the truth illegal. Okay. Let me finish. Hang on. "In order to receive a tax-exempt number, one of the requirements is that the practices and rituals associated with the organization's religious belief or creed are not illegal or contrary to clearly defined public policy." Abortion is public policy. Sodomy is public policy. Socialism, fascism, Marxism, progressivism, and communism are all now public policy. So when you sign to get that, you are agreeing that you're not going to be speaking out against any public policy that the government says, "This is what we're going to do." Here's another quote.

The truth is, incorporated churches are subject to total governmental control: whom they may hire—that's why they can tell some of them they have to hire the Sodomites or LGBT, it doesn't matter—whom they may hire, what they may and may not teach and preach, they cannot conflict with public policy or assault the hearer's sense of mental well-being, self-esteem, or sexual orientation. The IRS prohibits such organizations from carrying on propaganda or otherwise attempting to influence legislation. This prohibition extends not only to the endorsement of a political candidate, but also to any other attempts to influence legislation, including taking a public stand against such government-protected abominations as abortion and homosexuality. Wow.

Allegiance and Application

Christians owe primary allegiance to God's kingdom, and manward allegiance to the constitutional republic. Resisting unlawful authority is not treason but justice. America has been betrayed by leaders who violate their oath to the Constitution.

So treason then is the offense of attempting by overt acts to overthrow the government of the state to which the offender owes allegiance, or betraying the state into the hands of a foreign power. So here's a good question, and I'm going to try to answer it for you. As a child of God, to whom do you owe allegiance? And the answer is, first and foremost, you owe allegiance to the kingdom of God. How does one overthrow the government of the state to whom he would owe some allegiance? And the answer is by forsaking, breaking, transgressing, and repudiating the laws of the state. How does one betray and overthrow the kingdom of God? And the answer is the same: by forsaking, breaking, transgressing, and repudiating the law of God.

You have to remember this, and I've told you this many times: a king rules by his law. And it is treason against God to forsake His law-word. Subversion and rejection of God's law is an act of treason. Now, let me make some applications, and I'm going to try to tie some of these things together for us. Now listen carefully. First of all, Zimri. Zimri murdered a king whose reign had been appointed by God. He did so out of covetousness. He did so out of willful malice. He did what he did without divine authority or without human authority. He did what he did because he was a murderer and a thief. Jehoiada, Jehoiada on the other hand, did not rebel against God, nor did he rebel against God's ordained authority. What Jehoiada did was he resisted a murderer and a thief.

Although Athaliah, who was the reigning power at that time, attributed his actions to being treasonous, and him being a traitor, his actions did not constitute treason, but rather they constituted justice. So if you don't get anything else today, I want you to get this. Please understand this: a simple biblical principle. It is not treason, and it is not rebellion to resist an unlawful government or an unlawful individual who is claiming authority that does not have that authority. Where there is no lawful authority, where there is no lawful power, it is not rebellion, it is resistance. It certainly is not treason. Black's Law Dictionary again defines treason as "the offense of attempting by overt acts to overthrow the government of the state to which the offender owes allegiance, or by betraying the state into the hands of a foreign power."

So ask yourself this question: to whom do you owe allegiance? As a Christian, to whom do you owe allegiance? Let me answer that two ways. First of all, I'm going to answer it Godward. And secondly, I'm going to answer it manward. In reference to Godward answered, our primary allegiance, our primary obligation and duty is to God and His kingdom. You remember that passage in Philippians chapter 3, where the Apostle Paul himself said, "For our conversation is in heaven." And if you remember in Acts chapter 5, when those rulers told the apostles they could not preach and teach in the name of Jesus Christ, what did Peter and the others answer? "We ought to obey God rather than men." So obviously and clearly, Godward, our allegiance is first and foremost and primarily to Him. Secondly, what do we owe manward? Let me ask some questions. Do we owe allegiance to a bureaucracy, a democracy, or one-world government? How about a United Nations one-world government? The answer is, manwardly speaking, we owe allegiance to a constitutional republic that was handed down to us by our forefathers who gave their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor.

That's who we owe allegiance to, manward. The government that our illustrious civil rulers owe allegiance to—it's not the oil cartel. It's not the Zionist lobby. It's not the big pharma. It's not the CFR. It's not the Bilderbergers. It's not the UN. It's not the one-world government. They owe allegiance to the constitutional republic to which they took an oath to uphold. And you can find that in Article 6, Clause 2, and Clause 3.

I want to read it to you. Clause 2: "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..." Okay, let me stop right there. What is the authority of the United States? It's the Constitution. "...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." Here's Clause 3: "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." So every one of those senators, every one of those reps, every one of those judges, any officer of any nature whatsoever has taken an oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States, and not to do so is treason.

Because it is denying the states the republican form of government that is demanded in the Constitution, and it's destroying the Constitution, which is the glue that holds the states together. So if treason, then, consists of betraying the state into the hands of a foreign power, who has done so? And who may do that most effectively? And the answer is civil government, or the politicians, or the leaders thereof.

Conclusion and Call to Repentance

Weaver concludes with a quote from Matthew Henry, warning that tyrants and civil wars are God's call to repentance. He prays for forgiveness for betraying God and asks for revival.

Tyrants have risen and fallen. Empires have emerged and faded away. But the sovereign God of heaven and earth and His truth shall endure forever. I want to end with a quote by Matthew Henry. Listen to what he said: "When men forsake God, they will be left to plague each other. Proud, aspiring men ruin each other. Omri struggled with Tibni for some years. Though we do not always understand the rules by which God governs nations and individuals in His providence, we may learn useful lessons from the history before us." Now listen carefully: "When tyrants succeed each other, and massacres, conspiracies, and civil wars, we may be sure that the Lord has a controversy with the people for their sins.

They are loudly called to repent and reform. Omri made himself infamous by his wickedness. Many wicked men have been men of might and renown and have built cities, and their names are found in history. But they have no name in the Lamb's Book of Life." Hmm. Let me tell you something, folks. I'd much rather have my name in the Lamb's Book of Life than to have a bridge or road named after me or some building. Treason, first and foremost, is a sin against God. You cannot sin against an individual without first sinning against God. Hmm. If I murdered Steve, I would have already sinned against God in my mind and in my heart in determining that's what I was going to do. We have to understand treason is a crime that merits death. And God is the sovereign judge of all the earth. And you look how we as Christians have betrayed Him and His kingdom into the hands of the wicked. Wow.

And as Matthew Henry said, when tyrants succeed each other one after the other, and there are nothing but wars and troubles and heartaches, God is calling us loudly to repent and reform. And that's what we need to hear. Repentance. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee this day. We thank You for Your Word. We thank You for Your truth. And we acknowledge, Lord, that we've sinned against Thee. We've grieved Thee so many times. We've betrayed Thee. We've done what Judas has done in many different and varying ways.

Forgive us for our sins. Call us to repentance. Quicken us, Lord, that we may call upon Thy name. Turn us, O Lord, and we shall be turned. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray. Amen.

Study Guide

Major Themes

Treason as a Sin Against God

Summary: Treason is primarily a crime against God's sovereignty, not just against earthly governments.

Evidence: Treason first and foremost is a sin and a crime and rebellion against the sovereign God of heaven and earth, because God is the sovereign lawgiver.

Biblical Examples of Treason

Summary: Zimri and Athaliah illustrate treasonous usurpation, while David and Jehu show lawful authority.

Evidence: Zimri conspired and murdered and stole that which neither God nor the people had given unto him.

Governments Can Be Treasonous

Summary: A government that makes sinful laws commits treason against God and the people.

