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

Ungodly Rulers

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: Civil Government

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2013-01-31

Synopsis: John Weaver examines the biblical attitude toward ungodly rulers, using 1 Samuel 15 and other passages to argue that Scripture commands a response of righteous anger, confrontation, rebuke, rejection, and replacement of wicked leaders. He contrasts this with modern Christian apathy and cites early American colonial charters that required rulers to profess faith in Christ, lamenting the nation's departure from those foundations.

[John Weaver] There's so much that I want to preach, and I certainly cannot preach everything that I would like to, but I want to begin by showing you the biblical attitude toward ungodly rulers. I'm going to be developing a number of principles from Romans 13 and a number of other passages, but I want you to see this this morning. 1 Samuel 15, beginning with verse 1, Samuel also said unto Saul, The Lord sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people over Israel, Now therefore, hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the Lord. Thus said the Lord of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way when he came up from Egypt. Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not, but slay both man and woman, infant suckling, ox, sheep, camel, and ass.

[John Weaver] And Saul gathered the people together, and numbered them unto Laam, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah. And Saul came to the city of Amalek, and laid wait in the valley. And Saul said unto the Canaanites, Go depart, get you down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them. For you showed kindness to all the children of Israel when they came up out of Egypt. So the Canaanites departed from among the Amalekites. And Saul smote the Amalekites from Havilah until thou comest to Shur, that is over against Egypt. And he took Agag, the king of the Amalekites, alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of a sword. But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and of the lambs, and all that was good would not utterly destroy them. But everything that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed. Then came the word of the Lord unto Samuel, saying, It repented me, that I have set up Saul to be king, for he has turned back from following me, and I have not performed my commandments.

[John Weaver] And it grieves Samuel, and he cried to the Lord all night." So the subject is the biblical attitude toward ungodly rulers. I hope you understand. That an attitude is a disposition. It's a frame of mind. It's a way of thinking. And it's a way of thinking toward any given subject or any given person or any given incident. In fact, we have met people and we would say after they leave, I don't like his attitude. Everyone understands what an attitude is.

[John Weaver] The problem with most Christian folks is this. Most of our attitudes are unbiblical and ungodly. And because they're unbiblical and ungodly, it leads to apathy and it leads to indifference and inaction. To put it a little more bluntly, it leads to sin and rebellion and ungodliness. You have to understand that as Christians, we must submit our minds to the Word of God. God is not going to condescend to think the way we think. We must learn to think the way God thinks.

[John Weaver] You remember that passage in Isaiah 55, verses 8 and 9, where God says that the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts higher than your thoughts, saith the Lord God. So God is up here and we are down here. The Bible tells us in Philippians 2 and verse 5, let this mind be in you which also was in Christ Jesus.

[John Weaver] Everyone in here probably can quote Romans 12, 1 and 2. where Paul said, I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

[John Weaver] Now listen, and be not conformed to this world. Don't be pressed in the mold of the world, but be you transformed, how? By the renewing of your mind. The Bible tells us in Ephesians 4, verse 23, be renewed in the spirit of your mind. In 1 Peter 4, verse 1, we're to be armed with the mind of Jesus Christ. I want to show you one verse, whole 1 Samuel 15. We're coming back there.

[John Weaver] But look in your Bibles, if you would, please, to the book of 2 Corinthians, chapter 10. 2 Corinthians, chapter 10. And notice verses 4 and 5. 2 Corinthians, chapter 10. Look at verses 4 and 5. The Apostle Paul says it like this. 2 Corinthians, chapter 10. Notice, if you would, verse 4. Paul says,"...for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, But mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.

[John Weaver] Now let me just tell you that this is a military illustration. The Apostle Paul is not here talking about and condemning what you and I would call carnal weaponry. He's not saying don't have rifles and don't have shotguns and don't have pistols. All he is saying is this, that carnal weapons for the kind of warfare that he is talking about is absolutely useless.

[John Weaver] Now look what he says in verse 4. He says, for the weapons of our warfare, not carnal, But mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.

[John Weaver] Now, let me tell you what a stronghold is. It's your place of defense. So if someone comes through that back door shooting a.357 Magnum, I'm going to duck down behind this pulpit. You say, well, that's not much protection. It's better than what you've got. But if I duck down behind this pulpit, that becomes my stronghold, OK? Now I want to show you what man's stronghold is. Go back to verse 4.

[John Weaver] He says,"...for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds." Here it is. "...Casting down imaginations and every high thing or every high thought that exalted itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." So here's my question. How many thoughts and how many attitudes are you and I allowed that are unbiblical and ungodly? Not one. Not one. That means we have to learn to think biblically on every subject. How in the world can we think biblically unless we understand and know what the Bible teaches? How in the world can we think scripturally unless we are familiar with the Scriptures? You have to understand that biblical thinking requires biblical education. You have to learn to think as God would have us to think.

[John Weaver] That's why we read in 2 Timothy 2,"...study to show yourselves approved unto God, workmen that needeth not to be ashamed." That's why you read in 2 Peter 3 and verse 18 where Peter said,"...but grow in grace, even in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." I might point out that you're not really growing in grace unless you're growing in knowledge, because that is how we learn and how we mature. So he says, grow in grace, even the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

[John Weaver] Now, let me show you just a couple of general scriptures regarding my subject. I want you to turn, please, to Proverbs 29. And look, if you would please, at verse 2. These verses probably are well known. And yet at the same time, I think they are very appropriate for our day and time. Notice in Proverbs chapter 29 and verse 2. The Bible says when the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice. But when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn. And the word mourn here means to groan and to sigh. How many people are really rejoicing now that the wicked are in control? Among us, none. Now the wicked may be rejoicing, but the righteous are not rejoicing. It's only when the righteous are in authority that the people rejoice. But when the wicked bear rule, the majority of the people, especially the righteous, mourn. Now look back in your Bibles to Proverbs 28 and look at verse 12. Proverbs 28 and verse 12. The Bible says, When righteous men do rejoice, there is great glory.

[John Weaver] But when the wicked rise, a man is hidden. What is he talking about when the wicked rise, a man is hidden. Do you remember old good and godly Gideon? Who was threshing wheat? Where? Behind the winepress. Why was he threshing wheat behind the winepress? He was hiding it from the wicked so they wouldn't steal it. Why are you so secretive? Why are you so private in this day and time? Because you don't want people to know what you have, because they will steal it, especially the government. You've seen that sticker that said, don't steal, the government hates competition. Well, that's true.

[John Weaver] Look in Proverbs 28 and verse 28. Proverbs 28 and verse 28, he says it like this, when the wicked rise, men hide themselves. But when they, the wicked, perish, the righteous increase." Isn't that interesting? When the wicked perish, the righteous increase. That's why David prayed, Oh, let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end, but establish thou the just. Yeah, let the wicked perish. In other words, these verses reveal to us actually the result or the consequence of ungodly rulers. They do not necessarily give us the biblical attitude against or concerning ungodly rulers, but they do tell us about the consequences of it.

[John Weaver] We've got to remember, and I'll cover some of this tonight, Lord willing, but we've got to remember that it was God who ordained government. He not only ordained self-government and family government and church government, but civil government as well. God has the absolute sovereign right to lay down not only the qualifications for rulers, but also their limits as well. And did you know, in Deuteronomy chapter 17, if you want to turn there very quickly, Deuteronomy chapter 17, look if you would please at verse 5. The interesting thing, Deuteronomy 17 and verse 5, the Bible says this. In fact, let verse 15 do this. Deuteronomy 17 verse 15, He said, Thou shalt in any wise set Him king over thee, whom the Lord by God shall choose. One from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee. Thou mayest not set a stranger over thee which is not thy brother." In other words, God required that a civil ruler be a brother, be a Christian, be a believer. He did not want a Muslim.

[John Weaver] He did not want an atheist. He did not want someone who disbelieved in the Lord Jesus Christ. He said he's got to be someone Not only whom I choose, and God's not going to choose a wicked man per se, but he said one from among the brethren. If you look very quickly in your Bibles to the book of Exodus chapter 18, I'm covering this quickly, I'll cover it probably in more detail later, but look in the book of Exodus chapter 18 and verse 21. Exodus chapter 18 and verse 21. And the word of God says this, Exodus 18 verse 21. Moreover, thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, that is, men of ability, such as fear God. Wow. That would be require belief in God, such as fear God. Note, if you would, men of truth. Wow. Hating covetousness.

[John Weaver] Well, that eliminates most of our politicians right there. The truth of the matter is this. Turn in your Bibles very quickly to 2 Samuel, chapter 23. 2 Samuel, chapter 23. And look, if you would, at what David writes and how many times David claims direct inspiration for this one simple truth. Look in 2 Samuel, chapter 23, verse 1. The Bible says, Now these be the last words of David, David the son of Jesse, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel said..." Now here's what David said. I want you to note how many times he claims direct inspiration. He says,"...the Spirit of the Lord spake by me." That's one time.

[John Weaver] "...And His word was in my tongue." That's twice. And the God of Israel said, that's three times. And the rock of Israel spake to me, that's four times. Four times David claims direct inspiration for one simple sentence. He that ruleth over men must be just ruling in the fear of God. You cannot be just without the fear of God. And you cannot rule justly without the fear of God.

[John Weaver] Now, I read those Scriptures. There's a whole lot more. But I summarized and I read several scriptures just to show you that God required Christian rulers. Our forefathers understood all of this. Then He took the Word of God very seriously. And I'm going to show you how seriously they took it before we get back to 1 Samuel chapter 15. I want to read to you just several statements from some of the original charters and from the original constitutions of the formation of these United States.

[John Weaver] Here's the fundamental constitution of the province of East New Jersey in America in 1683. Article 16, Yet it is also hereby provided that no man shall be admitted a member of the great or common council or any other place of public trust who shall not profess faith in Jesus Christ. Here is the Charter of Delaware, 1701. And that all persons who also profess to believe in Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, shall be capable, notwithstanding other persuasions and practices, to serve this government in any capacity, both legislatively and executively. Notice, and all persons who profess faith in Jesus Christ. They could be rulers, but none other could. Here is Pennsylvania in 1701. basically the same, and that all persons who also profess to believe in Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, shall be capable to serve this government in any capacity, both legislatively and executively. So here's Pennsylvania and here's Delaware saying exactly the same thing. When you come to the Constitution of Delaware in 1776, listen to this, Article 22. Every person who shall be chosen a member of either house or appointed to any office or place of trust before taking a seat.

[John Weaver] Or entering upon the execution of his office shall take the following oath or affirmation. Here it is I blank you'd have to put in your name I blank. do profess faith in God the Father, and in Jesus Christ His only Son, and in the Holy Ghost, one God, blessed forevermore. And I do acknowledge the holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be given by divine inspiration." That was Delaware, 1776. If you were to be a ruler in Delaware, you had to profess faith in Jesus Christ. You had to profess faith in the inspiration of both the Old and the New Testament.

[John Weaver] Here's Georgia, the Constitution of Georgia in 1777. The representative shall be chosen out of the residents in each county who shall reside at least 12 months in the state, and they shall be of the Protestant religion and of the age of 21 years.

[John Weaver] Now realize Baptists are not Protestants, but you've got to understand in those days, it was just, they're saying no Catholics, no Jews, no atheists, You have to be a believer in Jesus Christ. Here's the Constitution of Maryland, 1776, that every person appointed to any office or profit or trust shall, before he enters into the execution thereof, take the following oath. I blank do swear that I do not hold myself bound in allegiance to the king of Great Britain. and that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to the state of Maryland and shall also subscribe a declaration of his belief in the Christian religion. Wow. Believe it or not, here's Massachusetts in 1780. Any person chosen governor, lieutenant governor, counselor, senator or representative and accepting the trust shall before he proceed to execute the duties of his place of office, shall make and subscribe to the following declaration. I blank do declare that I believe the Christian religion and have a firm persuasion of its truth and that I am seized and possessed in the own right of the property required by the Constitution as one qualified for the office or place to which I am elected."

[John Weaver] But notice he said, I believe the Christian religion and have a firm persuasion of its truth. When you get to New Hampshire in 1784, Again, they talk about provided nevertheless that no person shall be capable of being elected a senator who is not of the Protestant religion and every member of the House of Representatives shall be chosen by ballot and shall be of the Protestant religion. Brother Jeff here is North Carolina 1776 that no person who shall deny the being of God or the truth of the Protestant religion or the divine authority of either the Old or New Testaments, or who shall hold religious principles incompatible with the freedom and safety of the state, shall be capable of holding any office or place of public trust within this state." So once again, here's Pennsylvania 1776. Each member of the house, before he takes his seat, shall make and subscribe the following declaration, I do believe in one God, the Creator and Governor of the universe, the rewarder of the good and the punisher of the wicked, and I do acknowledge the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be

[John Weaver] given by divine inspiration." I don't care which state or colony you went to, everyone demanded Christian rulers. South Carolina, 1778. that as soon as it may be after the first meeting of the Senate and the House of Representatives, they shall jointly in the House, etc., choose by ballots a lieutenant governor, both to continue for two years, and a privy counsel, all of the Protestant religion. and that no person shall be eligible to a seat in said Senate unless he be of the Protestant religion, no person shall be eligible to sit in the House of Representatives unless he be of the Protestant religion, that all persons in religious societies acknowledge there is one God and a future state of rewards and punishments, And that God is publicly to be worshipped shall be tolerated. The Christian Protestant religion shall be deemed and is hereby constituted and declared to be the established religion of this state." That was South Carolina in 1778.

[John Weaver] Interestingly, here's Vermont in 1777. Each member of the House of Representatives, before he takes his Senate seat, has to say the same thing. I do believe in one God, the Creator and the Governor of the universe, the Rewarder of the good and the Punisher of the wicked. And I do acknowledge the scriptures of the Old Testament and the New Testament to be given by divine inspiration. And I own and profess the Protestant religion. So every one of our colonies demanded Christian rulers.

[John Weaver] Now, the question you have to ask is what has happened? Let me show you how thoroughly our founding fathers understood the Christian religion. Do you realize that every state in the Union, initially every colony, had laws against blasphemy? And when they talked about blasphemy, they were talking about blasphemy, the Christian religion. In fact, blasphemy, was usually directed either at the Bible or Christ or God. So in Massachusetts, the general court had enacted a law titled An Act Against Atheism and Blasphemy in 1697. And here is the law. Listen carefully. That if any person shall presume willfully to blaspheme the holy name of God, Father, Son or Holy Ghost, Either by denying, cursing, or reproaching the true God, His creation, or government of the world, or by denying, cursing, and reproaching the Holy Word of God, that is, the canonical Scriptures contained in the books

[John Weaver] of the Old and New Testaments, Genesis to Revelation, everyone so offending shall be punished by imprisonment, not exceeding six months, and until they find sureties for their good behavior, by setting in the pillory, that's where you have your head and your hands in the holes and you can't move, or by setting in the pillory, by whipping, are you listening, boring through the tongue with a red-hot iron, or setting upon the gallows with a rope about his neck. The General Assembly of Maryland in 1723 passed a law which prohibited anyone from wittingly maliciously and advisedly by writing or speaking blasphemer-cursed God, or deny our Savior Jesus Christ to be the Son of God, shall, for the first offense, be bored through the tongue and find twenty pounds sterling. On a second offense, the offender was to be stigmatized by burning in the forehead with the letter B for blasphemer. and fined 40 pounds sterling. For the third offense, the offender was to suffer death without the benefit of clergy." Wow.

[John Weaver] Now, our forefathers were kind of serious. In Pennsylvania, the same act was passed in 1700, and they said this, that,"...whosoever shall willfully, premeditatedly, and despitefully blaspheme or speak loosely, or profanely, of Almighty God, Christ Jesus, the Holy Spirit, or the Scriptures of truth, and is legally convicted thereof, shall forfeit and pay the sum of ten pounds for the use of the poor of the county where such offense was committed, or suffer three months' imprisonment and hard labor, as aforesaid, for the use of said poor."

