Should We Vote? - Part 1

A skit by FGCP congregation members

Narrative compiled by Alan Breitenstein based on Old Testament Scripture

April 14, 2024

This message would best be heard than read. 

Joshua 24:15c

And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

NARRATOR      1st Samuel Chapter 8 

1  And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.

2Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beersheba

3And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment.

4Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah,

ELDERS   

5 Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make     us a king to judge us like all the nations.

NARRATOR 

6But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD.

LORD      

7 Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee Samuel: for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.

8According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee.

9Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.

NARRATOR   

Deuteronomy 17 v 14 Hear what Moses says:

MOSES  

14When thou art come unto the land which the LORD thyGod giveth thee, and shalt possess it, and shalt dwell therein, and shalt say, I will set a king over me, like as all the nations that are about me.

15Thou 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.

16But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the LORD hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way.

17Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.

18And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites:

19And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them:

20That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel.

NARRATOR         Back to Samuel Chapter 8

10And Samuel told all the words of the LORD unto the people that asked of him a king.

SAMUEL     

11 This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots.

12And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots.

13And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.

14And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants.

15And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants.

16And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work.

17He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants.

18And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day.

NARRATOR

19Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel;

PEOPLE 

19 Nay; but we will have a king over us

20That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.

NARRATOR        

21And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them to the Lord.

LORD 

22 Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king. 

SAMUEL     

Men of Israel, Go ye every man unto his city.

NARRATOR   

Lord, Samuel told the people what the king will do to them. Lord,You told Moses that the men of Israel would ask for a king. and the king should follow Your Laws, and how the king should conduct himself. You, Lord also told our father Abraham that kings would come forth from him. Why were You upset when the men of Israel asked for a king?

LORD         

Because that is what I determined.

Even in the wilderness wanderings I told them they would ask for a king it was a formal rejection of Me, and rejection of the prophets, and high priests.

The prophets and high priests did not raise their children properly, such as Eli and Samuel's sons being corrupt.

My people forgot their own history they wanted to be in control, not in submission to Me.

The ark of the covenant had been lost therefore

My manifest presence was not with them, for many decades and Nahash, king of the Ammonites was coming out against them.

 How could they forget the number of times that I went before them in war and the times I did not go before them is when they were in transgression of My Laws.  My people are stiff-necked, stubborn, and stupid. 

NARRATOR 

Samuel Chap. 6 and 12 Deut. 10 v 8 and 16 Jer. 10 v 8

Enter in the 1st king Saul. Saul started out with a defeat of the Ammonites. The Israelite people were overjoyed with the defeat and welcomed their new king.

SAMUEL     

1st Samuel chapter 12

13Now therefore Israel behold the king whom ye havechosen, and whom ye have desired! and, behold, the LORD hath set a king over you

14If ye will fear the LORD, and serve him, and obey his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall both ye and also the king that reigneth over you continue following the LORD your God:

15But if ye will not obey the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall the hand of the LORD be against you, as it was against your fathers.

NARRATOR

Many kings and the people have heard these words

After 2 years Saul became a disappointment.

1st Samuel chapter 13 v 5 

5And the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the sea shore in multitude: and they came up, and pitched in Michmash, eastward from Bethaven.

6When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait, (for the people were distressed,) then the people did hide themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in high places, and in pits.

7And some of the Hebrews went over Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. As for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.

8And he tarried seven days, according to the set time that Samuel had appointed: but Samuel came not to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him.

SAUL   

9. Bring hither a burnt offering to me, and peace offerings

NARRATOR

And he offered the burnt offering.

10And it came to pass, that as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might salute him.

SAMUEL     

11 What hast thou done Saul? 

SAUL         

Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou Samuel camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash;

12Therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the LORD: I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering.

SAMUEL          

13 Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever.

14But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee.

NARRATOR

Lord, why did You direct Saul to Samuel for him to make him king for You Lord know all things.

