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

Does It Matter Who Runs The Nation?

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: Civil Government

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2023-02-03

Synopsis: In this sermon, Pastor John Weaver argues from Scripture that it absolutely matters who rules a nation, because the character and obedience of rulers directly affect the people. Using the examples of the kings of Israel and Judah, especially Jeroboam, Manasseh, and Amaziah, he shows that godly rulers bring blessing while ungodly rulers bring judgment. He applies these principles to modern America, warning that corrupt, ungodly leadership leads to national ruin and that citizens have a duty to discern and resist unconstitutional and ungodly laws.

[John Weaver] I want you to open your Bibles, if you will, please, to 2 Samuel, chapter 23. We're going to read verses 1 through 4. I'm actually not going to be expounding these four verses, but I'm going to use them to launch into the truth that they teach. Let me just say by way of introduction, even before we read the Scripture, I did not plan the messages that I preached last week, this week, and that I'm going to plan next week, or preach next week, Lord willing. I did not plan them to say, this is what I'm going to do. No, no, no. I prepared one. I prepared the second one. Then I prepared the third one. And then it just seems how the Lord just fit everything together. So, last week, if you'll remember, I preached a message entitled, Does America Have a Father or Is America a Bastard Nation? Today, I'm going to be bringing a message, Does It Matter Who Runs the Nation? And next week, Lord willing, I want to bring a message, When God Arises or When God Rises Up.

[John Weaver] And I think you'll see how all three of these fit together like hand and glove. So, I want you to look, if you would, at 2 Samuel chapter 23. The title of the message is, Does It Matter Who Runs the Nation? Verse 1, Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel said, The Spirit of the Lord spake by me, and his word was in my tongue. The God of Israel said, the rock of Israel spake unto me, he that ruleth over men must be just ruling in the fear of God."

[John Weaver] I've pointed this out before. I'm going to call it to your attention again. It's amazing that David, in verses 2 and 3, claims direct inspiration four times for one simple truth. If you look in verse 2, he said, The Spirit of the Lord spake to me, that's once. His word was in my tongue, that's twice. The God of Israel said, that's three times, and the rock of Israel spake to me, that's four times, and here's what he said God said, he that ruleth over men must be just ruling in the fear of God. I think these four verses actually in reality answer the question, does it matter who runs the nation?

[John Weaver] Now, there's an excellent way to observe and to learn valuable lessons from the Bible when it comes to politics, when it comes to government, when it comes to justice. And the way to learn, I think, one way, very easily, is when you consider the lives and the rules of the kings of Israel and the kings of Judah and Jerusalem. If you would do a comparison and contrast between those who loved the Lord and obeyed Him and those who did not love the Lord and disobeyed Him, And if you would not only consider, as you do the comparing and the contrasting, if you would consider not just their rules, but the results of their reigns, you could also consider their wars or their time of peace, their prosperity or their economic failure. You could also consider their conquests or their subjugation, as well as their religion. So let me give you a very obvious truth to begin with. When we're talking about Israel, you have to remember that it was divided into two kingdoms, the northern kingdom with the ten tribes and the southern kingdom with the two tribes.

[John Weaver] So very pointedly at the very beginning, there were no godly kings in the northern kingdom, not one. Not one. Now, in the southern kingdom, there were some godly kings, and there were some very ungodly kings as well. But in the northern kingdom, it started out wrong. It ended up wrong. So if you would hold 2 Samuel, but turn in your Bibles very quickly to 1 Kings 12. Jeroboam I was the first king of the northern kingdom. It was Jeroboam who took counsel and made two golden calves. He put one in Dan, he put one in Bethel.

[John Weaver] And the interesting thing is the reason as to why he came up with that idolatry. Now, I want you to watch I Kings chapter 12, beginning there with verse 26. Look what the Bible says. And Jeroboam said in his heart, now shall the kingdom return unto the house of David. If this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their Lord, even to Rehoboam king of Judah, watch it, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah. Whereupon the king took counsel and made two calves of gold and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem.

[John Weaver] Behold, I God so Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. And he set the one in Bethel, and he put the other in Dan. And this thing became a sin, for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan. And of course, he went ahead, he made priests of the lowest of the order, which were not of the sons of Levi. He set up a day of feasting and a day of worship out of his own heart, out of his own imagination. And the interesting thing is, he made these golden calves for one simple reason. He said, if this people will continue to go down to Jerusalem where the temple was, where the priests were, where God said sacrifices were to be made, if these people continue to go down there, then their hearts will turn again to Rehoboam, and they will slay me. So in other words, it was just simply for his own personal protection and for the personal continuance of his kingdom that he seduced the people and put them into idolatry.

[John Weaver] Now, the interesting thing is this. Especially when you read through the book of Kings, you will find this that whenever a king Was a godly man and obeyed the Lord you will usually find this statement Listen carefully. He you will really find he did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord as did David his father whenever you find a king that did not do that which was right, and was ungodly and wicked," you'll find this,"...he did not that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, as did David his father." So there's a glaring difference between the rulers who were godly and the rulers who were ungodly. There's a glaring difference between those who were obedient and those who were disobedient. Now, since we're talking about Jeroboam, if you'll look in your Bibles to 2 Kings 17 and verse 21. I want you to read this about Jeroboam, 2 Kings, chapter 17, and look, if you would, at verse 21.

[John Weaver] Note what the Bible says, because there is a practical application that we can see. Hang on. 2 Kings 17 and verse 21, the Bible says, For he rent Israel from the house of David, that is, God did, and they made Jeroboam the son of Nebat king. And Jeroboam drove Israel from following the Lord and made them sin a great sin. In other words, Jeroboam actually drove the people away from God. Why? What did he say?

[John Weaver] It's too much for you. Now, it's raining, it's too much trouble. It's too far, it's too much trouble. You don't have to go to Jerusalem. He actually drove them into idolatry. Basically, not only through His own laws, but through comfort, He drove them. That's exactly what the Bible says.

[John Weaver] Now, if I were to ask you who the most wicked king in the northern kingdom was, I would hope you would say Ahab, because that is correct. If I were to ask you who the most wicked king in the southern kingdom was, I would hope you would say Manasseh, because that is correct. But since we're talking about this, I want you to look in 2 Kings 21 and verse 9. There's not too much difference between Jeroboam and Manasseh in their rule and in their reign. Note, if you would, 2 Kings 21 and verse 9.

[John Weaver] God had sent His prophets to warn them. They refused to hear. Notice verse 9. But they hearkened not, And Manasseh seduced them to do more evil than did the nations whom the Lord destroyed before the children of Israel." I hope you're noticing Jeroboam drove the people. Manasseh seduced the people. In fact, he seduced them to be more wicked and more vile than the kingdoms that God kicked out to allow His people to come there. Wow!

[John Weaver] So, we need to make an observation right here, and that is this. People may be driven to do that which is wrong, and people may be seduced to do that which is wrong. You can be driven by all kinds of pressure, just like we've had with the masking and with the vaccine. You either have to do this or lose your job. I mean, that's pressure. I mean, just think about that.

[John Weaver] There was a cartoon with a Peanuts cartoon that I saw the other day. And I guess it was Linus. He was speaking to Lucy, Charlie Brown or Linus. I don't remember which one it was. He said, the Pope said, if you love your neighbor, you'll take the vaccine. And Lucy said, but forced love is rape. Well, stop and think about that. That's exactly right. So, I'm just simply saying, people can be driven, but people can also be seduced. You think of all the propaganda that's being given to the American people on TV, on the radio. I'm just simply saying, it is there. We need to observe this, that people may be driven and people may be seduced. If you are observant, and which I believe that most of you are, you will discern that America, as well as most other countries now, have fallen into the side of the ungodly and disobedient rulers.

[John Weaver] We have become a corrupt, ungodly, violent, blasphemous, unjust, wicked, and haughty nation, parading our sins openly, brazenly, and defiantly in the face of God, thumbing our noses in His face and mocking Him. If you would turn in your Bibles to the book of Isaiah chapter 3, you will see exactly what is happening in this country, because it happened in Judah and Jerusalem. Watch, if you would, Isaiah chapter 3.

[John Weaver] Look, if you would, at verses 8 and 9. Right after the Song of Solomon, you have Isaiah. Isaiah chapter 3, verses 8 and 9. Look at this statement. He said, For Jerusalem is ruined. That was the capital. And Judah is fallen. That's the nation. Because their tongue and their doings are against the Lord, to provoke the eyes of glory." So they were provoking God. They were defying God. They were daring God. So he said, they've fallen because they are provoking me.

[John Weaver] Now watch what he says in verse 9. The show of their countenance doth witness against them, and they declare their sin as Sodom, and they hide it not. That is, they're proud of it. Woe unto their soul, for they have rewarded evil unto themselves. So, the truth of the matter is, we have become just like Judah and Jerusalem, because we are proud of our pride days, our transgender days, and all of this and all the parades that we're going, and praising all of the wickedness and all of the ungodliness as well.

[John Weaver] And stop and think about this. Not only have we become proud of it, but when you think about our own government, our own government now not only promotes it, subsidizes it, legalizes it, and then punishes anyone who's opposed to it. If you'd turn right over in your Bibles to the book of Amos chapter 5, Amos chapter 5. Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos. Look at it, if you would, Amos 5, beginning there with verse 10. Look at what the Scripture says. Amos 5, verse 10, They hate him that rebuketh in the gate, and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly. Now, here's why.

[John Weaver] God says, For as much, therefore, as your treading is upon the poor, and you take from him burdens of wheat, you have built houses of hewn stone, You're riding off the backs of the poor and the common folks, but you shall not dwell in them. You have planted pleasant vineyards, but you shall not drink wine of them." God says, for I know your manifold transgressions and your mighty sins. They afflict the just, they take a bribe, and they turn aside the poor in the gate from their right.

[John Weaver] Now, when you look at verse 10, where the Bible says, they hate him that rebuketh in the gate, And they abhor him that speaketh uprightly. You have to remember that in Bible times, the seat of government basically was at the gate. In other words, it was It was open. The king sat in the gate. The ruler sat in the gate. Anyone had anything to say, they would come to the assembly at the gate. And this is why the Bible says, They hate him that rebuketh in the gate.

[John Weaver] And God goes on to talk about their bribery, their pride, their theft, their stealing from the poor. So they hate anyone who's going to speak against their sins, and they abhor him, they said, that speaketh uprightly. So all of the government in the Old Testament particularly was in the gate.

[John Weaver] Now, when we come to this government that we have today, we do not really have a two-party system. It's not really Democrats and Republicans. What we have is a uniparty system. That is, we have a one party where the Democrats and the Republicans collude together. Someone has said, well, is there no difference? Yes, there is a difference between the Republicans and the Democrats. The Democrats will take us over the cliff at 100 miles an hour, and the Republicans will only do it at 90 miles an hour. But we're still going over the cliff. I hope you remember back in 1968, when George Wallace was running for president, he said, and I quote, there's not a dime's worth of difference between the Democrats and the Republicans. You remember that? Back in 1968. I want to give you a quote.

[John Weaver] This is from Charles Hugh Smith. Charles Hugh Smith is an economist. He's an extremely conservative economists and well worth reading. Anytime you see anything by Charles Hugh Smith, read it. But here's what he said on this article. He says, this is how America works now. In your face, corruption is not just accepted, it's glorified. Let's score America's wealth and power elites regardless of party or political persuasion. So here is his scoring for everyone regardless of party or persuasion. Integrity, zero. Austerity, zero. Restraint, zero. Humility, zero. Responsibility, zero. Accountability, zero. Sacrifice for the common good, zero. Thrift, zero. And then he goes ahead and says, a society whose elites are so self-serving, corrupt, unaccountable, and devoid of any sense of good and evil, is doomed. What all the entrenched insiders in America's parasitic, predatory elites and institutions don't dare admit is that to protect themselves from consequence, we've had to sacrifice everything else. Having stripped the nation of the essential foundation of a just, enduring social order, accountability, consequence, rule of law, and a grasp of difference between good and evil, there's nothing left but sound and fury, as if they're hoping the endless political circuses and trails of breadcrumbs will forever distract us from their plunder and

[John Weaver] the injustice of the irredeemable, corrupt America they fashion to protect their wealth and their power." And brother, that is right. And all I can say is, straight on Charles Hugh Smith. Someone says that times have changed, but the truth of the matter is, times really have not changed. And consequently, wicked people have not really changed as well, which was done in olden times, especially in the time of Jeroboam and in the time of Manasseh, is still being done today in America as well.

[John Weaver] Depraved men operate the same way as they've always operated throughout the ages. Now, we're given two particular truths in the book of Proverbs, which I think will demonstrate this. So, if you will turn in your Bibles to the book of Proverbs and look in chapter 28 and verse 28. Proverbs 28 and verse 28. Here it is. Proverbs 28, verse 28. Look at what the Bible says. When the wicked rise, Men hide themselves, but when they perish, the righteous increase. When the wicked rise, men hide themselves. Why do men hide themselves?

[John Weaver] Because they're not only trying to protect their lives and the lives of their family, but everything that they have. I get tickled every time I read through the book of Judges, especially when the angel came to Gideon. You remember Gideon was hiding, threshing wheat, and the angel said, Hail thou mighty man of valor. Well, if he was a mighty man of valor, why was he hiding? Because he had common sense. Because He knew they would steal the wheat that He was threshing if they found it.

[John Weaver] So that's exactly what the Bible means. When the wicked rise, men hide themselves. But when they perish, the righteous increase. Not only in population, but also in power and in positions of authority. Look, if you would, in Proverbs 29 and verse 2. Here's another verse that goes along with that. The Scripture says, When the righteous are in authority, The people rejoice. But when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn. Well, why in the world do the people rejoice when the righteous are in authority?

[John Weaver] Because of truth, righteousness, and justice. And why do they mourn when the wicked beareth rule? Well, look around, and you can see why we're mourning. There is no justice. I've said this before, and I think about it every time I talk about justice. I'm not a communist. I have no sympathy with communism. But there was one communist who said one thing that I totally agree with. That was Gus Hall. Gus Hall said, the reason we refer to our judicial system as the halls of justice is because the only place you can get any justice is out in the halls. And that's the truth. Nobody's going to have justice in a courtroom today.

[John Weaver] Now, let me give you something else. I think the truth of our devastation in this country is clearly evidence because of our corruption, our injustice and theft by our own government on every hand. Now, let me give you something else that might surprise you. As you look through the Bible and you're studying the lives of the kings of Judah and Israel, and you're comparing and contrasting, you're going to find that oftentimes a godly king will produce an ungodly son who follows him. Here's something else that will shock you. Many times as you read the Bible, You're also going to find that an ungodly reprobate king will produce a godly son and a godly king. Let me give you some illustrations. Solomon produced foolish Rehoboam. Wicked Abijah produced godly Asa. Godly Jehoshaphat produced ungodly Joram. Apostate Amaziah was the father of godly Uzziah. Wicked Ahaz produced godly Hezekiah. And godly Hezekiah produced wicked Manasseh, who we read about earlier. And wicked Amnon produced godly Josiah.

[John Weaver] Grace does not run in families. Depravity does. Blessings, prosperity, righteousness, and justice are not in bloodlines. All of that is from God Himself.

[John Weaver] Now, here's a good question. And I want you to think about this. Does it matter if a ruler professes Christianity and then acts contrary to the principles and the precepts of Christianity? Let me rephrase the question and ask it another way. Does it matter If a ruler is a little righteous and a lot wicked, does it really matter what you say if how you live contradicts what you have said? Wow. So let me ask some questions before I show you some Scripture.

[John Weaver] Should it concern most Americans that Roman Catholics in Congress are mostly pro-abortion and support the LGBT lifestyle, and moreover, they seek to persecute and prosecute anyone who does not agree with them. Should it concern you that most Baptists, Methodists, Congregationalists, Episcopalians, and other religious denominations in Congress continually violate the Word of God and their oaths to the Constitution? Should it be a concern that Congress constantly and continually passes laws that violate not only the Word of God, but the Constitution? And in passing those laws, they're destroying liberty and freedom and seek to bring us into complete subjection and captivity to a Marxist agenda.

[John Weaver] Let me ask another question. Should it be a concern that the president, as well as others, often speak of their power and authority, of which they believe that they possess over and above the Bible and over and above the Constitution? I remember Joe Biden saying that when he got to be president, he would use all of his power to do certain things, which, of course, were unconstitutional. May I remind you that no one has any power or any authority except that which God ordains, and with every ordination of power or authority, there's always a limitation. And may I also remind you Now, the Constitution of the United States happens to be a limited powers document, which means the only power that any president, any congress, or any judge has is that which is limited in the Constitution. Sometimes it's called an express powers document, which means the only power they have is expressed in the Constitution itself. So when some congressman or some president talks about his power, which he has, he does not have any power except that which is expressed in the Constitution and in the Word of God.

[John Weaver] Some like to claim unlimited power, which they do not have. Only God has unlimited power. I mean, I'm just simply pointing out the fact, we have a congress, we have a president, We have a judicial system that is absolutely, totally corrupt. Now, think about this. Should you be concerned about the unwise and unjust wars that our politicians get us into? And they get us into those wars in order that they may prosper or that they may increase their power or they may increase the power and position and authority of their particular party.