[John Weaver] In Delaware, in 1741, A law was passed that required one guilty of blasphemy to be branded in his or her forehead with a letter B and publicly whipped on his or her bare back with 39 lashes well laid on. And finally, the General Court in Connecticut in 1750 enacted a law that required the death penalty for anyone guilty of blasphemy.

[John Weaver] Now, I just want to show you how our founding fathers took Christianity and the Word of God exceedingly seriously. So, you have to ask, were our founding fathers wrong? If they were not wrong, then you have to ask, what in the world has happened to our country? Well, the truth of the matter is, it is we who have apostatized from the foundation laid by our founding fathers.

[John Weaver] It's we who have left the biblical attitude toward ungodly rulers. You see, the problem that we have today, we not only tolerate, but we choose and elect unprincipled, unconverted, unregenerate, ungodly rulers. And you have to ask why? And the answer comes back, because we have not maintained the biblical attitude toward ungodly rulers. What do you say? What is that attitude? Thank you for asking. I want to show you. Look back in your Bibles.

[John Weaver] The first Samuel chapter 15. You know the story. How God has sent King Saul to destroy the Amalekites. God said, kill them all, man, woman, infant and suffering, ox, sheep, camel, ass, don't spare anything. God had pronounced the death penalty against them. And you remember how Saul went and he did kill a lot of those Amalekites. But he spared Agag, the king, and he and the people spared the best of the oxen and the best of the sheep and all of this. And God spoke to Samuel, and He says this to him. Look in verse 10. Then came the word of the Lord unto Samuel, saying, It repented me that I have set up Saul to be king, for he has turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. grieved Samuel, and he cried to the Lord all night. Now, first of all, let me point out what the Bible says in verse 11. God says that he repents that he set up King Saul. Why? He says, for he is turned back from following me.

[John Weaver] Now, Saul's disobedience was not just simply a single act. I'm going to demonstrate this. Saul was constantly and continually disobeying God. In fact, the word turned back from following me. The Hebrew word indicates to return, to go back, to retreat. So Saul then was running the opposite way in which God was going. He was retreating. He was going back from God. What is the evidence that Saul had turned back.

[John Weaver] Well, look in verse 11. He says, It repeated me that I have set up Saul to be king, for he has turned back from following me, watch, and hath not followed or performed my commandments. What is the evidence that we know that King Saul turned back? He didn't obey God. Please listen to me. Christians have become so enamored with the world and with the word compromise. And we have such a low view of Scripture and such a low view of regeneration and conversion. When anyone says, I'm a Christian, we automatically believe them. You don't believe what people say. You believe what people do. Our Lord said, by their fruit you shall know them.

[John Weaver] I've got news for you. You go to Congress right now and except for the professed Muslims and Buddhists and Hindus, you ask how many are Christian? Every one of them. And yet everything they do is contrary to God, contrary to His law, contrary to the Constitution. We have not had any Christian rulers.

[John Weaver] Now, I want to tell you something. Have you ever stopped to think what would happen if someone like Pastor Chrisman or someone like Pastor Farrell got into Congress? I've had people tell me, Brother Weaver, I just wish you could get up there and preach to those people. Let me give you some information. They wouldn't listen. They wouldn't hear a word that I said. They don't want it.

[John Weaver] Because they're not interested in obeying God. They're not interested in keeping His law. They're not interested in keeping their oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States. King Saul became an apostate ruler. He was refusing to obey God. He was refusing to follow God's commands. Saul rejected God. Now listen carefully. And God rejected Saul. Look in your Bibles, 1 Samuel 15, beginning there with verse 26. And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee, for thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord hath rejected thee from being king over Israel. And Samuel turned about to go away, and he laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle, and let it rent. And Samuel said unto him, The Lord hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbor of thine that is better than thou. Saul said, I'm not following God. I'm going to do what I want to do.

[John Weaver] I wish I could just really preach on that. You know, when you set your thinking and you set your thoughts above the thoughts of the Word of God, that is idolatry. That is exactly what Saul was doing. He was not going to follow God's law. He was going to initiate a law of his own.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to note something. King Saul reigned for 40 years. I could not tell you the exact period of time, but probably when this happened, Saul may have already been reigning for 15 or 20 years, which means that King Saul probably reigned another 20 to 25 years under the curse and the judgment of God. You see, the problem is most people think, well, if God does not slap somebody down instantly, then He approves of what they're doing. That's not true.

[John Weaver] God's paydays are not always on Friday. Sometimes He lets men go on in their sins and their rebellion until the cup of iniquity is full. And you look around and you say, well, how in the world did Obama get elected a second term? And I got news for you. I don't even know that he really was. Do you realize all this voting on computers? You can control a computer from New York.

[John Weaver] If something is not in black and white and signed where it can be counted, there's no way to verify anything. Read the book Vote Scam and you'll find out. It's interesting that here, someone who is so opposed to God, so contrary to God, as most of our politicians are, and yet people keep sending them back over. I, to this day, cannot figure out how Barney Frank got elected over and over and over. You watch them. God rejected.

[John Weaver] So let's ask this question. What in the world was Samuel's attitude toward Saul? Saul was an ungodly ruler. He was rejected by God. What was Saul's attitude toward him? Or what was Samuel's attitude toward Saul? Look in verse 11. God said, It repented me that I have set up Saul to be king, for he has turned back from following me and has not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel.

[John Weaver] And he cried into the Lord all night. Now, before I tell you what Samuel's attitude was, let me tell you that Samuel's attitude was biblical and scriptural. And I might remind you that Samuel is listed in the heroes of faith in Hebrews 11 and verse 32. So what I'm going to show you right now is indeed the biblical attitude toward ungodly rulers. It was Samuel's attitude. I'm going to show you it was God's attitude as well. The Bible says in verse 11, it grieved Samuel and he cried in the Lord all night. So now you've got to ask yourself, what in the world does the word grieved mean? When we talk about the word grieved, we think in modern day terms. We think of a widow.

[John Weaver] who grieves over her dead husband or a widower who grieves over his dead wife or parents who grieve over a dead child. And when we think about grief and being grieved, we think of someone who's broken hearted, someone who's disturbed, someone who's troubled, someone who's almost inconsolable. In fact, there are people who grieve to the extent that they become actually not only inactive, but they're unable to function. They can't think, they can't move, they can't do anything. They're just grieving. Now, I told you all that just to say this.

[John Weaver] That has nothing to do with the Word right here. So I want you to get that out of your mind. When you think about grieving, do not think about this word right here. The Bible says that he was grieved and he cried out unto the Lord.

[John Weaver] Now, I don't doubt that there probably was a little bit of sorrow in Samuel's heart because of Saul. I'm sure he was friends with him initially. But let me tell you what the word grieve means. The Hebrew word here is the word harah. And it means to burn. It means to kindle. It means to cause a fire to burn. The word actually emphasizes the kindling of anger like the kindling of a fire. The word is used 139 times here in our Bibles, and it's used both of God and man. Now let me tell you, and I'm going to show it to you from Scripture. Here's what it literally means. When it says, and Samuel was three, Here's what it means.

[John Weaver] It means he was so ticked off, he was so upset, he was so angry, he could not contain himself. You say, where do you get that? Well, let me show you. Look in your Bibles to Genesis 39. Everybody knows this story. Genesis chapter 39. By the way, every one of these passages that I'm going to show you, the word is exactly the same. It's translated a little differently, but it's still the same word. Notice, if you would, Genesis chapter 39, you know, the story of Joseph being sold into slavery and he gets down to Potiphar's house. And of course, the Lord blesses Potiphar because of Joseph being there and Joseph had control over everything. And you know how Potiphar's wife made advances toward Joseph and he rebuffed them.

[John Weaver] And finally, one day she called his garment and she said, Come lie with me. And he fled and he left his garment. And when her husband came home, she said, You see how this Hebrew has came in to mock me? And she lied. And Potiphar believed his wife. And I want you to look what happens. Genesis chapter 39. Verse 19, And it came to pass, when his master heard the words of his wife, which he spake unto him, saying, After this manner did thy servant to me, his wrath was kindled." What?

[John Weaver] Now, let me tell you something. My wife and I just celebrated our 50th anniversary.

[John Weaver] Now, I'm not that old. I just got married when I was six. I mean, you know. No, no. We got married at 18. We've been married 50 years. If you think, if you try to mess with my wife, that I'm just going to be so sorrowful and so grieved, I'll be so inactive, and I can't function, I've got news for you. You mess with my wife, you're dead. If I can get to you, I mean, I'm just not going to allow it.

[John Weaver] That's what was happening here. Potiphar says, uh-uh, uh-uh, brother. You're not messing with my wife. You're going into the deepest prison. That's what it means. He was angry. He was upset. If I hit on any man's wife in here, you'd be upset too. At least you better be. You should be. I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Numbers, chapter 25, because I want you to see how this is used of God Himself. Numbers, chapter 25.

[John Weaver] And you know the story here in this particular passage where the children of Israel are sinning. They committed not only idolatry, but fornication. But I want you to look in Numbers chapter 25. And let's begin reading there with verse two. And they called the people into the sacrifice of their gods and the people that eat and bowed down to their gods. And Israel joined himself in the Baal Peor. Are you watching? And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel. And the Lord said unto Moses, Take all the heads of this people and hang them up before the Lord against the sun, that the fierce anger of the Lord may be turned away from Israel. Do you think that fornication and idolatry just made God get to the position where, Oh, I'm so sorry. I can't function. I don't know what to... No, sir. It was His fierce anger. And God said, I'll tell you what you do. You hang every one of them. You kill them all. If you'll look in your Bibles to the book of Jeremiah, chapter 25.

[John Weaver] Same word. Jeremiah, chapter 25. Look at verses 37 and 38. Jeremiah 25, verse 37, just to show you. Jeremiah 25, verse 37, and the peaceable habitations are cut down because of the fierce anger of God, the hurrah of God. He has forsaken his covert as the line for their land is desolate because of the fierceness of the oppressor and because of his hurrah, his fierce anger. Wow.

[John Weaver] I want you to understand. That Samuel's attitude in his anger against Saul was the same as God's. If you would turn right over to the book of Hosea. Look in Hosea chapter 7. Hosea chapter 7. Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos. Sometimes I say that for myself and not just for you. Look in your Bibles, Hosea chapter seven, verse two. Look what God says, and he's talking not only about the people here, but the rulers.

[John Weaver] He said, they consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness. Now their own doings have beset them about there before my face. They make the king glad with their wickedness and the princes with their lies. They are all adulterers, as an oven heated by the baker, who seizes it from raising after he has kneaded the dough until it be leavened. In the day of our King, the princes have made him sick with bottles of wine. He stretched out his hand with the scorners, for they have made ready their hard-clocked oven.

[John Weaver] whilst they lie in wait, their bakers sleepeth all the night, in the morning burneth with a flaming fire." Look what God says,"...they are all hot as an oven, and have devoured their judges, all their kings are fallen. There is none among them that calleth upon Me." Skip down to verse 13. "...Woe unto them, for they have fled from Me. Destruction unto them, because they have transgressed against Me.

[John Weaver] Though I have redeemed them, yet they have spoken lies against Me. And they have not cried unto Me with their heart, When they have howled upon their beds, they assemble themselves for corn and wine, and they rebel against Me. For I have bound and strengthened their arms, yet do they imagine mischief against Me. They return, but not to the Most High. They are like a deceitful bow.

[John Weaver] Their princes shall fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue. This shall be their derision in the land of Egypt." Hmm. Seems to me like God is pretty upset with them too. He has some fierce anger. So what I'm trying to make is Samuel's attitude was the same as God's attitude. You know the Bible says in Ephesians 4 verse 26, be angry and sin not. There is a biblical anger.

[John Weaver] There is a righteous indignation. Do you realize that biblical anger and a biblical righteous indignation is intended to resolve problems? When you and I get angry, most of the time it is a sinful anger. Because we either explode or we keep it inside and it eats us up. But if our anger is biblical, it will motivate us to resolve the problem.

[John Weaver] Now I want you to go back to 1 Samuel chapter 15, because I want you to see how Samuel resolved the problem. Look at it if you would, 1 Samuel 15 verse 11. God said, it repented me that I've set up Saul to be king, for he's turned back from following me and had not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel. Here's the first thing that he did.

[John Weaver] And he cried unto the Lord all night. The first thing he did was he cried to the Lord. And the word cried here literally means to shriek. It means to cry out of anguish or danger. Do you realize? that Samuel was trying out to the only one that could really do anything about the situation.

[John Weaver] Now, we have responsibilities, but just because we have responsibilities does not imply that we have abilities. And so Samuel said, Lord, this thing is so big, I know I anointed Him, but Lord, He's in control now. He's got the army. I can't do anything. Lord, You will have to work it out. So he cried out to God. I wish I had time to preach on Luke 18. That unjust judge. And shall not God avenge His own elect who crown Him day and night? Verily I say to you, He shall avenge them speedily. But first of all, he cried to the Lord.

[John Weaver] Secondly, look at verse 12. He confronted Saul. And when Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning, it was told Samuel, saying, Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he had set him up a place, and he's gone about and passed on and gone down to Gilgal. And when Samuel rose early to meet Saul, you know, most of us shirk from confrontation. We don't like to get in fusses and fights.

[John Weaver] Now, I'm not talking about fighting among brethren, Brother Dan, but you know, there has to be times that you confront someone over their sin and their wickedness and their rebellion and their ungodliness. That's a biblical term even in the New Testament. Most of us would have slept in that day, but not Samuel. He arose early. He said, I've got a duty. I've got a responsibility. I'm going to meet the reprobate right now and I'm going to confront him to his face.

[John Weaver] I wish I could preach the message to you that Gad Hitchcock preached. In fact, I did preach it. I was asked to preach it. Gad Hitchcock was one of those early founders of our country. He was a preacher. You know, back in those days, no one could be elected in the office without having an election sermon preached to them. And in that election sermon, they told the ruler what his responsibility was. And also they told the people what their responsibilities were to the ruler. And so Dad Hitchcock had been appointed to preach to the newly elected governor. And when he got there, he found out The newly elected governor was General Gage himself with his army behind him who came to enforce the King of England's demands on the colonies. Read the message. Oged Hitchcock looked at General Gage with his army standing behind him.

[John Weaver] And he preached to him from Proverbs 29, when the wicked bear rule, the righteous mourn. He said, some people may say that it's circumstances that are causing all of this trouble. He said, no, no, no. He said, I will tell you, talking to General Gage, and I will tell the tyrant to his face, George III, that it's because the wicked bear rule that we're in this position. So he confronted Saul. That's not all.

[John Weaver] Look, if you would please, at verse 17. Thirdly, he rebukes Saul. Notice verse 17. He said, And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own eyesight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel? And the Lord anointed thee to be king over Israel. And the Lord sent thee on a journey and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed. Wherefore, then, didst thou fly, not obey the voice of the Lord, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the Lord? Now, listen to this. He said, Saul, when you were little, God made you the king.

[John Weaver] Now that you think you're somebody, you think you can just disobey God. And he said, I'll tell you what your real problem is. You're a covetous individual, and you're a thief. You flew upon the spoil. You wanted what you wanted for yourself. You could care less about God's honor and God's glory. You're a thief. Look in verse 22. Samuel said, have the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings. After he said, we just saved these to offer to God. Samuel said, have the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord.

[John Weaver] Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as in a witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king. So he rebuketh Saul. And notice, if you would, He also rejected Saul. He said, that's it. Saul said, now, Samuel, verse 26, come return with me.

[John Weaver] Honor me before the people. Samuel said, no, I will not return. You've rejected the Word of God and God's rejected you. Let me make a statement. I want you to listen to me and I'm going to show you another passage. Samuel. would not have prayed at Saul's inauguration. He would not have attended the inaugural ball or the inaugural parade. I want you to hold, First Samuel. But turn in your Bibles to 2 Kings 3. I'm just trying to show you the biblical attitude toward ungodly rulers. Look in 2 Kings 3. Elisha understood this as well as Samuel. Here are three kings that got together, and they are going to defeat an enemy. Look in 2 Kings 3, and let's begin reading there with verse 9. Watch carefully.