LORD         

I regretted having Saul king but only in the way that this is what My people wanted. I wanted My people to get a king that fit the prophecy of My servant Samuel. I gave My people what they requested but sent leanness into their soul. My people were sinful and whatever I gave the, it did not satisfy them. I give each what he deserves, and I give to each the nature I ordain to give him.

NARRATOR   

Psalm 106:15

Enter David, a man after God's heart. Saul was very jealous of David and tried killing him. Saul's jealousy led him to further transgressions. 

After Saul's death then the 2nd king was David.  

Why the Lord thought highly of David.

1st Chronicles 14 v 10

10And David enquired of God

14Therefore David enquired again of God; 

The Lord God came 1st in David's decisions and the Lord's sheep came next. Hear the words of David at the dedication of the ark 1st Chronicles 16 v 8

Then on that day David delivered first this psalm to thank the LORD into the hand of Asaph and his brethren.

DAVID   

8Give thanks unto the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people.

9Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him, talk ye of all his wondrous works.

10Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD.

11Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually.

12Remember his marvellous works that he hath done, his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth;

13O ye seed of Israel his servant, ye children of Jacob, his chosen ones.

14He is the LORD our God; his judgments are in all the earth.

15Be ye mindful always of his covenant; the word which he commanded to a thousand generations;

NARRATOR

David had some setbacks and regretted that he was not one of those who lost their lives for his sin. God had mercy on David but His judgements on David still continued.

1st Chronicles 21v 16

16And David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of the LORD stand between the earth and the heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders of Israel, who were clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces.

DAVID 

17 Is it not I that commanded the people to be numbered? even I it is that have sinned and done evil indeed; but as for these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, O LORD my God, be on me, and on my father's house; but not on thy people, that they should be plagued.

NARRATOR 

Know of any leader these days that would do that for the people of their nation?

The next king was Solomon. God gave Solomon wisdom, and it should be observed that the gift of wisdom was becoming less recognized as a gift from God and more toward attaining wisdom on his own.   It took 7 years to build the temple and it took 13 years to build Solomon's house. This dedication came at the 11th year of Solomon's reign.

1st Kings chapter 8 

This is at the dedication of the temple.

SOLOMON   

41Moreover concerning a stranger, that is not of thy people Israel, but cometh out of a far country for thy name's sake;

42(For they shall hear of thy great name, and of thy strong hand, and of thy stretched out arm;) when he shall come and pray toward this house;

43Hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and do according to all that the stranger calleth to thee for: that all people of the earth may know thy name, to fear thee, as do thy people Israel; and that they may know that this house, which I have builded, is called by thy name.

44If thy people go out to battle against their enemy, whithersoever thou shalt send them, and shall pray unto the LORD toward the city which thou hast chosen, and toward the house that I have built for thy name:

45Then hear thou in heaven their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause.

46If they sin against thee, (for there is no man that sinneth not,) and thou be angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy, so that they carry them away captives unto the land of the enemy, far or near;

47Yet if they shall bethink themselves in the land whither they were carried captives, and repent, and make supplication unto thee in the land of them that carried them captives, saying, We have sinned, and have done perversely, we have committed wickedness;

48And so return unto thee with all their heart, and with all their soul, in the land of their enemies, which led them away captive, and pray unto thee toward their land, which thou gavest unto their fathers, the city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for thy name:

49Then hear thou their prayer and their supplication in heaven thy dwelling place, and maintain their cause,

50And forgive thy people that have sinned against thee, and all their transgressions wherein they have transgressed against thee, and give them compassion before them who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them:

NARRATOR           

Did you catch how many verses Solomon used the word I without any acknowledgement toward God or fellow man in the building process nor to his father David who through God gave Solomon the plans for the temple and all its furnishings.

Maybe it was after this dedication that the multitude of wives and concubines started to add up, resulting in God splitting the kingdom. Also let it be known that some of these wives came from forbidden people, more than likely from the strangers that he said would come to the temple and offer prayers and that God will do to whatever it is that they prayed for.  

Now we go to the next king Rehoboam. 1st Kings 12:

And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king.