Evidence: Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, which frameth mischief by a law?

Resistance vs. Rebellion

Summary: Resisting an unlawful government is not treason but justice; true treason is betraying lawful authority.

Evidence: It is not treason, and it is not rebellion to resist an unlawful government or an unlawful individual who is claiming authority that does not have that authority.

Allegiance to God's Kingdom

Summary: Christians owe primary allegiance to God and His law, not to any human government that contradicts it.

Evidence: Our primary allegiance, our primary obligation and duty is to God and His kingdom.

Church Incorporation and 501(c)(3) as Treason

Summary: Incorporating a church or seeking 501(c)(3) status places the state as head over Christ, constituting treason.

Evidence: Incorporating a church places the state as the head of the church and not Jesus Christ.

Key Arguments

Zimri's act was treason because he lacked divine and popular authority

Summary: Zimri murdered Elah and seized the throne without God's appointment or the people's consent, unlike David who waited on God.

Evidence: Zimri was not chosen by God, nor was he chosen by the people.

Athaliah's cry of treason was hypocritical

Summary: Athaliah, a usurper and murderer, accused Jehoiada of treason when he crowned the rightful king Joash.

Evidence: Those who are guilty of the vilest of the crimes are usually the first to charge others with that same vileness and that same crime.

Forsaking God's law is treason

Summary: Israel's adoption of heathen statutes was a betrayal of God, as seen in 2 Kings 17:7-8.

Evidence: And walked in the statutes of the heathen... and of the kings of Israel, which they had made.

Church incorporation demotes Christ

Summary: Incorporation makes the church a creature of the state, subject to state control rather than Christ's headship.

Evidence: Once the church determined to enter into the realm of Caesar by forming a corporation, it was required to abide by the rules of Caesar.

501(c)(3) status compromises the church

Summary: Accepting 501(c)(3) status requires the church to agree not to speak against public policy, silencing biblical truth.

Evidence: In order to receive a tax-exempt number, one of the requirements is that the practices and rituals... are not illegal or contrary to clearly defined public policy.

American leaders have committed treason

Summary: Politicians who violate their oath to uphold the Constitution betray the nation into the hands of foreign powers.

Evidence: Every one of those senators... has taken an oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States, and not to do so is treason.

Scripture References

1 Kings 16:20

Context: Introduction of Zimri's treason.

2 Kings 11:14

Context: Athaliah cries 'Treason, treason' at Joash's coronation.

Ezekiel 18:20

Context: Individual responsibility for sin, cited against attainder of treason.

2 Kings 14:6

Context: Amaziah did not slay children for fathers' sins, per Mosaic law.

Psalm 75:5-6

Context: Promotion comes from God, not man.

Daniel 2:21

Context: God removes and sets up kings.

Isaiah 3:12

Context: Women and children ruling is a curse.

Psalm 94:20-21

Context: A wicked throne that frames mischief by law commits treason.

Romans 1:21-23

Context: Idolatry begins in the mind with vain imaginations.

Proverbs 28:28

Context: When the wicked rise, men hide.

Proverbs 29:2

Context: When the righteous rule, people rejoice; when the wicked rule, they mourn.

2 Kings 17:7-8

Context: Israel sinned by walking in heathen statutes.

1 Samuel 8

Context: Israel's demand for a king was a rejection of God.

1 Samuel 12:21

Context: Turning aside to vain things.

Ephesians 1:22

Context: Christ is head over all things to the church.

Colossians 1:18

Context: Christ is the head of the body, the church.

Philippians 3:20

Context: Our conversation is in heaven.

Acts 5:29

Context: We ought to obey God rather than men.

Historical References

U.S. Constitution, Article 3, Section 3

Context: Definition of treason and requirement of two witnesses or confession.

Abraham Lincoln

Context: Accused of treason for destroying the Union and violating the Constitution.

Mildred Rutherford

Context: Listed Lincoln's constitutional violations.

Black's Law Dictionary

Context: Definition of treason as breach of allegiance and aiding the enemy.

State Street Baptist Church v. Marshall (1981)

Context: Court ruled that incorporation subjects church to state control.

IRS Publication 557

Context: States churches are automatically tax-exempt; 501(c)(3) application is optional but imposes restrictions.

Patrick Henry

Context: Accused of treason for speech against George III; replied 'If this be treason, make the most of it.'

Matthew Henry

Context: Quoted on tyrants and civil wars as God's call to repentance.

Important Quotes

Treason first and foremost is a sin and a crime and rebellion against the sovereign God of heaven and earth, because God is the sovereign lawgiver.

Significance: Establishes the central thesis that treason is primarily against God, not just human governments.

It is not treason, and it is not rebellion to resist an unlawful government or an unlawful individual who is claiming authority that does not have that authority.

Significance: Clarifies the distinction between biblical resistance and sinful rebellion.

Incorporating a church places the state as the head of the church and not Jesus Christ.

Significance: Argues that church incorporation is a form of treason against Christ's headship.

Once the church determined to enter into the realm of Caesar by forming a corporation, it was required to abide by the rules of Caesar.

Significance: Uses a court ruling to show the legal consequences of incorporation.

When tyrants succeed each other, and massacres, conspiracies, and civil wars, we may be sure that the Lord has a controversy with the people for their sins.

Significance: Matthew Henry quote used to call for national repentance.

Discussion Questions

How does the biblical definition of treason differ from the modern political understanding?

Context: Weaver argues treason is first against God, then against lawful human authority.

In what ways might Christians today be guilty of spiritual treason?

Context: Idolatry of the mind, forsaking God's law, and demoting Christ's headship are given as examples.

What is the difference between resisting tyranny and committing treason, according to the Bible?

Context: Jehoiada's resistance to Athaliah is contrasted with Zimri's usurpation.

How should Christians evaluate the practice of church incorporation and 501(c)(3) status in light of this sermon?

Context: Weaver argues these place the state over Christ and silence biblical truth.

To whom do Christians owe their primary allegiance, and how does that affect their relationship to civil government?

Context: Allegiance to God's kingdom is primary; manward allegiance is to the constitutional republic.

Applications

Repent of spiritual treason

Summary: Christians must repent of betraying God's kingdom by forsaking His law and embracing worldly systems.

Evidence: We have to understand treason is a crime that merits death. And God is the sovereign judge of all the earth. And you look how we as Christians have betrayed Him and His kingdom into the hands of the wicked.

Evaluate church practices

Summary: Churches should examine whether incorporation or 501(c)(3) status compromises Christ's headship.

Evidence: Incorporating a church places the state as the head of the church and not Jesus Christ.

Resist unlawful authority

Summary: Believers are called to resist governments or officials that act without lawful authority, as Jehoiada did.

Evidence: It is not treason, and it is not rebellion to resist an unlawful government or an unlawful individual who is claiming authority that does not have that authority.

Uphold the Constitution

Summary: Citizens should hold leaders accountable to their oath to support the Constitution, as violation is treason.

Evidence: Every one of those senators... has taken an oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States, and not to do so is treason.

Speak truth boldly

Summary: Even if accused of treason, Christians must speak biblical truth about wickedness in government.

Evidence: If speaking the truth and teaching right history is treason, then like Patrick Henry said, 'Make the most of it.'