[John Weaver] Look at everything that we've sent to Ukraine. Did you know that Ukraine was bombing the Donbass region and their own country where the Russians resided and were killing Russian citizens for eight years? before Putin invaded. Yeah, that's true. That's very true. And of course, it was the Prime Minister who came out when the war began and said, we are fighting for the new world order. So my question is, should all of this concern us?

[John Weaver] And the answer, obviously, is yes. Now, what I want to show you today is this. I want to show you a politician. I want to show you a king who is a little bit righteous and a lot wicked. And I want you to see how God dealt with him. So I want you to turn in your Bibles, if you would please, to 2 Chronicles, chapter 25. 2 Chronicles, chapter 25. And first of all, I want to show you verse 18, because we're going to be talking about King Amaziah. Amaziah has a nickname. He is known as the Thistle King. And the reason he's known as the Thistle King is he tried to start a war with Israel.

[John Weaver] So Amaziah was in the southern kingdom and he sent to Joash and he said, let's look each other in the face. I want to fight. So Joash answered him in verse 18. And Joash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah saying, The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, Give thy daughter to my son to wife. And there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon and trod down the thistle." Well, a thistle is nothing. I don't know if you notice thistle plants in this day and time. A good strong wind will break a thistle plant.

[John Weaver] In fact, you can snap it with two fingers. You can push it over with one finger. And even if you have a thistle on the ground, if you step on it, it's usually nothing because it goes straight into the ground, hardly does any harm at all. So the point is, Amaziah now has been known down through the ages as the Thistle King. Amaziah was an apostate. He was one who had a little righteousness and a lot of wickedness. He was a compromiser. He had no character. He had no conviction. He has no courage. So let me show you that he had just a little righteousness, not much, because his wickedness certainly outweighed his righteousness.

[John Weaver] So look in 2 Chronicles 25, verses 1 and 2. And Amaziah was 25 years old when he began to reign. And he reigned 29 years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jehoiadan of Jerusalem. And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, but not with a perfect heart. Now, I want you to note that phrase, not with a perfect heart. In other words, he had an imperfect heart. An imperfect heart is a heart of disobedience. It's a double heart. It's a divided heart. It's a compromising and an apostate heart. Now, did he do some things that were good and right?

[John Weaver] And the answer is yes. Look in verse three.

[John Weaver] Now, it came to pass when the kingdom was established to him that he slew his servants that had killed or murdered the king, his father, which was the right thing to do. The murderer is to be put to death. Now watch verse 4. But he slew not their children, but did as is written in the law in the book of Moses, where the Lord commanded, saying, The father shall not die for the children, neither shall the children die for the fathers, but every man shall die for his own sins. So he did something right. He put to death the murderers of his father, but he spared the children because they had not done anything wrong. Now, here's something else that he did right. Look in verse 5.

[John Weaver] Moab and Amazigh gathered Judah together and made them captains over thousands and captains over hundreds. according to the house of their fathers throughout all Judah and Benjamin, and he numbered them from 20 years old and above, and found them 300,000 choice men able to go forth to war that could handle spear and shield." So, he numbered his men. He knew how many fighting men that he had, and he was preparing for war.

[John Weaver] He was going to fight the Edomites. Now, here's where he did something wrong. Verse 6, He hired also a hundred thousand mighty men of valor out of Israel for a hundred talents of silver. Now you have to remember Israel was apostate. They worshipped the golden calves. Watch verse 7, But there came a man of God to him, saying, O king, let not the army of Israel go with thee. For the Lord is not with Israel to wit with all the children of Ephraim.

[John Weaver] But if thou wilt go, do it. Be strong for the battle. God shall make thee fall before the enemy. For God hath power to help and to cast down." So he said, you've got a choice. You can send those Israelite soldiers back home, or you can keep them and you're going to lose the battle.

[John Weaver] Now watch if you would. Here's Amaziah's great concern. And Amaziah said to the man of God, But what shall we do for the hundred talents which I have given to the army of Israel? And the man of God answered, The Lord is able to give thee much more than this. Then Amaziah separated them to wit, the army that was come to him out of Ephraim, to go home again. Wherefore, their anger was greatly kindled against Judah, and they returned home in great Now watch verse 11, And Amaziah strengthened himself, and led forth his people, and went to the Valley of Salt, and smote the children of Seir ten thousand.

[John Weaver] Now, so he's hired these Israelites. The man of God says, send them back home. God's not going to bless you as long as you're working with them. Well, He said, I'll send them back home. But what about all the money I've paid? Oh, don't worry about that. God's able to give you much more than that. And interestingly enough, Amaziah, in this instance, obeyed.

[John Weaver] Now, he did make war with the Edomites. And he did win. But I want to show you his absolute stupidity. I mean stupidity so watch if you would and let's begin reading there with verse Verse 14 Watch this now. They've won the battle now it came to pass after that Amazigh was come from the slaughter of the Edomites and that he brought the gods of the children of Seir, and set them up to be his gods, and bowed down himself before them, and burned incense unto them."

[John Weaver] Now, you're talking about stupid. The gods of the Edomites could not even protect them, and he brought their gods and worshiped them. Watch verse 15. "'Wherefore the anger of the Lord was kindled against them, Isaiah, and he sent unto him a prophet, which said unto him, Why hast thou sought after the gods of the people, which could not deliver their own people out of thine hand? Now watch his arrogance. And it came to pass, as he talked with him, that the king said to him, Art thou made of the king's counsel? Forbear! Why shouldst thou be smitten?

[John Weaver] You keep on, I'll have you killed. Don't talk to me like this. Don't rebuke me. Then the prophet forbear and said, I know that God hath determined to destroy thee, because thou hast done this, and hast not hearkened unto my counsel." Wow! Isn't that amazing? Here's a man that is an idolater, and he's so stupid, he takes the idols of the nation that he defeated to be his gods. And God just simply reveals his own stupidity, his own rebellion, and his own wickedness by sending him this prophet. And he refuses to listen to the Word of God. He refuses to listen to the man of God.

[John Weaver] By the way, there's always a consequence to pay. There are always results of refusing to listen to God, and you're going to see what it cost him. In fact, look in verse 17. Then Amaziah king of Judah took advice, and sent to Joash the son of Jehoias, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, let us see one another in the face. I want to face you down. I want to fight you. We'll see who's stronger. And Joash, king of Israel, sent to Amazigh, king of Judah, saying, The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, Give thy daughter to my son to wife. passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon, and trod down the thistle.

[John Weaver] Thou sayest, Lo, thou hast smitten the Edomites, and thine heart lifted thee up to boast. Abide now at home. Why shouldst thou meddle to thine hurt, that thou shouldst fall, even thou and Judah with thee? But Amaziah would not hear. For it came of God, that he might deliver them into the hand of their enemies, because they sought after the gods of Edom." Hmm.

[John Weaver] Now, here is what I want you to consider. I want you to look back, if you would, at verse 20. But Amaziah would not hear. He was the king. For it came of God that he might deliver, what's that next word? them, plural, into the hand of their enemies, there is plural, because they, son of the gods of Edom. So it wasn't just simply Amaziah. Others followed him in that idolatry. Now, here's the principle. Amaziah's sin did not just simply affect himself.

[John Weaver] It affected the nation as well. Watch verse 21. Watch verse 21. So Joash the king of Israel went up, and they saw one another in the face, both he and Amaziah king of Judah at Beth Shemesh, which belonged to Judah. And Judah was put to the worse before Israel, and they fled every man to his tent. Joash the king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah the son of Joash the son of Jehoias of Beth Shemesh and brought him to Jerusalem and Break down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim to the corner gate 400 cubits now watch and he took all the gold and silver and

[John Weaver] all the vessels that were found in the house of God with Obed-Edom and the treasures of the king's house and hostages and returned to Samaria and So here's a ruler that was so proud and so arrogant that he tries to begin a war, and the one he wants to fight with says, look, look, just stay at home. Glory in what you've done. Do not destroy yourself. Do not destroy your nation. Just stay at home.

[John Weaver] And he wouldn't have it. And he took all the people and went to battle. they were defeated how many were killed we are not told but they fled every man to his own tent and then the wall of Jerusalem is broken down all the silver and gold is stolen out of the temple as well as from the king so here's what I want you to understand our sins affect others The Bible says in Romans 14 in verse 7, for no man liveth to himself and no man dieth to himself. You know, if you take the attitude, well, I want to go out and get drunk. I'm going to go out and I'm going to drink and I'm going to get drunk and listen to me. What I do is my own business.

[John Weaver] It's not hurting anyone else. It's just it's just hurting me. If I want to get drunk, I'll get drunk. Fine. Wonderful. Have at it until In your drunken state, you get in your car and drive and run head-on into a family and kill the entire family. Now it's affected somebody else, hasn't it? Well, I like that woman over there. I think I'll have an affair with her. Well, let's see. It hurts your wife. It hurts your children. It hurts your testimony. It hurts your ministry. It hurts her family. You cannot escape. This simple truth that whatever you do affects someone else. You know, I've used this before, and it's true.

[John Weaver] When David is confessing his sin in Psalm 51, he said to God against the and against the only have I done this evil and this wickedness in my sight. Really?

[John Weaver] Now, I know what he's saying. He's saying his sin is primarily against God. I understand that. But did he not sin against Bathsheba? Yes. Did he not sin against Uriah? Yes. Did he not sin against the Hithophel? Yes. Did he not sin against their families? Did he not sin against the nation? Yes! You cannot escape this simple fact that our lives affect other people, either our obedience and our righteousness, or our sins and our disobedience.

[John Weaver] It always affects someone else. Now, when I taught through Romans 13, I enunciated this principle. I'm going to remind you of this principle again. When you study the Scripture, you're going to find that when a king or a ruler Sins privately and individually, only he is judged for that sin or his family, whoever's involved in it. But when a king or a ruler sins openly and publicly, then the nation is judged with the ruler. Why?

[John Weaver] Well, let's look at it. When David committed adultery with Bathsheba, it was David and his family that was judged, which was right. The nation was not judged. But when David numbered Israel, and Joab said, why doth my Lord want to do this thing? Even Joab, as wicked as he was, knew that what David was doing was wrong. And the Bible says, nevertheless, the king's word prevailed. And they went and numbered, and then God judged. And let's see, I forget the exact number. Was it like 80 to 85,000 valiant men died because of David's sin? And David said, I'm the one that has sinned, but what have these men done? Now, why did God destroy those people? Because everyone knew that what David was doing was wrong and no one lifted a finger to stop him. It's true that Joab said, don't do it. But Joab went ahead and obeyed. Now I want to show you a principle. I want you to think about this.

[John Weaver] Anytime you're talking about any type of government, government is covenantal in nature. I don't care if you're talking about family government, ecclesiastical government, civil government. Government is covenantal in nature. Alice and I are in a covenant. We're a family. I'm her head. I'm her husband. She's my wife. We have children. We both raised those children. But it's a covenant. You go to most churches, or a lot of churches, and on their walls they'll have church covenant. Civil government is just as equally a covenant.

[John Weaver] If you'll look in your Bibles to 2 Kings, I could show you this several times, but if you'll look to 2 Kings 11, 2 Kings 11 and verse 17, Johadiah the priest is making a covenant And I want you to watch this, if you would, please. He's making the covenant between the king, God, and the people, and between the king and the people. So here it is. 2 Kings 11, verse 17, And Jehoiada made a covenant between the Lord and the king and the people. That's one covenant, that they should be the Lord's people. And then he says, between the king also and the people. So in the first covenant, The king agreed to be God's king, and the people agreed to be God's people. And God, of course, according to His law, agreed to bless them as long as they were obedient to Him. That's a covenant. And then He says, secondly, between the king and the people. So the king then agreed to rule godly and biblically and rightly and justly, and the people agreed to obey him as long as he did.

[John Weaver] That's simple enough. When one party violates the covenant, the other party is loosed from obedience to that covenant. I'm obligated to take care of Alice, but if she ran off and left me and ran off with another man, I'm no longer obligated to take care of her. See? If I'm the pastor of the church and the people say, we're not going to do what you're saying. We're not going to believe that Bible and we're not going to obey and we're not coming back. All right. I'm no longer in, you know, bound to be their pastor. They don't want to obey.

[John Weaver] I can go somewhere else. The same thing is true when it comes to our own government. We have a covenant.

[John Weaver] Now, I realize, first and primarily, we have the law of God, but secondly, we have the Constitution. The Constitution is a covenant. That is why every officer in government, whether it's a police officer, whether it's a governor, whether it's a senator, whether it's a representative, whether it's a president, all of them put their hand on the Bible and they swear to uphold and to follow the Constitution of the United States.

[John Weaver] Now, let me say something to you. As long as we're citizens, if our rulers obey the Constitution, we have a duty to obey the laws. But when they go contrary to the Constitution, we have no obligation to obey them. You say, you're making that up. No, I'm not making it up. You read the United States Constitution, Article 6, Paragraphs 2 and 3, but I want to give you this. This is from American Jewish Prudence, Second Edition, and it is Volume 16, Conflict of Laws to Constitutional Laws. Here it is. Paragraph 195.

[John Weaver] The general rule is that an unconstitutional statute, whether federal or state, though having the form and name of law, is in reality no law, but is wholly void and ineffective for any purpose. Since unconstitutionality dates from the time of its enactment, and not merely from the date of the decision so branding it, An unconstitutional law in legal contemplation is as inoperative as it had never been passed and never existed. That is, it is void ab initio, that is, from the beginning. Such a statute leaves the question that it proposes to settle just as if the statute had not been enacted. Since an unconstitutional law is void, It follows that generally the statute imposes no duties, confers no rights, creates no office or liabilities, bestows no power or authority on anyone, affords no protection, is incapable of creating any rights or obligations, does not allow for the granting of any relief, and justifies no acts performed under it. Once a statute is determined to be unconstitutional, No private citizen or division of the state may take any further action pursuant to its provisions.

[John Weaver] A contract that rests on an unconstitutional statute creates no obligation to be impaired by subsequent legislation. No one is bound to obey an unconstitutional law, and no courts are bound to enforce it. A law contrary to the United States Constitution may not be enforced. Once a statute has been declared unconstitutional, courts, therefore, and thereafter, have no jurisdiction over alleged violations. Persons convicted and fined under statutes subsequently held unconstitutional may recover their fines paid."

[John Weaver] Now, let me ask you this question. Who determines whether or not a law is unconstitutional? We, the people. That's why you should know your constitution. That's why you should know the Word of God. I don't have to wait for a court to say, this is unconstitutional. And it doesn't matter if the court does say it's constitutional. If it is plainly unconstitutional, I'm still not going to obey it. because it converts no power, and it converts no authority, and therefore there is no obligation for me to obey whatsoever." Okay?

[John Weaver] Now, I want to show you a passage. I want you to remember what I'm trying to show you. When a king or ruler sins individually, personally, he alone suffers. But when he sins openly and publicly, and no one tries to stop him, the people suffer with him. The people have no obligation to obey an ungodly rule or statute or law. If you will turn in your Bibles to the book of Jeremiah, chapter 15, and look, if you would please, at verse 4, Jeremiah 15 and verse 4. There are plenty of passages that teach this same principle, But this one is the clearest, and I think the simplest and the easiest to grasp. Jeremiah chapter 15, verse 4, we're reading about Manasseh, who is the most wicked king in the southern kingdom. And the Bible says in verse 4, God says, and I will cause them, that is the people, to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth because of Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah, king of Judah, for that which he did in Jerusalem."

[John Weaver] What? God's going to send the people into captivity because of what Manasseh did? Yeah. You remember, it was Manasseh who seduced the people. They joined with him in those sins of the flesh and fornication and idolatry. Nobody tried to stop Him, and God said, I'm going to judge Him, but I'm going to judge them with Him. Listen to me. God judges covenant and oath breakers and the people that support them.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to go back in your Bibles to 2 Chronicles chapter 25. because we're not through. Whatever happened to Amaziah? Whatever happened to the Thistle King? Well, let me show you. 2 Chronicles chapter 25, and let's begin reading there with verse 26. 2 Chronicles 25, verse 26. Of course, he was defeated by Joash, and the Bible says in verse Well, let's read verse 25, And Amaziah the son of Joash, king of Judah, lived after the death of Joash, king of Jehoias, king of Israel, fifteen years. So he outlived Joash fifteen years. Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah, first and last, Behold, are they not written in the books of the kings of Judah and Israel? Now after the time that Amaziah did turn away from following the LORD, they, made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Laish. But they sent to Laish after him and slew him there. And they brought him upon horses and buried him with his father in the city of Judah." Death is the usual fate of tyrants and idolaters.

[John Weaver] Now, if you've not done this, I would challenge you to do it. When you get home, and you get on your computer, type in picture of the state flag of Virginia, or picture of the state seal of Virginia. Because you will find that on the flag and on the seal, there's a woman on that flag and on that seal who is portraying virtue. She is dressed as an Amazon, She wears a helmet and holds a sword and a spear, and above her is written, Sick Semper Tyrannus, thus always to tyrants.

[John Weaver] She is standing with one foot upon the prostrate figure of a fallen king. His crown is lying to the side. carrying out, of course, the theme of victory over tyranny. And the whip and the chain that the king used are lying helplessly by his side because he has been defeated. Hmm. Wow. Let me tell you something. And I think you're going to see this next week, even in a much clearer light.

