Yesterday I read The Psalms and was encouraged to see how far God is prepared to go, because He loves us. Pastors and deacons are able explain for those deficient in reading comprehension (or unable to remember what they've read) and before that there were elders, who clearly have a similar function to judges. The books of Kings are also very reassuring, especially in relation to the function of prophets who remind us what happens if we neglect God and don't respond as He wants us to. In fact having a king in the first place was against His recommendation.
I Samuel 8:11-20aGOD'S STATEMENT ABOUT KINGS
This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your [précis]
sons (various functions)
daughters (confectionaries, cooks, bakers)
fields
vineyards
oliveyards (for his servants)
⅒ of your seed
⅒ of your vineyards (for his officers)
menservants & maidservants
goodliest young men
asses (for his work)
⅒ 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. Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us; that we also may be like all the nations
Before that there had been judges, well-known Bible names like
Othniel,
Deborah,
Jephthah,
Ibzan and
Samson. One of the judges was a prophetess, so it would be God speaking through her rather than she herself making any judgements – but that's a minor detail compared to the broader picture of what happens when we reject God's love. The protection He has promised is withdrawn, even when choosing a king against His advice as is explicit from the quote above. I think of it like going out in a hailstorm; I can go with an umbrella and be protected or reject the umbrella and get pelted.
God's blessings follow those whom He loves (and who follow Him) and one of those blessings is persecution. Part of following Him is obeying the Pastors and Deacons who, in turn, have specific requirements placed upon them.
I Timothy 3:12-13GOD'S RULES FOR DEACONS
Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.
"Husbands of one wife" doesn't mean they should all be married to the same wife but the salient feature in all this is that Coney Barrett could not fulfil that condition and does not belong in the long line of judicial authorities, initiated by God all those years ago.