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T20:51:20Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T13:07:51Z

Clean Transcript

The Bible And Treason

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

I want you to open your Bibles, if you would please today, to two passages. 1 Kings chapter 16 and 2 Kings chapter 11. We're going to be reading two verses. The title of the message is "The Bible and Treason." I think you will see that it is very applicable. So notice, if you would please, 1 Kings chapter 16 and verse 20. The Bible says, "Now the rest of the acts of Zimri and his treason that he wrought, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?" Then if you would turn to 2 Kings chapter 11 and look, if you would please, at verse 14.
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We'll come back to this one. This is Athaliah. "And when she looked, behold, the king stood by a pillar, as the manner was, and the princes and the trumpeters by the king. And all the people of the land rejoiced and blew with trumpets. And Athaliah rent her clothes and cried, Treason, treason." Treason is a word that reeks of treachery, subterfuge, espionage, and death. Treason is usually associated with such names as Judas, Benedict Arnold, and even the Rosenbergs. Treason is one of the few crimes that is named in the Constitution of the United States, and it is defined in that document as well. While most of us are aware of the political ramifications of treason, unhappily, we are woefully ignorant when it comes to the Bible and treason. Now the word "treason" only occurs five times in our Bible and in three passages. However, the Hebrew word for treason is the word "qesher," and it is translated as "treason" five times, "conspiracy" nine times, and "confederacy" two times. So it is indeed a very broad word.
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I understand, just from my reading and studying over the years, there's probably only been about 30 people that have been charged with treason since the founding of this country. Our Constitution defines treason in Article 3, Section 3. And I want to read it to you and point out something that is exceedingly obvious that most people have forgotten, but here it is: "Treason against the United States shall consist only in levying war against them or adhering to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort."
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"No person shall be convicted of treason unless on the testimony of two witnesses to the same overt act or on a confession in open court. The Congress shall have the power to declare the punishment of treason, but no attainder of treason shall work corruption of blood or forfeiture except during the life of the person attainted." Now, in order to be convicted of treason, according to the Constitution, there has to be at least one overt act, but there has to be at least two witnesses to that one overt act, and/or there can be a confession of treason in open court.
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Here's the remarkable thing to me about this definition. I want you to listen, because this definition actually demonstrates states' sovereignty, or states' rights, and the plurality of the states. So listen carefully. The article says, "Treason against the United States"—plural—"shall consist only in levying war against them"—plural—"or adhering to their enemies"—plural. So in other words, the definition of treason then refers to the plurality of the states and not to a central bureaucracy or a central government the way we have it. So initially, the crime of treason was against any or all of the confederated states, individually or collectively, which made up the United States.
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Now, it is true that Congress alone had the power to declare the punishment of treason, but originally, Congress was to represent the states. See, what we forget is this: the federal government did not create the states. The states created the federal government. In that sense of the word, the states then were the masters, they were the sovereigns, and the federal government was to be the servants. Thus any attempt—listen carefully—thus any attempt to overthrow the union of the states, or subvert the Constitution, which was the glue that held the states together, was considered treason.
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Now, if we meditate upon this line of thought, then I'm sure that we can come up with some names that obviously were treasonous individuals. And whether you like to admit it or not, Abraham Lincoln would be one of those men because he destroyed the Union in order to save the Union. Lincoln himself admitted to six constitutional violations. Mildred Rutherford in one of her books lists, I think, about 13 or 17 actual violations of the Constitution. But when you're thinking upon that line, you can only think of other historical figures. You can also think of modern-day political figures as well that could be added to this.
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Now, let me mention something else in light of Article 3, Section 3. Here's what it says. So what in the world is attainder of treason? And the truth of the matter is, attainder of treason referred to a practice that was carried on in Europe,
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where when an individual had committed treason against the king, then that individual's family was punished, ostracized, banished, and sometimes even put to death for what one member of that family did. And so our Constitution says, no, you can't do that. You cannot destroy a person's family because of the act of one individual. That's why in the book of Ezekiel chapter 18 verse 20, God says this: "The soul that sinneth, it shall die.
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The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, and the father shall not bear the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him."
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Now, when you get to 2 Kings chapter 14 in verse 6, Amaziah, who was the king, was putting to death the men that murdered his father, Joash. And here's what the Bible says: "But the children of the murderers he slew not, according to that which was written in the book of the law of Moses, wherein the Lord commanded, saying, The father shall not be put to death for the children, nor the children be put to death for the fathers, but every man shall be put to death for his own sin."
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And thus, when we say in the Constitution there is to be no attainder of treason, it is indeed a biblical context. Now, let me give you one other quote, and I'm going to come back with this quote in the end, at least. But this quote is from Black's Law Dictionary on treason. And it simply says this: "Treason: a breach of allegiance to one's government, usually committed through levying war against such government, or by giving aid and comfort to the enemy. The offense of attempting by overt acts to overthrow the government of the state to which the offender owes allegiance, or of betraying the state into the hands of a foreign power. Treason consists of two elements: adherence to the enemy and rendering him aid and comfort."
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And then there's a whole list of legal cites. Now the interesting thing is, Black's Law Dictionary says that treason consists of two elements: adhering to the enemy and, of course, rendering him aid and comfort.
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Now without going into details, I'm just going to tell you there are actually different kinds of treason that are referred to in our legal system. There is constructive treason, there is high treason, there is petit treason, there is misprision of treason, and there is treason felony. So I wanted to give you this kind of a summary of a historical and legal background and make application to the Word of God and let you see what is actually happening when we look at certain passages of the Bible.
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Now when you look at 1 Kings chapter 16, we're reading about Zimri. And it said very clearly in 1 Kings chapter 16 and verse 20: "Now the rest of the acts of Zimri and his treason that he wrought, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?"
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Now, in order to really understand this passage, you would really need to read all of chapter 16, especially verses 8 through 20. And I'm just going to try to summarize all this for you, because in this passage, you're going to find that Zimri murdered Elah the king. Now, it is true that Elah was an ungodly and wicked king. In fact, the truth of the matter is all the kings in the northern kingdom were wicked and ungodly. So what Elah was doing was he was drinking himself drunk. And of course, Zimri then seized the opportunity and murdered the king. Now we need to ask this question: what made Zimri's acts unlawful and treasonous? Certainly, murder is wrong. Self-will is wrong. And I'm probably sure that after reading the Scriptures, Zimri had no other motive other than to elevate himself and to usurp authority and to institute himself as king.
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In all probability, he had absolutely no desire to serve the people and certainly had no desire to obey God and honor Him. So here's a man then who murdered a wicked, ungodly king. What made it treason? Well, here's the problem. The problem with the murder of Elah was that he did have some legitimacy to his rule. You see, Elah was the son of Baasha.
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Now, in order to understand the implications, you have to know a little bit of Bible history. And I'm just going to try to summarize all of this rather than take the time to take you through every passage. You'll remember that in 1 Kings 11, God gave Jeroboam 10 of the 12 tribes. When you get to 1 Kings 12, Jeroboam decided, "If this people keep going down to Jerusalem, then their hearts are going to turn back to Rehoboam, and they're going to kill me."
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So in an act of self-preservation, in an act of trying to preserve his kingdom, what he did was he built two golden calves, put one in Bethel—I forget where he put the other one right now—and he said, "These be thy gods, O Israel, who brought thee up out of the land of Egypt." And he forced the people basically to worship those two golden calves. And of course, many of the people left. A lot of the Levites left at the same time.
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Now, the interesting thing is God pronounces judgment against Jeroboam and against his house. When you get to 2 Kings—or not 2 Kings, but 1 Kings chapter 14—God used Baasha then to destroy the house of Jeroboam. God raised Baasha up to execute His judgment. Now, remember, if you would, Elah was Baasha's son. So if you look in 1 Kings 16, verses 1 and 2, verse 2 is the pivotal verse: "Then the word of the Lord came to Jehu the son of Hanani against Baasha, saying, Forasmuch as I exalted thee out of the dust, and made thee prince over my people Israel, and thou hast walked in the way of Jeroboam, and hast made my people Israel to sin, to provoke me to anger with their sins; behold, I will take away the posterity of Baasha and the posterity of his house, and will make thy house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat." You have to remember, it was Baasha that destroyed Jeroboam. But note, if you would, in verse 2, God says, "Forasmuch as I exalted thee out of the dust, and made thee prince over my people Israel."
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So Baasha did have some authority in the sense and some legitimacy because God raised him up in order that he might execute judgment against Jeroboam. And Elah was therefore the son of Baasha, which would mean that he would have legitimacy as the heir of Baasha. May I remind you of Psalm 75, verses 5 and 6, where the Bible says, "Promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is judge:
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He putteth down one, and setteth up another." You'll find the same truth in Daniel chapter 2 and verse 21. So God is judge, and God is the one who puts down kings, and God is the one who puts up kings.
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Now, the interesting thing is this: Zimri was not chosen by God, nor was he chosen by the people. So, if you would look in verse 21, notice if you would, the Bible says, "Then were the people of Israel divided into two parts: half the people followed Tibni the son of Ginath, to make him king; and half followed Omri." Nobody was for Zimri. Look in verse 16: "And the people that were encamped heard say, Zimri hath conspired, and hath also slain the king: wherefore all Israel made Omri, the captain of the host, king over Israel that day in the camp." So, obviously, Zimri had no following, Zimri had no authority, Zimri had no one for him. Zimri was the man who just simply murdered Elah and anointed himself as king is what it amounted to. Now, the interesting thing is this: when you compare Zimri and David, may I remind you that it was King Saul who chased David and tried to kill him innumerable times. And David had opportunity to kill Saul over and over, and he refused.
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And on one occasion, Abishai, who was one of David's warriors and friends, when he caught Saul asleep there on the ground, Abishai said, "Let me smite him to the ground this once, just once. I will not smite a second time." In other words, he said, "David, let me kill him. I'll make it clean, I'll make it quick, I'll make it sure." David said, "No." He said this: "Who can stretch forth his hand against the Lord's anointed and be guiltless?" And David would only say, "Look, God's going to take care of this. Either he's going to die a natural death or he's going to descend into battle and he'll be killed. But I am not going to have the kingdom at the price of murder or rebellion. I can wait." And so we're not going to kill Saul. So the attitude of David was totally different from the attitude of Zimri. Zimri conspired and murdered and stole that which neither God nor the people had given unto him. Now, I know you have not had time to read this chapter, and we did not take the time to read the entire chapter.
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But does anybody in here know how long Zimri reigned? Here it is: he reigned a total of seven days. That's it. And in his last act of defiance, he burned the palace down with himself in it and killed himself as he destroyed the palace.
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Now, you remember that God also raised up Jehu, the son of Nimshi, to take care of Ahab and Jezebel and their house. But the interesting thing is Jezebel tried to use this incident of Zimri against Jehu. Because after Jehu had already killed Ahab, he went after Jezebel. And the Bible tells us that Jezebel tired her head and looked out the window and said to Jehu, "Had Zimri peace, who slew his master?" In other words, "Jehu, you better learn a lesson from history." But the problem was there was a vast difference between what Zimri had done and what Jehu was doing. Jehu was actually anointed king by a prophet at God's direction. And God told Jehu specifically to take care of the house of Ahab. So Jehu had authority to execute the judgment of God where Zimri had absolutely none.
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So the contrast is seen very clearly between Zimri and David and Zimri and Jehu.
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Now, let me show you also what happened with Athaliah. So turn over, if you would, to 2 Kings 11. 2 Kings 11. And let's begin reading there with verse 1.
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Now this should shock you. "And when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal. But Jehosheba, the daughter of king Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king's sons which were slain; and they hid him, even him and his nurse, in the bedchamber from Athaliah, so that he was not slain. And he was with her hid in the house of the Lord six years. And Athaliah did reign over the land." Now, Athaliah did a very un-grandmotherly thing. She murdered all her grandchildren, except for Joash. And the only reason she did not murder him was that Jehosheba, who happened to be the wife of Jehoiada, who was the priest, stole Joash and hid him in the temple to keep Athaliah from murdering him. Wow. So for six years, he is now in the temple with Jehoiada, who is teaching him and training him.
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So let's ask a question and try to answer it. Who in the world is Athaliah? And why would a grandmother do such an un-grandmotherly thing? How could she murder her own grandchildren? Well, let me explain it. Athaliah was the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel. She had married Jehoram, who was king of Judah. Their son was Ahaziah. Jehoram had died. Ahaziah had died. So now her husband and her son, who was king, had died. The Bible tells you in 2 Chronicles 21, verse 6, that Athaliah and all this seed walked in the ways of the house of Ahab.
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That is, they were Baal worshipers. They were wicked. Also, in 2 Kings 8, verse 26, Athaliah is called the daughter of Omri. Actually, she was the granddaughter of Omri, but many times in the Bible, especially when someone acts like their grandfather, they were called the daughter or the son. But Omri was the father of Ahab. So Athaliah then had Omri, who was a murderer himself, as a grandfather, and Ahab and Jezebel as her parents. And so what Athaliah decided to do—well, since her husband was now dead and her son is now dead, she's going to take over the throne. So she is going to murder all of her grandchildren with the exception of Joash.
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Athaliah had absolutely no authority to rule, either from God or from the people. She simply stole the kingdom. And Scripture declares in Isaiah 3 and verse 12 that when women and children rule, the land is under a curse. I want you to listen to the verse. Here it is, Isaiah 3, verse 12. God said, "As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths." So Athaliah now for six years is ruling and reigning over the land. For six years, Jehoiada is teaching and training Joash. When Joash turned seven years of age, they took him into the temple and had a coronation service. And in this coronation service, they gave him a testimony, which of course was a copy of the law. And, of course, they had the trumpeters. And by the way, the interesting thing is this: in the temple, Jehoiada had soldiers there guarding the king 24/7.
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And he said, "Nobody's to come in, nobody's to go out. You guard him." And when you read in 2 Kings, also in the book of Chronicles, Jehoiada gave the soldiers weapons that were stored in the temple in the house of God. And so they were guarding him up until the time of that coronation. And of course, when the coronation took place, here he is by the pillar, as all the princes and kings were when they were crowned, and the trumpets were playing, and the people were shouting, "God save the king, God save the king."
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Evidently, Athaliah heard all the noise. And if you look in verse 14 again, "And when she looked..."—she came down. Well, look at verse 13: "And when Athaliah heard the noise of the guard and of the people, she came to the people into the temple of the Lord." Probably the only time she'd been there. "And when she looked, behold, the king stood by a pillar, as the manner was, and the princes and the trumpeters by the king. And all the people of the land rejoiced and blew with trumpets. And Athaliah rent her clothes and cried, Treason, treason." Wow.
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I want you to note something about this cry. The cry of "Treason, treason" was, first of all, a charge and an indictment against Jehoiada and the people for inaugurating and coronating the king as king. It was not only a charge and indictment, but the second thing it was, it was a cry to any who followed Athaliah to have Jehoiada and Joash and the people who followed them put to death. Why? Because it was treason. Treason was always punishable by death. Now, the interesting thing is this: Athaliah was still claiming at this point to have authority and jurisdiction as the queen and as the ruler, even though she had murdered to get the office, and even though she had stolen the office. I want you to think about this.
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There is an application that we could make today. According to the Bible, stealing an office is treason. It's treason against God because it is a denial of His divine sovereignty and His divine providence. And it's treason against the people because the people never chose the ruler. You know, there's an interesting thing about David. It is true that God chose David to be king. But when you study, I think it's 2 Samuel 7 or 14, the people come together and make a covenant with David and choose him to be king. Now, God chose David, but so did the people. And so here, Athaliah, she has stolen the office of authority and the office of the civil ruler, and now she has committed treason against God and also against the people.
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So what Jehoiada did was he commanded those soldiers there "to have her forth without the temple and to slay her." Look down, if you would please, in verses 15 and 16. 2 Kings 11, verse 15: "But Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of the hundreds, the officers of the host, and said unto them, Have her forth without the ranges: and him that followeth her kill with the sword. For the priest had said, Let her not be slain in the house of the Lord. And they laid hands on her; and she went by the way by the which the horses came into the king's house: and there was she slain."
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Now, the interesting thing is this: what Jehoiada and the soldiers did was the highest form of justice. Yet, according to the usurper, Athaliah, it was the highest crime: treason, treason. Here's an interesting thing, and we need to watch this: those who are guilty of the vilest of the crimes are usually the first to charge others with that same vileness and that same crime, although the others are absolutely, totally innocent. And Jehoiada was innocent. The people who followed him were innocent. She was the guilty party. And yet at the same time, she is branding everyone else as being treasonous.
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Many of you will probably remember when Patrick Henry spoke to the House of Burgesses in Virginia. He said, and I'm quoting, that some good American will do to George III what Brutus did to Caesar. If you remember what Brutus did to Caesar, he killed him. And when John Robinson, who was the Speaker of the House, heard that, he went into a rage and he accused Patrick Henry of treason. That is when Henry said, "If this be treason, then make the most of it."
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Obviously, it was not treason because George III and Parliament did not have any authority over the colonies because all of the colonies had a covenant, they had a constitution with the king, they were never under Parliament, and each colony had its own legislature. So obviously it was not treason, neither could it be treason whatsoever.
