Once there was a great king who had a large army and many servants. He was a good, righteous, and mighty king. At times when a king would have full and complete control over a kingdom and its citizens, you would want him to be this king.
One day a captain in the King’s army got it into his haughty head that he would challenge the King and become king in his place. Though he was in a grand position, he decided he was not content with being a servant. He convinced a third of the King’s army and servants to join him, and thus began his rebellion. He utterly betrayed the King, declaring himself the King’s enemy.
But the traitorous captain could not defeat the King. The King himself was too mighty to be overthrown. Now the King’s worst enemy, the evil captain was exiled. By the King’s law a judgement of full destruction was to be meted out, and it was already in motion.
Knowing that he could not harm the King directly, the Enemy decided to take out his vengeance on the King’s citizens. The King loved his citizens as if they were his own children, so hurting them would hurt the King. But the proud, insidious Enemy wasn’t satisfied with merely hurting the citizens. He would seduce them into betraying their own King, grievously hurting the citizens while also striking the deepest wound he could into the King.
So the Enemy infiltrated the citizenry, telling lies about the King. He deceived some into believing that the King was not good, but was actually restrictive with all his laws. He deceived still others into thinking that they could live the way they wanted without the King ever knowing or being able to do anything about it. He was actually able to convince some of the people that perhaps there was not really a King at all.
Thus all of the citizens – all of them – were turned against their own loving King. By law their offenses had effectively caused them to renounce their citizenship, and without knowing it they became slaves to the Enemy. The Enemy’s judgement from the King would also become their own. They would all have to be destroyed.
But the King loved his people still, and would not destroy them without giving them a chance to return to his kingdom. Holding back his judgement for a time, he and his son came up with a plan to restore the people’s citizenship. The King’s son loved the people just as much as the King did, so he painfully paid for every single offense that each former citizen had committed. In front of the King and all the former citizenry, the King’s son paid each grave penalty required by law so that justice could make way for mercy and forgiveness. Once the offenses had received their sacrifice, the King was able to grant each former citizen amnesty and restore their citizenship. But they had to realize they needed it and come forth to the King and his son to claim it.
Many of the former citizenry realized the cruel offenses they had committed against their benevolent King. With tears and humility they each went to the King to apologize and to humbly request the amnesty they knew they did not deserve. The King granted it, and fully restored citizenship with all its privileges, which included coming before the King at any time for help, counsel, or just conversation. The King then sent out these restored citizens to the former ones, to tell them they could be restored and to invite them back to the kingdom before the Judgement of Destruction had to be dealt. For the Destruction was coming. The King could not hold it off forever, for the evil Enemy was fully deserving of this righteous judgement and could not be allowed to continue in his ways.
While many people did come to claim amnesty and restore their citizenship, many did not. They did not believe they needed amnesty. They were just fine where they were, and didn’t want citizenship from such a King. They still believed the Enemy’s lies. Over time the former citizenry became even worse in their offenses, and often oppressed and persecuted the restored citizens. Yet each time a former citizen went humbly to the King and his son, no matter how evil they had been, they were still restored. Though the Judgement was coming, the King made sure that each person had enough time to come back, lest they be on the wrong side of the just and righteous sword when it came.
As the time for the Judgement came nearer, the King began to remove his citizens away from the former citizenry and the Enemy. Then one night the King removed all of his citizens at once. Plenty of time had been given for the offenders to change and to return. They had made their choice, and they now stood with the heinous, despised Enemy. As the next day dawned the King righteously and mightily meted out destruction, destroying the Enemy once and for all so he might never harm anyone again. With the restored citizens, the King established a new kingdom, free of the influence of the Enemy. The King’s people were now safe, never to be troubled again.