“The Law Is the Weapon of the King”

Endnotes

1“In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” 2 Corinthians 4:4 (KJV). “Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.” John 12:31 (KJV). “Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.” John 14:30 (KJV). “Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.” John 16:11 (KJV). “Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience…” Ephesians 2:2 (KJV). “And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.” 1 John 5:19 (KJV). “And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.” Revelation 9:11 (KJV). ↩︎

2“Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.” Matthew 4:8–10 (KJV). “And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.” Luke 4:5–8 (KJV). ↩︎

3“And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.” Luke 4:6 (KJV). “…Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.” Matthew 4:10 (KJV). “Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.” John 12:31 (KJV). “Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.” John 14:30 (KJV). “And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.” 1 John 5:19 (KJV). ↩︎

4“And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.” Job 1:12 (KJV). “And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life.” Job 2:6 (KJV). “…Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.” Luke 22:31–32 (KJV). “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13 (KJV). “And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.” Revelation 20:2–3 (KJV). ↩︎

5“Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.” John 8:44 (KJV). “And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.” 2 Timothy 2:26 (KJV). “Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.” 2 Timothy 3:8 (KJV). “Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.” 1 Timothy 6:5 (KJV). “From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.” James 4:1–2 (KJV). “And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.” Revelation 13:2 (KJV). ↩︎

6“But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully…” 1 Timothy 1:8 (KJV). “Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.” Romans 7:12 (KJV). “For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.” Romans 13:4 (KJV). “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” Isaiah 5:20 (KJV). “Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness which they have prescribed; To turn aside the needy from judgment, and to take away the right from the poor of my people, that widows may be their prey, and that they may rob the fatherless!” Isaiah 10:1–2 (KJV). “Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, which frameth mischief by a law?” Psalm 94:20 (KJV).The Early Church“…by means of the establishment of laws, they may keep down an excess of wickedness among the nations.” Irenaeus of Lyons, Against Heresies 5.24.2, trans. Alexander Roberts and William Rambaut, in The Ante-Nicene Fathers, ed. Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson, vol. 1 (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing, 1885). ↩︎

7“And he said, 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. And 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. And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers. And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants. And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants. And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work. He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants. And 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.” 1 Samuel 8:11–18 (KJV). “Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph. And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we: Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land. Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses. But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel. And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigour: And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in morter, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigour.” Exodus 1:8–14 (KJV). ↩︎

8“And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.” Revelation 13:16–17 (KJV). “And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” Revelation 13:7–8 (KJV). “Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.” Daniel 7:23–25 (KJV). “And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.” Revelation 17:12–13 (KJV). “For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.” Revelation 17:17 (KJV). “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.” 2 Thessalonians 2:3–4 (KJV). “…concerning the ten kings who shall then arise, among whom the empire which now rules [the earth] shall be partitioned…” Irenaeus of Lyons, Against Heresies 5.26.1, trans. Alexander Roberts and William Rambaut, in The Ante-Nicene Fathers, ed. Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson, vol. 1 (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing, 1885). “…by the toes of the feet he meant the kings who are to arise from among them…” “…the ten toes of the image are equivalent to (so many) democracies…” “…the ten horns of the fourth beast are distributed over ten kingdoms…” Hippolytus of Rome, On Christ and Antichrist, chaps. 25, 27, trans. J. H. MacMahon, in The Ante-Nicene Fathers, ed. Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson, vol. 5 (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing, 1886). ↩︎

9“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Ephesians 6:12 (KJV). “And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.” Revelation 12:7–9 (KJV). “But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia.” Daniel 10:13 (KJV).By the Signing of a Law“Then were the king’s scribes called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded unto the king’s lieutenants, and to the governors that were over every province, and to the rulers of every people of every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language; in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written, and sealed with the king’s ring.” Esther 3:12 (KJV). “Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree.” Daniel 6:9 (KJV). ↩︎