[John Weaver] But sooner or later in God's time, those that oppose him, Those that blaspheme Him, those that refuse Him, those who reject Him will perish. It will come their time to die, and they will die. But here is a sad, sad truth. Look how many people will die because of their sins and their rebellion. You think right now, of all the young athletes and all the people that are just dropping dead instantly and suddenly. Why?

[John Weaver] Because tyranny said, if you don't take the jab, you can't keep your job. Hmm. By the way, I hope you notice that American Airlines and even the FAA now has said that most pilots have a horrible EKG test now, and they're not able to really fly. And did you know that those people that went to Davos, Switzerland, the Great Reset, they all requested and required non-vaccinated pilots and non-vaccinated stewardesses? Oh, yeah.

[John Weaver] But just stop and think about it. Think of all the people that have died because of seduction, of being driven, of propaganda. And that's the sad thing. These people will pay, but look how many are going to suffer before they do pay. Now, let me make just a couple of applications. The first one is this. The answer to the title of this message, Does it Matter Who Rules the Nation? is an astounding yes. It does matter to God, and it should matter to His people.

[John Weaver] Because truth and righteousness are at stake, liberty and freedom are at stake. It's a matter of life and death. It is a matter of prosperity or economic disaster. It does matter who rules and whose law is upheld. So if you don't believe that, let me ask you some questions. Do you trust the federal government? Do you trust the state government? Do you believe that the politicians they have your best interest in mind? Do you believe that they're ungodly, unlawful and unrighteous legislation is in line with the constitution? Do you not know that according to Romans 13, the power of government is to punish the wicked and to protect the righteous?

[John Weaver] If that is so, what in the world has happened in our country? What has happened in our nation? So I'm going to give you some very strong advice, whether you like it or not, whether you receive it or not, but here it is. Do not trust the government. Don't trust your federal government. Do not even trust the state government. You are responsible for your own life, your own health, your own prosperity. That means you must do your own research. You must do your own study. You must come to your own conclusions. Do not trust them. If you think somehow that the tyrants are going to escape the judgment of God, you're mistaken.

[John Weaver] I want you to listen to Deuteronomy 32, verses 34 and 35. Here it is. God says, Is not this stored up with me, and sealed among my treasures? To me belong vengeance and recompense. Their foot shall slide in due time, for the day of their calamity is in, and the things that make haste shall come upon them. God said, their foot shall slide in due time, and it will.

[John Weaver] It does matter who rules the nation. And it does matter what law is upheld. And it does matter whether or not we do that which is right and godly and rebuke the ungodly even in the gate. It matters. None of us have the power of a magic wand. None of us can correct everything, and I understand that. But when it comes our time to stand, we must stand and rebuke in the gate whenever we can rebuke in the gate. It does matter who rules the nation. and even more importantly, whose law is upheld.

[John Weaver] Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee. We thank You for Your Word. We thank You for Your truth. Lord, I pray that You would open our eyes, open our ears, open our hearts, help us to receive truth, and help us, Lord, to be able to do what we can do, to stand where we can stand, rebuke where we can rebuke, correct where we can correct, Father, just give us Your Spirit. Quicken us, O Lord.

[John Weaver] Turn us, lead us, guide us, and direct us. Help us to honor Thee in all that we say and do. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray. Amen. Amen.

[John Weaver] ♪

Does It Matter Who Runs The Nation?

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	0t4AR3cYrl4
Subject	Civil Government
Course	Civil Government: Power, Nations, and Constitutional Order: War in the Gates
Genre	Sermon
Date	2023-02-03
Dictation Name
Book	Book 009: Civil Government: Power, Nations, and Constitutional Order — Chapter 29
Source Timed Segments	84

Formatted Transcript

Introduction and Scripture Reading

Weaver introduces the message by reading 2 Samuel 23:1-4, noting David's fourfold claim of divine inspiration for the truth that rulers must be just and fear God.

I want you to open your Bibles, if you will, please, to 2 Samuel, chapter 23. We're going to read verses 1 through 4. I'm actually not going to be expounding these four verses, but I'm going to use them to launch into the truth that they teach. Let me just say by way of introduction, even before we read the Scripture, I did not plan the messages that I preached last week, this week, and that I'm going to plan next week, or preach next week, Lord willing. I did not plan them to say, this is what I'm going to do. No, no, no. I prepared one. I prepared the second one. Then I prepared the third one. And then it just seems how the Lord just fit everything together. So, last week, if you'll remember, I preached a message entitled, "Does America Have a Father or Is America a Bastard Nation?" Today, I'm going to be bringing a message, "Does It Matter Who Runs the Nation?" And next week, Lord willing, I want to bring a message, "When God Arises" or "When God Rises Up." And I think you'll see how all three of these fit together like hand and glove. So, I want you to look, if you would, at 2 Samuel chapter 23. The title of the message is, "Does It Matter Who Runs the Nation?" Verse 1,

Scripture Reading — 2 Samuel 23:1-4

"Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel said, The Spirit of the Lord spake by me, and his word was in my tongue. The God of Israel said, the rock of Israel spake unto me, he that ruleth over men must be just ruling in the fear of God."

I've pointed this out before. I'm going to call it to your attention again. It's amazing that David, in verses 2 and 3, claims direct inspiration four times for one simple truth. If you look in verse 2, he said,

Scripture Reading — 2 Samuel 23:1-4

"The Spirit of the Lord spake to me,"

that's once.

Scripture Reading — 2 Samuel 23:1-4

"His word was in my tongue,"

that's twice.

Scripture Reading — 2 Samuel 23:1-4

"The God of Israel said,"

that's three times, and

Scripture Reading — 2 Samuel 23:1-4

"the rock of Israel spake to me,"

that's four times, and here's what he said God said,

Scripture Reading — 2 Samuel 23:1-4

"he that ruleth over men must be just ruling in the fear of God."

I think these four verses actually in reality answer the question, does it matter who runs the nation?

Contrasting Godly and Ungodly Kings

He contrasts the northern kingdom (no godly kings) with the southern kingdom (some godly, some ungodly), highlighting Jeroboam's idolatry to protect his own power and Manasseh's seduction of the people into greater wickedness.

Now, there's an excellent way to observe and to learn valuable lessons from the Bible when it comes to politics, when it comes to government, when it comes to justice. And the way to learn, I think, one way, very easily, is when you consider the lives and the rules of the kings of Israel and the kings of Judah and Jerusalem. If you would do a comparison and contrast between those who loved the Lord and obeyed Him and those who did not love the Lord and disobeyed Him, and if you would not only consider, as you do the comparing and the contrasting, if you would consider not just their rules, but the results of their reigns, you could also consider their wars or their time of peace, their prosperity or their economic failure. You could also consider their conquests or their subjugation, as well as their religion. So let me give you a very obvious truth to begin with. When we're talking about Israel, you have to remember that it was divided into two kingdoms, the northern kingdom with the ten tribes and the southern kingdom with the two tribes.

So very pointedly at the very beginning, there were no godly kings in the northern kingdom, not one. Not one. Now, in the southern kingdom, there were some godly kings, and there were some very ungodly kings as well. But in the northern kingdom, it started out wrong. It ended up wrong. So if you would hold 2 Samuel, but turn in your Bibles very quickly to 1 Kings 12. Jeroboam I was the first king of the northern kingdom. It was Jeroboam who took counsel and made two golden calves. He put one in Dan, he put one in Bethel.

And the interesting thing is the reason as to why he came up with that idolatry. Now, I want you to watch 1 Kings chapter 12, beginning there with verse 26. Look what the Bible says.

Scripture Reading — 1 Kings 12:26-33

"And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return unto the house of David. If this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their Lord, even to Rehoboam king of Judah, watch it, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah. Whereupon the king took counsel and made two calves of gold and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem." "Behold, I God so Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. And he set the one in Bethel, and he put the other in Dan. And this thing became a sin, for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan."

And of course, he went ahead, he made priests of the lowest of the order, which were not of the sons of Levi. He set up a day of feasting and a day of worship out of his own heart, out of his own imagination. And the interesting thing is, he made these golden calves for one simple reason. He said, if this people will continue to go down to Jerusalem where the temple was, where the priests were, where God said sacrifices were to be made, if these people continue to go down there, then their hearts will turn again to Rehoboam, and they will slay me. So in other words, it was just simply for his own personal protection and for the personal continuance of his kingdom that he seduced the people and put them into idolatry.

Now, the interesting thing is this. Especially when you read through the book of Kings, you will find this that whenever a king was a godly man and obeyed the Lord you will usually find this statement. Listen carefully. You will really find "he did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, as did David his father." Whenever you find a king that did not do that which was right, and was ungodly and wicked, you'll find this, "...he did not that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, as did David his father." So there's a glaring difference between the rulers who were godly and the rulers who were ungodly. There's a glaring difference between those who were obedient and those who were disobedient. Now, since we're talking about Jeroboam, if you'll look in your Bibles to 2 Kings 17 and verse 21. I want you to read this about Jeroboam, 2 Kings, chapter 17, and look, if you would, at verse 21.

Note what the Bible says, because there is a practical application that we can see. Hang on. 2 Kings 17 and verse 21, the Bible says,

Scripture Reading — 2 Kings 17:21

"For he rent Israel from the house of David, that is, God did, and they made Jeroboam the son of Nebat king. And Jeroboam drove Israel from following the Lord and made them sin a great sin."

In other words, Jeroboam actually drove the people away from God. Why? What did he say? "It's too much for you." Now, it's raining, it's too much trouble. It's too far, it's too much trouble. You don't have to go to Jerusalem. He actually drove them into idolatry. Basically, not only through his own laws, but through comfort, he drove them. That's exactly what the Bible says.

Now, if I were to ask you who the most wicked king in the northern kingdom was, I would hope you would say Ahab, because that is correct. If I were to ask you who the most wicked king in the southern kingdom was, I would hope you would say Manasseh, because that is correct. But since we're talking about this, I want you to look in 2 Kings 21 and verse 9. There's not too much difference between Jeroboam and Manasseh in their rule and in their reign. Note, if you would, 2 Kings 21 and verse 9. God had sent His prophets to warn them. They refused to hear. Notice verse 9.

Scripture Reading — 2 Kings 21:9

"But they hearkened not, And Manasseh seduced them to do more evil than did the nations whom the Lord destroyed before the children of Israel."

I hope you're noticing Jeroboam drove the people. Manasseh seduced the people. In fact, he seduced them to be more wicked and more vile than the kingdoms that God kicked out to allow His people to come there. Wow!

So, we need to make an observation right here, and that is this. People may be driven to do that which is wrong, and people may be seduced to do that which is wrong. You can be driven by all kinds of pressure, just like we've had with the masking and with the vaccine. You either have to do this or lose your job. I mean, that's pressure. I mean, just think about that.

Modern America Mirrors Ancient Apostasy

Weaver asserts that America has become like Judah and Jerusalem—proudly parading sin, with government promoting and subsidizing wickedness while punishing the righteous, citing Isaiah 3:8-9 and Amos 5:10.

There was a cartoon with a Peanuts cartoon that I saw the other day. And I guess it was Linus. He was speaking to Lucy, Charlie Brown or Linus. I don't remember which one it was. He said, the Pope said, if you love your neighbor, you'll take the vaccine. And Lucy said, but forced love is rape. Well, stop and think about that. That's exactly right. So, I'm just simply saying, people can be driven, but people can also be seduced. You think of all the propaganda that's being given to the American people on TV, on the radio. I'm just simply saying, it is there. We need to observe this, that people may be driven and people may be seduced. If you are observant, and which I believe that most of you are, you will discern that America, as well as most other countries now, have fallen into the side of the ungodly and disobedient rulers.

We have become a corrupt, ungodly, violent, blasphemous, unjust, wicked, and haughty nation, parading our sins openly, brazenly, and defiantly in the face of God, thumbing our noses in His face and mocking Him. If you would turn in your Bibles to the book of Isaiah chapter 3, you will see exactly what is happening in this country, because it happened in Judah and Jerusalem. Watch, if you would, Isaiah chapter 3. Look, if you would, at verses 8 and 9. Right after the Song of Solomon, you have Isaiah. Isaiah chapter 3, verses 8 and 9. Look at this statement. He said,

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 3:8-9

"For Jerusalem is ruined."

That was the capital.

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 3:8-9

"And Judah is fallen."

That's the nation.

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 3:8-9

"Because their tongue and their doings are against the Lord, to provoke the eyes of glory."

So they were provoking God. They were defying God. They were daring God. So he said, they've fallen because they are provoking me.

Now watch what he says in verse 9. "The show of their countenance doth witness against them, and they declare their sin as Sodom, and they hide it not." That is, they're proud of it. "Woe unto their soul, for they have rewarded evil unto themselves." So, the truth of the matter is, we have become just like Judah and Jerusalem, because we are proud of our pride days, our transgender days, and all of this and all the parades that we're going, and praising all of the wickedness and all of the ungodliness as well. And stop and think about this. Not only have we become proud of it, but when you think about our own government, our own government now not only promotes it, subsidizes it, legalizes it, and then punishes anyone who's opposed to it. If you'd turn right over in your Bibles to the book of Amos chapter 5, Amos chapter 5. Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos. Look at it, if you would, Amos 5, beginning there with verse 10. Look at what the Scripture says. Amos 5, verse 10, "They hate him that rebuketh in the gate, and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly." Now, here's why.

God says, "For as much, therefore, as your treading is upon the poor, and you take from him burdens of wheat, you have built houses of hewn stone, you're riding off the backs of the poor and the common folks, but you shall not dwell in them. You have planted pleasant vineyards, but you shall not drink wine of them." God says, "for I know your manifold transgressions and your mighty sins. They afflict the just, they take a bribe, and they turn aside the poor in the gate from their right." Now, when you look at verse 10, where the Bible says, "they hate him that rebuketh in the gate, and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly." You have to remember that in Bible times, the seat of government basically was at the gate. In other words, it was open. The king sat in the gate. The ruler sat in the gate. Anyone had anything to say, they would come to the assembly at the gate. And this is why the Bible says, "They hate him that rebuketh in the gate."

And God goes on to talk about their bribery, their pride, their theft, their stealing from the poor. So they hate anyone who's going to speak against their sins, and they abhor him, they said, that speaketh uprightly. So all of the government in the Old Testament particularly was in the gate.

The Uniparty System and Elite Corruption

He describes the American political system as a uniparty where both Democrats and Republicans collude, quoting economist Charles Hugh Smith on the zero integrity of elites and the resulting doomed society.

Now, when we come to this government that we have today, we do not really have a two-party system. It's not really Democrats and Republicans. What we have is a uniparty system. That is, we have a one party where the Democrats and the Republicans collude together. Someone has said, well, is there no difference? Yes, there is a difference between the Republicans and the Democrats. The Democrats will take us over the cliff at 100 miles an hour, and the Republicans will only do it at 90 miles an hour. But we're still going over the cliff. I hope you remember back in 1968, when George Wallace was running for president, he said, and I quote, "there's not a dime's worth of difference between the Democrats and the Republicans." You remember that? Back in 1968. I want to give you a quote.

This is from Charles Hugh Smith. Charles Hugh Smith is an economist. He's an extremely conservative economist and well worth reading. Anytime you see anything by Charles Hugh Smith, read it. But here's what he said on this article. He says, "this is how America works now. In your face, corruption is not just accepted, it's glorified. Let's score America's wealth and power elites regardless of party or political persuasion." So here is his scoring for everyone regardless of party or persuasion. Integrity, zero. Austerity, zero. Restraint, zero. Humility, zero. Responsibility, zero. Accountability, zero. Sacrifice for the common good, zero. Thrift, zero. And then he goes ahead and says, "a society whose elites are so self-serving, corrupt, unaccountable, and devoid of any sense of good and evil, is doomed. What all the entrenched insiders in America's parasitic, predatory elites and institutions don't dare admit is that to protect themselves from consequence, we've had to sacrifice everything else. Having stripped the nation of the essential foundation of a just, enduring social order, accountability, consequence, rule of law, and a grasp of difference between good and evil, there's nothing left but sound and fury, as if they're hoping the endless political circuses and trails of breadcrumbs will forever distract us from their plunder and

the injustice of the irredeemable, corrupt America they fashion to protect their wealth and their power." And brother, that is right. And all I can say is, straight on Charles Hugh Smith. Someone says that times have changed, but the truth of the matter is, times really have not changed. And consequently, wicked people have not really changed as well, which was done in olden times, especially in the time of Jeroboam and in the time of Manasseh, is still being done today in America as well.

Proverbs on Wicked and Righteous Rulers

Weaver cites Proverbs 28:28 and 29:2 to show that when the wicked rise, people hide and mourn, but when the righteous rule, people rejoice; he laments the lack of justice in modern courts.

Depraved men operate the same way as they've always operated throughout the ages. Now, we're given two particular truths in the book of Proverbs, which I think will demonstrate this. So, if you will turn in your Bibles to the book of Proverbs and look in chapter 28 and verse 28. Proverbs 28 and verse 28. Here it is. Proverbs 28, verse 28. Look at what the Bible says. "When the wicked rise, men hide themselves, but when they perish, the righteous increase." When the wicked rise, men hide themselves. Why do men hide themselves?