[John Weaver] So the king of Israel went, who, by the way, was an apostate, and the king of Judah, which was Jehoshaphat, and the king of Edom. And they fetched a compass of seven days' journey, and there was no water for the host, and for the cattle that followed them. And the king of Israel said, Alas, that the Lord hath called these three kings together to deliver them in the hand of Moab. But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the Lord, that we may inquire of the Lord by him? And one of the kings of Israel's servants answered and said, Here's Elisha, the son of Shaphat, who poured water upon the hands of Elijah. Then Jehoshaphat said, The word of the Lord is with him. Now watch. So the king of Israel, who was a reprobate, and Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, and the king of Edom, who also was unsaved, went down to a tent. And Elisha said to the king of Israel, What have I to do with thee? Get thee to the prophets of thy father and the prophets of thy mother.

[John Weaver] What have I got to do? Why are you coming to me? You've got the prophets of Baal. Go to them. And the king of Israel said of him, Nay, nay, for the Lord hath called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab. And Elisha said, As the Lord of hosts liveth before whom I stand, surely, surely, if it were not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor see thee."

[John Weaver] Let me spell that out. I wouldn't spit on you if you were on fire. Wow. So Samuel rejected Saul, just like Elisha rejected the king of Israel. And if you'll look in chapter 16 of verse one, you'll also find something else that Samuel did. He replaced Saul. And the Lord said to Samuel, how long will thou mourn for Saul, seeing I've rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill thine horn with oil and go and I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite for I provided me a king among his sons. Wow. Do you understand? That a biblical attitude.

[John Weaver] Will move you and motivate you. To cry to the Lord. It will motivate you to confront the wicked, to rebuke the wicked, to reject the wicked. and finally replace them. You say, now, Brother Weaver, that sounds harsh. We need to pray for those in authority over us. I won't cover that tonight. You're going to find out we pray for them, not for their benefit, but for our benefit. You say, that still sounds harsh.

[John Weaver] Well, let me tell you something a little bit harsher. I've got a message I preached many years ago, still preach it, on the biblical doctrine of hatred. I just preached the message recently, praying against the wicked. You know what David said in Psalm 139? Do not I hate them, O God, that hate thee. Yea, I hate them with perfect hatred. I count them my enemies. And you know what the very next verse says? Search me, O God, and know my heart, and see if there be wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." There is a biblical doctrine of hatred, and I've got news for you folks.

[John Weaver] We need to get upset. We need to get angry. We need to get ticked off. We need to be motivated and say, Thus saith the Lord. Here is what God said, and you're changing not only The Constitution, you're not only changing our country, you're even attempting to change our convictions and our beliefs and our Christianity. And we're not going to put up with it. And if you can't rule us the way you're supposed to, we have an absolute right, which I'll show you tonight, to totally disregard and disobey you.

[John Weaver] But we have to begin with a biblical attitude. We have to come to the place where you understand that we are in imminent danger. We are, folks. Look at what they're trying to do to the Second Amendment. Look at what they're trying to do. When Justice Scalia said the Constitution is dead, dead, dead, he didn't have to pronounce it. All he had to do was look at the politicians in Congress and you understand they consider it dead.

[John Weaver] It's time we got upset. It's time we got righteously indignant and righteously angry and say we're not going to put up with it anymore. That's what our forefathers finally did in 1861. Jefferson Davis said, I had rather leave the Union with the Constitution than remain in the Union without the Constitution. Alexander Hamilton Stevens, vice president of the Confederacy. Said we did not leave the union to forsake the Constitution. We left it in order to preserve the principles in the Constitution. It's time. We get angry.

[John Weaver] Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we ask your blessing and help. Teach us, we pray. Build us up in the most holy faith. In Christ's name we ask it. Amen.

Ungodly Rulers

John Weaver | WeaverLibrary

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	WeaverLibrary
Media ID	2113745150
Subject	Civil Government
Course	Civil Government: Power, Nations, and Constitutional Order: War in the Gates
Genre	Sermon
Date	2013-01-31
Dictation Name
Book	Book 009: Civil Government: Power, Nations, and Constitutional Order — Chapter 14
Source Timed Segments	82

Formatted Transcript

Introduction: The Need for a Biblical Attitude

Weaver introduces the topic by emphasizing that Christians must submit their minds to Scripture and develop biblical attitudes on every subject, including ungodly rulers.

There's so much that I want to preach, and I certainly cannot preach everything that I would like to, but I want to begin by showing you the biblical attitude toward ungodly rulers. I'm going to be developing a number of principles from Romans 13 and a number of other passages, but I want you to see this this morning. 1 Samuel 15, beginning with verse 1:

Scripture Reading — 1 Samuel 15:1-3

"Samuel also said unto Saul, The Lord sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt. Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass."

And Saul gathered the people together, and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah. And Saul came to a city of Amalek, and laid wait in the valley. And Saul said unto the Kenites, Go, depart, get you down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them: for ye showed kindness to all the children of Israel, when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites. And Saul smote the Amalekites from Havilah until thou comest to Shur, that is over against Egypt. And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them: but every thing that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly. Then came the word of the Lord unto Samuel, saying, It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments.

And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the Lord all night." So the subject is the biblical attitude toward ungodly rulers. I hope you understand that an attitude is a disposition. It's a frame of mind. It's a way of thinking. And it's a way of thinking toward any given subject or any given person or any given incident. In fact, we have met people and we would say after they leave, "I don't like his attitude." Everyone understands what an attitude is. The problem with most Christian folks is this: Most of our attitudes are unbiblical and ungodly. And because they're unbiblical and ungodly, it leads to apathy and it leads to indifference and inaction. To put it a little more bluntly, it leads to sin and rebellion and ungodliness. You have to understand that as Christians, we must submit our minds to the Word of God. God is not going to condescend to think the way we think. We must learn to think the way God thinks.

You remember that passage in Isaiah 55, verses 8 and 9, where God says, "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." So God is up here and we are down here. The Bible tells us in Philippians 2 and verse 5, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." Everyone in here probably can quote Romans 12, 1 and 2, where Paul said,

Scripture Reading — Romans 12:1-2

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

Now listen:

Scripture Reading — Romans 12:1-2

"And be not conformed to this world"

—don't be pressed into the mold of the world—

Scripture Reading — Romans 12:1-2

"but be ye transformed"

—how?—

Scripture Reading — Romans 12:1-2

"by the renewing of your mind."

The Bible tells us in Ephesians 4, verse 23, "be renewed in the spirit of your mind." In 1 Peter 4, verse 1, we're to be armed with the mind of Jesus Christ. I want to show you one verse, whole 1 Samuel 15. We're coming back there.

But look in your Bibles, if you would, please, to the book of 2 Corinthians, chapter 10. 2 Corinthians, chapter 10. And notice verses 4 and 5. 2 Corinthians, chapter 10. Look at verses 4 and 5. The Apostle Paul says it like this: "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds."

Now let me just tell you that this is a military illustration. The Apostle Paul is not here talking about and condemning what you and I would call carnal weaponry. He's not saying don't have rifles and don't have shotguns and don't have pistols. All he is saying is this: that carnal weapons for the kind of warfare that he is talking about are absolutely useless.

Now look what he says in verse 4. He says, "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds." Now, let me tell you what a stronghold is. It's your place of defense. So if someone comes through that back door shooting a .357 Magnum, I'm going to duck down behind this pulpit. You say, well, that's not much protection. It's better than what you've got. But if I duck down behind this pulpit, that becomes my stronghold, OK? Now I want to show you what man's stronghold is. Go back to verse 4.

He says, "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." So here's my question: How many thoughts and how many attitudes are you and I allowed that are unbiblical and ungodly? Not one. Not one. That means we have to learn to think biblically on every subject. How in the world can we think biblically unless we understand and know what the Bible teaches? How in the world can we think scripturally unless we are familiar with the Scriptures? You have to understand that biblical thinking requires biblical education. You have to learn to think as God would have us to think.

Scriptural Consequences of Wicked Rulers

Proverbs 29:2, 28:12, and 28:28 are cited to show that when the wicked rule, the righteous mourn, hide themselves, and only increase when the wicked perish.

Now, let me show you just a couple of general scriptures regarding my subject. I want you to turn, please, to Proverbs 29. And look, if you would please, at verse 2. These verses probably are well known. And yet at the same time, I think they are very appropriate for our day and time. Notice in Proverbs chapter 29 and verse 2:

Scripture Reading — Proverbs 29:2

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

And the word "mourn

Scripture Reading — Proverbs 29:2

" here means to groan and to sigh. How many people are really rejoicing now that the wicked are in control? Among us, none. Now the wicked may be rejoicing, but the righteous are not rejoicing. It's only when the righteous are in authority that the people rejoice. But when the wicked bear rule, the majority of the people, especially the righteous, mourn. Now look back in your Bibles to Proverbs 28 and look at verse 12. Proverbs 28 and verse 12: "

When righteous men do rejoice, there is great glory."

"But when the wicked rise, a man is hidden." What is he talking about, "when the wicked rise, a man is hidden"? Do you remember old good and godly Gideon, who was threshing wheat? Where? Behind the winepress. Why was he threshing wheat behind the winepress? He was hiding it from the wicked so they wouldn't steal it. Why are you so secretive? Why are you so private in this day and time? Because you don't want people to know what you have, because they will steal it, especially the government. You've seen that sticker that said, "Don't steal; the government hates competition." Well, that's true.

Look in Proverbs 28 and verse 28. Proverbs 28 and verse 28, he says it like this:

Scripture Reading — Proverbs 28:28

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

Isn't that interesting? When the wicked perish, the righteous increase. That's why David prayed, "Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just." Yeah, let the wicked perish. In other words, these verses reveal to us actually the result or the consequence of ungodly rulers. They do not necessarily give us the biblical attitude against or concerning ungodly rulers, but they do tell us about the consequences of it.

God's Requirement for Christian Rulers

Deuteronomy 17:15, Exodus 18:21, and 2 Samuel 23:1-3 are used to demonstrate that God ordained civil government and required rulers to be believers who fear God and hate covetousness.

We've got to remember, and I'll cover some of this tonight, Lord willing, but we've got to remember that it was God who ordained government. He not only ordained self-government and family government and church government, but civil government as well. God has the absolute sovereign right to lay down not only the qualifications for rulers, but also their limits as well. And did you know, in Deuteronomy chapter 17, if you want to turn there very quickly, Deuteronomy chapter 17, look if you would please at verse 15. The interesting thing, Deuteronomy 17 and verse 15, the Bible says this: "Thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee, whom the Lord thy God shall choose: one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee: thou mayest not set a stranger over thee, which is not thy brother." In other words, God required that a civil ruler be a brother, be a Christian, be a believer. He did not want a Muslim.

He did not want an atheist. He did not want someone who disbelieved in the Lord Jesus Christ. He said he's got to be someone not only whom I choose—and God's not going to choose a wicked man per se—but he said one from among the brethren. If you look very quickly in your Bibles to the book of Exodus chapter 18, I'm covering this quickly, I'll cover it probably in more detail later, but look in the book of Exodus chapter 18 and verse 21. Exodus chapter 18 and verse 21: "Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness." Well, that eliminates most of our politicians right there. The truth of the matter is this: Turn in your Bibles very quickly to 2 Samuel, chapter 23. 2 Samuel, chapter 23. And look, if you would, at what David writes and how many times David claims direct inspiration for this one simple truth. Look in 2 Samuel, chapter 23, verse 1: "Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said," Now here's what David said. I want you to note how many times he claims direct inspiration. He says, "The Spirit of the Lord spake by me." That's one time.

"And his word was in my tongue." That's twice. "The God of Israel said," that's three times. "The Rock of Israel spake to me," that's four times. Four times David claims direct inspiration for one simple sentence: "He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God." You cannot be just without the fear of God. And you cannot rule justly without the fear of God.

Now, I read those Scriptures. There's a whole lot more. But I summarized and I read several scriptures just to show you that God required Christian rulers. Our forefathers understood all of this. They took the Word of God very seriously. And I'm going to show you how seriously they took it before we get back to 1 Samuel chapter 15. I want to read to you just several statements from some of the original charters and from the original constitutions of the formation of these United States.

Historical Evidence: America's Founding Charters

Weaver reads from colonial charters and constitutions (East New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, North Carolina, South Carolina, Vermont) showing they all required officeholders to profess faith in Jesus Christ and the Scriptures.

Here's the fundamental constitution of the province of East New Jersey in America in 1683. Article 16: "Yet it is also hereby provided that no man shall be admitted a member of the great or common council or any other place of public trust who shall not profess faith in Jesus Christ." Here is the Charter of Delaware, 1701: "And that all persons who also profess to believe in Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world, shall be capable, notwithstanding other persuasions and practices, to serve this government in any capacity, both legislatively and executively." Notice, "all persons who profess faith in Jesus Christ." They could be rulers, but none other could. Here is Pennsylvania in 1701, basically the same: "And that all persons who also profess to believe in Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world, shall be capable to serve this government in any capacity, both legislatively and executively." So here's Pennsylvania and here's Delaware saying exactly the same thing. When you come to the Constitution of Delaware in 1776, listen to this, Article 22: "Every person who shall be chosen a member of either house or appointed to any office or place of trust, before taking a seat

or entering upon the execution of his office, shall take the following oath or affirmation: 'I, [blank], do profess faith in God the Father, and in Jesus Christ His only Son, and in the Holy Ghost, one God, blessed forevermore. And I do acknowledge the holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be given by divine inspiration.'" That was Delaware, 1776. If you were to be a ruler in Delaware, you had to profess faith in Jesus Christ. You had to profess faith in the inspiration of both the Old and the New Testament. Here's Georgia, the Constitution of Georgia in 1777: "The representative shall be chosen out of the residents in each county who shall reside at least 12 months in the state, and they shall be of the Protestant religion and of the age of 21 years."

Now realize Baptists are not Protestants, but you've got to understand in those days, it was just—they're saying no Catholics, no Jews, no atheists. You have to be a believer in Jesus Christ. Here's the Constitution of Maryland, 1776: "That every person appointed to any office or profit or trust shall, before he enters into the execution thereof, take the following oath: 'I, [blank], do swear that I do not hold myself bound in allegiance to the king of Great Britain, and that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to the state of Maryland,' and shall also subscribe a declaration of his belief in the Christian religion." Wow. Believe it or not, here's Massachusetts in 1780: "Any person chosen governor, lieutenant governor, counselor, senator or representative and accepting the trust shall, before he proceed to execute the duties of his place of office, shall make and subscribe to the following declaration: 'I, [blank], do declare that I believe the Christian religion and have a firm persuasion of its truth, and that I am seized and possessed in my own right of the property required by the Constitution as one qualified for the office or place to which I am elected.'"

But notice he said, "I believe the Christian religion and have a firm persuasion of its truth." When you get to New Hampshire in 1784, again, they talk about "provided nevertheless that no person shall be capable of being elected a senator who is not of the Protestant religion," and "every member of the House of Representatives shall be chosen by ballot and shall be of the Protestant religion." Brother Jeff, here is North Carolina 1776: "That no person who shall deny the being of God or the truth of the Protestant religion or the divine authority of either the Old or New Testaments, or who shall hold religious principles incompatible with the freedom and safety of the state, shall be capable of holding any office or place of public trust within this state." So once again, here's Pennsylvania 1776: "Each member of the house, before he takes his seat, shall make and subscribe the following declaration: 'I do believe in one God, the Creator and Governor of the universe, the rewarder of the good and the punisher of the wicked, and I do acknowledge the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be

given by divine inspiration.'" I don't care which state or colony you went to, everyone demanded Christian rulers. South Carolina, 1778: "That as soon as it may be after the first meeting of the Senate and the House of Representatives, they shall jointly in the House, etc., choose by ballots a lieutenant governor, both to continue for two years, and a privy council, all of the Protestant religion. And that no person shall be eligible to a seat in said Senate unless he be of the Protestant religion. No person shall be eligible to sit in the House of Representatives unless he be of the Protestant religion. That all persons in religious societies who acknowledge there is one God and a future state of rewards and punishments, and that God is publicly to be worshipped, shall be tolerated. The Christian Protestant religion shall be deemed and is hereby constituted and declared to be the established religion of this state." That was South Carolina in 1778.