10Outlawing the Worship of Christ and the Assembly in His Name“All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counsellors, and the captains, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions.” Daniel 6:7 (KJV). “And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.” Acts 4:18 (KJV). “Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.” Acts 5:28 (KJV).The Means by Which Men May Remain Free“Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel: for the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make them swords or spears: But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his share, and his coulter, and his axe, and his mattock. Yet they had a file for the mattocks, and for the coulters, and for the forks, and for the axes, and to sharpen the goads. So it came to pass in the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people that were with Saul and Jonathan: but with Saul and with Jonathan his son was there found.” 1 Samuel 13:19–22 (KJV). “…But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.” Luke 22:36 (KJV). “If a thief be found breaking up, and be smitten that he die, there shall no blood be shed for him.” Exodus 22:2 (KJV). “And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not ye afraid of them: remember the Lord, which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses.” Nehemiah 4:14 (KJV). “They which builded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, with those that laded, every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon. For the builders, every one had his sword girded by his side, and so builded. And he that sounded the trumpet was by me.” Nehemiah 4:17–18 (KJV). “Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight…” Psalm 144:1 (KJV).The Early Church“He who does not keep harm off a friend, if he can, is as much in fault as he who causes it.” Ambrose of Milan, On the Duties of the Clergy 1.36.179, trans. H. de Romestin, in Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, 2nd ser., vol. 10, ed. Philip Schaff and Henry Wace (New York: Christian Literature Publishing, 1896). “For courage, which in war preserves one’s country from the barbarians, or at home defends the weak, or comrades from robbers, is full of justice…” Ambrose of Milan, On the Duties of the Clergy 1.27.129, trans. H. de Romestin, in Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, 2nd ser., vol. 10, ed. Philip Schaff and Henry Wace (New York: Christian Literature Publishing, 1896). ↩︎

11The Law of the Medes and Persians, Which Altereth Not“Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.” Daniel 6:8 (KJV). “Then these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the king, Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is, That no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed.” Daniel 6:15 (KJV). “Write ye also for the Jews, as it liketh you, in the king’s name, and seal it with the king’s ring: for the writing which is written in the king’s name, and sealed with the king’s ring, may no man reverse.” Esther 8:8 (KJV).With God All Things Are Possible“My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.” Daniel 6:22 (KJV). “Wherein the king granted the Jews which were in every city to gather themselves together, and to stand for their life, to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish, all the power of the people and province that would assault them, both little ones and women, and to take the spoil of them for a prey…” Esther 8:11 (KJV). “And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands. And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me. And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision. When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him.” Acts 12:7–10 (KJV). “For with God nothing shall be impossible.” Luke 1:37 (KJV). “…With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26 (KJV). ↩︎

12Prayer“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14 (KJV). “Pray without ceasing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (KJV). “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” James 5:16 (KJV). “And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint…” Luke 18:1 (KJV). “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Matthew 26:41 (KJV).Gathering Together“And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” Hebrews 10:24–25 (KJV). “And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.” Acts 2:42 (KJV). “And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.” Acts 2:46–47 (KJV). “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” Matthew 18:20 (KJV).Service to God“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.” Joshua 24:15 (KJV). “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.” Romans 12:1 (KJV). “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.” Colossians 3:23–24 (KJV).Standing Together United“Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel…” Philippians 1:27 (KJV). “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” Psalm 133:1 (KJV). “Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” Ephesians 4:3–6 (KJV). “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.” John 17:20–21 (KJV).Citizens of Heaven, Sojourners in This World“For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ…” Philippians 3:20 (KJV). “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.” Hebrews 11:13 (KJV). “Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul…” 1 Peter 2:11 (KJV). “Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God…” Ephesians 2:19 (KJV). “I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.” John 17:14–16 (KJV).The Good Fight of Faith“Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.” 1 Timothy 6:12 (KJV). “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith…” 2 Timothy 4:7 (KJV). “Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.” Jude 3 (KJV).The Early Church“They dwell in their own countries, but simply as sojourners. As citizens, they share in all things with others, and yet endure all things as if foreigners. Every foreign land is to them as their native country, and every land of their birth as a land of strangers. They marry, as do all [others]; they beget children; but they do not destroy their offspring. They have a common table, but not a common bed. They are in the flesh, but they do not live after the flesh. They pass their days on earth, but they are citizens of heaven.” The Epistle to Diognetus, chap. 5, in The Ante-Nicene Fathers, ed. Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson, vol. 1 (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing, 1885). “Take heed, then, often to come together to give thanks to God, and show forth His praise. For when you assemble frequently in the same place, the powers of Satan are destroyed…” Ignatius of Antioch, Epistle to the Ephesians, chap. 13, in The Ante-Nicene Fathers, ed. Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson, vol. 1 (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing, 1885). ↩︎