Because they're not only trying to protect their lives and the lives of their family, but everything that they have. I get tickled every time I read through the book of Judges, especially when the angel came to Gideon. You remember Gideon was hiding, threshing wheat, and the angel said, "Hail thou mighty man of valor." Well, if he was a mighty man of valor, why was he hiding? Because he had common sense. Because he knew they would steal the wheat that he was threshing if they found it.

So that's exactly what the Bible means. When the wicked rise, men hide themselves. But when they perish, the righteous increase. Not only in population, but also in power and in positions of authority. Look, if you would, in Proverbs 29 and verse 2. Here's another verse that goes along with that. The Scripture says, "When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice. But when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn." Well, why in the world do the people rejoice when the righteous are in authority?

Because of truth, righteousness, and justice. And why do they mourn when the wicked beareth rule? Well, look around, and you can see why we're mourning. There is no justice. I've said this before, and I think about it every time I talk about justice. I'm not a communist. I have no sympathy with communism. But there was one communist who said one thing that I totally agree with. That was Gus Hall. Gus Hall said, "the reason we refer to our judicial system as the halls of justice is because the only place you can get any justice is out in the halls." And that's the truth. Nobody's going to have justice in a courtroom today.

Now, let me give you something else. I think the truth of our devastation in this country is clearly evidence because of our corruption, our injustice and theft by our own government on every hand. Now, let me give you something else that might surprise you. As you look through the Bible and you're studying the lives of the kings of Judah and Israel, and you're comparing and contrasting, you're going to find that oftentimes a godly king will produce an ungodly son who follows him. Here's something else that will shock you. Many times as you read the Bible, you're also going to find that an ungodly reprobate king will produce a godly son and a godly king. Let me give you some illustrations. Solomon produced foolish Rehoboam. Wicked Abijah produced godly Asa. Godly Jehoshaphat produced ungodly Joram. Apostate Amaziah was the father of godly Uzziah. Wicked Ahaz produced godly Hezekiah. And godly Hezekiah produced wicked Manasseh, who we read about earlier. And wicked Amnon produced godly Josiah.

The Example of King Amaziah

He examines Amaziah, who did some right but had an imperfect heart, hired Israelite mercenaries, then obeyed the prophet, but later worshipped Edomite idols, refused rebuke, and started a foolish war that led to national defeat and his own assassination.

Grace does not run in families. Depravity does. Blessings, prosperity, righteousness, and justice are not in bloodlines. All of that is from God Himself.

Now, here's a good question. And I want you to think about this. Does it matter if a ruler professes Christianity and then acts contrary to the principles and the precepts of Christianity? Let me rephrase the question and ask it another way. Does it matter if a ruler is a little righteous and a lot wicked, does it really matter what you say if how you live contradicts what you have said? Wow. So let me ask some questions before I show you some Scripture.

Should it concern most Americans that Roman Catholics in Congress are mostly pro-abortion and support the LGBT lifestyle, and moreover, they seek to persecute and prosecute anyone who does not agree with them. Should it concern you that most Baptists, Methodists, Congregationalists, Episcopalians, and other religious denominations in Congress continually violate the Word of God and their oaths to the Constitution? Should it be a concern that Congress constantly and continually passes laws that violate not only the Word of God, but the Constitution? And in passing those laws, they're destroying liberty and freedom and seek to bring us into complete subjection and captivity to a Marxist agenda. Let me ask another question. Should it be a concern that the president, as well as others, often speak of their power and authority, of which they believe that they possess over and above the Bible and over and above the Constitution? I remember Joe Biden saying that when he got to be president, he would use all of his power to do certain things, which, of course, were unconstitutional. May I remind you that no one has any power or any authority except that which God ordains, and with every ordination of power or authority, there's always a limitation. And may I also remind you, now, the Constitution of the United States happens to be a limited powers document, which means the only power that any president, any congress, or any judge has is that which is limited in the Constitution. Sometimes it's called an express powers document, which means the only power they have is expressed in the Constitution itself. So when some congressman or some president talks about his power, which he has, he does not have any power except that which is expressed in the Constitution and in the Word of God.

Some like to claim unlimited power, which they do not have. Only God has unlimited power. I mean, I'm just simply pointing out the fact, we have a congress, we have a president, we have a judicial system that is absolutely, totally corrupt. Now, think about this. Should you be concerned about the unwise and unjust wars that our politicians get us into? And they get us into those wars in order that they may prosper or that they may increase their power or they may increase the power and position and authority of their particular party. Look at everything that we've sent to Ukraine. Did you know that Ukraine was bombing the Donbass region and their own country where the Russians resided and were killing Russian citizens for eight years before Putin invaded. Yeah, that's true. That's very true. And of course, it was the Prime Minister who came out when the war began and said, we are fighting for the new world order. So my question is, should all of this concern us?

And the answer, obviously, is yes. Now, what I want to show you today is this. I want to show you a politician. I want to show you a king who is a little bit righteous and a lot wicked. And I want you to see how God dealt with him. So I want you to turn in your Bibles, if you would please, to 2 Chronicles, chapter 25. 2 Chronicles, chapter 25. And first of all, I want to show you verse 18, because we're going to be talking about King Amaziah. Amaziah has a nickname. He is known as the Thistle King. And the reason he's known as the Thistle King is he tried to start a war with Israel.

So Amaziah was in the southern kingdom and he sent to Joash and he said, let's look each other in the face. I want to fight. So Joash answered him in verse 18. "And Joash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah saying, The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, Give thy daughter to my son to wife. And there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon and trod down the thistle." Well, a thistle is nothing. I don't know if you notice thistle plants in this day and time. A good strong wind will break a thistle plant.

In fact, you can snap it with two fingers. You can push it over with one finger. And even if you have a thistle on the ground, if you step on it, it's usually nothing because it goes straight into the ground, hardly does any harm at all. So the point is, Amaziah now has been known down through the ages as the Thistle King. Amaziah was an apostate. He was one who had a little righteousness and a lot of wickedness. He was a compromiser. He had no character. He had no conviction. He has no courage. So let me show you that he had just a little righteousness, not much, because his wickedness certainly outweighed his righteousness.

So look in 2 Chronicles 25, verses 1 and 2.

Scripture Reading — 2 Chronicles 25:1-28

"And Amaziah was 25 years old when he began to reign. And he reigned 29 years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jehoiadan of Jerusalem. And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, but not with a perfect heart."

Now, I want you to note that phrase,

Scripture Reading — 2 Chronicles 25:1-28

"not with a perfect heart."

In other words, he had an imperfect heart. An imperfect heart is a heart of disobedience. It's a double heart. It's a divided heart. It's a compromising and an apostate heart. Now, did he do some things that were good and right?

And the answer is yes. Look in verse three. "Now, it came to pass when the kingdom was established to him that he slew his servants that had killed or murdered the king, his father," which was the right thing to do. The murderer is to be put to death. Now watch verse 4. "But he slew not their children, but did as is written in the law in the book of Moses, where the Lord commanded, saying, The father shall not die for the children, neither shall the children die for the fathers, but every man shall die for his own sins." So he did something right. He put to death the murderers of his father, but he spared the children because they had not done anything wrong. Now, here's something else that he did right. Look in verse 5.

"Moab and Amazigh gathered Judah together and made them captains over thousands and captains over hundreds, according to the house of their fathers throughout all Judah and Benjamin, and he numbered them from 20 years old and above, and found them 300,000 choice men able to go forth to war that could handle spear and shield." So, he numbered his men. He knew how many fighting men that he had, and he was preparing for war. He was going to fight the Edomites. Now, here's where he did something wrong. Verse 6, "He hired also a hundred thousand mighty men of valor out of Israel for a hundred talents of silver." Now you have to remember Israel was apostate. They worshipped the golden calves. Watch verse 7, "But there came a man of God to him, saying, O king, let not the army of Israel go with thee. For the Lord is not with Israel to wit with all the children of Ephraim."

"But if thou wilt go, do it. Be strong for the battle. God shall make thee fall before the enemy. For God hath power to help and to cast down." So he said, you've got a choice. You can send those Israelite soldiers back home, or you can keep them and you're going to lose the battle.

Now watch if you would. Here's Amaziah's great concern. "And Amaziah said to the man of God, But what shall we do for the hundred talents which I have given to the army of Israel? And the man of God answered, The Lord is able to give thee much more than this. Then Amaziah separated them to wit, the army that was come to him out of Ephraim, to go home again. Wherefore, their anger was greatly kindled against Judah, and they returned home in great anger." Now watch verse 11, "And Amaziah strengthened himself, and led forth his people, and went to the Valley of Salt, and smote the children of Seir ten thousand."

Now, so he's hired these Israelites. The man of God says, send them back home. God's not going to bless you as long as you're working with them. Well, he said, I'll send them back home. But what about all the money I've paid? Oh, don't worry about that. God's able to give you much more than that. And interestingly enough, Amaziah, in this instance, obeyed.

Now, he did make war with the Edomites. And he did win. But I want to show you his absolute stupidity. I mean stupidity so watch if you would and let's begin reading there with verse 14. Watch this now. They've won the battle. "Now it came to pass after that Amazigh was come from the slaughter of the Edomites and that he brought the gods of the children of Seir, and set them up to be his gods, and bowed down himself before them, and burned incense unto them."

Now, you're talking about stupid. The gods of the Edomites could not even protect them, and he brought their gods and worshiped them. Watch verse 15. "Wherefore the anger of the Lord was kindled against them, Isaiah, and he sent unto him a prophet, which said unto him, Why hast thou sought after the gods of the people, which could not deliver their own people out of thine hand?" Now watch his arrogance. "And it came to pass, as he talked with him, that the king said to him, Art thou made of the king's counsel? Forbear! Why shouldst thou be smitten?"

You keep on, I'll have you killed. Don't talk to me like this. Don't rebuke me. "Then the prophet forbear and said, I know that God hath determined to destroy thee, because thou hast done this, and hast not hearkened unto my counsel." Wow! Isn't that amazing? Here's a man that is an idolater, and he's so stupid, he takes the idols of the nation that he defeated to be his gods. And God just simply reveals his own stupidity, his own rebellion, and his own wickedness by sending him this prophet. And he refuses to listen to the Word of God. He refuses to listen to the man of God.

By the way, there's always a consequence to pay. There are always results of refusing to listen to God, and you're going to see what it cost him. In fact, look in verse 17. "Then Amaziah king of Judah took advice, and sent to Joash the son of Jehoias, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, let us see one another in the face." I want to face you down. I want to fight you. We'll see who's stronger. "And Joash, king of Israel, sent to Amazigh, king of Judah, saying, The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, Give thy daughter to my son to wife. And there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon, and trod down the thistle."

"Thou sayest, Lo, thou hast smitten the Edomites, and thine heart lifted thee up to boast. Abide now at home. Why shouldst thou meddle to thine hurt, that thou shouldst fall, even thou and Judah with thee? But Amaziah would not hear. For it came of God, that he might deliver them into the hand of their enemies, because they sought after the gods of Edom." Hmm.

Now, here is what I want you to consider. I want you to look back, if you would, at verse 20. "But Amaziah would not hear." He was the king. "For it came of God that he might deliver," what's that next word? "them," plural, "into the hand of their enemies," there is plural, "because they," son of the gods of Edom. So it wasn't just simply Amaziah. Others followed him in that idolatry. Now, here's the principle. Amaziah's sin did not just simply affect himself.

It affected the nation as well. Watch verse 21. "So Joash the king of Israel went up, and they saw one another in the face, both he and Amaziah king of Judah at Beth Shemesh, which belonged to Judah. And Judah was put to the worse before Israel, and they fled every man to his tent. Joash the king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah the son of Joash the son of Jehoias of Beth Shemesh and brought him to Jerusalem and break down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim to the corner gate 400 cubits." Now watch, "and he took all the gold and silver and all the vessels that were found in the house of God with Obed-Edom and the treasures of the king's house and hostages and returned to Samaria." And so here's a ruler that was so proud and so arrogant that he tries to begin a war, and the one he wants to fight with says, look, look, just stay at home. Glory in what you've done. Do not destroy yourself. Do not destroy your nation. Just stay at home.

And he wouldn't have it. And he took all the people and went to battle. They were defeated. How many were killed we are not told, but they fled every man to his own tent. And then the wall of Jerusalem is broken down. All the silver and gold is stolen out of the temple as well as from the king. So here's what I want you to understand: our sins affect others. The Bible says in Romans 14 in verse 7, "for no man liveth to himself and no man dieth to himself." You know, if you take the attitude, well, I want to go out and get drunk. I'm going to go out and I'm going to drink and I'm going to get drunk and listen to me. What I do is my own business.

The Covenantal Nature of Government

Weaver explains that government is covenantal: when a ruler sins privately, only he is judged, but when he sins openly and the people do not resist, the nation is judged with him. He cites 2 Kings 11:17 and Jeremiah 15:4.

It's not hurting anyone else. It's just it's just hurting me. If I want to get drunk, I'll get drunk. Fine. Wonderful. Have at it until in your drunken state, you get in your car and drive and run head-on into a family and kill the entire family. Now it's affected somebody else, hasn't it? Well, I like that woman over there. I think I'll have an affair with her. Well, let's see. It hurts your wife. It hurts your children. It hurts your testimony. It hurts your ministry. It hurts her family. You cannot escape this simple truth that whatever you do affects someone else. You know, I've used this before, and it's true.

When David is confessing his sin in Psalm 51, he said to God, "against thee and against thee only have I done this evil and this wickedness in my sight." Really? Now, I know what he's saying. He's saying his sin is primarily against God. I understand that. But did he not sin against Bathsheba? Yes. Did he not sin against Uriah? Yes. Did he not sin against the Hithophel? Yes. Did he not sin against their families? Did he not sin against the nation? Yes! You cannot escape this simple fact that our lives affect other people, either our obedience and our righteousness, or our sins and our disobedience.

It always affects someone else. Now, when I taught through Romans 13, I enunciated this principle. I'm going to remind you of this principle again. When you study the Scripture, you're going to find that when a king or a ruler sins privately and individually, only he is judged for that sin or his family, whoever's involved in it. But when a king or a ruler sins openly and publicly, then the nation is judged with the ruler. Why? Well, let's look at it. When David committed adultery with Bathsheba, it was David and his family that was judged, which was right. The nation was not judged. But when David numbered Israel, and Joab said, "why doth my Lord want to do this thing?" Even Joab, as wicked as he was, knew that what David was doing was wrong. And the Bible says, "nevertheless, the king's word prevailed." And they went and numbered, and then God judged. And let's see, I forget the exact number. Was it like 80 to 85,000 valiant men died because of David's sin? And David said, "I'm the one that has sinned, but what have these men done?" Now, why did God destroy those people? Because everyone knew that what David was doing was wrong and no one lifted a finger to stop him. It's true that Joab said, don't do it. But Joab went ahead and obeyed. Now I want to show you a principle. I want you to think about this.

Anytime you're talking about any type of government, government is covenantal in nature. I don't care if you're talking about family government, ecclesiastical government, civil government. Government is covenantal in nature. Alice and I are in a covenant. We're a family. I'm her head. I'm her husband. She's my wife. We have children. We both raised those children. But it's a covenant. You go to most churches, or a lot of churches, and on their walls they'll have church covenant. Civil government is just as equally a covenant.

If you'll look in your Bibles to 2 Kings, I could show you this several times, but if you'll look to 2 Kings 11, 2 Kings 11 and verse 17, Johadiah the priest is making a covenant. And I want you to watch this, if you would, please. He's making the covenant between the king, God, and the people, and between the king and the people. So here it is. 2 Kings 11, verse 17,

Scripture Reading — 2 Kings 11:17

"And Jehoiada made a covenant between the Lord and the king and the people."

That's one covenant,

Scripture Reading — 2 Kings 11:17

"that they should be the Lord's people."

And then he says,

Scripture Reading — 2 Kings 11:17

"between the king also and the people."

So in the first covenant, the king agreed to be God's king, and the people agreed to be God's people. And God, of course, according to His law, agreed to bless them as long as they were obedient to Him. That's a covenant. And then he says, secondly,

Scripture Reading — 2 Kings 11:17

"between the king and the people."

So the king then agreed to rule godly and biblically and rightly and justly, and the people agreed to obey him as long as he did.

That's simple enough. When one party violates the covenant, the other party is loosed from obedience to that covenant. I'm obligated to take care of Alice, but if she ran off and left me and ran off with another man, I'm no longer obligated to take care of her. See? If I'm the pastor of the church and the people say, we're not going to do what you're saying. We're not going to believe that Bible and we're not going to obey and we're not coming back. All right. I'm no longer in, you know, bound to be their pastor. They don't want to obey.

I can go somewhere else. The same thing is true when it comes to our own government. We have a covenant. Now, I realize, first and primarily, we have the law of God, but secondly, we have the Constitution. The Constitution is a covenant. That is why every officer in government, whether it's a police officer, whether it's a governor, whether it's a senator, whether it's a representative, whether it's a president, all of them put their hand on the Bible and they swear to uphold and to follow the Constitution of the United States.

Now, let me say something to you. As long as we're citizens, if our rulers obey the Constitution, we have a duty to obey the laws. But when they go contrary to the Constitution, we have no obligation to obey them. You say, you're making that up. No, I'm not making it up. You read the United States Constitution, Article 6, Paragraphs 2 and 3, but I want to give you this. This is from American Jurisprudence, Second Edition, and it is Volume 16, Conflict of Laws to Constitutional Laws. Here it is. Paragraph 195.