Interestingly, here's Vermont in 1777: "Each member of the House of Representatives, before he takes his seat, has to say the same thing: 'I do believe in one God, the Creator and the Governor of the universe, the Rewarder of the good and the Punisher of the wicked. And I do acknowledge the scriptures of the Old Testament and the New Testament to be given by divine inspiration. And I own and profess the Protestant religion.'" So every one of our colonies demanded Christian rulers. Now, the question you have to ask is: What has happened? Let me show you how thoroughly our founding fathers understood the Christian religion. Do you realize that every state in the Union, initially every colony, had laws against blasphemy? And when they talked about blasphemy, they were talking about blasphemy against the Christian religion. In fact, blasphemy was usually directed either at the Bible or Christ or God. So in Massachusetts, the general court had enacted a law titled "An Act Against Atheism and Blasphemy" in 1697. And here is the law. Listen carefully: "That if any person shall presume willfully to blaspheme the holy name of God, Father, Son or Holy Ghost, either by denying, cursing, or reproaching the true God, His creation, or government of the world, or by denying, cursing, and reproaching the Holy Word of God, that is, the canonical Scriptures contained in the books

Laws Against Blasphemy in Early America

Examples from Massachusetts, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Connecticut illustrate how seriously the founders took Christianity, with punishments including branding, whipping, and death for blasphemy.

Now, the question you have to ask is: What has happened? Let me show you how thoroughly our founding fathers understood the Christian religion. Do you realize that every state in the Union, initially every colony, had laws against blasphemy? And when they talked about blasphemy, they were talking about blasphemy against the Christian religion. In fact, blasphemy was usually directed either at the Bible or Christ or God. So in Massachusetts, the general court had enacted a law titled "An Act Against Atheism and Blasphemy" in 1697. And here is the law. Listen carefully: "That if any person shall presume willfully to blaspheme the holy name of God, Father, Son or Holy Ghost, either by denying, cursing, or reproaching the true God, His creation, or government of the world, or by denying, cursing, and reproaching the Holy Word of God, that is, the canonical Scriptures contained in the books

of the Old and New Testaments, Genesis to Revelation, everyone so offending shall be punished by imprisonment, not exceeding six months, and until they find sureties for their good behavior, by setting in the pillory—that's where you have your head and your hands in the holes and you can't move—or by setting in the pillory, by whipping—are you listening?—boring through the tongue with a red-hot iron, or setting upon the gallows with a rope about his neck." The General Assembly of Maryland in 1723 passed a law which prohibited anyone from "wittingly, maliciously, and advisedly by writing or speaking blaspheme or curse God, or deny our Saviour Jesus Christ to be the Son of God, shall, for the first offense, be bored through the tongue and fined twenty pounds sterling. On a second offense, the offender was to be stigmatized by burning in the forehead with the letter B for blasphemer, and fined 40 pounds sterling. For the third offense, the offender was to suffer death without the benefit of clergy." Wow.

Now, our forefathers were kind of serious. In Pennsylvania, the same act was passed in 1700, and they said this: "That whosoever shall willfully, premeditatedly, and despitefully blaspheme or speak loosely or profanely of Almighty God, Christ Jesus, the Holy Spirit, or the Scriptures of truth, and is legally convicted thereof, shall forfeit and pay the sum of ten pounds for the use of the poor of the county where such offense was committed, or suffer three months' imprisonment and hard labor, as aforesaid, for the use of said poor." In Delaware, in 1741, a law was passed that required one guilty of blasphemy to be branded in his or her forehead with a letter B and publicly whipped on his or her bare back with 39 lashes well laid on. And finally, the General Court in Connecticut in 1750 enacted a law that required the death penalty for anyone guilty of blasphemy.

Now, I just want to show you how our founding fathers took Christianity and the Word of God exceedingly seriously. So, you have to ask: Were our founding fathers wrong? If they were not wrong, then you have to ask: What in the world has happened to our country? Well, the truth of the matter is, it is we who have apostatized from the foundation laid by our founding fathers.

The Example of Samuel and King Saul

The narrative of 1 Samuel 15 is examined: Saul's disobedience, God's rejection of him, and Samuel's response of grief (righteous anger), crying to the Lord, confronting, rebuking, and rejecting Saul.

First Samuel chapter 15. You know the story: how God sent King Saul to destroy the Amalekites. God said, "Kill them all, man, woman, infant and suckling, ox, sheep, camel, ass; don't spare anything." God had pronounced the death penalty against them. And you remember how Saul went and he did kill a lot of those Amalekites. But he spared Agag, the king, and he and the people spared the best of the oxen and the best of the sheep and all of this. And God spoke to Samuel, and He says this to him. Look in verse 10:

Scripture Reading — 1 Samuel 15:10-11

"Then came the word of the Lord unto Samuel, saying, It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the Lord all night."

Now, first of all, let me point out what the Bible says in verse 11. God says that He repents that He set up King Saul. Why? He says,

Scripture Reading — 1 Samuel 15:10-11

"for he is turned back from following me."

Now, Saul's disobedience was not just simply a single act. I'm going to demonstrate this. Saul was constantly and continually disobeying God. In fact, the word "turned back from following me"—the Hebrew word indicates to return, to go back, to retreat. So Saul then was running the opposite way in which God was going. He was retreating. He was going back from God. What is the evidence that Saul had turned back?

Well, look in verse 11. He says, "It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me"—watch—"and hath not performed my commandments." What is the evidence that we know that King Saul turned back? He didn't obey God. Please listen to me. Christians have become so enamored with the world and with the word "compromise." And we have such a low view of Scripture and such a low view of regeneration and conversion. When anyone says, "I'm a Christian," we automatically believe them. You don't believe what people say. You believe what people do. Our Lord said, "By their fruit ye shall know them."

I've got news for you. You go to Congress right now and except for the professed Muslims and Buddhists and Hindus, you ask how many are Christian? Every one of them. And yet everything they do is contrary to God, contrary to His law, contrary to the Constitution. We have not had any Christian rulers.

Now, I want to tell you something. Have you ever stopped to think what would happen if someone like Pastor Chrisman or someone like Pastor Farrell got into Congress? I've had people tell me, "Brother Weaver, I just wish you could get up there and preach to those people." Let me give you some information. They wouldn't listen. They wouldn't hear a word that I said. They don't want it. Because they're not interested in obeying God. They're not interested in keeping His law. They're not interested in keeping their oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States. King Saul became an apostate ruler. He was refusing to obey God. He was refusing to follow God's commands. Saul rejected God. Now listen carefully. And God rejected Saul. Look in your Bibles, 1 Samuel 15, beginning there with verse 26:

Scripture Reading — 1 Samuel 15:26-28

"And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee: for thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord hath rejected thee from being king over Israel. And as Samuel turned about to go away, he laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle, and it rent. And Samuel said unto him, The Lord hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of thine, that is better than thou."

Saul said, "I'm not following God. I'm going to do what I want to do."

I wish I could just really preach on that. You know, when you set your thinking and you set your thoughts above the thoughts of the Word of God, that is idolatry. That is exactly what Saul was doing. He was not going to follow God's law. He was going to initiate a law of his own.

Now, I want you to note something. King Saul reigned for 40 years. I could not tell you the exact period of time, but probably when this happened, Saul may have already been reigning for 15 or 20 years, which means that King Saul probably reigned another 20 to 25 years under the curse and the judgment of God. You see, the problem is most people think, well, if God does not slap somebody down instantly, then He approves of what they're doing. That's not true. God's paydays are not always on Friday. Sometimes He lets men go on in their sins and their rebellion until the cup of iniquity is full. And you look around and you say, well, how in the world did Obama get elected a second term? And I got news for you. I don't even know that he really was. Do you realize all this voting on computers? You can control a computer from New York.

If something is not in black and white and signed where it can be counted, there's no way to verify anything. Read the book "Vote Scam" and you'll find out. It's interesting that here, someone who is so opposed to God, so contrary to God, as most of our politicians are, and yet people keep sending them back over. I, to this day, cannot figure out how Barney Frank got elected over and over and over. You watch them. God rejected.

So let's ask this question: What in the world was Samuel's attitude toward Saul? Saul was an ungodly ruler. He was rejected by God. What was Samuel's attitude toward him? Look in verse 11: "And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the Lord all night."

Now, before I tell you what Samuel's attitude was, let me tell you that Samuel's attitude was biblical and scriptural. And I might remind you that Samuel is listed in the heroes of faith in Hebrews 11 and verse 32. So what I'm going to show you right now is indeed the biblical attitude toward ungodly rulers. It was Samuel's attitude. I'm going to show you it was God's attitude as well. The Bible says in verse 11, "it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the Lord all night." So now you've got to ask yourself, what in the world does the word "grieved" mean? When we talk about the word "grieved," we think in modern day terms. We think of a widow

who grieves over her dead husband, or a widower who grieves over his dead wife, or parents who grieve over a dead child. And when we think about grief and being grieved, we think of someone who's brokenhearted, someone who's disturbed, someone who's troubled, someone who's almost inconsolable. In fact, there are people who grieve to the extent that they become actually not only inactive, but they're unable to function. They can't think, they can't move, they can't do anything. They're just grieving. Now, I told you all that just to say this. That has nothing to do with the word right here. So I want you to get that out of your mind. When you think about grieving, do not think about this word right here. The Bible says that he was grieved and he cried out unto the Lord.

Now, I don't doubt that there probably was a little bit of sorrow in Samuel's heart because of Saul. I'm sure he was friends with him initially. But let me tell you what the word "grieve" means. The Hebrew word here is the word "harah." And it means to burn. It means to kindle. It means to cause a fire to burn. The word actually emphasizes the kindling of anger like the kindling of a fire. The word is used 139 times here in our Bibles, and it's used both of God and man. Now let me tell you, and I'm going to show it to you from Scripture. Here's what it literally means. When it says, "and Samuel was grieved," here's what it means.

It means he was so ticked off, he was so upset, he was so angry, he could not contain himself. You say, where do you get that? Well, let me show you. Look in your Bibles to Genesis 39. Everybody knows this story. Genesis chapter 39. By the way, every one of these passages that I'm going to show you, the word is exactly the same. It's translated a little differently, but it's still the same word. Notice, if you would, Genesis chapter 39. You know the story of Joseph being sold into slavery and he gets down to Potiphar's house. And of course, the Lord blesses Potiphar because of Joseph being there and Joseph had control over everything. And you know how Potiphar's wife made advances toward Joseph and he rebuffed them.

And finally, one day she caught his garment and she said, "Come lie with me." And he fled and he left his garment. And when her husband came home, she said, "You see how this Hebrew has come in to mock me?" And she lied. And Potiphar believed his wife. And I want you to look what happens. Genesis chapter 39, verse 19:

Scripture Reading — Genesis 39:19

"And it came to pass, when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spake unto him, saying, After this manner did thy servant to me; that his wrath was kindled."

What?

Now, let me tell you something. My wife and I just celebrated our 50th anniversary. Now, I'm not that old. I just got married when I was six. I mean, you know. No, no. We got married at 18. We've been married 50 years. If you think, if you try to mess with my wife, that I'm just going to be so sorrowful and so grieved, I'll be so inactive, and I can't function, I've got news for you. You mess with my wife, you're dead. If I can get to you, I mean, I'm just not going to allow it.

That's what was happening here. Potiphar says, "Uh-uh, uh-uh, brother. You're not messing with my wife. You're going into the deepest prison." That's what it means. He was angry. He was upset. If I hit on any man's wife in here, you'd be upset too. At least you better be. You should be. I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Numbers, chapter 25, because I want you to see how this is used of God Himself. Numbers, chapter 25.

And you know the story here in this particular passage where the children of Israel are sinning. They committed not only idolatry, but fornication. But I want you to look in Numbers chapter 25. And let's begin reading there with verse 2:

Scripture Reading — Numbers 25:2-4

"And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods. And Israel joined himself unto Baalpeor: and the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel. And the Lord said unto Moses, Take all the heads of the people, and hang them up before the Lord against the sun, that the fierce anger of the Lord may be turned away from Israel."

Do you think that fornication and idolatry just made God get to the position where, "Oh, I'm so sorry. I can't function. I don't know what to..."? No, sir. It was His fierce anger. And God said, "I'll tell you what you do. You hang every one of them. You kill them all." If you'll look in your Bibles to the book of Jeremiah, chapter 25.

Same word. Jeremiah, chapter 25. Look at verses 37 and 38. Jeremiah 25, verse 37: "And the peaceable habitations are cut down because of the fierce anger of the Lord." He has forsaken his covert, as the lion: for their land is desolate because of the fierceness of the oppressor, and because of his fierce anger. Wow. I want you to understand that Samuel's attitude in his anger against Saul was the same as God's. If you would turn right over to the book of Hosea. Look in Hosea chapter 7. Hosea chapter 7. Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos. Sometimes I say that for myself and not just for you. Look in your Bibles, Hosea chapter seven, verse two. Look what God says, and he's talking not only about the people here, but the rulers.

He said, "They consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness: now their own doings have beset them about; they are before my face. They make the king glad with their wickedness, and the princes with their lies. They are all adulterers, as an oven heated by the baker, who ceaseth from raising after he hath kneaded the dough, until it be leavened. In the day of our king the princes have made him sick with bottles of wine; he stretched out his hand with scorners. For they have made ready their heart like an oven, whilst they lie in wait: their baker sleepeth all the night; in the morning it burneth as a flaming fire. They are all hot as an oven, and have devoured their judges; all their kings are fallen: there is none among them that calleth unto me." Skip down to verse 13: "Woe unto them! for they have fled from me: destruction unto them! because they have transgressed against me.

Though I have redeemed them, yet they have spoken lies against me. And they have not cried unto me with their heart, when they howled upon their beds: they assemble themselves for corn and wine, and they rebel against me. Though I have bound and strengthened their arms, yet do they imagine mischief against me. They return, but not to the most High: they are like a deceitful bow. Their princes shall fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue: this shall be their derision in the land of Egypt." Hmm. Seems to me like God is pretty upset with them too. He has some fierce anger. So what I'm trying to make is Samuel's attitude was the same as God's attitude. You know the Bible says in Ephesians 4 verse 26, "Be ye angry, and sin not." There is a biblical anger.

There is a righteous indignation. Do you realize that biblical anger and a biblical righteous indignation is intended to resolve problems? When you and I get angry, most of the time it is a sinful anger. Because we either explode or we keep it inside and it eats us up. But if our anger is biblical, it will motivate us to resolve the problem.

Now I want you to go back to 1 Samuel chapter 15, because I want you to see how Samuel resolved the problem. Look at it if you would, 1 Samuel 15 verse 11. God said, "It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel." Here's the first thing that he did. "And he cried unto the Lord all night." The first thing he did was he cried to the Lord. And the word "cried" here literally means to shriek. It means to cry out of anguish or danger. Do you realize that Samuel was crying out to the only one that could really do anything about the situation?

Now, we have responsibilities, but just because we have responsibilities does not imply that we have abilities. And so Samuel said, "Lord, this thing is so big, I know I anointed him, but Lord, he's in control now. He's got the army. I can't do anything. Lord, You will have to work it out." So he cried out to God. I wish I had time to preach on Luke 18. That unjust judge. "And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily." But first of all, he cried to the Lord.

Secondly, look at verse 12. He confronted Saul. "And when Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning, it was told Samuel, saying, Saul came to Carmel, and, behold, he set him up a place, and is gone about, and passed on, and gone down to Gilgal." And when Samuel rose early to meet Saul—you know, most of us shirk from confrontation. We don't like to get in fusses and fights.