2And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who was yet in Egypt, heard of it, (for he was fled from the presence of king Solomon, and Jeroboam dwelt in Egypt;)

3That they sent and called him. And Jeroboam and all the congregation of Israel came, and spake unto Rehoboam, saying,

CONGREGATION OF ISRAEL           

4Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee.

REHOBOAM   

 5And he said unto them, Depart yet for three days, then  come again to me. And the people departed.

NARRATOR          

6And king Rehoboam consulted with the old men, that stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived,

REHOBOAM     

How do ye advise that I may answer these people?

ELDERS OF ISRAEL   

7 If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever.

NARRATOR

8But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and which stood before him:

REHOBOAM 

9 What counsel give ye that we may answer this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke which thy father did put upon us lighter?

YOUNG MEN     

10Thus shalt thou speak unto this people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it lighter unto us; thus shalt thou say unto them, My little finger shall be thicker than my father's loins.

11And now whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke: my father hath chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.

NARRATOR 

12So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king had appointed, saying, Come to me again the third day.

13And the king answered the people roughly, and forsook the old men's counsel that they gave him;

REHOBOAM 

14 My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke: my father also chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.

NARRATOR   

15Wherefore the king hearkened not unto the people; for the cause was from the LORD, that he might perform his saying, which the LORD spake by Ahijah the Shilonite unto Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

Thus we have a split in the 12 tribes. We have a similar situation in churches today. Denominations have sprouted up everywhere. When an issue of controversy arises, the wise preacher goes the extra mile to answer all questions of controversy and they do that for they love their flock. When the wise good shepherd errs, he does as David did, fall on his knees and repent in order to keep his flock from straying.  The younger generation represented by those shepherds who profess to be wise refuse to answer the questions of controversy, or they will tell you that they will get back to you and they never do or they will mock you for not believing what they believe. Even some of God's elect are fooled by those who profess to be wise but are fools. 

Jeroboam 1st king of 10 tribes of Israel forsook the laws of God. Even after he had his hand withered, he continued. 

1st Kings Chapter 13 v 33After this thing Jeroboam returned not from his evil way, but made again of the lowest of the people priests of the high places: whosoever would, he consecrated him, and he became one of the priests of the high places. 

1st Kings chapter 15 v 25 and 26 v 27.

25And Nadab the son of Jeroboam began to reign over Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned over Israel two years.

26And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of his father, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin.

27 And Baasha the son of Ahijah, of the house of Issachar, conspired against him;(Nadab) and Baasha smote him at Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines; for Nadab and all Israel laid siege to Gibbethon.

Baasha fulfilled prophecy concerning Jeroboam's house. Baasha became king and did evil in the site of the Lord. 

1 Kings 16:8, 13:

8In the twenty and sixth year of Asa king of Judah began Elah the son of Baasha to reign over Israel in Tirzah, two years.

13For all the sins of Baasha, and the sins of Elah his son, by which they sinned, and by which they made Israel to sin, in provoking the LORD God of Israel to anger with their vanities.

Then came Zimri, then Tibni and Omri and they did evil in the site of the Lord.

Then came Ahab and Jezebel also known in modern times today as Bill and Hillary Clinton. Ahab did evil in the site of the Lord and even though at his time he had 1 of the greatest prophets known as Elijah he did not turn from evil. He repented for a short time but Jezebel put him back on the evil path. 

Then enter in Ahab's son Ahaziah and he did evil in the site of the Lord. 

2nd Kings chapter 3 v 1-3

Now Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve years.

2And he wrought evil in the sight of the LORD; but not like his father, and like his mother: for he put away the image of Baal that his father had made.

3Nevertheless he cleaved unto the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel to sin; he departed not therefrom.

Then comes Jehu. Jehu was the only king of the 10 tribes that came close to doing what was right in God's eyes. He fell short when he did not tear down the alters that Jeroboam had set up. He destroyed the Baal priests and all their worshippers, Jezebel, Ahab's 70 sons .