"The general rule is that an unconstitutional statute, whether federal or state, though having the form and name of law, is in reality no law, but is wholly void and ineffective for any purpose. Since unconstitutionality dates from the time of its enactment, and not merely from the date of the decision so branding it, an unconstitutional law in legal contemplation is as inoperative as it had never been passed and never existed. That is, it is void ab initio, that is, from the beginning. Such a statute leaves the question that it proposes to settle just as if the statute had not been enacted. Since an unconstitutional law is void, it follows that generally the statute imposes no duties, confers no rights, creates no office or liabilities, bestows no power or authority on anyone, affords no protection, is incapable of creating any rights or obligations, does not allow for the granting of any relief, and justifies no acts performed under it. Once a statute is determined to be unconstitutional, no private citizen or division of the state may take any further action pursuant to its provisions.

A contract that rests on an unconstitutional statute creates no obligation to be impaired by subsequent legislation. No one is bound to obey an unconstitutional law, and no courts are bound to enforce it. A law contrary to the United States Constitution may not be enforced. Once a statute has been declared unconstitutional, courts, therefore, and thereafter, have no jurisdiction over alleged violations. Persons convicted and fined under statutes subsequently held unconstitutional may recover their fines paid."

Now, let me ask you this question. Who determines whether or not a law is unconstitutional? We, the people. That's why you should know your constitution. That's why you should know the Word of God. I don't have to wait for a court to say, this is unconstitutional. And it doesn't matter if the court does say it's constitutional. If it is plainly unconstitutional, I'm still not going to obey it. Because it converts no power, and it converts no authority, and therefore there is no obligation for me to obey whatsoever. Okay?

Now, I want to show you a passage. I want you to remember what I'm trying to show you. When a king or ruler sins individually, personally, he alone suffers. But when he sins openly and publicly, and no one tries to stop him, the people suffer with him. The people have no obligation to obey an ungodly rule or statute or law. If you will turn in your Bibles to the book of Jeremiah, chapter 15, and look, if you would please, at verse 4, Jeremiah 15 and verse 4. There are plenty of passages that teach this same principle, but this one is the clearest, and I think the simplest and the easiest to grasp. Jeremiah chapter 15, verse 4, we're reading about Manasseh, who is the most wicked king in the southern kingdom. And the Bible says in verse 4, God says, "and I will cause them," that is the people, "to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth because of Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah, king of Judah, for that which he did in Jerusalem."

What? God's going to send the people into captivity because of what Manasseh did? Yeah. You remember, it was Manasseh who seduced the people. They joined with him in those sins of the flesh and fornication and idolatry. Nobody tried to stop him, and God said, I'm going to judge him, but I'm going to judge them with him. Listen to me. God judges covenant and oath breakers and the people that support them.

The Fate of Tyrants and Application

He notes that Amaziah was assassinated, and that Virginia's state seal depicts victory over tyranny. He concludes that it matters who rules, warns against trusting government, and urges personal responsibility and standing for truth.

Now, I want you to go back in your Bibles to 2 Chronicles chapter 25, because we're not through. Whatever happened to Amaziah? Whatever happened to the Thistle King? Well, let me show you. 2 Chronicles chapter 25, and let's begin reading there with verse 26. 2 Chronicles 25, verse 26. Of course, he was defeated by Joash, and the Bible says in verse—well, let's read verse 25, "And Amaziah the son of Joash, king of Judah, lived after the death of Joash, king of Jehoias, king of Israel, fifteen years." So he outlived Joash fifteen years. "Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah, first and last, behold, are they not written in the books of the kings of Judah and Israel? Now after the time that Amaziah did turn away from following the LORD, they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Laish. But they sent to Laish after him and slew him there. And they brought him upon horses and buried him with his father in the city of Judah." Death is the usual fate of tyrants and idolaters.

Now, if you've not done this, I would challenge you to do it. When you get home, and you get on your computer, type in picture of the state flag of Virginia, or picture of the state seal of Virginia. Because you will find that on the flag and on the seal, there's a woman on that flag and on that seal who is portraying virtue. She is dressed as an Amazon, she wears a helmet and holds a sword and a spear, and above her is written, "Sic Semper Tyrannis," thus always to tyrants. She is standing with one foot upon the prostrate figure of a fallen king. His crown is lying to the side, carrying out, of course, the theme of victory over tyranny. And the whip and the chain that the king used are lying helplessly by his side because he has been defeated. Hmm. Wow. Let me tell you something. And I think you're going to see this next week, even in a much clearer light.

But sooner or later in God's time, those that oppose Him, those that blaspheme Him, those that refuse Him, those who reject Him will perish. It will come their time to die, and they will die. But here is a sad, sad truth. Look how many people will die because of their sins and their rebellion. You think right now, of all the young athletes and all the people that are just dropping dead instantly and suddenly. Why? Because tyranny said, if you don't take the jab, you can't keep your job. Hmm. By the way, I hope you notice that American Airlines and even the FAA now has said that most pilots have a horrible EKG test now, and they're not able to really fly. And did you know that those people that went to Davos, Switzerland, the Great Reset, they all requested and required non-vaccinated pilots and non-vaccinated stewardesses? Oh, yeah.

But just stop and think about it. Think of all the people that have died because of seduction, of being driven, of propaganda. And that's the sad thing. These people will pay, but look how many are going to suffer before they do pay. Now, let me make just a couple of applications. The first one is this. The answer to the title of this message, "Does It Matter Who Rules the Nation?" is an astounding yes. It does matter to God, and it should matter to His people.

Because truth and righteousness are at stake, liberty and freedom are at stake. It's a matter of life and death. It is a matter of prosperity or economic disaster. It does matter who rules and whose law is upheld. So if you don't believe that, let me ask you some questions. Do you trust the federal government? Do you trust the state government? Do you believe that the politicians have your best interest in mind? Do you believe that their ungodly, unlawful and unrighteous legislation is in line with the constitution? Do you not know that according to Romans 13, the power of government is to punish the wicked and to protect the righteous?

If that is so, what in the world has happened in our country? What has happened in our nation? So I'm going to give you some very strong advice, whether you like it or not, whether you receive it or not, but here it is. Do not trust the government. Don't trust your federal government. Do not even trust the state government. You are responsible for your own life, your own health, your own prosperity. That means you must do your own research. You must do your own study. You must come to your own conclusions. Do not trust them. If you think somehow that the tyrants are going to escape the judgment of God, you're mistaken.

I want you to listen to Deuteronomy 32, verses 34 and 35. Here it is. God says, "Is not this stored up with me, and sealed among my treasures? To me belong vengeance and recompense. Their foot shall slide in due time, for the day of their calamity is in, and the things that make haste shall come upon them." God said, their foot shall slide in due time, and it will. It does matter who rules the nation. And it does matter what law is upheld. And it does matter whether or not we do that which is right and godly and rebuke the ungodly even in the gate. It matters. None of us have the power of a magic wand. None of us can correct everything, and I understand that. But when it comes our time to stand, we must stand and rebuke in the gate whenever we can rebuke in the gate. It does matter who rules the nation, and even more importantly, whose law is upheld.

Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee. We thank You for Your Word. We thank You for Your truth. Lord, I pray that You would open our eyes, open our ears, open our hearts, help us to receive truth, and help us, Lord, to be able to do what we can do, to stand where we can stand, rebuke where we can rebuke, correct where we can correct. Father, just give us Your Spirit. Quicken us, O Lord. Turn us, lead us, guide us, and direct us. Help us to honor Thee in all that we say and do. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray. Amen. Amen.

Study Guide

Major Themes

The Character of Rulers Determines National Blessing or Judgment

Summary: Godly rulers bring righteousness and peace; ungodly rulers bring corruption, idolatry, and divine judgment on the nation.

Evidence: Weaver contrasts the reigns of godly and ungodly kings, stating 'there's a glaring difference between the rulers who were godly and the rulers who were ungodly' and cites Proverbs 29:2.

Rulers Can Drive or Seduce People into Sin

Summary: Leaders can pressure (drive) or entice (seduce) the populace into wickedness, as Jeroboam drove Israel into idolatry and Manasseh seduced Judah to do more evil than the Canaanites.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'Jeroboam drove Israel from following the Lord and made them sin a great sin' and 'Manasseh seduced them to do more evil than did the nations.'

Modern America is in a State of Corruption and Rebellion

Summary: America has become like ancient Judah, proudly parading sin, with government promoting wickedness and punishing the righteous.

Evidence: Weaver declares, 'We have become a corrupt, ungodly, violent, blasphemous, unjust, wicked, and haughty nation, parading our sins openly' and cites Isaiah 3:8-9.

The Uniparty System and Elite Corruption

Summary: Both major political parties collude in corruption, and elites lack integrity, accountability, and moral sense, leading to national doom.

Evidence: Weaver quotes Charles Hugh Smith: 'a society whose elites are so self-serving, corrupt, unaccountable... is doomed' and says 'we have a uniparty system.'

Covenantal Government and Corporate Judgment

Summary: Government is a covenant between God, ruler, and people; when a ruler sins openly and the people do not resist, the whole nation suffers judgment.

Evidence: Weaver explains from 2 Kings 11:17 and Jeremiah 15:4 that God judged the people because of Manasseh's sins, and states 'God judges covenant and oath breakers and the people that support them.'

Citizens Must Discern and Resist Unconstitutional and Ungodly Laws

Summary: Believers are not obligated to obey laws that violate God's Word or the Constitution, and they must personally research and not trust the government.

Evidence: Weaver cites American Jurisprudence that unconstitutional laws are void, and says 'Do not trust the government... You are responsible for your own life.'

Key Arguments

God's standard for rulers is justice and fear of God

Summary: David's last words, given by divine inspiration, declare that rulers must rule justly in the fear of God, making the character of rulers a matter of divine concern.

Evidence: Weaver emphasizes 2 Samuel 23:3: 'he that ruleth over men must be just ruling in the fear of God' and notes David's fourfold claim of inspiration.

Ungodly rulers lead nations into idolatry and destruction

Summary: Jeroboam and Manasseh exemplify how rulers can drive or seduce a nation into sin, resulting in divine judgment and national ruin.

Evidence: Weaver cites 2 Kings 17:21 and 2 Kings 21:9, showing Jeroboam 'drove Israel from following the Lord' and Manasseh 'seduced them to do more evil.'

America's government mirrors the corruption of ancient Judah

Summary: Like Judah, America's leaders promote sin, punish the righteous, and the nation proudly displays its rebellion, inviting God's judgment.

Evidence: Weaver reads Isaiah 3:8-9 and Amos 5:10, applying them to modern America's pride in sin and hatred of those who rebuke it.

The political system is a corrupt uniparty

Summary: Both Democrats and Republicans collude to serve elite interests, lacking integrity and accountability, and driving the nation toward destruction.

Evidence: Weaver quotes George Wallace and Charles Hugh Smith, and says 'the Democrats will take us over the cliff at 100 miles an hour, and the Republicans will only do it at 90 miles an hour.'

A ruler's private sin brings personal judgment, but public sin brings national judgment

Summary: When a ruler sins openly and the people do not resist, God judges the entire nation, as seen in David's census and Manasseh's reign.

Evidence: Weaver contrasts David's adultery (personal judgment) with the census (national judgment) and cites Jeremiah 15:4 regarding Manasseh.

Citizens have no obligation to obey unconstitutional or ungodly laws

Summary: Because government is covenantal, when rulers violate the covenant (God's law or the Constitution), the people are loosed from obedience.

Evidence: Weaver explains the covenant in 2 Kings 11:17 and quotes American Jurisprudence that unconstitutional laws are void and impose no duties.

Tyrants and idolaters will ultimately face God's judgment

Summary: Amaziah's assassination and the Virginia state seal illustrate that tyrants will fall; God's vengeance is certain, though many may suffer before it comes.

Evidence: Weaver recounts Amaziah's death and quotes Deuteronomy 32:34-35: 'their foot shall slide in due time.'

Scripture References

2 Samuel 23:1-4

Context: David's last words, claiming divine inspiration, declaring that rulers must be just and fear God.

1 Kings 12:26-33

Context: Jeroboam makes golden calves to prevent the people from returning to Jerusalem, driving Israel into idolatry.

2 Kings 17:21

Context: Jeroboam drove Israel from following the Lord and made them sin a great sin.

2 Kings 21:9

Context: Manasseh seduced Judah to do more evil than the nations God destroyed.

Isaiah 3:8-9

Context: Jerusalem and Judah are ruined because they provoke God and declare their sin openly like Sodom.

Amos 5:10-12

Context: They hate those who rebuke in the gate and abhor the upright; they afflict the just and take bribes.

Proverbs 28:28

Context: When the wicked rise, men hide themselves; when they perish, the righteous increase.

Proverbs 29:2

Context: When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; when the wicked rule, the people mourn.

2 Chronicles 25:1-28

Context: The reign of Amaziah, who did right but not with a perfect heart, hired Israelite mercenaries, worshipped Edomite idols, refused prophetic rebuke, started a foolish war, and was assassinated.

Romans 14:7

Context: No man lives or dies to himself; our actions affect others.

Psalm 51

Context: David's confession of sin, primarily against God, but also affecting others.

2 Kings 11:17

Context: Jehoiada made a covenant between the Lord, the king, and the people, and between the king and the people.

Jeremiah 15:4

Context: God will cause the people to be removed into captivity because of Manasseh's sins in Jerusalem.

Deuteronomy 32:34-35

Context: Vengeance belongs to God; the foot of the wicked shall slide in due time.

Romans 13

Context: The power of government is to punish the wicked and protect the righteous.

Historical References

Jeroboam I, first king of the northern kingdom of Israel

Context: He made golden calves in Dan and Bethel to prevent the people from going to Jerusalem, driving Israel into idolatry.

King Ahab, most wicked king of the northern kingdom

Context: Mentioned as the most wicked king of the northern kingdom in contrast to Manasseh.

King Manasseh, most wicked king of the southern kingdom

Context: He seduced Judah to do more evil than the nations God destroyed, leading to the Babylonian captivity.

King Amaziah of Judah (the Thistle King)

Context: An apostate king who did some right but worshipped Edomite idols, refused prophetic rebuke, started a foolish war, and was assassinated.

George Wallace, 1968 presidential candidate

Context: Quoted as saying 'there's not a dime's worth of difference between the Democrats and the Republicans.'

Charles Hugh Smith, conservative economist

Context: Quoted on the zero integrity of American elites and the doomed nature of a corrupt society.

Gus Hall, communist leader

Context: Quoted on the lack of justice in the judicial system: 'the only place you can get any justice is out in the halls.'

Virginia state flag and seal

Context: Depicts Virtue standing over a fallen tyrant with the motto 'Sic Semper Tyrannis,' symbolizing victory over tyranny.

Davos, Switzerland, Great Reset meeting

Context: Mentioned that attendees requested non-vaccinated pilots and stewardesses, implying hypocrisy regarding vaccine mandates.

Important Quotes

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

Significance: The central biblical principle Weaver uses to argue that the character of rulers matters to God.

Jeroboam drove Israel from following the Lord and made them sin a great sin.

Significance: Illustrates how an ungodly ruler can actively lead a nation into sin.

Manasseh seduced them to do more evil than did the nations whom the Lord destroyed before the children of Israel.

Significance: Shows the extreme wickedness a ruler can promote, exceeding even pagan nations.

The show of their countenance doth witness against them, and they declare their sin as Sodom, and they hide it not.

Significance: Weaver applies this to modern America's pride in sin, such as pride parades.

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

Significance: A proverb Weaver uses to explain the effect of wicked rulers on society.

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

Significance: Another proverb emphasizing the direct impact of rulers' character on the populace.

Sic Semper Tyrannis

Significance: The motto on the Virginia state seal, meaning 'thus always to tyrants,' used to illustrate the ultimate fate of tyrants.

Discussion Questions

How does David's statement in 2 Samuel 23:3 that rulers must be 'just, ruling in the fear of God' shape our expectations for political leaders today?

Context: Weaver emphasizes this as a divinely inspired standard for all rulers.

In what ways do modern leaders 'drive' or 'seduce' people into sin, similar to Jeroboam and Manasseh?

Context: Weaver describes how rulers can pressure or entice the populace into wickedness.

Weaver claims America has become like Judah in Isaiah 3, proudly parading sin. Do you agree or disagree, and what evidence supports your view?

Context: He cites Isaiah 3:8-9 and applies it to modern pride parades and government promotion of sin.

What is the biblical basis for the idea that citizens are not obligated to obey unconstitutional or ungodly laws?

Context: Weaver argues from the covenantal nature of government and quotes American Jurisprudence.

How does the example of Amaziah warn against half-hearted obedience and compromise?

Context: Amaziah did some right but had an imperfect heart, leading to idolatry and national disaster.

Weaver says, 'Do not trust the government.' How should Christians balance this with Romans 13's command to submit to governing authorities?

Context: He advises personal responsibility and research, while also citing Romans 13's purpose of government.

What does it mean to 'rebuke in the gate' in our contemporary context, and how can we do it effectively?

Context: Weaver references Amos 5:10 and the ancient practice of public rebuke at the city gate.