Now, I'm not talking about fighting among brethren, Brother Dan, but you know, there has to be times that you confront someone over their sin and their wickedness and their rebellion and their ungodliness. That's a biblical term even in the New Testament. Most of us would have slept in that day, but not Samuel. He arose early. He said, "I've got a duty. I've got a responsibility. I'm going to meet the reprobate right now and I'm going to confront him to his face."

I wish I could preach the message to you that Gad Hitchcock preached. In fact, I did preach it. I was asked to preach it. Gad Hitchcock was one of those early founders of our country. He was a preacher. You know, back in those days, no one could be elected in the office without having an election sermon preached to them. And in that election sermon, they told the ruler what his responsibility was. And also they told the people what their responsibilities were to the ruler. And so Gad Hitchcock had been appointed to preach to the newly elected governor. And when he got there, he found out the newly elected governor was General Gage himself with his army behind him who came to enforce the King of England's demands on the colonies. Read the message. Gad Hitchcock looked at General Gage with his army standing behind him.

And he preached to him from Proverbs 29, "When the wicked bear rule, the righteous mourn." He said, "Some people may say that it's circumstances that are causing all of this trouble." He said, "No, no, no." He said, "I will tell you," talking to General Gage, "and I will tell the tyrant to his face, George III, that it's because the wicked bear rule that we're in this position." So he confronted Saul. That's not all. Look, if you would please, at verse 17. Thirdly, he rebukes Saul. Notice verse 17: "And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the Lord anointed thee king over Israel? And the Lord sent thee on a journey, and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed. Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the Lord, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the Lord?" Now, listen to this. He said, "Saul, when you were little, God made you the king.

Now that you think you're somebody, you think you can just disobey God." And he said, "I'll tell you what your real problem is. You're a covetous individual, and you're a thief. You flew upon the spoil. You wanted what you wanted for yourself. You could care less about God's honor and God's glory. You're a thief." Look in verse 22: "And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king." So he rebuked Saul. And notice, if you would, he also rejected Saul. He said, "That's it." Saul said, "Now, Samuel, verse 26, come return with me.

Honor me before the people." Samuel said, "No, I will not return. You've rejected the Word of God and God's rejected you." Let me make a statement. I want you to listen to me and I'm going to show you another passage. Samuel would not have prayed at Saul's inauguration. He would not have attended the inaugural ball or the inaugural parade. I want you to hold 1 Samuel. But turn in your Bibles to 2 Kings 3. I'm just trying to show you the biblical attitude toward ungodly rulers. Look in 2 Kings 3. Elisha understood this as well as Samuel. Here are three kings that got together, and they are going to defeat an enemy. Look in 2 Kings 3, and let's begin reading there with verse 9. Watch carefully.

Elisha's Rejection of the Wicked King

2 Kings 3 shows Elisha refusing to acknowledge the ungodly king of Israel, paralleling Samuel's rejection of Saul.

"So the king of Israel went, and the king of Judah, and the king of Edom: and they fetched a compass of seven days' journey: and there was no water for the host, and for the cattle that followed them. And the king of Israel said, Alas! that the Lord hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab! But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the Lord, that we may enquire of the Lord by him? And one of the king of Israel's servants answered and said, Here is Elisha the son of Shaphat, which poured water on the hands of Elijah. And Jehoshaphat said, The word of the Lord is with him. So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him. And Elisha said unto the king of Israel, What have I to do with thee? get thee to the prophets of thy father, and to the prophets of thy mother.

What have I got to do? Why are you coming to me? You've got the prophets of Baal. Go to them. And the king of Israel said unto him, Nay: for the Lord hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab. And Elisha said, As the Lord of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor see thee." Let me spell that out. I wouldn't spit on you if you were on fire. Wow. So Samuel rejected Saul, just like Elisha rejected the king of Israel. And if you'll look in chapter 16, verse 1, you'll also find something else that Samuel did. He replaced Saul. "And the Lord said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons." Wow. Do you understand that a biblical attitude

will move you and motivate you to cry to the Lord? It will motivate you to confront the wicked, to rebuke the wicked, to reject the wicked, and finally replace them. You say, "Now, Brother Weaver, that sounds harsh. We need to pray for those in authority over us." I won't cover that tonight. You're going to find out we pray for them, not for their benefit, but for our benefit. You say, "That still sounds harsh."

The Duty to Replace Wicked Rulers

1 Samuel 16:1 shows God instructing Samuel to anoint a new king, demonstrating that the biblical response includes replacing ungodly rulers.

Let me spell that out. I wouldn't spit on you if you were on fire. Wow. So Samuel rejected Saul, just like Elisha rejected the king of Israel. And if you'll look in chapter 16, verse 1, you'll also find something else that Samuel did. He replaced Saul. "And the Lord said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons." Wow. Do you understand that a biblical attitude

Application: Righteous Anger and Action Today

Weaver calls for righteous indignation against modern ungodly rulers, citing Psalm 139 and historical examples like Jefferson Davis, urging believers to confront and disobey unconstitutional commands.

Well, let me tell you something a little bit harsher. I've got a message I preached many years ago, still preach it, on the biblical doctrine of hatred. I just preached the message recently, praying against the wicked. You know what David said in Psalm 139? "Do not I hate them, O Lord, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee? I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies." And you know what the very next verse says? "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." There is a biblical doctrine of hatred, and I've got news for you folks.

We need to get upset. We need to get angry. We need to get ticked off. We need to be motivated and say, "Thus saith the Lord. Here is what God said, and you're changing not only the Constitution, you're not only changing our country, you're even attempting to change our convictions and our beliefs and our Christianity. And we're not going to put up with it. And if you can't rule us the way you're supposed to, we have an absolute right, which I'll show you tonight, to totally disregard and disobey you."

But we have to begin with a biblical attitude. We have to come to the place where you understand that we are in imminent danger. We are, folks. Look at what they're trying to do to the Second Amendment. Look at what they're trying to do. When Justice Scalia said the Constitution is dead, dead, dead, he didn't have to pronounce it. All he had to do was look at the politicians in Congress and you understand they consider it dead.

It's time we got upset. It's time we got righteously indignant and righteously angry and say we're not going to put up with it anymore. That's what our forefathers finally did in 1861. Jefferson Davis said, "I had rather leave the Union with the Constitution than remain in the Union without the Constitution." Alexander Hamilton Stephens, vice president of the Confederacy, said, "We did not leave the union to forsake the Constitution. We left it in order to preserve the principles in the Constitution." It's time we get angry. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we ask your blessing and help. Teach us, we pray. Build us up in the most holy faith. In Christ's name we ask it. Amen.

Study Guide

Major Themes

Biblical Thinking and the Renewed Mind

Summary: Christians must submit their minds to Scripture and develop biblical attitudes on every subject, rejecting worldly thinking.

Evidence: Weaver cites Romans 12:1-2, Ephesians 4:23, Philippians 2:5, and 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 to argue that believers must be transformed by renewing their minds and bringing every thought captive to Christ.

God's Design for Civil Government

Summary: God ordained civil government and established qualifications for rulers, requiring them to be believers who fear God and obey His law.

Evidence: Deuteronomy 17:15, Exodus 18:21, and 2 Samuel 23:1-3 are cited to show that rulers must be chosen by God from among the brethren, fear God, hate covetousness, and rule justly.

Righteous Anger Toward Wicked Rulers

Summary: The biblical attitude toward ungodly rulers includes righteous indignation and anger, not passive grief or sorrow.

Evidence: The Hebrew word 'harah' in 1 Samuel 15:11 is shown to mean burning anger, as in Genesis 39:19 and Numbers 25:2-4, indicating Samuel's fierce anger at Saul's disobedience.

Confrontation and Rejection of Wickedness

Summary: Believers are called to confront, rebuke, and reject ungodly rulers, not to honor or cooperate with them.

Evidence: Samuel confronted Saul (1 Samuel 15:12-23), refused to return with him (v. 26), and Elisha refused to look at the king of Israel (2 Kings 3:13-14).

Replacement of Ungodly Rulers

Summary: The biblical response includes actively working to replace wicked rulers with godly ones.

Evidence: 1 Samuel 16:1 shows God instructing Samuel to anoint David as king after rejecting Saul.

Historical Apostasy from Christian Foundations

Summary: America has departed from its founding principles by tolerating and electing ungodly rulers, contrary to the explicit Christian requirements in early colonial charters.

Evidence: Weaver reads multiple colonial charters requiring faith in Christ for office, and contrasts them with modern politicians who claim Christianity but act contrary to God's law.

Key Arguments

Attitudes Determine Actions

Summary: Unbiblical attitudes lead to apathy, sin, and rebellion; therefore, Christians must adopt a biblical attitude toward ungodly rulers.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'Most of our attitudes are unbiblical and ungodly. And because they're unbiblical and ungodly, it leads to apathy and it leads to indifference and inaction.'

God Requires Christian Rulers

Summary: Scripture explicitly commands that civil rulers be believers who fear God, and early American law reflected this requirement.

Evidence: Deuteronomy 17:15 says 'one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee,' and colonial charters like Delaware's 1776 constitution required officeholders to profess faith in Christ.

Saul's Disobedience Was Apostasy

Summary: Saul's failure to obey God's commands was not a single act but a pattern of turning back from following God, evidenced by his disobedience.

Evidence: 1 Samuel 15:11 says Saul 'hath not performed my commandments,' and Weaver explains the Hebrew word for 'turned back' indicates a retreat from God.

Samuel's Grief Was Righteous Anger

Summary: The word 'grieved' in 1 Samuel 15:11 means burning anger, not passive sorrow, and Samuel's response mirrors God's own fierce anger against sin.

Evidence: The Hebrew word 'harah' is used in Genesis 39:19 for Potiphar's wrath and in Numbers 25:2-4 for God's anger, indicating intense indignation.

Believers Must Confront and Reject Wicked Rulers

Summary: Samuel's actions—crying to God, confronting, rebuking, and rejecting Saul—provide a pattern for how Christians should respond to ungodly leaders.

Evidence: Samuel arose early to meet Saul (1 Samuel 15:12), rebuked him for disobedience (vv. 17-23), and refused to honor him before the people (v. 26).

Prayer for Rulers Is for Our Benefit, Not Theirs

Summary: While Scripture commands prayer for those in authority, the purpose is for the benefit of the righteous, not the wicked rulers themselves.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'We pray for them, not for their benefit, but for our benefit,' referencing Luke 18 and the parable of the unjust judge.

There Is a Biblical Doctrine of Hatred

Summary: Psalm 139:21-22 teaches a perfect hatred for those who hate God, which is consistent with righteous indignation against ungodly rulers.

Evidence: Weaver quotes David: 'Do not I hate them, O Lord, that hate thee? ... I hate them with perfect hatred,' and notes the following verse calls for self-examination.

America's Founders Understood the Right to Resist Tyranny

Summary: Historical figures like Jefferson Davis and Alexander Stephens argued that leaving the Union was necessary to preserve the Constitution against ungodly rule.

Evidence: Weaver quotes Davis: 'I had rather leave the Union with the Constitution than remain in the Union without the Constitution,' and Stephens' similar sentiment.

Scripture References

1 Samuel 15:1-3

Context: God commands Saul to utterly destroy the Amalekites.

1 Samuel 15:4-11

Context: Saul spares Agag and the best spoil; God repents of making Saul king.

Isaiah 55:8-9

Context: God's ways and thoughts are higher than man's.

Philippians 2:5

Context: Let this mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus.

Romans 12:1-2

Context: Present your bodies a living sacrifice; be transformed by renewing your mind.

Ephesians 4:23

Context: Be renewed in the spirit of your mind.

1 Peter 4:1

Context: Arm yourselves with the mind of Christ.

2 Corinthians 10:4-5

Context: Weapons of our warfare are mighty through God to pull down strongholds and bring every thought captive to Christ.

2 Timothy 2:15

Context: Study to show yourself approved unto God.

2 Peter 3:18

Context: Grow in grace and knowledge of Christ.

Proverbs 29:2

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

Proverbs 28:12

Context: When the wicked rise, a man is hidden.

Proverbs 28:28

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

Deuteronomy 17:15

Context: Set a king over you whom the Lord chooses, one from among your brethren, not a stranger.

Exodus 18:21

Context: Provide able men who fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness.

2 Samuel 23:1-3

Context: David claims inspiration: he who rules over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.

1 Samuel 15:10-11

Context: God repents of making Saul king; Samuel is grieved and cries to the Lord.

1 Samuel 15:26-28

Context: Samuel tells Saul the Lord has rejected him and torn the kingdom from him.

Genesis 39:19

Context: Potiphar's wrath was kindled (same Hebrew word as 'grieved' in 1 Samuel 15:11).

Numbers 25:2-4

Context: The anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel for idolatry and fornication.

Historical References

Fundamental Constitution of East New Jersey (1683)

Context: Required public officials to profess faith in Jesus Christ.

Charter of Delaware (1701)

Context: Allowed only those professing faith in Jesus Christ to serve in government.

Pennsylvania Charter (1701)

Context: Similar requirement that officeholders profess faith in Jesus Christ.

Constitution of Delaware (1776)

Context: Required oath professing faith in the Trinity and divine inspiration of Scripture.

Constitution of Georgia (1777)

Context: Required representatives to be of the Protestant religion.

Constitution of Maryland (1776)

Context: Required officeholders to declare belief in the Christian religion.

Massachusetts Constitution (1780)

Context: Required governor and legislators to declare belief in the Christian religion.

New Hampshire Constitution (1784)

Context: Required senators and representatives to be of the Protestant religion.

North Carolina Constitution (1776)

Context: Barred from office anyone denying God, the Protestant religion, or divine authority of Scripture.

Pennsylvania Constitution (1776)

Context: Required legislators to declare belief in God and divine inspiration of Scripture.

Important Quotes

Most of our attitudes are unbiblical and ungodly. And because they're unbiblical and ungodly, it leads to apathy and it leads to indifference and inaction.

Significance: Establishes the central problem: Christians have wrong attitudes that produce sinful passivity.

God is not going to condescend to think the way we think. We must learn to think the way God thinks.

Significance: Emphasizes the necessity of submitting our minds to Scripture rather than expecting God to accommodate our thinking.

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

Significance: David's inspired statement of the essential qualification for rulers, cited as a divine requirement.

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

Significance: God's own words showing His rejection of a ruler who disobeys His commands.

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

Significance: Key verse demonstrating Samuel's righteous anger and his first response of crying out to God.

Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.

Significance: Samuel's rebuke of Saul equating disobedience with witchcraft and idolatry, underscoring the seriousness of rejecting God's commands.

As the Lord of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor see thee.

Significance: Elisha's bold rejection of the wicked king of Israel, paralleling Samuel's attitude.

Do not I hate them, O Lord, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee? I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.

Significance: David's declaration of perfect hatred for God's enemies, used to support the biblical doctrine of hatred.

Discussion Questions

What does it mean to have a 'biblical attitude' toward ungodly rulers, and how does that differ from common Christian responses today?

Context: Weaver argues that most Christian attitudes are unbiblical and lead to apathy.

How do Proverbs 29:2, 28:12, and 28:28 describe the consequences of wicked rulers, and what implications do these verses have for our political engagement?

Context: These verses show that the righteous mourn and hide when the wicked rule.

Why did early American colonies require officeholders to profess faith in Christ, and what does that historical precedent mean for us today?

Context: Weaver reads multiple colonial charters with Christian requirements for rulers.

In what way was Samuel's grief actually righteous anger, and how should that shape our emotional response to wicked leadership?

Context: The Hebrew word 'harah' means burning anger, as seen in Genesis 39 and Numbers 25.

What are the practical steps Samuel took in response to Saul's disobedience, and how can we apply those steps today?

Context: Samuel cried to the Lord, confronted, rebuked, rejected, and replaced Saul.

How does Elisha's treatment of the king of Israel in 2 Kings 3 inform our understanding of how to relate to ungodly leaders?

Context: Elisha refused to look at or acknowledge the wicked king.

What is the 'biblical doctrine of hatred' from Psalm 139, and how can it coexist with the command to love our enemies?

Context: Weaver cites David's perfect hatred for God's enemies and the following call for self-examination.