Following Jehu was Jehoahaz, Joash, Jeroboam, Zechariah, Shallum, Menahem, Pekahiah, Pekah, and Hoshea and they all did evil in the site of the Lord which led the Lord to have the 10 tribes carried off to Assyria.

That is 20 kings in all and none did right in the eyes of God, some did some good things, some God had mercy on at times, many were handed the kingship by God. Of these 20 kings 3 were called by God through a prophet, 11 of them were sons following their fathers.  2 of them fulfilled prophecy by putting to death the king and their offspring and leaving their bodies to be eaten by birds and dogs and 4 of them got to be kings by killing the present king. All refused to stop following the false gods, to tear down the altars set up by Jeroboam. Was it for a reason? Maybe it was because of a riot that may have occurred, had they done so. What do you suppose would happen today if a president declared Halloween, Christmas, and Easter paganism and anyone worshipping these days would be fined or executed. Does anyone here see that happening? 

Now we come to the kings of Judah 2nd Chronicles 12 v 16:

16And Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David: and Abijah his son reigned in his stead.

Abijah was given a great victory over Israel by calling on the Lord God.

2nd Chronicles 14:1-5:

So Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David: and Asa his son reigned in his stead. In his days the land was quiet ten years.

2And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God:

3For he took away the altars of the strange gods, and the high places, and brake down the images, and cut down the groves:

4And commanded Judah to seek the LORD God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment.

5Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the images: and the kingdom was quiet before him.

2nd Chronicles 17:1-4:

1 And Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead, and strengthened himself against Israel.

3And the LORD was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first ways of his father David, and sought not unto Baalim;

4But sought to the LORD God of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not after the doings of Israel.

2nd Chronicles 21:1. 4-6:

Now Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. And Jehoram his son reigned in his stead.

4Now when Jehoram was risen up to the kingdom of his father, he strengthened himself, and slew all his brethren with the sword, and divers also of the princes of Israel.

5Jehoram was thirty and two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem.

6And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, like as did the house of Ahab: for he had the daughter of Ahab to wife: and he wrought that which was evil in the eyes of the LORD.

2nd Chronicles 22:1, 3, 10:

And the inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ahaziah his youngest son king in his stead: for the band of men that came with the Arabians to the camp had slain all the eldest. So Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah reign

3He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab

10But when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal of the house of Judah. 

Obama and Biden are a good example of this wicked queen for how many votes were destroyed of their opponents in order for them to be the leader?

2nd Chronicles 23:11:

11Then they brought out the king's son, and put upon him the crown, and gave him the testimony, and made him king. And Jehoiada and his sons anointed him, and said, God save the king.

2nd Chronicles 24:1-3, 17, 18:

Joash was seven years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. 

2And Joash did that which was right in the sight of the LORD all the days of Jehoiada the priest.

3And Jehoiada took for him two wives; and he begat sons and daughters.

17Now after the death of Jehoiada came the princes of Judah, and made obeisance to the king. Then the king hearkened unto them.

18And they left the house of the LORD God of their fathers, and served groves and idols: and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their trespass.

2nd Chronicles 25:1, 2:

Amaziah was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. 

2And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, but not with a perfect heart.

2nd Chronicles 26:1, 3-5:

Then all the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the room of his father Amaziah.

3Sixteen years old was Uzziah when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and two years in Jerusalem. 

4And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah did.

5And he sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God: and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him to prosper.

2nd Chronicles 27:1, 2:

Jotham was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. 

2And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Uzziah did: howbeit he entered not into the temple of the LORD. And the people did yet corruptly.

2nd Chronicles 28:1:

Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: but he did not that which was right in the sight of the LORD, like David his father:

2nd Chronicles 29:1, 2:

Hezekiah began to reign when he was five and twenty years old, and he reigned nine and twenty years in Jerusalem. 

2And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father had done.

2nd Chronicles 30:1-6a:

And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, to keep the passover unto the LORD God of Israel.

2For the king had taken counsel, and his princes, and all the congregation in Jerusalem, to keep the Passover in the second month.