How should the certainty of God's judgment on tyrants (Deuteronomy 32:34-35) affect our response to current political corruption?

Context: Weaver assures that God will repay, but also urges standing for truth now.

Applications

Recognize that the character of rulers matters to God and affects the nation

Summary: Believers must understand that godly leadership brings blessing and ungodly leadership brings judgment, so they should care deeply about who rules.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'The answer to the title of this message... is an astounding yes. It does matter to God, and it should matter to His people.'

Do not trust the government; take personal responsibility

Summary: Weaver advises not to trust federal or state government, but to do your own research and take responsibility for your life, health, and prosperity.

Evidence: He says, 'Do not trust the government... You are responsible for your own life, your own health, your own prosperity.'

Stand and rebuke wickedness when possible

Summary: Even though individuals cannot fix everything, they must stand for truth and rebuke ungodliness in the public square when the opportunity arises.

Evidence: Weaver exhorts, 'when it comes our time to stand, we must stand and rebuke in the gate whenever we can rebuke in the gate.'

Discern and resist unconstitutional and ungodly laws

Summary: Citizens are not obligated to obey laws that violate God's Word or the Constitution, and they should know both to recognize such laws.

Evidence: Weaver explains that unconstitutional laws are void and impose no duties, and says 'you should know your constitution... you should know the Word of God.'

Understand that personal sin can have corporate consequences

Summary: Our sins affect others, and when leaders sin openly without resistance, the whole nation may suffer judgment.

Evidence: Weaver uses David's census and Manasseh's reign to show that 'our sins affect others' and 'God judges covenant and oath breakers and the people that support them.'

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T23:29:52Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T14:27:05Z

Clean Transcript

Does It Matter Who Runs The Nation?