How should the historical examples of Jefferson Davis and Alexander Stephens influence our thinking about resisting unconstitutional government today?

Context: Weaver quotes them to show a willingness to leave the Union to preserve the Constitution.

Applications

Renew Your Mind with Scripture

Summary: Christians must study the Bible to develop biblical attitudes on every subject, including civil government, rather than conforming to worldly thinking.

Evidence: Weaver emphasizes Romans 12:2 and 2 Corinthians 10:5, stating that we must bring every thought captive to Christ and be transformed by renewing our minds.

Cry Out to God in Prayer

Summary: When faced with ungodly rulers, the first response should be fervent prayer, crying out to God for intervention.

Evidence: Samuel 'cried unto the Lord all night' (1 Samuel 15:11), and Weaver connects this to Luke 18's parable of the persistent widow.

Confront and Rebuke Wickedness

Summary: Believers should not shrink from confronting ungodly rulers and rebuking their disobedience to God's law.

Evidence: Samuel arose early to meet Saul and directly rebuked him for his covetousness and rebellion (1 Samuel 15:12-23).

Reject and Refuse to Honor Ungodly Leaders

Summary: Christians should not participate in honoring or legitimizing wicked rulers, even refusing to attend their ceremonies.

Evidence: Samuel refused to return with Saul to honor him before the people (1 Samuel 15:26), and Weaver states Samuel would not have attended Saul's inauguration.

Work to Replace Wicked Rulers

Summary: The biblical pattern includes actively seeking to replace ungodly leaders with those who fear God.

Evidence: God instructed Samuel to anoint David as king after rejecting Saul (1 Samuel 16:1).

Cultivate Righteous Anger

Summary: Believers should develop a holy indignation against wickedness that motivates action, not sinful passivity or explosive rage.

Evidence: Weaver explains that biblical anger is intended to resolve problems, citing Ephesians 4:26 and Samuel's example.

Disobey Unconstitutional Commands

Summary: When rulers command what is contrary to God's law or the Constitution, believers have a right to disregard and disobey.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'If you can't rule us the way you're supposed to, we have an absolute right... to totally disregard and disobey you.'

Examine Your Own Heart

Summary: While hating evil, believers must continually ask God to search their hearts for any wicked way in themselves.

Evidence: After declaring his perfect hatred, David immediately prayed, 'Search me, O God, and know my heart' (Psalm 139:23-24).

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-06T20:55:54Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T20:59:37Z