3For they could not keep it at that time, because the priests had not sanctified themselves sufficiently, neither had the people gathered themselves together to Jerusalem.

4And the thing pleased the king and all the congregation.

5So they established a decree to make proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beersheba even to Dan, that they should come to keep the Passover unto the LORD God of Israel at Jerusalem: for they had not done it of a long time in such sort as it was written.

6So the posts went with the letters from the king and his princes throughout all Israel and Judah, and according to the commandment of the king, 

HEZEKIAH 

2 Chronicles 30:6b-9:

Ye children of Israel, turn again unto the LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and he will return to the remnant of you, that are escaped out of the hand of the kings of Assyria.

7And be not ye like your fathers, and like your brethren, which trespassed against the LORD God of their fathers, who therefore gave them up to desolation, as ye see.

8Now be ye not stiffnecked, as your fathers were, but yield yourselves unto the LORD, and enter into his sanctuary, which he hath sanctified for ever: and serve the LORD your God, that the fierceness of his wrath may turn away from you.

9For if ye turn again unto the LORD, your brethren and your children shall find compassion before them that lead them captive, so that they shall come again into this land: for the LORD your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, if ye return unto him.

NARRATOR 

2 Chronicles 30:10-11: 

10So the posts passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh even unto Zebulun: but they laughed them to scorn, and mocked them.

11Nevertheless divers of Asher and Manasseh and of Zebulun humbled themselves, and came to Jerusalem.

Have we ever seen such a decree like this going out to God's people from the leaders of this nation?

2nd Kings 20:12-14:

12At that time Berodachbaladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present unto Hezekiah: for he had heard that Hezekiah had been sick.

13And Hezekiah hearkened unto them, and shewed them all the house of his precious things, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the precious ointment, and all the house of his armour, and all that was found in his treasures: there was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah shewed them not.

14Then came Isaiah the prophet unto king Hezekiah, 

ISAIAH   

What said these men? and from whence came they unto thee?

HEZEKIAH

They are come from a far country, even from Babylon.

ISAIAH     

What have they seen in thine house?

HEZEKIAH           

All the things that are in mine house have they seen: there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shewed them.

ISAIAH 

2 Kings 20:16, 17:

16 Hezekiah, Hear the word of the LORD.

17Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store unto this day, shall be carried into Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the LORD.

NARRATOR 

Was Hezekiah being chastised here? Maybe Hezekiah at the time thought it was alright due to what Solomon had said at the dedication of the Temple.

2nd Chronicles 33:1-4:

Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem:

2But did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, like unto the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel.

3For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down, and he reared up altars for Baalim, and made groves, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.

4Also he built altars in the house of the LORD, whereof the LORD had said, In Jerusalem shall my name be for ever.

2nd Chronicles 34:1-7:

Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem one and thirty years.

2And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the ways of David his father, and declined neither to the right hand, nor to the left.

3For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young, he began to seek after the God of David his father: and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images.

4And they brake down the altars of Baalim in his presence; and the images, that were on high above them, he cut down; and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images, he brake in pieces, and made dust of them, and strowed it upon the graves of them that had sacrificed unto them.

5And he burnt the bones of the priests upon their altars, and cleansed Judah and Jerusalem.

6And so did he in the cities of Manasseh, and Ephraim, and Simeon, even unto Naphtali, with their mattocks round about.

7And when he had broken down the altars and the groves, and had beaten the graven images into powder, and cut down all the idols throughout all the land of Israel, he returned to Jerusalem.

Then came Jehoahaz and Jehoiakim which led Judah to Babylon

Manasseh the worst king in the history of Judah was the reason for God shipping His people to Babylon. 55 years of mocking the Lord. 

There were 16 kings and 1 queen from Rehoboam to Jehoiakim. 

5 were righteous and the kind of king or leader our people need. 

4 were fence straddlers and 8 were evil.

All in all there were 39 kings and 1 queen totaling 40 different rulers. 