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 will, please, to 2 Samuel, chapter 23. We're going to read verses 1 through 4. I'm actually not going to be expounding these four verses, but I'm going to use them to launch into the truth that they teach. Let me just say by way of introduction, even before we read the Scripture, I did not plan the messages that I preached last week, this week, and that I'm going to plan next week, or preach next week, Lord willing. I did not plan them to say, this is what I'm going to do. No, no, no. I prepared one. I prepared the second one. Then I prepared the third one. And then it just seems how the Lord just fit everything together. So, last week, if you'll remember, I preached a message entitled, "Does America Have a Father or Is America a Bastard Nation?" Today, I'm going to be bringing a message, "Does It Matter Who Runs the Nation?" And next week, Lord willing, I want to bring a message, "When God Arises" or "When God Rises Up."
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And I think you'll see how all three of these fit together like hand and glove. So, I want you to look, if you would, at 2 Samuel chapter 23. The title of the message is, "Does It Matter Who Runs the Nation?" Verse 1, "Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel said, The Spirit of the Lord spake by me, and his word was in my tongue. The God of Israel said, the rock of Israel spake unto me, he that ruleth over men must be just ruling in the fear of God."
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I've pointed this out before. I'm going to call it to your attention again. It's amazing that David, in verses 2 and 3, claims direct inspiration four times for one simple truth. If you look in verse 2, he said, "The Spirit of the Lord spake to me," that's once. "His word was in my tongue," that's twice. "The God of Israel said," that's three times, and "the rock of Israel spake to me," that's four times, and here's what he said God said, "he that ruleth over men must be just ruling in the fear of God." I think these four verses actually in reality answer the question, does it matter who runs the nation?
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Now, there's an excellent way to observe and to learn valuable lessons from the Bible when it comes to politics, when it comes to government, when it comes to justice. And the way to learn, I think, one way, very easily, is when you consider the lives and the rules of the kings of Israel and the kings of Judah and Jerusalem. If you would do a comparison and contrast between those who loved the Lord and obeyed Him and those who did not love the Lord and disobeyed Him, and if you would not only consider, as you do the comparing and the contrasting, if you would consider not just their rules, but the results of their reigns, you could also consider their wars or their time of peace, their prosperity or their economic failure. You could also consider their conquests or their subjugation, as well as their religion. So let me give you a very obvious truth to begin with. When we're talking about Israel, you have to remember that it was divided into two kingdoms, the northern kingdom with the ten tribes and the southern kingdom with the two tribes.
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So very pointedly at the very beginning, there were no godly kings in the northern kingdom, not one. Not one. Now, in the southern kingdom, there were some godly kings, and there were some very ungodly kings as well. But in the northern kingdom, it started out wrong. It ended up wrong. So if you would hold 2 Samuel, but turn in your Bibles very quickly to 1 Kings 12. Jeroboam I was the first king of the northern kingdom. It was Jeroboam who took counsel and made two golden calves. He put one in Dan, he put one in Bethel.
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And the interesting thing is the reason as to why he came up with that idolatry. Now, I want you to watch 1 Kings chapter 12, beginning there with verse 26. Look what the Bible says. "And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return unto the house of David. If this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their Lord, even to Rehoboam king of Judah, watch it, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah. Whereupon the king took counsel and made two calves of gold and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem."
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"Behold, I God so Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. And he set the one in Bethel, and he put the other in Dan. And this thing became a sin, for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan." And of course, he went ahead, he made priests of the lowest of the order, which were not of the sons of Levi. He set up a day of feasting and a day of worship out of his own heart, out of his own imagination. And the interesting thing is, he made these golden calves for one simple reason. He said, if this people will continue to go down to Jerusalem where the temple was, where the priests were, where God said sacrifices were to be made, if these people continue to go down there, then their hearts will turn again to Rehoboam, and they will slay me. So in other words, it was just simply for his own personal protection and for the personal continuance of his kingdom that he seduced the people and put them into idolatry.
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Now, the interesting thing is this. Especially when you read through the book of Kings, you will find this that whenever a king was a godly man and obeyed the Lord you will usually find this statement. Listen carefully. You will really find "he did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, as did David his father." Whenever you find a king that did not do that which was right, and was ungodly and wicked, you'll find this, "...he did not that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, as did David his father." So there's a glaring difference between the rulers who were godly and the rulers who were ungodly. There's a glaring difference between those who were obedient and those who were disobedient. Now, since we're talking about Jeroboam, if you'll look in your Bibles to 2 Kings 17 and verse 21. I want you to read this about Jeroboam, 2 Kings, chapter 17, and look, if you would, at verse 21.
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Note what the Bible says, because there is a practical application that we can see. Hang on. 2 Kings 17 and verse 21, the Bible says, "For he rent Israel from the house of David, that is, God did, and they made Jeroboam the son of Nebat king. And Jeroboam drove Israel from following the Lord and made them sin a great sin." In other words, Jeroboam actually drove the people away from God. Why? What did he say?
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"It's too much for you." Now, it's raining, it's too much trouble. It's too far, it's too much trouble. You don't have to go to Jerusalem. He actually drove them into idolatry. Basically, not only through his own laws, but through comfort, he drove them. That's exactly what the Bible says.
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Now, if I were to ask you who the most wicked king in the northern kingdom was, I would hope you would say Ahab, because that is correct. If I were to ask you who the most wicked king in the southern kingdom was, I would hope you would say Manasseh, because that is correct. But since we're talking about this, I want you to look in 2 Kings 21 and verse 9. There's not too much difference between Jeroboam and Manasseh in their rule and in their reign. Note, if you would, 2 Kings 21 and verse 9.
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God had sent His prophets to warn them. They refused to hear. Notice verse 9. "But they hearkened not, And Manasseh seduced them to do more evil than did the nations whom the Lord destroyed before the children of Israel." I hope you're noticing Jeroboam drove the people. Manasseh seduced the people. In fact, he seduced them to be more wicked and more vile than the kingdoms that God kicked out to allow His people to come there. Wow!
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So, we need to make an observation right here, and that is this. People may be driven to do that which is wrong, and people may be seduced to do that which is wrong. You can be driven by all kinds of pressure, just like we've had with the masking and with the vaccine. You either have to do this or lose your job. I mean, that's pressure. I mean, just think about that.
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There was a cartoon with a Peanuts cartoon that I saw the other day. And I guess it was Linus. He was speaking to Lucy, Charlie Brown or Linus. I don't remember which one it was. He said, the Pope said, if you love your neighbor, you'll take the vaccine. And Lucy said, but forced love is rape. Well, stop and think about that. That's exactly right. So, I'm just simply saying, people can be driven, but people can also be seduced. You think of all the propaganda that's being given to the American people on TV, on the radio. I'm just simply saying, it is there. We need to observe this, that people may be driven and people may be seduced. If you are observant, and which I believe that most of you are, you will discern that America, as well as most other countries now, have fallen into the side of the ungodly and disobedient rulers.
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We have become a corrupt, ungodly, violent, blasphemous, unjust, wicked, and haughty nation, parading our sins openly, brazenly, and defiantly in the face of God, thumbing our noses in His face and mocking Him. If you would turn in your Bibles to the book of Isaiah chapter 3, you will see exactly what is happening in this country, because it happened in Judah and Jerusalem. Watch, if you would, Isaiah chapter 3.
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Look, if you would, at verses 8 and 9. Right after the Song of Solomon, you have Isaiah. Isaiah chapter 3, verses 8 and 9. Look at this statement. He said, "For Jerusalem is ruined." That was the capital. "And Judah is fallen." That's the nation. "Because their tongue and their doings are against the Lord, to provoke the eyes of glory." So they were provoking God. They were defying God. They were daring God. So he said, they've fallen because they are provoking me.
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Now watch what he says in verse 9. "The show of their countenance doth witness against them, and they declare their sin as Sodom, and they hide it not." That is, they're proud of it. "Woe unto their soul, for they have rewarded evil unto themselves." So, the truth of the matter is, we have become just like Judah and Jerusalem, because we are proud of our pride days, our transgender days, and all of this and all the parades that we're going, and praising all of the wickedness and all of the ungodliness as well.
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And stop and think about this. Not only have we become proud of it, but when you think about our own government, our own government now not only promotes it, subsidizes it, legalizes it, and then punishes anyone who's opposed to it. If you'd turn right over in your Bibles to the book of Amos chapter 5, Amos chapter 5. Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos. Look at it, if you would, Amos 5, beginning there with verse 10. Look at what the Scripture says. Amos 5, verse 10, "They hate him that rebuketh in the gate, and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly." Now, here's why.
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God says, "For as much, therefore, as your treading is upon the poor, and you take from him burdens of wheat, you have built houses of hewn stone, you're riding off the backs of the poor and the common folks, but you shall not dwell in them. You have planted pleasant vineyards, but you shall not drink wine of them." God says, "for I know your manifold transgressions and your mighty sins. They afflict the just, they take a bribe, and they turn aside the poor in the gate from their right."
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Now, when you look at verse 10, where the Bible says, "they hate him that rebuketh in the gate, and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly." You have to remember that in Bible times, the seat of government basically was at the gate. In other words, it was open. The king sat in the gate. The ruler sat in the gate. Anyone had anything to say, they would come to the assembly at the gate. And this is why the Bible says, "They hate him that rebuketh in the gate."
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And God goes on to talk about their bribery, their pride, their theft, their stealing from the poor. So they hate anyone who's going to speak against their sins, and they abhor him, they said, that speaketh uprightly. So all of the government in the Old Testament particularly was in the gate.
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Now, when we come to this government that we have today, we do not really have a two-party system. It's not really Democrats and Republicans. What we have is a uniparty system. That is, we have a one party where the Democrats and the Republicans collude together. Someone has said, well, is there no difference? Yes, there is a difference between the Republicans and the Democrats. The Democrats will take us over the cliff at 100 miles an hour, and the Republicans will only do it at 90 miles an hour. But we're still going over the cliff. I hope you remember back in 1968, when George Wallace was running for president, he said, and I quote, "there's not a dime's worth of difference between the Democrats and the Republicans." You remember that? Back in 1968. I want to give you a quote.
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This is from Charles Hugh Smith. Charles Hugh Smith is an economist. He's an extremely conservative economist and well worth reading. Anytime you see anything by Charles Hugh Smith, read it. But here's what he said on this article. He says, "this is how America works now. In your face, corruption is not just accepted, it's glorified. Let's score America's wealth and power elites regardless of party or political persuasion." So here is his scoring for everyone regardless of party or persuasion. Integrity, zero. Austerity, zero. Restraint, zero. Humility, zero. Responsibility, zero. Accountability, zero. Sacrifice for the common good, zero. Thrift, zero. And then he goes ahead and says, "a society whose elites are so self-serving, corrupt, unaccountable, and devoid of any sense of good and evil, is doomed. What all the entrenched insiders in America's parasitic, predatory elites and institutions don't dare admit is that to protect themselves from consequence, we've had to sacrifice everything else. Having stripped the nation of the essential foundation of a just, enduring social order, accountability, consequence, rule of law, and a grasp of difference between good and evil, there's nothing left but sound and fury, as if they're hoping the endless political circuses and trails of breadcrumbs will forever distract us from their plunder and
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the injustice of the irredeemable, corrupt America they fashion to protect their wealth and their power." And brother, that is right. And all I can say is, straight on Charles Hugh Smith. Someone says that times have changed, but the truth of the matter is, times really have not changed. And consequently, wicked people have not really changed as well, which was done in olden times, especially in the time of Jeroboam and in the time of Manasseh, is still being done today in America as well.
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Depraved men operate the same way as they've always operated throughout the ages. Now, we're given two particular truths in the book of Proverbs, which I think will demonstrate this. So, if you will turn in your Bibles to the book of Proverbs and look in chapter 28 and verse 28. Proverbs 28 and verse 28. Here it is. Proverbs 28, verse 28. Look at what the Bible says. "When the wicked rise, men hide themselves, but when they perish, the righteous increase." When the wicked rise, men hide themselves. Why do men hide themselves?
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Because they're not only trying to protect their lives and the lives of their family, but everything that they have. I get tickled every time I read through the book of Judges, especially when the angel came to Gideon. You remember Gideon was hiding, threshing wheat, and the angel said, "Hail thou mighty man of valor." Well, if he was a mighty man of valor, why was he hiding? Because he had common sense. Because he knew they would steal the wheat that he was threshing if they found it.
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So that's exactly what the Bible means. When the wicked rise, men hide themselves. But when they perish, the righteous increase. Not only in population, but also in power and in positions of authority. Look, if you would, in Proverbs 29 and verse 2. Here's another verse that goes along with that. The Scripture says, "When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice. But when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn." Well, why in the world do the people rejoice when the righteous are in authority?
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Because of truth, righteousness, and justice. And why do they mourn when the wicked beareth rule? Well, look around, and you can see why we're mourning. There is no justice. I've said this before, and I think about it every time I talk about justice. I'm not a communist. I have no sympathy with communism. But there was one communist who said one thing that I totally agree with. That was Gus Hall. Gus Hall said, "the reason we refer to our judicial system as the halls of justice is because the only place you can get any justice is out in the halls." And that's the truth. Nobody's going to have justice in a courtroom today.
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Now, let me give you something else. I think the truth of our devastation in this country is clearly evidence because of our corruption, our injustice and theft by our own government on every hand. Now, let me give you something else that might surprise you. As you look through the Bible and you're studying the lives of the kings of Judah and Israel, and you're comparing and contrasting, you're going to find that oftentimes a godly king will produce an ungodly son who follows him. Here's something else that will shock you. Many times as you read the Bible, you're also going to find that an ungodly reprobate king will produce a godly son and a godly king. Let me give you some illustrations. Solomon produced foolish Rehoboam. Wicked Abijah produced godly Asa. Godly Jehoshaphat produced ungodly Joram. Apostate Amaziah was the father of godly Uzziah. Wicked Ahaz produced godly Hezekiah. And godly Hezekiah produced wicked Manasseh, who we read about earlier. And wicked Amnon produced godly Josiah.
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Grace does not run in families. Depravity does. Blessings, prosperity, righteousness, and justice are not in bloodlines. All of that is from God Himself.
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Now, here's a good question. And I want you to think about this. Does it matter if a ruler professes Christianity and then acts contrary to the principles and the precepts of Christianity? Let me rephrase the question and ask it another way. Does it matter if a ruler is a little righteous and a lot wicked, does it really matter what you say if how you live contradicts what you have said? Wow. So let me ask some questions before I show you some Scripture.
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Should it concern most Americans that Roman Catholics in Congress are mostly pro-abortion and support the LGBT lifestyle, and moreover, they seek to persecute and prosecute anyone who does not agree with them. Should it concern you that most Baptists, Methodists, Congregationalists, Episcopalians, and other religious denominations in Congress continually violate the Word of God and their oaths to the Constitution? Should it be a concern that Congress constantly and continually passes laws that violate not only the Word of God, but the Constitution? And in passing those laws, they're destroying liberty and freedom and seek to bring us into complete subjection and captivity to a Marxist agenda.
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Let me ask another question. Should it be a concern that the president, as well as others, often speak of their power and authority, of which they believe that they possess over and above the Bible and over and above the Constitution? I remember Joe Biden saying that when he got to be president, he would use all of his power to do certain things, which, of course, were unconstitutional. May I remind you that no one has any power or any authority except that which God ordains, and with every ordination of power or authority, there's always a limitation. And may I also remind you, now, the Constitution of the United States happens to be a limited powers document, which means the only power that any president, any congress, or any judge has is that which is limited in the Constitution. Sometimes it's called an express powers document, which means the only power they have is expressed in the Constitution itself. So when some congressman or some president talks about his power, which he has, he does not have any power except that which is expressed in the Constitution and in the Word of God.
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Some like to claim unlimited power, which they do not have. Only God has unlimited power. I mean, I'm just simply pointing out the fact, we have a congress, we have a president, we have a judicial system that is absolutely, totally corrupt. Now, think about this. Should you be concerned about the unwise and unjust wars that our politicians get us into? And they get us into those wars in order that they may prosper or that they may increase their power or they may increase the power and position and authority of their particular party.
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Look at everything that we've sent to Ukraine. Did you know that Ukraine was bombing the Donbass region and their own country where the Russians resided and were killing Russian citizens for eight years before Putin invaded. Yeah, that's true. That's very true. And of course, it was the Prime Minister who came out when the war began and said, we are fighting for the new world order. So my question is, should all of this concern us?
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And the answer, obviously, is yes. Now, what I want to show you today is this. I want to show you a politician. I want to show you a king who is a little bit righteous and a lot wicked. And I want you to see how God dealt with him. So I want you to turn in your Bibles, if you would please, to 2 Chronicles, chapter 25. 2 Chronicles, chapter 25. And first of all, I want to show you verse 18, because we're going to be talking about King Amaziah. Amaziah has a nickname. He is known as the Thistle King. And the reason he's known as the Thistle King is he tried to start a war with Israel.
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So Amaziah was in the southern kingdom and he sent to Joash and he said, let's look each other in the face. I want to fight. So Joash answered him in verse 18. "And Joash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah saying, The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, Give thy daughter to my son to wife. And there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon and trod down the thistle." Well, a thistle is nothing. I don't know if you notice thistle plants in this day and time. A good strong wind will break a thistle plant.
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In fact, you can snap it with two fingers. You can push it over with one finger. And even if you have a thistle on the ground, if you step on it, it's usually nothing because it goes straight into the ground, hardly does any harm at all. So the point is, Amaziah now has been known down through the ages as the Thistle King. Amaziah was an apostate. He was one who had a little righteousness and a lot of wickedness. He was a compromiser. He had no character. He had no conviction. He has no courage. So let me show you that he had just a little righteousness, not much, because his wickedness certainly outweighed his righteousness.
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So look in 2 Chronicles 25, verses 1 and 2. "And Amaziah was 25 years old when he began to reign. And he reigned 29 years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jehoiadan of Jerusalem. And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, but not with a perfect heart." Now, I want you to note that phrase, "not with a perfect heart." In other words, he had an imperfect heart. An imperfect heart is a heart of disobedience. It's a double heart. It's a divided heart. It's a compromising and an apostate heart. Now, did he do some things that were good and right?
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And the answer is yes. Look in verse three.
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"Now, it came to pass when the kingdom was established to him that he slew his servants that had killed or murdered the king, his father," which was the right thing to do. The murderer is to be put to death. Now watch verse 4. "But he slew not their children, but did as is written in the law in the book of Moses, where the Lord commanded, saying, The father shall not die for the children, neither shall the children die for the fathers, but every man shall die for his own sins." So he did something right. He put to death the murderers of his father, but he spared the children because they had not done anything wrong. Now, here's something else that he did right. Look in verse 5.
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"Moab and Amazigh gathered Judah together and made them captains over thousands and captains over hundreds, according to the house of their fathers throughout all Judah and Benjamin, and he numbered them from 20 years old and above, and found them 300,000 choice men able to go forth to war that could handle spear and shield." So, he numbered his men. He knew how many fighting men that he had, and he was preparing for war.
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He was going to fight the Edomites. Now, here's where he did something wrong. Verse 6, "He hired also a hundred thousand mighty men of valor out of Israel for a hundred talents of silver." Now you have to remember Israel was apostate. They worshipped the golden calves. Watch verse 7, "But there came a man of God to him, saying, O king, let not the army of Israel go with thee. For the Lord is not with Israel to wit with all the children of Ephraim."
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"But if thou wilt go, do it. Be strong for the battle. God shall make thee fall before the enemy. For God hath power to help and to cast down." So he said, you've got a choice. You can send those Israelite soldiers back home, or you can keep them and you're going to lose the battle.
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Now watch if you would. Here's Amaziah's great concern. "And Amaziah said to the man of God, But what shall we do for the hundred talents which I have given to the army of Israel? And the man of God answered, The Lord is able to give thee much more than this. Then Amaziah separated them to wit, the army that was come to him out of Ephraim, to go home again. Wherefore, their anger was greatly kindled against Judah, and they returned home in great anger." Now watch verse 11, "And Amaziah strengthened himself, and led forth his people, and went to the Valley of Salt, and smote the children of Seir ten thousand."
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Now, so he's hired these Israelites. The man of God says, send them back home. God's not going to bless you as long as you're working with them. Well, he said, I'll send them back home. But what about all the money I've paid? Oh, don't worry about that. God's able to give you much more than that. And interestingly enough, Amaziah, in this instance, obeyed.
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Now, he did make war with the Edomites. And he did win. But I want to show you his absolute stupidity. I mean stupidity so watch if you would and let's begin reading there with verse 14. Watch this now. They've won the battle. "Now it came to pass after that Amazigh was come from the slaughter of the Edomites and that he brought the gods of the children of Seir, and set them up to be his gods, and bowed down himself before them, and burned incense unto them."
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Now, you're talking about stupid. The gods of the Edomites could not even protect them, and he brought their gods and worshiped them. Watch verse 15. "Wherefore the anger of the Lord was kindled against them, Isaiah, and he sent unto him a prophet, which said unto him, Why hast thou sought after the gods of the people, which could not deliver their own people out of thine hand?" Now watch his arrogance. "And it came to pass, as he talked with him, that the king said to him, Art thou made of the king's counsel? Forbear! Why shouldst thou be smitten?"
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You keep on, I'll have you killed. Don't talk to me like this. Don't rebuke me. "Then the prophet forbear and said, I know that God hath determined to destroy thee, because thou hast done this, and hast not hearkened unto my counsel." Wow! Isn't that amazing? Here's a man that is an idolater, and he's so stupid, he takes the idols of the nation that he defeated to be his gods. And God just simply reveals his own stupidity, his own rebellion, and his own wickedness by sending him this prophet. And he refuses to listen to the Word of God. He refuses to listen to the man of God.
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By the way, there's always a consequence to pay. There are always results of refusing to listen to God, and you're going to see what it cost him. In fact, look in verse 17. "Then Amaziah king of Judah took advice, and sent to Joash the son of Jehoias, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, let us see one another in the face." I want to face you down. I want to fight you. We'll see who's stronger. "And Joash, king of Israel, sent to Amazigh, king of Judah, saying, The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, Give thy daughter to my son to wife. And there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon, and trod down the thistle."
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"Thou sayest, Lo, thou hast smitten the Edomites, and thine heart lifted thee up to boast. Abide now at home. Why shouldst thou meddle to thine hurt, that thou shouldst fall, even thou and Judah with thee? But Amaziah would not hear. For it came of God, that he might deliver them into the hand of their enemies, because they sought after the gods of Edom." Hmm.
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Now, here is what I want you to consider. I want you to look back, if you would, at verse 20. "But Amaziah would not hear." He was the king. "For it came of God that he might deliver," what's that next word? "them," plural, "into the hand of their enemies," there is plural, "because they," son of the gods of Edom. So it wasn't just simply Amaziah. Others followed him in that idolatry. Now, here's the principle. Amaziah's sin did not just simply affect himself.
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It affected the nation as well. Watch verse 21. "So Joash the king of Israel went up, and they saw one another in the face, both he and Amaziah king of Judah at Beth Shemesh, which belonged to Judah. And Judah was put to the worse before Israel, and they fled every man to his tent. Joash the king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah the son of Joash the son of Jehoias of Beth Shemesh and brought him to Jerusalem and break down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim to the corner gate 400 cubits." Now watch, "and he took all the gold and silver and
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all the vessels that were found in the house of God with Obed-Edom and the treasures of the king's house and hostages and returned to Samaria." And so here's a ruler that was so proud and so arrogant that he tries to begin a war, and the one he wants to fight with says, look, look, just stay at home. Glory in what you've done. Do not destroy yourself. Do not destroy your nation. Just stay at home.
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And he wouldn't have it. And he took all the people and went to battle. They were defeated. How many were killed we are not told, but they fled every man to his own tent. And then the wall of Jerusalem is broken down. All the silver and gold is stolen out of the temple as well as from the king. So here's what I want you to understand: our sins affect others. The Bible says in Romans 14 in verse 7, "for no man liveth to himself and no man dieth to himself." You know, if you take the attitude, well, I want to go out and get drunk. I'm going to go out and I'm going to drink and I'm going to get drunk and listen to me. What I do is my own business.
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It's not hurting anyone else. It's just it's just hurting me. If I want to get drunk, I'll get drunk. Fine. Wonderful. Have at it until in your drunken state, you get in your car and drive and run head-on into a family and kill the entire family. Now it's affected somebody else, hasn't it? Well, I like that woman over there. I think I'll have an affair with her. Well, let's see. It hurts your wife. It hurts your children. It hurts your testimony. It hurts your ministry. It hurts her family. You cannot escape this simple truth that whatever you do affects someone else. You know, I've used this before, and it's true.
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When David is confessing his sin in Psalm 51, he said to God, "against thee and against thee only have I done this evil and this wickedness in my sight." Really?
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Now, I know what he's saying. He's saying his sin is primarily against God. I understand that. But did he not sin against Bathsheba? Yes. Did he not sin against Uriah? Yes. Did he not sin against the Hithophel? Yes. Did he not sin against their families? Did he not sin against the nation? Yes! You cannot escape this simple fact that our lives affect other people, either our obedience and our righteousness, or our sins and our disobedience.
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It always affects someone else. Now, when I taught through Romans 13, I enunciated this principle. I'm going to remind you of this principle again. When you study the Scripture, you're going to find that when a king or a ruler sins privately and individually, only he is judged for that sin or his family, whoever's involved in it. But when a king or a ruler sins openly and publicly, then the nation is judged with the ruler. Why?
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Well, let's look at it. When David committed adultery with Bathsheba, it was David and his family that was judged, which was right. The nation was not judged. But when David numbered Israel, and Joab said, "why doth my Lord want to do this thing?" Even Joab, as wicked as he was, knew that what David was doing was wrong. And the Bible says, "nevertheless, the king's word prevailed." And they went and numbered, and then God judged. And let's see, I forget the exact number. Was it like 80 to 85,000 valiant men died because of David's sin? And David said, "I'm the one that has sinned, but what have these men done?" Now, why did God destroy those people? Because everyone knew that what David was doing was wrong and no one lifted a finger to stop him. It's true that Joab said, don't do it. But Joab went ahead and obeyed. Now I want to show you a principle. I want you to think about this.
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Anytime you're talking about any type of government, government is covenantal in nature. I don't care if you're talking about family government, ecclesiastical government, civil government. Government is covenantal in nature. Alice and I are in a covenant. We're a family. I'm her head. I'm her husband. She's my wife. We have children. We both raised those children. But it's a covenant. You go to most churches, or a lot of churches, and on their walls they'll have church covenant. Civil government is just as equally a covenant.
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If you'll look in your Bibles to 2 Kings, I could show you this several times, but if you'll look to 2 Kings 11, 2 Kings 11 and verse 17, Johadiah the priest is making a covenant. And I want you to watch this, if you would, please. He's making the covenant between the king, God, and the people, and between the king and the people. So here it is. 2 Kings 11, verse 17, "And Jehoiada made a covenant between the Lord and the king and the people." That's one covenant, "that they should be the Lord's people." And then he says, "between the king also and the people." So in the first covenant, the king agreed to be God's king, and the people agreed to be God's people. And God, of course, according to His law, agreed to bless them as long as they were obedient to Him. That's a covenant. And then he says, secondly, "between the king and the people." So the king then agreed to rule godly and biblically and rightly and justly, and the people agreed to obey him as long as he did.
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That's simple enough. When one party violates the covenant, the other party is loosed from obedience to that covenant. I'm obligated to take care of Alice, but if she ran off and left me and ran off with another man, I'm no longer obligated to take care of her. See? If I'm the pastor of the church and the people say, we're not going to do what you're saying. We're not going to believe that Bible and we're not going to obey and we're not coming back. All right. I'm no longer in, you know, bound to be their pastor. They don't want to obey.
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I can go somewhere else. The same thing is true when it comes to our own government. We have a covenant.
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Now, I realize, first and primarily, we have the law of God, but secondly, we have the Constitution. The Constitution is a covenant. That is why every officer in government, whether it's a police officer, whether it's a governor, whether it's a senator, whether it's a representative, whether it's a president, all of them put their hand on the Bible and they swear to uphold and to follow the Constitution of the United States.
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Now, let me say something to you. As long as we're citizens, if our rulers obey the Constitution, we have a duty to obey the laws. But when they go contrary to the Constitution, we have no obligation to obey them. You say, you're making that up. No, I'm not making it up. You read the United States Constitution, Article 6, Paragraphs 2 and 3, but I want to give you this. This is from American Jurisprudence, Second Edition, and it is Volume 16, Conflict of Laws to Constitutional Laws. Here it is. Paragraph 195.
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"The general rule is that an unconstitutional statute, whether federal or state, though having the form and name of law, is in reality no law, but is wholly void and ineffective for any purpose. Since unconstitutionality dates from the time of its enactment, and not merely from the date of the decision so branding it, an unconstitutional law in legal contemplation is as inoperative as it had never been passed and never existed. That is, it is void ab initio, that is, from the beginning. Such a statute leaves the question that it proposes to settle just as if the statute had not been enacted. Since an unconstitutional law is void, it follows that generally the statute imposes no duties, confers no rights, creates no office or liabilities, bestows no power or authority on anyone, affords no protection, is incapable of creating any rights or obligations, does not allow for the granting of any relief, and justifies no acts performed under it. Once a statute is determined to be unconstitutional, no private citizen or division of the state may take any further action pursuant to its provisions.
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A contract that rests on an unconstitutional statute creates no obligation to be impaired by subsequent legislation. No one is bound to obey an unconstitutional law, and no courts are bound to enforce it. A law contrary to the United States Constitution may not be enforced. Once a statute has been declared unconstitutional, courts, therefore, and thereafter, have no jurisdiction over alleged violations. Persons convicted and fined under statutes subsequently held unconstitutional may recover their fines paid."
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Now, let me ask you this question. Who determines whether or not a law is unconstitutional? We, the people. That's why you should know your constitution. That's why you should know the Word of God. I don't have to wait for a court to say, this is unconstitutional. And it doesn't matter if the court does say it's constitutional. If it is plainly unconstitutional, I'm still not going to obey it. Because it converts no power, and it converts no authority, and therefore there is no obligation for me to obey whatsoever. Okay?
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Now, I want to show you a passage. I want you to remember what I'm trying to show you. When a king or ruler sins individually, personally, he alone suffers. But when he sins openly and publicly, and no one tries to stop him, the people suffer with him. The people have no obligation to obey an ungodly rule or statute or law. If you will turn in your Bibles to the book of Jeremiah, chapter 15, and look, if you would please, at verse 4, Jeremiah 15 and verse 4. There are plenty of passages that teach this same principle, but this one is the clearest, and I think the simplest and the easiest to grasp. Jeremiah chapter 15, verse 4, we're reading about Manasseh, who is the most wicked king in the southern kingdom. And the Bible says in verse 4, God says, "and I will cause them," that is the people, "to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth because of Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah, king of Judah, for that which he did in Jerusalem."
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What? God's going to send the people into captivity because of what Manasseh did? Yeah. You remember, it was Manasseh who seduced the people. They joined with him in those sins of the flesh and fornication and idolatry. Nobody tried to stop him, and God said, I'm going to judge him, but I'm going to judge them with him. Listen to me. God judges covenant and oath breakers and the people that support them.
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Now, I want you to go back in your Bibles to 2 Chronicles chapter 25, because we're not through. Whatever happened to Amaziah? Whatever happened to the Thistle King? Well, let me show you. 2 Chronicles chapter 25, and let's begin reading there with verse 26. 2 Chronicles 25, verse 26. Of course, he was defeated by Joash, and the Bible says in verse—well, let's read verse 25, "And Amaziah the son of Joash, king of Judah, lived after the death of Joash, king of Jehoias, king of Israel, fifteen years." So he outlived Joash fifteen years. "Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah, first and last, behold, are they not written in the books of the kings of Judah and Israel? Now after the time that Amaziah did turn away from following the LORD, they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Laish. But they sent to Laish after him and slew him there. And they brought him upon horses and buried him with his father in the city of Judah." Death is the usual fate of tyrants and idolaters.
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Now, if you've not done this, I would challenge you to do it. When you get home, and you get on your computer, type in picture of the state flag of Virginia, or picture of the state seal of Virginia. Because you will find that on the flag and on the seal, there's a woman on that flag and on that seal who is portraying virtue. She is dressed as an Amazon, she wears a helmet and holds a sword and a spear, and above her is written, "Sic Semper Tyrannis," thus always to tyrants.
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She is standing with one foot upon the prostrate figure of a fallen king. His crown is lying to the side, carrying out, of course, the theme of victory over tyranny. And the whip and the chain that the king used are lying helplessly by his side because he has been defeated. Hmm. Wow. Let me tell you something. And I think you're going to see this next week, even in a much clearer light.
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But sooner or later in God's time, those that oppose Him, those that blaspheme Him, those that refuse Him, those who reject Him will perish. It will come their time to die, and they will die. But here is a sad, sad truth. Look how many people will die because of their sins and their rebellion. You think right now, of all the young athletes and all the people that are just dropping dead instantly and suddenly. Why?
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Because tyranny said, if you don't take the jab, you can't keep your job. Hmm. By the way, I hope you notice that American Airlines and even the FAA now has said that most pilots have a horrible EKG test now, and they're not able to really fly. And did you know that those people that went to Davos, Switzerland, the Great Reset, they all requested and required non-vaccinated pilots and non-vaccinated stewardesses? Oh, yeah.
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But just stop and think about it. Think of all the people that have died because of seduction, of being driven, of propaganda. And that's the sad thing. These people will pay, but look how many are going to suffer before they do pay. Now, let me make just a couple of applications. The first one is this. The answer to the title of this message, "Does It Matter Who Rules the Nation?" is an astounding yes. It does matter to God, and it should matter to His people.
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Because truth and righteousness are at stake, liberty and freedom are at stake. It's a matter of life and death. It is a matter of prosperity or economic disaster. It does matter who rules and whose law is upheld. So if you don't believe that, let me ask you some questions. Do you trust the federal government? Do you trust the state government? Do you believe that the politicians have your best interest in mind? Do you believe that their ungodly, unlawful and unrighteous legislation is in line with the constitution? Do you not know that according to Romans 13, the power of government is to punish the wicked and to protect the righteous?
#78 | 1:00:41 to 1:01:37 | cleaned
If that is so, what in the world has happened in our country? What has happened in our nation? So I'm going to give you some very strong advice, whether you like it or not, whether you receive it or not, but here it is. Do not trust the government. Don't trust your federal government. Do not even trust the state government. You are responsible for your own life, your own health, your own prosperity. That means you must do your own research. You must do your own study. You must come to your own conclusions. Do not trust them. If you think somehow that the tyrants are going to escape the judgment of God, you're mistaken.
#79 | 1:01:38 to 1:02:30 | cleaned
I want you to listen to Deuteronomy 32, verses 34 and 35. Here it is. God says, "Is not this stored up with me, and sealed among my treasures? To me belong vengeance and recompense. Their foot shall slide in due time, for the day of their calamity is in, and the things that make haste shall come upon them." God said, their foot shall slide in due time, and it will.
#80 | 1:02:30 to 1:03:00 | cleaned
It does matter who rules the nation. And it does matter what law is upheld. And it does matter whether or not we do that which is right and godly and rebuke the ungodly even in the gate. It matters. None of us have the power of a magic wand. None of us can correct everything, and I understand that. But when it comes our time to stand, we must stand and rebuke in the gate whenever we can rebuke in the gate. It does matter who rules the nation, and even more importantly, whose law is upheld.
#81 | 1:03:03 to 1:04:02 | cleaned
Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee. We thank You for Your Word. We thank You for Your truth. Lord, I pray that You would open our eyes, open our ears, open our hearts, help us to receive truth, and help us, Lord, to be able to do what we can do, to stand where we can stand, rebuke where we can rebuke, correct where we can correct. Father, just give us Your Spirit. Quicken us, O Lord.
#82 | 1:04:03 to 1:04:33 | cleaned
Turn us, lead us, guide us, and direct us. Help us to honor Thee in all that we say and do. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray. Amen. Amen.
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♪
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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T23:29:52Z