Clean Transcript

Ungodly Rulers

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

There's so much that I want to preach, and I certainly cannot preach everything that I would like to, but I want to begin by showing you the biblical attitude toward ungodly rulers. I'm going to be developing a number of principles from Romans 13 and a number of other passages, but I want you to see this this morning. 1 Samuel 15, beginning with verse 1: "Samuel also said unto Saul, The Lord sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt. Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass."
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And Saul gathered the people together, and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah. And Saul came to a city of Amalek, and laid wait in the valley. And Saul said unto the Kenites, Go, depart, get you down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them: for ye showed kindness to all the children of Israel, when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites. And Saul smote the Amalekites from Havilah until thou comest to Shur, that is over against Egypt. And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them: but every thing that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly. Then came the word of the Lord unto Samuel, saying, It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments.
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And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the Lord all night." So the subject is the biblical attitude toward ungodly rulers. I hope you understand that an attitude is a disposition. It's a frame of mind. It's a way of thinking. And it's a way of thinking toward any given subject or any given person or any given incident. In fact, we have met people and we would say after they leave, "I don't like his attitude." Everyone understands what an attitude is.
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The problem with most Christian folks is this: Most of our attitudes are unbiblical and ungodly. And because they're unbiblical and ungodly, it leads to apathy and it leads to indifference and inaction. To put it a little more bluntly, it leads to sin and rebellion and ungodliness. You have to understand that as Christians, we must submit our minds to the Word of God. God is not going to condescend to think the way we think. We must learn to think the way God thinks.
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You remember that passage in Isaiah 55, verses 8 and 9, where God says, "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." So God is up here and we are down here. The Bible tells us in Philippians 2 and verse 5, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus."
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Everyone in here probably can quote Romans 12, 1 and 2, where Paul said, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service."
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Now listen: "And be not conformed to this world"—don't be pressed into the mold of the world—"but be ye transformed"—how?—"by the renewing of your mind." The Bible tells us in Ephesians 4, verse 23, "be renewed in the spirit of your mind." In 1 Peter 4, verse 1, we're to be armed with the mind of Jesus Christ. I want to show you one verse, whole 1 Samuel 15. We're coming back there.
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But look in your Bibles, if you would, please, to the book of 2 Corinthians, chapter 10. 2 Corinthians, chapter 10. And notice verses 4 and 5. 2 Corinthians, chapter 10. Look at verses 4 and 5. The Apostle Paul says it like this: "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds."
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Now let me just tell you that this is a military illustration. The Apostle Paul is not here talking about and condemning what you and I would call carnal weaponry. He's not saying don't have rifles and don't have shotguns and don't have pistols. All he is saying is this: that carnal weapons for the kind of warfare that he is talking about are absolutely useless.
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Now look what he says in verse 4. He says, "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds."
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Now, let me tell you what a stronghold is. It's your place of defense. So if someone comes through that back door shooting a .357 Magnum, I'm going to duck down behind this pulpit. You say, well, that's not much protection. It's better than what you've got. But if I duck down behind this pulpit, that becomes my stronghold, OK? Now I want to show you what man's stronghold is. Go back to verse 4.
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He says, "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." So here's my question: How many thoughts and how many attitudes are you and I allowed that are unbiblical and ungodly? Not one. Not one. That means we have to learn to think biblically on every subject. How in the world can we think biblically unless we understand and know what the Bible teaches? How in the world can we think scripturally unless we are familiar with the Scriptures? You have to understand that biblical thinking requires biblical education. You have to learn to think as God would have us to think.
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That's why we read in 2 Timothy 2, "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed." That's why you read in 2 Peter 3 and verse 18 where Peter said, "But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." I might point out that you're not really growing in grace unless you're growing in knowledge, because that is how we learn and how we mature. So he says, grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
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Now, let me show you just a couple of general scriptures regarding my subject. I want you to turn, please, to Proverbs 29. And look, if you would please, at verse 2. These verses probably are well known. And yet at the same time, I think they are very appropriate for our day and time. Notice in Proverbs chapter 29 and verse 2: "When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn." And the word "mourn" here means to groan and to sigh. How many people are really rejoicing now that the wicked are in control? Among us, none. Now the wicked may be rejoicing, but the righteous are not rejoicing. It's only when the righteous are in authority that the people rejoice. But when the wicked bear rule, the majority of the people, especially the righteous, mourn. Now look back in your Bibles to Proverbs 28 and look at verse 12. Proverbs 28 and verse 12: "When righteous men do rejoice, there is great glory."
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"But when the wicked rise, a man is hidden." What is he talking about, "when the wicked rise, a man is hidden"? Do you remember old good and godly Gideon, who was threshing wheat? Where? Behind the winepress. Why was he threshing wheat behind the winepress? He was hiding it from the wicked so they wouldn't steal it. Why are you so secretive? Why are you so private in this day and time? Because you don't want people to know what you have, because they will steal it, especially the government. You've seen that sticker that said, "Don't steal; the government hates competition." Well, that's true.
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Look in Proverbs 28 and verse 28. Proverbs 28 and verse 28, he says it like this: "When the wicked rise, men hide themselves: but when they perish, the righteous increase." Isn't that interesting? When the wicked perish, the righteous increase. That's why David prayed, "Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just." Yeah, let the wicked perish. In other words, these verses reveal to us actually the result or the consequence of ungodly rulers. They do not necessarily give us the biblical attitude against or concerning ungodly rulers, but they do tell us about the consequences of it.
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We've got to remember, and I'll cover some of this tonight, Lord willing, but we've got to remember that it was God who ordained government. He not only ordained self-government and family government and church government, but civil government as well. God has the absolute sovereign right to lay down not only the qualifications for rulers, but also their limits as well. And did you know, in Deuteronomy chapter 17, if you want to turn there very quickly, Deuteronomy chapter 17, look if you would please at verse 15. The interesting thing, Deuteronomy 17 and verse 15, the Bible says this: "Thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee, whom the Lord thy God shall choose: one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee: thou mayest not set a stranger over thee, which is not thy brother." In other words, God required that a civil ruler be a brother, be a Christian, be a believer. He did not want a Muslim.
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He did not want an atheist. He did not want someone who disbelieved in the Lord Jesus Christ. He said he's got to be someone not only whom I choose—and God's not going to choose a wicked man per se—but he said one from among the brethren. If you look very quickly in your Bibles to the book of Exodus chapter 18, I'm covering this quickly, I'll cover it probably in more detail later, but look in the book of Exodus chapter 18 and verse 21. Exodus chapter 18 and verse 21: "Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness."
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Well, that eliminates most of our politicians right there. The truth of the matter is this: Turn in your Bibles very quickly to 2 Samuel, chapter 23. 2 Samuel, chapter 23. And look, if you would, at what David writes and how many times David claims direct inspiration for this one simple truth. Look in 2 Samuel, chapter 23, verse 1: "Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said," Now here's what David said. I want you to note how many times he claims direct inspiration. He says, "The Spirit of the Lord spake by me." That's one time.
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"And his word was in my tongue." That's twice. "The God of Israel said," that's three times. "The Rock of Israel spake to me," that's four times. Four times David claims direct inspiration for one simple sentence: "He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God." You cannot be just without the fear of God. And you cannot rule justly without the fear of God.
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Now, I read those Scriptures. There's a whole lot more. But I summarized and I read several scriptures just to show you that God required Christian rulers. Our forefathers understood all of this. They took the Word of God very seriously. And I'm going to show you how seriously they took it before we get back to 1 Samuel chapter 15. I want to read to you just several statements from some of the original charters and from the original constitutions of the formation of these United States.
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Here's the fundamental constitution of the province of East New Jersey in America in 1683. Article 16: "Yet it is also hereby provided that no man shall be admitted a member of the great or common council or any other place of public trust who shall not profess faith in Jesus Christ." Here is the Charter of Delaware, 1701: "And that all persons who also profess to believe in Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world, shall be capable, notwithstanding other persuasions and practices, to serve this government in any capacity, both legislatively and executively." Notice, "all persons who profess faith in Jesus Christ." They could be rulers, but none other could. Here is Pennsylvania in 1701, basically the same: "And that all persons who also profess to believe in Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world, shall be capable to serve this government in any capacity, both legislatively and executively." So here's Pennsylvania and here's Delaware saying exactly the same thing. When you come to the Constitution of Delaware in 1776, listen to this, Article 22: "Every person who shall be chosen a member of either house or appointed to any office or place of trust, before taking a seat
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or entering upon the execution of his office, shall take the following oath or affirmation: 'I, [blank], do profess faith in God the Father, and in Jesus Christ His only Son, and in the Holy Ghost, one God, blessed forevermore. And I do acknowledge the holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be given by divine inspiration.'" That was Delaware, 1776. If you were to be a ruler in Delaware, you had to profess faith in Jesus Christ. You had to profess faith in the inspiration of both the Old and the New Testament.
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Here's Georgia, the Constitution of Georgia in 1777: "The representative shall be chosen out of the residents in each county who shall reside at least 12 months in the state, and they shall be of the Protestant religion and of the age of 21 years."
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Now realize Baptists are not Protestants, but you've got to understand in those days, it was just—they're saying no Catholics, no Jews, no atheists. You have to be a believer in Jesus Christ. Here's the Constitution of Maryland, 1776: "That every person appointed to any office or profit or trust shall, before he enters into the execution thereof, take the following oath: 'I, [blank], do swear that I do not hold myself bound in allegiance to the king of Great Britain, and that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to the state of Maryland,' and shall also subscribe a declaration of his belief in the Christian religion." Wow. Believe it or not, here's Massachusetts in 1780: "Any person chosen governor, lieutenant governor, counselor, senator or representative and accepting the trust shall, before he proceed to execute the duties of his place of office, shall make and subscribe to the following declaration: 'I, [blank], do declare that I believe the Christian religion and have a firm persuasion of its truth, and that I am seized and possessed in my own right of the property required by the Constitution as one qualified for the office or place to which I am elected.'"
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But notice he said, "I believe the Christian religion and have a firm persuasion of its truth." When you get to New Hampshire in 1784, again, they talk about "provided nevertheless that no person shall be capable of being elected a senator who is not of the Protestant religion," and "every member of the House of Representatives shall be chosen by ballot and shall be of the Protestant religion." Brother Jeff, here is North Carolina 1776: "That no person who shall deny the being of God or the truth of the Protestant religion or the divine authority of either the Old or New Testaments, or who shall hold religious principles incompatible with the freedom and safety of the state, shall be capable of holding any office or place of public trust within this state." So once again, here's Pennsylvania 1776: "Each member of the house, before he takes his seat, shall make and subscribe the following declaration: 'I do believe in one God, the Creator and Governor of the universe, the rewarder of the good and the punisher of the wicked, and I do acknowledge the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be
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given by divine inspiration.'" I don't care which state or colony you went to, everyone demanded Christian rulers. South Carolina, 1778: "That as soon as it may be after the first meeting of the Senate and the House of Representatives, they shall jointly in the House, etc., choose by ballots a lieutenant governor, both to continue for two years, and a privy council, all of the Protestant religion. And that no person shall be eligible to a seat in said Senate unless he be of the Protestant religion. No person shall be eligible to sit in the House of Representatives unless he be of the Protestant religion. That all persons in religious societies who acknowledge there is one God and a future state of rewards and punishments, and that God is publicly to be worshipped, shall be tolerated. The Christian Protestant religion shall be deemed and is hereby constituted and declared to be the established religion of this state." That was South Carolina in 1778.
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Interestingly, here's Vermont in 1777: "Each member of the House of Representatives, before he takes his seat, has to say the same thing: 'I do believe in one God, the Creator and the Governor of the universe, the Rewarder of the good and the Punisher of the wicked. And I do acknowledge the scriptures of the Old Testament and the New Testament to be given by divine inspiration. And I own and profess the Protestant religion.'" So every one of our colonies demanded Christian rulers.
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Now, the question you have to ask is: What has happened? Let me show you how thoroughly our founding fathers understood the Christian religion. Do you realize that every state in the Union, initially every colony, had laws against blasphemy? And when they talked about blasphemy, they were talking about blasphemy against the Christian religion. In fact, blasphemy was usually directed either at the Bible or Christ or God. So in Massachusetts, the general court had enacted a law titled "An Act Against Atheism and Blasphemy" in 1697. And here is the law. Listen carefully: "That if any person shall presume willfully to blaspheme the holy name of God, Father, Son or Holy Ghost, either by denying, cursing, or reproaching the true God, His creation, or government of the world, or by denying, cursing, and reproaching the Holy Word of God, that is, the canonical Scriptures contained in the books
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of the Old and New Testaments, Genesis to Revelation, everyone so offending shall be punished by imprisonment, not exceeding six months, and until they find sureties for their good behavior, by setting in the pillory—that's where you have your head and your hands in the holes and you can't move—or by setting in the pillory, by whipping—are you listening?—boring through the tongue with a red-hot iron, or setting upon the gallows with a rope about his neck." The General Assembly of Maryland in 1723 passed a law which prohibited anyone from "wittingly, maliciously, and advisedly by writing or speaking blaspheme or curse God, or deny our Saviour Jesus Christ to be the Son of God, shall, for the first offense, be bored through the tongue and fined twenty pounds sterling. On a second offense, the offender was to be stigmatized by burning in the forehead with the letter B for blasphemer, and fined 40 pounds sterling. For the third offense, the offender was to suffer death without the benefit of clergy." Wow.
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Now, our forefathers were kind of serious. In Pennsylvania, the same act was passed in 1700, and they said this: "That whosoever shall willfully, premeditatedly, and despitefully blaspheme or speak loosely or profanely of Almighty God, Christ Jesus, the Holy Spirit, or the Scriptures of truth, and is legally convicted thereof, shall forfeit and pay the sum of ten pounds for the use of the poor of the county where such offense was committed, or suffer three months' imprisonment and hard labor, as aforesaid, for the use of said poor."
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In Delaware, in 1741, a law was passed that required one guilty of blasphemy to be branded in his or her forehead with a letter B and publicly whipped on his or her bare back with 39 lashes well laid on. And finally, the General Court in Connecticut in 1750 enacted a law that required the death penalty for anyone guilty of blasphemy.
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Now, I just want to show you how our founding fathers took Christianity and the Word of God exceedingly seriously. So, you have to ask: Were our founding fathers wrong? If they were not wrong, then you have to ask: What in the world has happened to our country? Well, the truth of the matter is, it is we who have apostatized from the foundation laid by our founding fathers.
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It's we who have left the biblical attitude toward ungodly rulers. You see, the problem that we have today is we not only tolerate, but we choose and elect unprincipled, unconverted, unregenerate, ungodly rulers. And you have to ask why? And the answer comes back: because we have not maintained the biblical attitude toward ungodly rulers. What do you say? What is that attitude? Thank you for asking. I want to show you. Look back in your Bibles.
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First Samuel chapter 15. You know the story: how God sent King Saul to destroy the Amalekites. God said, "Kill them all, man, woman, infant and suckling, ox, sheep, camel, ass; don't spare anything." God had pronounced the death penalty against them. And you remember how Saul went and he did kill a lot of those Amalekites. But he spared Agag, the king, and he and the people spared the best of the oxen and the best of the sheep and all of this. And God spoke to Samuel, and He says this to him. Look in verse 10: "Then came the word of the Lord unto Samuel, saying, It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the Lord all night." Now, first of all, let me point out what the Bible says in verse 11. God says that He repents that He set up King Saul. Why? He says, "for he is turned back from following me."
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Now, Saul's disobedience was not just simply a single act. I'm going to demonstrate this. Saul was constantly and continually disobeying God. In fact, the word "turned back from following me"—the Hebrew word indicates to return, to go back, to retreat. So Saul then was running the opposite way in which God was going. He was retreating. He was going back from God. What is the evidence that Saul had turned back?
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Well, look in verse 11. He says, "It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me"—watch—"and hath not performed my commandments." What is the evidence that we know that King Saul turned back? He didn't obey God. Please listen to me. Christians have become so enamored with the world and with the word "compromise." And we have such a low view of Scripture and such a low view of regeneration and conversion. When anyone says, "I'm a Christian," we automatically believe them. You don't believe what people say. You believe what people do. Our Lord said, "By their fruit ye shall know them."
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I've got news for you. You go to Congress right now and except for the professed Muslims and Buddhists and Hindus, you ask how many are Christian? Every one of them. And yet everything they do is contrary to God, contrary to His law, contrary to the Constitution. We have not had any Christian rulers.
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Now, I want to tell you something. Have you ever stopped to think what would happen if someone like Pastor Chrisman or someone like Pastor Farrell got into Congress? I've had people tell me, "Brother Weaver, I just wish you could get up there and preach to those people." Let me give you some information. They wouldn't listen. They wouldn't hear a word that I said. They don't want it.
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Because they're not interested in obeying God. They're not interested in keeping His law. They're not interested in keeping their oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States. King Saul became an apostate ruler. He was refusing to obey God. He was refusing to follow God's commands. Saul rejected God. Now listen carefully. And God rejected Saul. Look in your Bibles, 1 Samuel 15, beginning there with verse 26: "And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee: for thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord hath rejected thee from being king over Israel. And as Samuel turned about to go away, he laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle, and it rent. And Samuel said unto him, The Lord hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of thine, that is better than thou." Saul said, "I'm not following God. I'm going to do what I want to do."
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I wish I could just really preach on that. You know, when you set your thinking and you set your thoughts above the thoughts of the Word of God, that is idolatry. That is exactly what Saul was doing. He was not going to follow God's law. He was going to initiate a law of his own.
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Now, I want you to note something. King Saul reigned for 40 years. I could not tell you the exact period of time, but probably when this happened, Saul may have already been reigning for 15 or 20 years, which means that King Saul probably reigned another 20 to 25 years under the curse and the judgment of God. You see, the problem is most people think, well, if God does not slap somebody down instantly, then He approves of what they're doing. That's not true.
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God's paydays are not always on Friday. Sometimes He lets men go on in their sins and their rebellion until the cup of iniquity is full. And you look around and you say, well, how in the world did Obama get elected a second term? And I got news for you. I don't even know that he really was. Do you realize all this voting on computers? You can control a computer from New York.
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If something is not in black and white and signed where it can be counted, there's no way to verify anything. Read the book "Vote Scam" and you'll find out. It's interesting that here, someone who is so opposed to God, so contrary to God, as most of our politicians are, and yet people keep sending them back over. I, to this day, cannot figure out how Barney Frank got elected over and over and over. You watch them. God rejected.
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So let's ask this question: What in the world was Samuel's attitude toward Saul? Saul was an ungodly ruler. He was rejected by God. What was Samuel's attitude toward him? Look in verse 11: "And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the Lord all night."
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Now, before I tell you what Samuel's attitude was, let me tell you that Samuel's attitude was biblical and scriptural. And I might remind you that Samuel is listed in the heroes of faith in Hebrews 11 and verse 32. So what I'm going to show you right now is indeed the biblical attitude toward ungodly rulers. It was Samuel's attitude. I'm going to show you it was God's attitude as well. The Bible says in verse 11, "it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the Lord all night." So now you've got to ask yourself, what in the world does the word "grieved" mean? When we talk about the word "grieved," we think in modern day terms. We think of a widow
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who grieves over her dead husband, or a widower who grieves over his dead wife, or parents who grieve over a dead child. And when we think about grief and being grieved, we think of someone who's brokenhearted, someone who's disturbed, someone who's troubled, someone who's almost inconsolable. In fact, there are people who grieve to the extent that they become actually not only inactive, but they're unable to function. They can't think, they can't move, they can't do anything. They're just grieving. Now, I told you all that just to say this.
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That has nothing to do with the word right here. So I want you to get that out of your mind. When you think about grieving, do not think about this word right here. The Bible says that he was grieved and he cried out unto the Lord.
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Now, I don't doubt that there probably was a little bit of sorrow in Samuel's heart because of Saul. I'm sure he was friends with him initially. But let me tell you what the word "grieve" means. The Hebrew word here is the word "harah." And it means to burn. It means to kindle. It means to cause a fire to burn. The word actually emphasizes the kindling of anger like the kindling of a fire. The word is used 139 times here in our Bibles, and it's used both of God and man. Now let me tell you, and I'm going to show it to you from Scripture. Here's what it literally means. When it says, "and Samuel was grieved," here's what it means.
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It means he was so ticked off, he was so upset, he was so angry, he could not contain himself. You say, where do you get that? Well, let me show you. Look in your Bibles to Genesis 39. Everybody knows this story. Genesis chapter 39. By the way, every one of these passages that I'm going to show you, the word is exactly the same. It's translated a little differently, but it's still the same word. Notice, if you would, Genesis chapter 39. You know the story of Joseph being sold into slavery and he gets down to Potiphar's house. And of course, the Lord blesses Potiphar because of Joseph being there and Joseph had control over everything. And you know how Potiphar's wife made advances toward Joseph and he rebuffed them.
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And finally, one day she caught his garment and she said, "Come lie with me." And he fled and he left his garment. And when her husband came home, she said, "You see how this Hebrew has come in to mock me?" And she lied. And Potiphar believed his wife. And I want you to look what happens. Genesis chapter 39, verse 19: "And it came to pass, when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spake unto him, saying, After this manner did thy servant to me; that his wrath was kindled." What?
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Now, let me tell you something. My wife and I just celebrated our 50th anniversary.
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Now, I'm not that old. I just got married when I was six. I mean, you know. No, no. We got married at 18. We've been married 50 years. If you think, if you try to mess with my wife, that I'm just going to be so sorrowful and so grieved, I'll be so inactive, and I can't function, I've got news for you. You mess with my wife, you're dead. If I can get to you, I mean, I'm just not going to allow it.
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That's what was happening here. Potiphar says, "Uh-uh, uh-uh, brother. You're not messing with my wife. You're going into the deepest prison." That's what it means. He was angry. He was upset. If I hit on any man's wife in here, you'd be upset too. At least you better be. You should be. I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Numbers, chapter 25, because I want you to see how this is used of God Himself. Numbers, chapter 25.
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And you know the story here in this particular passage where the children of Israel are sinning. They committed not only idolatry, but fornication. But I want you to look in Numbers chapter 25. And let's begin reading there with verse 2: "And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods. And Israel joined himself unto Baalpeor: and the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel. And the Lord said unto Moses, Take all the heads of the people, and hang them up before the Lord against the sun, that the fierce anger of the Lord may be turned away from Israel." Do you think that fornication and idolatry just made God get to the position where, "Oh, I'm so sorry. I can't function. I don't know what to..."? No, sir. It was His fierce anger. And God said, "I'll tell you what you do. You hang every one of them. You kill them all." If you'll look in your Bibles to the book of Jeremiah, chapter 25.
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Same word. Jeremiah, chapter 25. Look at verses 37 and 38. Jeremiah 25, verse 37: "And the peaceable habitations are cut down because of the fierce anger of the Lord." He has forsaken his covert, as the lion: for their land is desolate because of the fierceness of the oppressor, and because of his fierce anger. Wow.
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I want you to understand that Samuel's attitude in his anger against Saul was the same as God's. If you would turn right over to the book of Hosea. Look in Hosea chapter 7. Hosea chapter 7. Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos. Sometimes I say that for myself and not just for you. Look in your Bibles, Hosea chapter seven, verse two. Look what God says, and he's talking not only about the people here, but the rulers.
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He said, "They consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness: now their own doings have beset them about; they are before my face. They make the king glad with their wickedness, and the princes with their lies. They are all adulterers, as an oven heated by the baker, who ceaseth from raising after he hath kneaded the dough, until it be leavened. In the day of our king the princes have made him sick with bottles of wine; he stretched out his hand with scorners. For they have made ready their heart like an oven,
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whilst they lie in wait: their baker sleepeth all the night; in the morning it burneth as a flaming fire. They are all hot as an oven, and have devoured their judges; all their kings are fallen: there is none among them that calleth unto me." Skip down to verse 13: "Woe unto them! for they have fled from me: destruction unto them! because they have transgressed against me.
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Though I have redeemed them, yet they have spoken lies against me. And they have not cried unto me with their heart, when they howled upon their beds: they assemble themselves for corn and wine, and they rebel against me. Though I have bound and strengthened their arms, yet do they imagine mischief against me. They return, but not to the most High: they are like a deceitful bow.
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Their princes shall fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue: this shall be their derision in the land of Egypt." Hmm. Seems to me like God is pretty upset with them too. He has some fierce anger. So what I'm trying to make is Samuel's attitude was the same as God's attitude. You know the Bible says in Ephesians 4 verse 26, "Be ye angry, and sin not." There is a biblical anger.
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There is a righteous indignation. Do you realize that biblical anger and a biblical righteous indignation is intended to resolve problems? When you and I get angry, most of the time it is a sinful anger. Because we either explode or we keep it inside and it eats us up. But if our anger is biblical, it will motivate us to resolve the problem.
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Now I want you to go back to 1 Samuel chapter 15, because I want you to see how Samuel resolved the problem. Look at it if you would, 1 Samuel 15 verse 11. God said, "It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel." Here's the first thing that he did.
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"And he cried unto the Lord all night." The first thing he did was he cried to the Lord. And the word "cried" here literally means to shriek. It means to cry out of anguish or danger. Do you realize that Samuel was crying out to the only one that could really do anything about the situation?
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Now, we have responsibilities, but just because we have responsibilities does not imply that we have abilities. And so Samuel said, "Lord, this thing is so big, I know I anointed him, but Lord, he's in control now. He's got the army. I can't do anything. Lord, You will have to work it out." So he cried out to God. I wish I had time to preach on Luke 18. That unjust judge. "And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily." But first of all, he cried to the Lord.
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Secondly, look at verse 12. He confronted Saul. "And when Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning, it was told Samuel, saying, Saul came to Carmel, and, behold, he set him up a place, and is gone about, and passed on, and gone down to Gilgal." And when Samuel rose early to meet Saul—you know, most of us shirk from confrontation. We don't like to get in fusses and fights.
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Now, I'm not talking about fighting among brethren, Brother Dan, but you know, there has to be times that you confront someone over their sin and their wickedness and their rebellion and their ungodliness. That's a biblical term even in the New Testament. Most of us would have slept in that day, but not Samuel. He arose early. He said, "I've got a duty. I've got a responsibility. I'm going to meet the reprobate right now and I'm going to confront him to his face."
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I wish I could preach the message to you that Gad Hitchcock preached. In fact, I did preach it. I was asked to preach it. Gad Hitchcock was one of those early founders of our country. He was a preacher. You know, back in those days, no one could be elected in the office without having an election sermon preached to them. And in that election sermon, they told the ruler what his responsibility was. And also they told the people what their responsibilities were to the ruler. And so Gad Hitchcock had been appointed to preach to the newly elected governor. And when he got there, he found out the newly elected governor was General Gage himself with his army behind him who came to enforce the King of England's demands on the colonies. Read the message. Gad Hitchcock looked at General Gage with his army standing behind him.
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And he preached to him from Proverbs 29, "When the wicked bear rule, the righteous mourn." He said, "Some people may say that it's circumstances that are causing all of this trouble." He said, "No, no, no." He said, "I will tell you," talking to General Gage, "and I will tell the tyrant to his face, George III, that it's because the wicked bear rule that we're in this position." So he confronted Saul. That's not all.
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Look, if you would please, at verse 17. Thirdly, he rebukes Saul. Notice verse 17: "And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the Lord anointed thee king over Israel? And the Lord sent thee on a journey, and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed. Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the Lord, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the Lord?" Now, listen to this. He said, "Saul, when you were little, God made you the king.
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Now that you think you're somebody, you think you can just disobey God." And he said, "I'll tell you what your real problem is. You're a covetous individual, and you're a thief. You flew upon the spoil. You wanted what you wanted for yourself. You could care less about God's honor and God's glory. You're a thief." Look in verse 22: "And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king." So he rebuked Saul. And notice, if you would, he also rejected Saul. He said, "That's it." Saul said, "Now, Samuel, verse 26, come return with me.
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Honor me before the people." Samuel said, "No, I will not return. You've rejected the Word of God and God's rejected you." Let me make a statement. I want you to listen to me and I'm going to show you another passage. Samuel would not have prayed at Saul's inauguration. He would not have attended the inaugural ball or the inaugural parade. I want you to hold 1 Samuel. But turn in your Bibles to 2 Kings 3. I'm just trying to show you the biblical attitude toward ungodly rulers. Look in 2 Kings 3. Elisha understood this as well as Samuel. Here are three kings that got together, and they are going to defeat an enemy. Look in 2 Kings 3, and let's begin reading there with verse 9. Watch carefully.
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"So the king of Israel went, and the king of Judah, and the king of Edom: and they fetched a compass of seven days' journey: and there was no water for the host, and for the cattle that followed them. And the king of Israel said, Alas! that the Lord hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab! But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the Lord, that we may enquire of the Lord by him? And one of the king of Israel's servants answered and said, Here is Elisha the son of Shaphat, which poured water on the hands of Elijah. And Jehoshaphat said, The word of the Lord is with him. So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him. And Elisha said unto the king of Israel, What have I to do with thee? get thee to the prophets of thy father, and to the prophets of thy mother.
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What have I got to do? Why are you coming to me? You've got the prophets of Baal. Go to them. And the king of Israel said unto him, Nay: for the Lord hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab. And Elisha said, As the Lord of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor see thee."
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Let me spell that out. I wouldn't spit on you if you were on fire. Wow. So Samuel rejected Saul, just like Elisha rejected the king of Israel. And if you'll look in chapter 16, verse 1, you'll also find something else that Samuel did. He replaced Saul. "And the Lord said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons." Wow. Do you understand that a biblical attitude
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will move you and motivate you to cry to the Lord? It will motivate you to confront the wicked, to rebuke the wicked, to reject the wicked, and finally replace them. You say, "Now, Brother Weaver, that sounds harsh. We need to pray for those in authority over us." I won't cover that tonight. You're going to find out we pray for them, not for their benefit, but for our benefit. You say, "That still sounds harsh."
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Well, let me tell you something a little bit harsher. I've got a message I preached many years ago, still preach it, on the biblical doctrine of hatred. I just preached the message recently, praying against the wicked. You know what David said in Psalm 139? "Do not I hate them, O Lord, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee? I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies." And you know what the very next verse says? "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." There is a biblical doctrine of hatred, and I've got news for you folks.
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We need to get upset. We need to get angry. We need to get ticked off. We need to be motivated and say, "Thus saith the Lord. Here is what God said, and you're changing not only the Constitution, you're not only changing our country, you're even attempting to change our convictions and our beliefs and our Christianity. And we're not going to put up with it. And if you can't rule us the way you're supposed to, we have an absolute right, which I'll show you tonight, to totally disregard and disobey you."
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But we have to begin with a biblical attitude. We have to come to the place where you understand that we are in imminent danger. We are, folks. Look at what they're trying to do to the Second Amendment. Look at what they're trying to do. When Justice Scalia said the Constitution is dead, dead, dead, he didn't have to pronounce it. All he had to do was look at the politicians in Congress and you understand they consider it dead.
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It's time we got upset. It's time we got righteously indignant and righteously angry and say we're not going to put up with it anymore. That's what our forefathers finally did in 1861. Jefferson Davis said, "I had rather leave the Union with the Constitution than remain in the Union without the Constitution." Alexander Hamilton Stephens, vice president of the Confederacy, said, "We did not leave the union to forsake the Constitution. We left it in order to preserve the principles in the Constitution." It's time we get angry.
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Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we ask your blessing and help. Teach us, we pray. Build us up in the most holy faith. In Christ's name we ask it. Amen.
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Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we ask your blessing and help. Teach us, we pray. Build us up in the most holy faith. In Christ's name we ask it. Amen.
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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-06T20:55:54Z