The kingdom was split after the 3rd king.  9 did right in God's eyes. Of these 9, 5 dealt with the major transgressions.  All of them failed the application of what a king should be according to Moses’ prophecy. Both kingdoms were led into captivity due to transgressions of God's Laws. Of all the kings many of them could be compared to the 10 lepers Luke 17 v 12 and the children in the wilderness crying out for quail.

Numbers chapter 11

The kings got what they wanted at a time that was crucial and then later on left to go their own way.  God tells us in Genesis 8 v 21 that the intent of man's heart is evil. When man does something righteous in God's eyes the evil heart becomes jealous and desires satisfaction. The majority of the time the heart gets its satisfaction and that is the story of kings and men.

None could do nor can do all of God's requirements for we all have fallen short of the glory of God.

Does anyone here see sodomy being condemned by those running for office? Does anyone see those who hold office that are forbidden being removed? Does anyone see in the near future that a separation of the races will take place by those running for office? That is just to name a few.

We have witnessed behavior from all the kings mentioned thus far. Of all the years of having man rule in this time period only 5 were righteous. Nothing has changed, sure we will get something good out of all of those chosen but the evil far outweighs the good. The track record of us getting a theocracy looks very dim as long as people of God's elect choose to elect man in place of God. Let it be known that of all the kings mentioned it was God who had a hand in all of those taking the throne. What makes man think that he is better than God in their choosing?

God has given us a remedy and that is to repeatedly pray to Him for deliverance, to choose Him to rule over us, to repent. That time is now more than ever.

How much longer Christians do you want to suffer? It is as in the Wizard of Oz."Well Dorothy you could have returned home at any time. All you had to do is ask. Instead, you wanted to see what the ways of the world was like and now you have seen enough."

       Our home is the Kingdom of Heaven here on earth. Have we not seen enough of the ways of the world outside? Any vote for any man no matter the position in this nation is a vote taken away from our true King. Any man elected will just keep carrying on the will of the evil ones and do it by saying "It is the law". How are we loving our neighbors as ourselves by continuing to not cry out to our father? What if it is up to the elect and only the elect to do this. God would have spared Sodom and Gomorrah had there been 10 righteous men. What would God do if all of His elect cry out?

       Know this when we choose, I AM THAT I AM as Ruler we can do that right in our own homes, we do not need to go stand in long lines 1 time out of the year. We can choose God to reign over us as often as we want each day. Our choice will count. There are no computer hacks to alter our choice. There is something that we must consider. When the Lord Jesus answers our cry there is going to be much carnage. Are we going to regret choosing Jesus upon seeing this carnage for there may be loved ones in this carnage? Maybe that is the reason that we are told to put on the full armor of God. 

James 5:17: 

17Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.

Christians, you are considered as belligerents and rebels in this nation. Pray earnestly to the God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

There is not a dimes worth of difference between a Father hearing the words of His children saying, "give us a king to rule over us" and the words "Crucify Him Crucify Him." 

Let us not have our Father grieve for His children any longer by not crying out to Him.

To sum this up The Bible believing, truth seeking, Holy Spirit filled remnant of this world have available a weapon of mass destruction. The enemies of our Father know this. The enemies fear considerably of this weapon. They will do everything possible to keep the remnant from using it. Such methods are to create divisions. We, the remnant have divisions in our own household, divisions with neighbors, even divisions within our congregations. We also have divisions with our health. It is so easy to become part of those divisions and we become too busy with those divisions, that we lose focus of the weapon that God has given us. Know this that wherever there is a division the serpent is involved.

That weapon of mass destruction is NOT calling on God to give us a reprieve or a deliverer. That just satisfies us for a short time. We are at a point of no return. The weapon that we have available to us is to repent of ever asking our Father for a king to rule over us. That same weapon is a call to God our Father to reign over us. All evil would be eradicated. Ask yourself, remnant, is this a weapon you want to use?

Joshua stated, “Choose you this day whom you will serve God or man." If we are breathing, this day is every day. 

Blessed be our God; Be thou our Ruler, oh Ruler of all.