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Now, let me tell you the problem that exists between treason and Christians. Most Christians only see treason as a crime against the state or the federal government. They do not see it as a crime against God. Listen carefully. Treason first and foremost is a sin and a crime and rebellion against the sovereign God of heaven and earth, because God is the sovereign lawgiver.
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Now, what we don't understand is this: it's not just individuals that can be treasonous. Governments can be treasonous. So I want you to hold 2 Kings 11, but turn in your Bibles to Psalm 94, Psalm 94. And let's look at verses 20 and 21. Psalm 94 verses 20 and 21. Watch this. Verse 20 is a question: "Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, which frameth mischief by a law?"
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Now, verse 21: "They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood." So let's go back to this question: "Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, which frameth mischief by a law?" First of all, I want you to note that it's a throne, which means it has authority, it has jurisdiction. So we're talking about a government, a civil government. But note, if you would, secondly, it is a throne of iniquity. Iniquity in the Bible is another word for sin. So it is a wicked civil government. It is an ungodly civil government. So here's the question: "Shall the throne of iniquity"—shall a wicked civil government—"have fellowship with thee?" That is with God. So let's ask it like this: can a wicked civil government, a rebellious, ungodly, reprobate civil government have fellowship with God?
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And the answer is no. Why? Look in verse 20: "which frameth mischief by a law." So the word "mischief" in the Bible is another word for sin. So let me put it to you like this: what the question is asking is this in verse 20: "Shall a wicked civil government have fellowship with God, which makes sin legal?" That's the question. That's the question. So here is the sovereign God of heaven and earth, and He issues forth His law. And the government turns around and says, "We don't want that law. We don't like that law. We're going to make our own law. And what God says is wrong, we're going to make it right."
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Now, it's not only treason against God, it's treason against the people. Look in verse 21: "They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood." Who is the "they"? Well, we were just talking about the civil government. That's what he's talking about, the throne of iniquity, the rulers there. They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous and condemn the innocent blood. In other words, they're the ones who persecute and prosecute and put to death the innocent and the people of God. So very clearly, it's not just individuals who can be treasonous, it is governments as well, very clearly.
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Now, let me go a little bit farther. I want you to understand treason, spiritual treason. We could go even farther and acknowledge that idolatry, in any shape, form, or fashion, is treason against God. Again, here's the problem. See, most professing Christians are not going to bow down to an idol. I cannot even imagine a professing Christian bowing down before a statue of Buddha or Baal. It's just not going to happen.
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Not if they've got any biblical knowledge in any sense at all. It will not happen. But the same Christian who would never ever bow down to an idol will entertain wrong, wicked, and unbiblical thoughts and ideas and concepts about God in their minds. And here's what we have forgotten: idolatry begins in the mind, not in the workshop. Cars do not begin in the factory. Cars begin in the mind of an engineer who draws. And then once all the drawing is complete, then it is shipped to the factory and the factory makes what is drawn.
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Now, I want you to listen carefully because each one of you understands Romans chapter 1 is an indictment against the wicked for their idolatry. Here's what the Bible says. Listen carefully: "Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, but"—listen—"neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened." And the next verse says they "changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man,
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and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things." Where did it begin? It began in the mind. So the point I'm trying to make is this: anytime we entertain ideas in our mind that are contrary to God and unbiblical and unscriptural, it is a form of idolatry. If treason against the state, if treason against the government is such a great and horrible crime—and it is—how much worse is treason against the sovereign God of heaven and earth who instituted civil government? If treason consists of betraying a state or government into the hands of a foreign power, how much worse is it to betray the kingdom of God into the hands of the wicked? If treason against an earthly government is to betray its power to the hands of the enemy, how much worse then is it to betray the kingdom of God into the hands of the enemy?
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Here's what the Bible says in Proverbs 28, verse 28: "When the wicked rise, men hide themselves: but when they perish, the righteous increase." When the wicked rise, men hide themselves. And when you get to Proverbs 29, verse 2: "When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn." Now, here's a good question. Since we're talking about treason, and since treason is a betrayal of government, how do we betray the kingdom of God into the hands of the wicked?
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How do we do that? Well, let me show you a very simple way. I want you to turn in your Bibles to 2 Kings chapter 17, 2 Kings 17. And I want you to look very carefully with me at verses 7 and 8. I'm going to show you this. But the simplest way, the simplest way to betray the kingdom of God into the hands of the enemy is by denying, denigrating, and deserting the law of God. Here it is, plain and simple.
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2 Kings 17 verse 7: "For so it was, that the children of Israel had sinned against the Lord their God, which had brought them up out of the land of Egypt, from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other gods." Now, let me stop right there. Note, if you would, the Bible clearly says that the children of Israel sinned against the Lord, that is, they betrayed Him, they were traitors to Him, they forsook Him, and they feared other gods. What does it mean to fear other gods? And how was it seen that they feared other gods? Verse 8: "And walked in the statutes"—that is, the laws—"of the heathen, whom the Lord cast out from before the children of Israel, and of the kings of Israel, which they had made." And so what they did then, they denied and they deserted the law of God.
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And they started following the law of man, the law of the wicked, the law of the ungodly, the law of the unrighteous. You have to remember what the Bible said in Psalm 94 and verse 20: "Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, which frameth mischief by a law?" And so what the people of Israel were doing was saying this: "We like these ungodly laws a whole lot better than we do these godly laws." And thus they forsook God's law and they began to follow man's law. So whenever we begin to deny and denigrate and desert the law of God, we're guilty of treason. We're guilty of treason.
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1 Samuel chapter 8 makes that very clear. 1 Samuel chapter 8—not 1 Kings, but 1 Samuel chapter 8. Also 1 Samuel chapter 12 and verse 21.
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Now, there's another way that we can betray the kingdom of God into the hands of the wicked. And that is by denying—not only by denying, but also by demoting and dismissing Jesus Christ as head of the church. You say, "How can I do that?" Well, let me remind you that the Bible says specifically that Jesus Christ is the head of the church. What does that mean? It means He rules and reigns sovereignly over His church. Here it is, Ephesians chapter 1 verse 22: "And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church." Then the book of Colossians chapter 1 and verse 18, the Bible said, "And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence." So the Bible speaks very clearly of the fact that Jesus Christ is the head of the church. Now, how do we deny and how do we demote Jesus Christ from being the head of the church?
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Well, there are numerous ways. But one way is through church incorporation. Incorporating a church places the state as the head of the church and not Jesus Christ. Thus, what you do, you demote Christ and you pull Him down and you put the state over Jesus Christ. Any incorporated entity is a creation and a creature of the state.
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Now, you say, "How does that happen?" Well, let me show you how it happens legally, practically. And if you want to refute what I just said, you need to read about State Street Baptist Church v. Marshall, which was a 1981 court decision. State Street Baptist Church was an older church; it had been in existence for 140 years. But State Street Baptist Church decided to incorporate. And they did. And later on, there was an argument in the church over money. Some people did not like how the money was being spent. And so some people then sued the church.
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The church's position was this: "The state has no authority. The state has no jurisdiction over the church. We're independent. We're under the headship of Jesus Christ." The court ruled in favor of the people who were suing the church. And here is the ruling. I want you to listen to what the judge said: "The State Street Baptist Church has been in existence for over 140 years. In 1973, the membership organized a non-profit corporation. Once the church determined to enter into the realm of Caesar by forming a corporation, it was required to abide by the rules of Caesar, or in this case, the statutes of the Commonwealth of Kentucky." You know what the court said? "Jesus Christ is not your head. We are your head. You volunteered. You entered into the realm of Caesar willingly. And now you have to abide by the edicts of Caesar." So if we deny Jesus Christ as the head of the church, it has to be an act of treason. We are removing Him against the sovereign authority of God the Father and placing the state there. Further,
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let me go on. Another reason is when you talk about 501(c)(3) tax-exempt churches. They, too, are state churches. Moreover, a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt church has bargained with the government through the IRS to receive a handful of measly benefits.
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Now, if you would take the time to read IRS Publication 557, you will find this paragraph. In fact, two paragraphs. The first one is this one: "Churches. Although a church, its integrated auxiliaries, or a convention or association of churches is not required to file Form 1023 to be exempt from federal income tax or to receive tax-deductible contributions..." Let me just stop right there. What did the IRS just say? A church does not have to file any form to be tax-exempt or to receive tax-exempt deductions. None. So if we here at members of Freedom Baptist Church, and Steve gives the church $10,000 and he wants to deduct it from his income tax, and the IRS says, "Where is the tax-exempt number for Freedom Baptist Church?" We don't have one. Don't need one because we're tax immune. That's just what this just said. Now, listen, I'm going to read it again. I'm going to finish the paragraph: "Although a church, its integrated auxiliaries, or a convention or association of churches is not required to file Form 1023 to be exempt from federal income tax or to receive tax-deductible contributions,
