There is a story in the Old Testament that should be studied and understood by all law enforcement and military personnel who operate under the auspices of government at whatever level.

When Ahaziah, king of Israel, was taken ill he sent messengers to inquire of Baalzebub, the god of Ekron, whether he would recover. The messengers were met by Elijah the prophet, who told them to return to the ailing king with the message that because he sought the god of Ekron, and not the God of Israel he would surely die upon his bed.

The king, not pleased with Elijah's prophesy, sent a captain with fifty men to place him under arrest: Then the king sent unto him a captain with his fifty. And he went up to him, and, behold, he sat on the top of the hill. And he spake unto him, Thou man of God, the king hath said, Come down.

Undeterred, king Ahaziah sent another captain with his fifty men to arrest Elijah: Again also he sent unto him another captain with his fifty. And he answered and said unto him, O man of God, thus hath the king said, Come down quickly.

And Elijah answered and said unto them, If I be a man of God, let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And the fire of God came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty. -- II Kings 1:9-12

The most spectacular and gruesome deaths ever recorded in the Old Testament happened to one hundred and two police officers. They were, no doubt, no better or worse than the average officer of today. They were "just following orders", just "doing their job". Yet, because they were following the orders of a reprobate political leader God's judgement fell on them as it would king Ahaziah.

Why did God's vengeance fall on these one hundred and two officers? Even a cursory examination of Scripture reveals that the God of the Bible is a God of covenants. The Bible is basically a chronicle of a covenant that God make with a man named Abraham and his descendents. In fact all major dealings between God and man have been by covenant.

Covenant-breaking is a serious offense. The Apostle Paul condemned it in the first chapter of Romans as worthy of death ("divine vengeance" in the original Greek).

By his actions King Ahaziah exalted himself, and thereby he breached the covenant that God made with his people, much as some of our politicians have exalted themselves, and breached the covenant established between "We, the People" and the government by our constitutions and Bill of Rights.

If officials choose to breach their oath of office and infringe our constitutional rights, often through unconstitutional laws, and if they use law enforcement (or military) personnel to enforce those illegal laws, those officers will, according to II Kings 1:9-12, place themselves on equal footing with those who make the laws. The one hundred and two officers barbequed on a hillside testify to that fact. The greatest prophet in the Old Testament was also the greatest law enforcer in history. All because the king's officers were trying to enforce "bad law" -- law that violated and exceeded God's covenant.

King Ahaziah, still undeterred, sent a third captain to arrest Elijah.

And the angel of the Lord said unto Elijah, Go down with him: and be not afraid. And he arose and went down with him unto the king. -- II Kings 1:13-15.

The third captain, standing knee deep in freshly charred corpses, understood where lawless political authority ended and where covenant authority (constitutional authority, for us) began. The third captain knew that his "political leader" had exceeded his authority. What saved him was that he refused to carry out an "executive order" and placed himself and his men under Elijah's authority -- note he said "thy servants".

How many police and military personnel have this attitude towards "We, the People", our Constitution and our various governments today? Spc. Michael New, who, having sworn an oath to defend the Constitution refused to swear an oath to the United Nations, is one. He may spend time in Leavenworth for his actions, but he'll never meet the fate of the first two captains.

A broken covenant is treasonous no matter how legal or lawful it may appear on the surface. And those who enforce or obey unconstitutional laws are as guilty as those who legislate them. A crime disguised as law is still a crime.

There is no middle ground for police and military personnel on this issue. You must choose sides and cast your lot. You will either join the one hundred and two, or the third captain.