Ungodly Rulers

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

John Weaver examines the biblical attitude toward ungodly rulers, using 1 Samuel 15 and other passages to argue that Scripture commands a response of righteous anger, confrontation, rebuke, rejection, and replacement of wicked leaders. He contrasts this with modern Christian apathy and cites early American colonial charters that required rulers to profess faith in Christ, lamenting the nation's departure from those foundations.

Introduction: The Need for a Biblical Attitude

Weaver introduces the topic by emphasizing that Christians must submit their minds to Scripture and develop biblical attitudes on every subject, including ungodly rulers.

Scripture Reading — 1 Samuel 15:1-3

"Samuel also said unto Saul, The Lord sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt. Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass."

Scripture Reading — Romans 12:1-2

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

Now listen:

Scripture Reading — Romans 12:1-2

"And be not conformed to this world"

—don't be pressed into the mold of the world—

Scripture Reading — Romans 12:1-2

"but be ye transformed"

—how?—

Scripture Reading — Romans 12:1-2

"by the renewing of your mind."

Scriptural Consequences of Wicked Rulers

Proverbs 29:2, 28:12, and 28:28 are cited to show that when the wicked rule, the righteous mourn, hide themselves, and only increase when the wicked perish.

Scripture Reading — Proverbs 29:2

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

And the word "mourn

Scripture Reading — Proverbs 29:2

" here means to groan and to sigh. How many people are really rejoicing now that the wicked are in control? Among us, none. Now the wicked may be rejoicing, but the righteous are not rejoicing. It's only when the righteous are in authority that the people rejoice. But when the wicked bear rule, the majority of the people, especially the righteous, mourn. Now look back in your Bibles to Proverbs 28 and look at verse 12. Proverbs 28 and verse 12: "

When righteous men do rejoice, there is great glory."

Look in Proverbs 28 and verse 28. Proverbs 28 and verse 28, he says it like this:

Scripture Reading — Proverbs 28:28

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

God's Requirement for Christian Rulers

Deuteronomy 17:15, Exodus 18:21, and 2 Samuel 23:1-3 are used to demonstrate that God ordained civil government and required rulers to be believers who fear God and hate covetousness.

Historical Evidence: America's Founding Charters

Laws Against Blasphemy in Early America

The Example of Samuel and King Saul

The narrative of 1 Samuel 15 is examined: Saul's disobedience, God's rejection of him, and Samuel's response of grief (righteous anger), crying to the Lord, confronting, rebuking, and rejecting Saul.

Scripture Reading — 1 Samuel 15:10-11

"Then came the word of the Lord unto Samuel, saying, It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the Lord all night."

Now, first of all, let me point out what the Bible says in verse 11. God says that He repents that He set up King Saul. Why? He says,

Scripture Reading — 1 Samuel 15:10-11

"for he is turned back from following me."

Scripture Reading — 1 Samuel 15:26-28

"And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee: for thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord hath rejected thee from being king over Israel. And as Samuel turned about to go away, he laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle, and it rent. And Samuel said unto him, The Lord hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of thine, that is better than thou."

Saul said, "I'm not following God. I'm going to do what I want to do."

Scripture Reading — Genesis 39:19

"And it came to pass, when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spake unto him, saying, After this manner did thy servant to me; that his wrath was kindled."

What?

Scripture Reading — Numbers 25:2-4

"And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods. And Israel joined himself unto Baalpeor: and the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel. And the Lord said unto Moses, Take all the heads of the people, and hang them up before the Lord against the sun, that the fierce anger of the Lord may be turned away from Israel."

Elisha's Rejection of the Wicked King

2 Kings 3 shows Elisha refusing to acknowledge the ungodly king of Israel, paralleling Samuel's rejection of Saul.

The Duty to Replace Wicked Rulers

1 Samuel 16:1 shows God instructing Samuel to anoint a new king, demonstrating that the biblical response includes replacing ungodly rulers.

Application: Righteous Anger and Action Today

Ungodly Rulers

John Weaver | WeaverLibrary

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	WeaverLibrary
Media ID	2113745150
Subject	Civil Government
Course	Civil Government: Power, Nations, and Constitutional Order: War in the Gates
Genre	Sermon
Date	2013-01-31
Dictation Name
Book	Book 009: Civil Government: Power, Nations, and Constitutional Order — Chapter 14
Source Timed Segments	82

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction: The Need for a Biblical Attitude: Weaver introduces the topic by emphasizing that Christians must submit their minds to Scripture and develop biblical attitudes on every subject, including ungodly rulers.
Scriptural Consequences of Wicked Rulers: Proverbs 29:2, 28:12, and 28:28 are cited to show that when the wicked rule, the righteous mourn, hide themselves, and only increase when the wicked perish.
God's Requirement for Christian Rulers: Deuteronomy 17:15, Exodus 18:21, and 2 Samuel 23:1-3 are used to demonstrate that God ordained civil government and required rulers to be believers who fear God and hate covetousness.
Historical Evidence: America's Founding Charters: Weaver reads from colonial charters and constitutions (East New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, North Carolina, South Carolina, Vermont) showing they all required officeholders to profess faith in Jesus Christ and the Scriptures.
Laws Against Blasphemy in Early America: Examples from Massachusetts, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Connecticut illustrate how seriously the founders took Christianity, with punishments including branding, whipping, and death for blasphemy.
The Example of Samuel and King Saul: The narrative of 1 Samuel 15 is examined: Saul's disobedience, God's rejection of him, and Samuel's response of grief (righteous anger), crying to the Lord, confronting, rebuking, and rejecting Saul.
Elisha's Rejection of the Wicked King: 2 Kings 3 shows Elisha refusing to acknowledge the ungodly king of Israel, paralleling Samuel's rejection of Saul.
The Duty to Replace Wicked Rulers: 1 Samuel 16:1 shows God instructing Samuel to anoint a new king, demonstrating that the biblical response includes replacing ungodly rulers.
Application: Righteous Anger and Action Today: Weaver calls for righteous indignation against modern ungodly rulers, citing Psalm 139 and historical examples like Jefferson Davis, urging believers to confront and disobey unconstitutional commands.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

Attitudes Determine Actions

Unbiblical attitudes lead to apathy, sin, and rebellion; therefore, Christians must adopt a biblical attitude toward ungodly rulers.

Weaver states, 'Most of our attitudes are unbiblical and ungodly. And because they're unbiblical and ungodly, it leads to apathy and it leads to indifference and inaction.'

God Requires Christian Rulers

Scripture explicitly commands that civil rulers be believers who fear God, and early American law reflected this requirement.

Deuteronomy 17:15 says 'one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee,' and colonial charters like Delaware's 1776 constitution required officeholders to profess faith in Christ.

Saul's Disobedience Was Apostasy

Saul's failure to obey God's commands was not a single act but a pattern of turning back from following God, evidenced by his disobedience.

1 Samuel 15:11 says Saul 'hath not performed my commandments,' and Weaver explains the Hebrew word for 'turned back' indicates a retreat from God.

Samuel's Grief Was Righteous Anger

The word 'grieved' in 1 Samuel 15:11 means burning anger, not passive sorrow, and Samuel's response mirrors God's own fierce anger against sin.

The Hebrew word 'harah' is used in Genesis 39:19 for Potiphar's wrath and in Numbers 25:2-4 for God's anger, indicating intense indignation.

Believers Must Confront and Reject Wicked Rulers

Samuel's actions—crying to God, confronting, rebuking, and rejecting Saul—provide a pattern for how Christians should respond to ungodly leaders.

Samuel arose early to meet Saul (1 Samuel 15:12), rebuked him for disobedience (vv. 17-23), and refused to honor him before the people (v. 26).

Prayer for Rulers Is for Our Benefit, Not Theirs

While Scripture commands prayer for those in authority, the purpose is for the benefit of the righteous, not the wicked rulers themselves.

Weaver states, 'We pray for them, not for their benefit, but for our benefit,' referencing Luke 18 and the parable of the unjust judge.

There Is a Biblical Doctrine of Hatred

Psalm 139:21-22 teaches a perfect hatred for those who hate God, which is consistent with righteous indignation against ungodly rulers.

Weaver quotes David: 'Do not I hate them, O Lord, that hate thee? ... I hate them with perfect hatred,' and notes the following verse calls for self-examination.

America's Founders Understood the Right to Resist Tyranny

Historical figures like Jefferson Davis and Alexander Stephens argued that leaving the Union was necessary to preserve the Constitution against ungodly rule.

Weaver quotes Davis: 'I had rather leave the Union with the Constitution than remain in the Union without the Constitution,' and Stephens' similar sentiment.

Scripture References

1 Samuel 15:1-3: God commands Saul to utterly destroy the Amalekites.
1 Samuel 15:4-11: Saul spares Agag and the best spoil; God repents of making Saul king.
Isaiah 55:8-9: God's ways and thoughts are higher than man's.
Philippians 2:5: Let this mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus.
Romans 12:1-2: Present your bodies a living sacrifice; be transformed by renewing your mind.
Ephesians 4:23: Be renewed in the spirit of your mind.
1 Peter 4:1: Arm yourselves with the mind of Christ.
2 Corinthians 10:4-5: Weapons of our warfare are mighty through God to pull down strongholds and bring every thought captive to Christ.
2 Timothy 2:15: Study to show yourself approved unto God.
2 Peter 3:18: Grow in grace and knowledge of Christ.
Proverbs 29:2: When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; when the wicked rule, the people mourn.
Proverbs 28:12: When the wicked rise, a man is hidden.
Proverbs 28:28: When the wicked rise, men hide themselves; when they perish, the righteous increase.
Deuteronomy 17:15: Set a king over you whom the Lord chooses, one from among your brethren, not a stranger.
Exodus 18:21: Provide able men who fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness.
2 Samuel 23:1-3: David claims inspiration: he who rules over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.
1 Samuel 15:10-11: God repents of making Saul king; Samuel is grieved and cries to the Lord.
1 Samuel 15:26-28: Samuel tells Saul the Lord has rejected him and torn the kingdom from him.
Genesis 39:19: Potiphar's wrath was kindled (same Hebrew word as 'grieved' in 1 Samuel 15:11).
Numbers 25:2-4: The anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel for idolatry and fornication.

Historical References

Fundamental Constitution of East New Jersey (1683): Required public officials to profess faith in Jesus Christ.
Charter of Delaware (1701): Allowed only those professing faith in Jesus Christ to serve in government.
Pennsylvania Charter (1701): Similar requirement that officeholders profess faith in Jesus Christ.
Constitution of Delaware (1776): Required oath professing faith in the Trinity and divine inspiration of Scripture.
Constitution of Georgia (1777): Required representatives to be of the Protestant religion.
Constitution of Maryland (1776): Required officeholders to declare belief in the Christian religion.
Massachusetts Constitution (1780): Required governor and legislators to declare belief in the Christian religion.
New Hampshire Constitution (1784): Required senators and representatives to be of the Protestant religion.
North Carolina Constitution (1776): Barred from office anyone denying God, the Protestant religion, or divine authority of Scripture.
Pennsylvania Constitution (1776): Required legislators to declare belief in God and divine inspiration of Scripture.

Important Quotes

Most of our attitudes are unbiblical and ungodly. And because they're unbiblical and ungodly, it leads to apathy and it leads to indifference and inaction.

Establishes the central problem: Christians have wrong attitudes that produce sinful passivity.

God is not going to condescend to think the way we think. We must learn to think the way God thinks.

Emphasizes the necessity of submitting our minds to Scripture rather than expecting God to accommodate our thinking.

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

David's inspired statement of the essential qualification for rulers, cited as a divine requirement.

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

God's own words showing His rejection of a ruler who disobeys His commands.

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

Key verse demonstrating Samuel's righteous anger and his first response of crying out to God.

Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.

Samuel's rebuke of Saul equating disobedience with witchcraft and idolatry, underscoring the seriousness of rejecting God's commands.

As the Lord of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor see thee.

Elisha's bold rejection of the wicked king of Israel, paralleling Samuel's attitude.

Do not I hate them, O Lord, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee? I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.

David's declaration of perfect hatred for God's enemies, used to support the biblical doctrine of hatred.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

What does it mean to have a 'biblical attitude' toward ungodly rulers, and how does that differ from common Christian responses today?

[Context]

Weaver argues that most Christian attitudes are unbiblical and lead to apathy.

[Question]

How do Proverbs 29:2, 28:12, and 28:28 describe the consequences of wicked rulers, and what implications do these verses have for our political engagement?

[Context]

These verses show that the righteous mourn and hide when the wicked rule.

[Question]

Why did early American colonies require officeholders to profess faith in Christ, and what does that historical precedent mean for us today?

[Context]

Weaver reads multiple colonial charters with Christian requirements for rulers.

[Question]

In what way was Samuel's grief actually righteous anger, and how should that shape our emotional response to wicked leadership?

[Context]

The Hebrew word 'harah' means burning anger, as seen in Genesis 39 and Numbers 25.

[Question]

What are the practical steps Samuel took in response to Saul's disobedience, and how can we apply those steps today?

[Context]

Samuel cried to the Lord, confronted, rebuked, rejected, and replaced Saul.

[Question]

How does Elisha's treatment of the king of Israel in 2 Kings 3 inform our understanding of how to relate to ungodly leaders?

[Context]

Elisha refused to look at or acknowledge the wicked king.

[Question]

What is the 'biblical doctrine of hatred' from Psalm 139, and how can it coexist with the command to love our enemies?

[Context]

Weaver cites David's perfect hatred for God's enemies and the following call for self-examination.

[Question]

How should the historical examples of Jefferson Davis and Alexander Stephens influence our thinking about resisting unconstitutional government today?

[Context]

Weaver quotes them to show a willingness to leave the Union to preserve the Constitution.

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