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the organization may find it advantageous to obtain recognition of exemption." That's all. You're already exempt, but we'll recognize you if you apply. "In this event, you should submit information showing that your organization is a church, a synagogue, association or convention of churches, religious order or religious organization that is an integral part of a church and that it is engaged in carrying out the function of a church." Hmm.
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Now, the publication just said you don't have to be a 501(c)(3) to be tax-exempt and receive tax-deductible contributions. You might find it advantageous. But wait a minute. When you sign on the dotted line to get those few little measly benefits, you have to remember this: there's another paragraph. Moreover, in order to receive a tax-exempt number, one of the requirements is that the practices and rituals associated with the organization's religious belief or creed are not illegal.
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I'm going to stop right there. Wow. Who's going to fuss about that? Unless, of course, they try to make the Bible illegal or the truth illegal. Okay. Let me finish. Hang on. "In order to receive a tax-exempt number, one of the requirements is that the practices and rituals associated with the organization's religious belief or creed are not illegal or contrary to clearly defined public policy." Abortion is public policy. Sodomy is public policy. Socialism, fascism, Marxism, progressivism, and communism are all now public policy. So when you sign to get that, you are agreeing that you're not going to be speaking out against any public policy that the government says, "This is what we're going to do." Here's another quote.
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The truth is, incorporated churches are subject to total governmental control: whom they may hire—that's why they can tell some of them they have to hire the Sodomites or LGBT, it doesn't matter—whom they may hire, what they may and may not teach and preach, they cannot conflict with public policy or assault the hearer's sense of mental well-being, self-esteem, or sexual orientation. The IRS prohibits such organizations from carrying on propaganda or otherwise attempting to influence legislation. This prohibition extends not only to the endorsement of a political candidate, but also to any other attempts to influence legislation, including taking a public stand against such government-protected abominations as abortion and homosexuality. Wow.
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So treason then is the offense of attempting by overt acts to overthrow the government of the state to which the offender owes allegiance, or betraying the state into the hands of a foreign power. So here's a good question, and I'm going to try to answer it for you. As a child of God, to whom do you owe allegiance? And the answer is, first and foremost, you owe allegiance to the kingdom of God. How does one overthrow the government of the state to whom he would owe some allegiance? And the answer is by forsaking, breaking, transgressing, and repudiating the laws of the state. How does one betray and overthrow the kingdom of God? And the answer is the same: by forsaking, breaking, transgressing, and repudiating the law of God.
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You have to remember this, and I've told you this many times: a king rules by his law. And it is treason against God to forsake His law-word. Subversion and rejection of God's law is an act of treason.
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Now, let me make some applications, and I'm going to try to tie some of these things together for us. Now listen carefully. First of all, Zimri. Zimri murdered a king whose reign had been appointed by God. He did so out of covetousness. He did so out of willful malice. He did what he did without divine authority or without human authority. He did what he did because he was a murderer and a thief. Jehoiada, Jehoiada on the other hand, did not rebel against God, nor did he rebel against God's ordained authority. What Jehoiada did was he resisted a murderer and a thief.
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Although Athaliah, who was the reigning power at that time, attributed his actions to being treasonous, and him being a traitor, his actions did not constitute treason, but rather they constituted justice. So if you don't get anything else today, I want you to get this. Please understand this: a simple biblical principle. It is not treason, and it is not rebellion to resist an unlawful government or an unlawful individual who is claiming authority that does not have that authority. Where there is no lawful authority, where there is no lawful power, it is not rebellion, it is resistance. It certainly is not treason. Black's Law Dictionary again defines treason as "the offense of attempting by overt acts to overthrow the government of the state to which the offender owes allegiance, or by betraying the state into the hands of a foreign power."
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So ask yourself this question: to whom do you owe allegiance? As a Christian, to whom do you owe allegiance? Let me answer that two ways. First of all, I'm going to answer it Godward. And secondly, I'm going to answer it manward. In reference to Godward answered, our primary allegiance, our primary obligation and duty is to God and His kingdom. You remember that passage in Philippians chapter 3, where the Apostle Paul himself said, "For our conversation is in heaven." And if you remember in Acts chapter 5, when those rulers told the apostles they could not preach and teach in the name of Jesus Christ, what did Peter and the others answer? "We ought to obey God rather than men." So obviously and clearly, Godward, our allegiance is first and foremost and primarily to Him. Secondly, what do we owe manward? Let me ask some questions. Do we owe allegiance to a bureaucracy, a democracy, or one-world government? How about a United Nations one-world government? The answer is, manwardly speaking, we owe allegiance to a constitutional republic that was handed down to us by our forefathers who gave their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor.
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That's who we owe allegiance to, manward. The government that our illustrious civil rulers owe allegiance to—it's not the oil cartel. It's not the Zionist lobby. It's not the big pharma. It's not the CFR. It's not the Bilderbergers. It's not the UN. It's not the one-world government. They owe allegiance to the constitutional republic to which they took an oath to uphold. And you can find that in Article 6, Clause 2, and Clause 3.
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I want to read it to you. Clause 2: "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..." Okay, let me stop right there. What is the authority of the United States? It's the Constitution. "...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." Here's Clause 3: "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." So every one of those senators, every one of those reps, every one of those judges, any officer of any nature whatsoever has taken an oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States, and not to do so is treason.
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Because it is denying the states the republican form of government that is demanded in the Constitution, and it's destroying the Constitution, which is the glue that holds the states together. So if treason, then, consists of betraying the state into the hands of a foreign power, who has done so? And who may do that most effectively? And the answer is civil government, or the politicians, or the leaders thereof.
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So I can ask you this question: has America been betrayed and handed over to a foreign power monetarily and economically? And the answer is yes. How about politically? And the answer is yes. Is not an attempt to subvert, destroy, and mutilate American sovereignty treason? Is not an attempt to destroy the constitutional republic treason? And the answer is yes. So let me ask this: do the citizens of America owe allegiance to a bastardized, bureaucratized, and democratized one-world government? Or do we owe our allegiance to the constitutional republic which our forefathers gave us? See, it is not treason to expose wickedness. It is not treason to expound the truth.
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It is right to do so. If speaking the truth and teaching right history is treason, then like Patrick Henry said, "Make the most of it." Because truth is still truth, error is still error, right is still right, wrong is still wrong. There'll probably be people who get upset over what I'm preaching today, but it's truth. It is truth. And you can deny it all you want until you read the Word of God.
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Tyrants have risen and fallen. Empires have emerged and faded away. But the sovereign God of heaven and earth and His truth shall endure forever. I want to end with a quote by Matthew Henry. Listen to what he said: "When men forsake God, they will be left to plague each other. Proud, aspiring men ruin each other. Omri struggled with Tibni for some years. Though we do not always understand the rules by which God governs nations and individuals in His providence, we may learn useful lessons from the history before us." Now listen carefully: "When tyrants succeed each other, and massacres, conspiracies, and civil wars, we may be sure that the Lord has a controversy with the people for their sins.
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They are loudly called to repent and reform. Omri made himself infamous by his wickedness. Many wicked men have been men of might and renown and have built cities, and their names are found in history. But they have no name in the Lamb's Book of Life." Hmm. Let me tell you something, folks. I'd much rather have my name in the Lamb's Book of Life than to have a bridge or road named after me or some building.
#76 | 1:02:38 to 1:03:16 | cleaned
Treason, first and foremost, is a sin against God. You cannot sin against an individual without first sinning against God. Hmm. If I murdered Steve, I would have already sinned against God in my mind and in my heart in determining that's what I was going to do. We have to understand treason is a crime that merits death. And God is the sovereign judge of all the earth. And you look how we as Christians have betrayed Him and His kingdom into the hands of the wicked. Wow.
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And as Matthew Henry said, when tyrants succeed each other one after the other, and there are nothing but wars and troubles and heartaches, God is calling us loudly to repent and reform. And that's what we need to hear. Repentance. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee this day. We thank You for Your Word. We thank You for Your truth. And we acknowledge, Lord, that we've sinned against Thee. We've grieved Thee so many times. We've betrayed Thee. We've done what Judas has done in many different and varying ways.
#78 | 1:04:18 to 1:04:58 | cleaned
Forgive us for our sins. Call us to repentance. Quicken us, Lord, that we may call upon Thy name. Turn us, O Lord, and we shall be turned. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray. Amen.
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♪
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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T20:51:20Z