Does It Matter Who Runs The Nation?

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

In this sermon, Pastor John Weaver argues from Scripture that it absolutely matters who rules a nation, because the character and obedience of rulers directly affect the people. Using the examples of the kings of Israel and Judah, especially Jeroboam, Manasseh, and Amaziah, he shows that godly rulers bring blessing while ungodly rulers bring judgment. He applies these principles to modern America, warning that corrupt, ungodly leadership leads to national ruin and that citizens have a duty to discern and resist unconstitutional and ungodly laws.

Introduction and Scripture Reading

Weaver introduces the message by reading 2 Samuel 23:1-4, noting David's fourfold claim of divine inspiration for the truth that rulers must be just and fear God.

Scripture Reading — 2 Samuel 23:1-4

"Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel said, The Spirit of the Lord spake by me, and his word was in my tongue. The God of Israel said, the rock of Israel spake unto me, he that ruleth over men must be just ruling in the fear of God."

Scripture Reading — 2 Samuel 23:1-4

"The Spirit of the Lord spake to me,"

that's once.

Scripture Reading — 2 Samuel 23:1-4

"His word was in my tongue,"

that's twice.

Scripture Reading — 2 Samuel 23:1-4

"The God of Israel said,"

that's three times, and

Scripture Reading — 2 Samuel 23:1-4

"the rock of Israel spake to me,"

that's four times, and here's what he said God said,

Scripture Reading — 2 Samuel 23:1-4

"he that ruleth over men must be just ruling in the fear of God."

I think these four verses actually in reality answer the question, does it matter who runs the nation?

Contrasting Godly and Ungodly Kings

And the interesting thing is the reason as to why he came up with that idolatry. Now, I want you to watch 1 Kings chapter 12, beginning there with verse 26. Look what the Bible says.

Scripture Reading — 1 Kings 12:26-33

"And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return unto the house of David. If this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their Lord, even to Rehoboam king of Judah, watch it, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah. Whereupon the king took counsel and made two calves of gold and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem." "Behold, I God so Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. And he set the one in Bethel, and he put the other in Dan. And this thing became a sin, for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan."

Note what the Bible says, because there is a practical application that we can see. Hang on. 2 Kings 17 and verse 21, the Bible says,

Scripture Reading — 2 Kings 17:21

"For he rent Israel from the house of David, that is, God did, and they made Jeroboam the son of Nebat king. And Jeroboam drove Israel from following the Lord and made them sin a great sin."

Scripture Reading — 2 Kings 21:9

"But they hearkened not, And Manasseh seduced them to do more evil than did the nations whom the Lord destroyed before the children of Israel."

Modern America Mirrors Ancient Apostasy

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 3:8-9

"For Jerusalem is ruined."

That was the capital.

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 3:8-9

"And Judah is fallen."

That's the nation.

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 3:8-9

"Because their tongue and their doings are against the Lord, to provoke the eyes of glory."

So they were provoking God. They were defying God. They were daring God. So he said, they've fallen because they are provoking me.

The Uniparty System and Elite Corruption

Proverbs on Wicked and Righteous Rulers

Weaver cites Proverbs 28:28 and 29:2 to show that when the wicked rise, people hide and mourn, but when the righteous rule, people rejoice; he laments the lack of justice in modern courts.

The Example of King Amaziah

Grace does not run in families. Depravity does. Blessings, prosperity, righteousness, and justice are not in bloodlines. All of that is from God Himself.

So look in 2 Chronicles 25, verses 1 and 2.

Scripture Reading — 2 Chronicles 25:1-28

"And Amaziah was 25 years old when he began to reign. And he reigned 29 years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jehoiadan of Jerusalem. And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, but not with a perfect heart."

Now, I want you to note that phrase,

Scripture Reading — 2 Chronicles 25:1-28

"not with a perfect heart."

The Covenantal Nature of Government

Scripture Reading — 2 Kings 11:17

"And Jehoiada made a covenant between the Lord and the king and the people."

That's one covenant,

Scripture Reading — 2 Kings 11:17

"that they should be the Lord's people."

And then he says,

Scripture Reading — 2 Kings 11:17

"between the king also and the people."

Scripture Reading — 2 Kings 11:17

"between the king and the people."

So the king then agreed to rule godly and biblically and rightly and justly, and the people agreed to obey him as long as he did.

The Fate of Tyrants and Application

Does It Matter Who Runs The Nation?

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	0t4AR3cYrl4
Subject	Civil Government
Course	Civil Government: Power, Nations, and Constitutional Order: War in the Gates
Genre	Sermon
Date	2023-02-03
Dictation Name
Book	Book 009: Civil Government: Power, Nations, and Constitutional Order — Chapter 29
Source Timed Segments	84

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction and Scripture Reading: Weaver introduces the message by reading 2 Samuel 23:1-4, noting David's fourfold claim of divine inspiration for the truth that rulers must be just and fear God.
Contrasting Godly and Ungodly Kings: He contrasts the northern kingdom (no godly kings) with the southern kingdom (some godly, some ungodly), highlighting Jeroboam's idolatry to protect his own power and Manasseh's seduction of the people into greater wickedness.
Modern America Mirrors Ancient Apostasy: Weaver asserts that America has become like Judah and Jerusalem—proudly parading sin, with government promoting and subsidizing wickedness while punishing the righteous, citing Isaiah 3:8-9 and Amos 5:10.
The Uniparty System and Elite Corruption: He describes the American political system as a uniparty where both Democrats and Republicans collude, quoting economist Charles Hugh Smith on the zero integrity of elites and the resulting doomed society.
Proverbs on Wicked and Righteous Rulers: Weaver cites Proverbs 28:28 and 29:2 to show that when the wicked rise, people hide and mourn, but when the righteous rule, people rejoice; he laments the lack of justice in modern courts.
The Example of King Amaziah: He examines Amaziah, who did some right but had an imperfect heart, hired Israelite mercenaries, then obeyed the prophet, but later worshipped Edomite idols, refused rebuke, and started a foolish war that led to national defeat and his own assassination.
The Covenantal Nature of Government: Weaver explains that government is covenantal: when a ruler sins privately, only he is judged, but when he sins openly and the people do not resist, the nation is judged with him. He cites 2 Kings 11:17 and Jeremiah 15:4.
The Fate of Tyrants and Application: He notes that Amaziah was assassinated, and that Virginia's state seal depicts victory over tyranny. He concludes that it matters who rules, warns against trusting government, and urges personal responsibility and standing for truth.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

God's standard for rulers is justice and fear of God

David's last words, given by divine inspiration, declare that rulers must rule justly in the fear of God, making the character of rulers a matter of divine concern.

Weaver emphasizes 2 Samuel 23:3: 'he that ruleth over men must be just ruling in the fear of God' and notes David's fourfold claim of inspiration.

Ungodly rulers lead nations into idolatry and destruction

Jeroboam and Manasseh exemplify how rulers can drive or seduce a nation into sin, resulting in divine judgment and national ruin.

Weaver cites 2 Kings 17:21 and 2 Kings 21:9, showing Jeroboam 'drove Israel from following the Lord' and Manasseh 'seduced them to do more evil.'

America's government mirrors the corruption of ancient Judah

Like Judah, America's leaders promote sin, punish the righteous, and the nation proudly displays its rebellion, inviting God's judgment.

Weaver reads Isaiah 3:8-9 and Amos 5:10, applying them to modern America's pride in sin and hatred of those who rebuke it.

The political system is a corrupt uniparty

Both Democrats and Republicans collude to serve elite interests, lacking integrity and accountability, and driving the nation toward destruction.

Weaver quotes George Wallace and Charles Hugh Smith, and says 'the Democrats will take us over the cliff at 100 miles an hour, and the Republicans will only do it at 90 miles an hour.'

A ruler's private sin brings personal judgment, but public sin brings national judgment

When a ruler sins openly and the people do not resist, God judges the entire nation, as seen in David's census and Manasseh's reign.

Weaver contrasts David's adultery (personal judgment) with the census (national judgment) and cites Jeremiah 15:4 regarding Manasseh.

Citizens have no obligation to obey unconstitutional or ungodly laws

Because government is covenantal, when rulers violate the covenant (God's law or the Constitution), the people are loosed from obedience.

Weaver explains the covenant in 2 Kings 11:17 and quotes American Jurisprudence that unconstitutional laws are void and impose no duties.

Tyrants and idolaters will ultimately face God's judgment

Amaziah's assassination and the Virginia state seal illustrate that tyrants will fall; God's vengeance is certain, though many may suffer before it comes.

Weaver recounts Amaziah's death and quotes Deuteronomy 32:34-35: 'their foot shall slide in due time.'

Scripture References

2 Samuel 23:1-4: David's last words, claiming divine inspiration, declaring that rulers must be just and fear God.
1 Kings 12:26-33: Jeroboam makes golden calves to prevent the people from returning to Jerusalem, driving Israel into idolatry.
2 Kings 17:21: Jeroboam drove Israel from following the Lord and made them sin a great sin.
2 Kings 21:9: Manasseh seduced Judah to do more evil than the nations God destroyed.
Isaiah 3:8-9: Jerusalem and Judah are ruined because they provoke God and declare their sin openly like Sodom.
Amos 5:10-12: They hate those who rebuke in the gate and abhor the upright; they afflict the just and take bribes.
Proverbs 28:28: When the wicked rise, men hide themselves; when they perish, the righteous increase.
Proverbs 29:2: When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; when the wicked rule, the people mourn.
2 Chronicles 25:1-28: The reign of Amaziah, who did right but not with a perfect heart, hired Israelite mercenaries, worshipped Edomite idols, refused prophetic rebuke, started a foolish war, and was assassinated.
Romans 14:7: No man lives or dies to himself; our actions affect others.
Psalm 51: David's confession of sin, primarily against God, but also affecting others.
2 Kings 11:17: Jehoiada made a covenant between the Lord, the king, and the people, and between the king and the people.
Jeremiah 15:4: God will cause the people to be removed into captivity because of Manasseh's sins in Jerusalem.
Deuteronomy 32:34-35: Vengeance belongs to God; the foot of the wicked shall slide in due time.
Romans 13: The power of government is to punish the wicked and protect the righteous.

Historical References

Jeroboam I, first king of the northern kingdom of Israel: He made golden calves in Dan and Bethel to prevent the people from going to Jerusalem, driving Israel into idolatry.
King Ahab, most wicked king of the northern kingdom: Mentioned as the most wicked king of the northern kingdom in contrast to Manasseh.
King Manasseh, most wicked king of the southern kingdom: He seduced Judah to do more evil than the nations God destroyed, leading to the Babylonian captivity.
King Amaziah of Judah (the Thistle King): An apostate king who did some right but worshipped Edomite idols, refused prophetic rebuke, started a foolish war, and was assassinated.
George Wallace, 1968 presidential candidate: Quoted as saying 'there's not a dime's worth of difference between the Democrats and the Republicans.'
Charles Hugh Smith, conservative economist: Quoted on the zero integrity of American elites and the doomed nature of a corrupt society.
Gus Hall, communist leader: Quoted on the lack of justice in the judicial system: 'the only place you can get any justice is out in the halls.'
Virginia state flag and seal: Depicts Virtue standing over a fallen tyrant with the motto 'Sic Semper Tyrannis,' symbolizing victory over tyranny.
Davos, Switzerland, Great Reset meeting: Mentioned that attendees requested non-vaccinated pilots and stewardesses, implying hypocrisy regarding vaccine mandates.

Important Quotes

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

The central biblical principle Weaver uses to argue that the character of rulers matters to God.

Jeroboam drove Israel from following the Lord and made them sin a great sin.

Illustrates how an ungodly ruler can actively lead a nation into sin.

Manasseh seduced them to do more evil than did the nations whom the Lord destroyed before the children of Israel.

Shows the extreme wickedness a ruler can promote, exceeding even pagan nations.

The show of their countenance doth witness against them, and they declare their sin as Sodom, and they hide it not.

Weaver applies this to modern America's pride in sin, such as pride parades.

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

A proverb Weaver uses to explain the effect of wicked rulers on society.

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

Another proverb emphasizing the direct impact of rulers' character on the populace.

Sic Semper Tyrannis

The motto on the Virginia state seal, meaning 'thus always to tyrants,' used to illustrate the ultimate fate of tyrants.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

How does David's statement in 2 Samuel 23:3 that rulers must be 'just, ruling in the fear of God' shape our expectations for political leaders today?

[Context]

Weaver emphasizes this as a divinely inspired standard for all rulers.

[Question]

In what ways do modern leaders 'drive' or 'seduce' people into sin, similar to Jeroboam and Manasseh?

[Context]

Weaver describes how rulers can pressure or entice the populace into wickedness.

[Question]

Weaver claims America has become like Judah in Isaiah 3, proudly parading sin. Do you agree or disagree, and what evidence supports your view?

[Context]

He cites Isaiah 3:8-9 and applies it to modern pride parades and government promotion of sin.

[Question]

What is the biblical basis for the idea that citizens are not obligated to obey unconstitutional or ungodly laws?

[Context]

Weaver argues from the covenantal nature of government and quotes American Jurisprudence.

[Question]

How does the example of Amaziah warn against half-hearted obedience and compromise?

[Context]

Amaziah did some right but had an imperfect heart, leading to idolatry and national disaster.

[Question]

Weaver says, 'Do not trust the government.' How should Christians balance this with Romans 13's command to submit to governing authorities?

[Context]

He advises personal responsibility and research, while also citing Romans 13's purpose of government.

[Question]

What does it mean to 'rebuke in the gate' in our contemporary context, and how can we do it effectively?

[Context]

Weaver references Amos 5:10 and the ancient practice of public rebuke at the city gate.

[Question]

How should the certainty of God's judgment on tyrants (Deuteronomy 32:34-35) affect our response to current political corruption?

[Context]

Weaver assures that God will repay, but also urges standing for truth now.

Applications

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