Do you think that the lessons of the Old Testament kings and leaders can be applied today? What I mean is I know that when God was angry with the people or leaders he sent plagues, famines, etc. on his people to help them repent. Do you think there are such things happening in the kingdom of God today (spiritual plagues, famines etc)? -- Joshua Lopez

Romans 15:4 says that Old Testament history has a lot of lessons for us -- yes indeed! And doubtless many leadership lessons are the same under both covenants. But no, I do not think God deals with churches as he dealt with Israel.

Israel was in a national covenant with God -- please see Deuteronomy 28 -- and he doesn't deal with his people that way anymore. After all, we are not a church state, but a small minority within the state.

As for "spiritual plagues," if that were how God dealt with his church, how would we know? How would we prove the point? It does not seem likely. Still, I observe a famine for the word of the Lord (Amos 8:11-12) nearly everywhere I go, and it is tempting to apply many Old Testament scriptures to modern church situations.