The Bible And Treason

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

Pastor John Weaver examines the biblical concept of treason, using the examples of Zimri and Athaliah to illustrate that treason is first and foremost a sin against God's sovereignty. He contrasts lawful resistance to tyranny with unlawful usurpation, and argues that governments can commit treason by making sinful laws. The sermon applies these principles to modern issues such as church incorporation, 501(c)(3) status, and political betrayal of the U.S. Constitution, calling Christians to repentance and allegiance to God's kingdom.

Introduction to Treason

Scripture Reading — 2 Kings 11:14

"And when she looked, behold, the king stood by a pillar, as the manner was, and the princes and the trumpeters by the king. And all the people of the land rejoiced and blew with trumpets. And Athaliah rent her clothes and cried, Treason, treason."

Constitutional Definition of Treason

Attainder of Treason and Biblical Parallel

Weaver explains that attainder of treason, punishing a traitor's family, is prohibited by the Constitution, aligning with Ezekiel 18:20 and 2 Kings 14:6 which teach individual responsibility for sin.

Now, when you get to 2 Kings chapter 14 in verse 6, Amaziah, who was the king, was putting to death the men that murdered his father, Joash. And here's what the Bible says:

Scripture Reading — 2 Kings 14:6

"But the children of the murderers he slew not, according to that which was written in the book of the law of Moses, wherein the Lord commanded, saying, The father shall not be put to death for the children, nor the children be put to death for the fathers, but every man shall be put to death for his own sin."

Zimri's Treason

Athaliah's Usurpation and Cry of Treason

Athaliah, daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, murdered the royal seed except Joash, who was hidden. When Joash was crowned at age seven, Athaliah cried 'Treason, treason,' though she was the true usurper.

Now, let me show you also what happened with Athaliah. So turn over, if you would, to 2 Kings 11. 2 Kings 11. And let's begin reading there with verse 1.

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 3:12

"As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths."

Governments Can Commit Treason

Psalm 94:20-21 shows that a 'throne of iniquity' which frames mischief by law commits treason against God by legalizing sin and persecuting the righteous.

Spiritual Treason: Idolatry and Lawlessness

Now, I want you to listen carefully because each one of you understands Romans chapter 1 is an indictment against the wicked for their idolatry. Here's what the Bible says. Listen carefully:

Scripture Reading — Romans 1:21-23

"Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, but"

—listen—

Scripture Reading — Romans 1:21-23

"neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened."

And the next verse says they

Scripture Reading — Romans 1:21-23

"changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things."

Here's what the Bible says in Proverbs 28, verse 28:

Scripture Reading — Proverbs 28:28

"When the wicked rise, men hide themselves: but when they perish, the righteous increase."

2 Kings 17 verse 7:

Scripture Reading — 2 Kings 17:7-8

"For so it was, that the children of Israel had sinned against the Lord their God, which had brought them up out of the land of Egypt, from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other gods."

Scripture Reading — 2 Kings 17:7-8

"And walked in the statutes"

—that is, the laws—

Scripture Reading — 2 Kings 17:7-8

"of the heathen, whom the Lord cast out from before the children of Israel, and of the kings of Israel, which they had made."

And so what they did then, they denied and they deserted the law of God.

Allegiance and Application

Conclusion and Call to Repentance

Weaver concludes with a quote from Matthew Henry, warning that tyrants and civil wars are God's call to repentance. He prays for forgiveness for betraying God and asks for revival.

