Don’t Touch the Anointed
I was reading one of the most amazing things about David the other day in the book of 1 Samuel. It had to do with how David treated King Saul and the Lord showed me something in David’s actions that we can all learn from. Let me show you.
Now when Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, saying, “Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi.” Then Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and went to seek David and his men in front of the Rocks of the Wild Goats. He came to the sheepfolds on the way, where there was a cave; and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were sitting in the inner recesses of the cave. The men of David said to him, “Behold, this is the day of which the Lord said to you, ‘Behold; I am about to give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it seems good to you.’ ” Then David arose and cut off the edge of Saul’s robe secretly. It came about afterward that David’s conscience bothered him because he had cut off the edge of Saul’s robe. So he said to his men, “Far be it from me because of the Lord that I should do this thing to my Lord, the Lord’s anointed, to stretch out my hand against him, since he is the Lord’s anointed.”
1 Samuel 24:1-6 NASB1995
We see here that David, while being hunted by King Saul in the wilderness had a chance to kill King Saul and rescue himself. Now David didn’t kill Saul when he had the chance, but instead only took a piece of Saul’s robe. This shows you how close David came to seeking vengeance. But even after taking this small piece of Saul’s robe he had remose.
David persuaded his men with these words and did not allow them to rise up against Saul. And Saul arose, left the cave, and went on his way. Now afterward David arose and went out of the cave and called after Saul, saying, “My Lord the king!” And when Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the ground and prostrated himself. David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of men, saying, ‘Behold, David seeks to harm you’? Behold, this day your eyes have seen that the Lord had given you today into my hand in the cave, and some said to kill you, but my eye had pity on you; and I said, ‘I will not stretch out my hand against my Lord, for he is the Lord’s anointed.’ Now, my father, see! Indeed, see the edge of your robe in my hand! For in that I cut off the edge of your robe and did not kill you, know and perceive that there is no evil or rebellion in my hands, and I have not sinned against you, though you are lying in wait for my life to take it. May the Lord judge between you and me, and may the Lord avenge me on you; but my hand shall not be against you.
1 Samuel 24:7-12 NASB1995
After Saul left, David chased after him to tell Saul about what he had done. David wanted to let Saul know that he had spared him. Now we also see that David spoke to Saul while bowing his face to the ground in respect. Think about how much this took to for David to do, to honor someone who wanted to destroy him. Lastly we see that David didn’t honor Saul because of his actions, but rather because Saul was the anointed of the Lord. And because of this David would not touch Saul. Now we have seen some amazing self control from David, and we know that this was the right thing to do. But how often do we come against the anointed of the Lord? Why do we judge our brothers and sisters in Christ when God has called them an anointed and chosen people.
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
1 Peter 2:9-10 NASB1995
And why do we hold people’s mistakes over them when God has said that they are forgiven in Christ and there is no longer any condemnation for them. Will you really judge those who have already been judged and found innocent in Christ?
Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.
Romans 8:1-2 NASB1995
We should change our attitude and learn from King David as well as our King, Jesus Christ. He taught that we should judge not lest we be judged. I hope this post has helped you to see your sin. So now is the time to change our ways and to honor the Anointed of the Lord, which is the Church.
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