Forgive us for our sins. Call us to repentance. Quicken us, Lord, that we may call upon Thy name. Turn us, O Lord, and we shall be turned. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray. Amen.

The Bible And Treason

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	ivweCBRpmdY
Subject	New Testament Studies
Course	Romans: Law, Obedience, and Sanctification: Holiness and Obedience
Genre	Sermon
Date	2021-11-11
Dictation Name
Book	Book 135: Romans: Law, Obedience, and Sanctification - Volume 2 — Chapter 33
Source Timed Segments	80

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction to Treason: Weaver introduces the topic by reading 1 Kings 16:20 and 2 Kings 11:14, noting the word 'treason' appears five times in the Bible and is translated from the Hebrew 'qesher,' which also means conspiracy and confederacy.
Constitutional Definition of Treason: He reads Article 3, Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution, emphasizing that treason requires an overt act witnessed by two people or a confession in open court, and that the original language referred to the plurality of states.
Attainder of Treason and Biblical Parallel: Weaver explains that attainder of treason, punishing a traitor's family, is prohibited by the Constitution, aligning with Ezekiel 18:20 and 2 Kings 14:6 which teach individual responsibility for sin.
Zimri's Treason: Zimri murdered King Elah and seized the throne without divine or popular authority, reigning only seven days before dying in a fire he set. His act was treason because he lacked legitimacy, unlike David who refused to kill Saul.
Athaliah's Usurpation and Cry of Treason: Athaliah, daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, murdered the royal seed except Joash, who was hidden. When Joash was crowned at age seven, Athaliah cried 'Treason, treason,' though she was the true usurper.
Governments Can Commit Treason: Psalm 94:20-21 shows that a 'throne of iniquity' which frames mischief by law commits treason against God by legalizing sin and persecuting the righteous.
Spiritual Treason: Idolatry and Lawlessness: Idolatry begins in the mind as vain imaginations (Romans 1), and forsaking God's law for man's law is treason (2 Kings 17:7-8). Denying Christ's headship through church incorporation or 501(c)(3) status also constitutes treason.
Allegiance and Application: Christians owe primary allegiance to God's kingdom, and manward allegiance to the constitutional republic. Resisting unlawful authority is not treason but justice. America has been betrayed by leaders who violate their oath to the Constitution.
Conclusion and Call to Repentance: Weaver concludes with a quote from Matthew Henry, warning that tyrants and civil wars are God's call to repentance. He prays for forgiveness for betraying God and asks for revival.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

Zimri's act was treason because he lacked divine and popular authority

Zimri murdered Elah and seized the throne without God's appointment or the people's consent, unlike David who waited on God.

Zimri was not chosen by God, nor was he chosen by the people.

Athaliah's cry of treason was hypocritical

Athaliah, a usurper and murderer, accused Jehoiada of treason when he crowned the rightful king Joash.

Those who are guilty of the vilest of the crimes are usually the first to charge others with that same vileness and that same crime.

Forsaking God's law is treason

Israel's adoption of heathen statutes was a betrayal of God, as seen in 2 Kings 17:7-8.

And walked in the statutes of the heathen... and of the kings of Israel, which they had made.

Church incorporation demotes Christ

Incorporation makes the church a creature of the state, subject to state control rather than Christ's headship.

Once the church determined to enter into the realm of Caesar by forming a corporation, it was required to abide by the rules of Caesar.

501(c)(3) status compromises the church

Accepting 501(c)(3) status requires the church to agree not to speak against public policy, silencing biblical truth.

In order to receive a tax-exempt number, one of the requirements is that the practices and rituals... are not illegal or contrary to clearly defined public policy.

American leaders have committed treason

Politicians who violate their oath to uphold the Constitution betray the nation into the hands of foreign powers.

Every one of those senators... has taken an oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States, and not to do so is treason.

Scripture References

1 Kings 16:20: Introduction of Zimri's treason.
2 Kings 11:14: Athaliah cries 'Treason, treason' at Joash's coronation.
Ezekiel 18:20: Individual responsibility for sin, cited against attainder of treason.
2 Kings 14:6: Amaziah did not slay children for fathers' sins, per Mosaic law.
Psalm 75:5-6: Promotion comes from God, not man.
Daniel 2:21: God removes and sets up kings.
Isaiah 3:12: Women and children ruling is a curse.
Psalm 94:20-21: A wicked throne that frames mischief by law commits treason.
Romans 1:21-23: Idolatry begins in the mind with vain imaginations.
Proverbs 28:28: When the wicked rise, men hide.
Proverbs 29:2: When the righteous rule, people rejoice; when the wicked rule, they mourn.
2 Kings 17:7-8: Israel sinned by walking in heathen statutes.
1 Samuel 8: Israel's demand for a king was a rejection of God.
1 Samuel 12:21: Turning aside to vain things.
Ephesians 1:22: Christ is head over all things to the church.
Colossians 1:18: Christ is the head of the body, the church.
Philippians 3:20: Our conversation is in heaven.
Acts 5:29: We ought to obey God rather than men.

Historical References

U.S. Constitution, Article 3, Section 3: Definition of treason and requirement of two witnesses or confession.
Abraham Lincoln: Accused of treason for destroying the Union and violating the Constitution.
Mildred Rutherford: Listed Lincoln's constitutional violations.
Black's Law Dictionary: Definition of treason as breach of allegiance and aiding the enemy.
State Street Baptist Church v. Marshall (1981): Court ruled that incorporation subjects church to state control.
IRS Publication 557: States churches are automatically tax-exempt; 501(c)(3) application is optional but imposes restrictions.
Patrick Henry: Accused of treason for speech against George III; replied 'If this be treason, make the most of it.'
Matthew Henry: Quoted on tyrants and civil wars as God's call to repentance.

Important Quotes

Treason first and foremost is a sin and a crime and rebellion against the sovereign God of heaven and earth, because God is the sovereign lawgiver.

Establishes the central thesis that treason is primarily against God, not just human governments.

It is not treason, and it is not rebellion to resist an unlawful government or an unlawful individual who is claiming authority that does not have that authority.

Clarifies the distinction between biblical resistance and sinful rebellion.

Incorporating a church places the state as the head of the church and not Jesus Christ.

Argues that church incorporation is a form of treason against Christ's headship.

Once the church determined to enter into the realm of Caesar by forming a corporation, it was required to abide by the rules of Caesar.

Uses a court ruling to show the legal consequences of incorporation.

When tyrants succeed each other, and massacres, conspiracies, and civil wars, we may be sure that the Lord has a controversy with the people for their sins.

Matthew Henry quote used to call for national repentance.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

How does the biblical definition of treason differ from the modern political understanding?

[Context]

Weaver argues treason is first against God, then against lawful human authority.

[Question]

In what ways might Christians today be guilty of spiritual treason?

[Context]

Idolatry of the mind, forsaking God's law, and demoting Christ's headship are given as examples.

[Question]

What is the difference between resisting tyranny and committing treason, according to the Bible?

[Context]

Jehoiada's resistance to Athaliah is contrasted with Zimri's usurpation.

[Question]

How should Christians evaluate the practice of church incorporation and 501(c)(3) status in light of this sermon?

[Context]

Weaver argues these place the state over Christ and silence biblical truth.

[Question]

To whom do Christians owe their primary allegiance, and how does that affect their relationship to civil government?

[Context]

Allegiance to God's kingdom is primary; manward allegiance is to the constitutional republic.

Applications

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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T13:07:51Z