Honoring the Anointed One

David refused to lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed leader though his leader behaved in evil ways toward him and others. David believed that vengeance belongs to the Lord.

The Hebrew word for “Anointed One” is מָשִׁיחַ (mashiach), which also means “Messiah” in English. The Greek Septuagint translates “mashiach” as “Christos” (Χριστός), which is the Greek word for “Anointed One.”

At one point, the anointed leader of Israel, King Saul, brought 3,000 elite solders against David to kill him. King Saul went into a cave to relieve himself. David and his men were in the cave. David secretly cut off a corner of Saul’s robe, but afterward his heart troubled him. He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed, to stretch out my hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the Lord.” [1]

Afterwards, David let Saul know what happened. “Look, this day your eyes have seen that the Lord delivered you today into my hand in the cave, and someone urged me to kill you. But my eye spared you, and I said, ‘I will not stretch out my hand against my lord, for he is the Lord’s anointed.’ Moreover, my father, see! Yes, see the corner of your robe in my hand! For in that I cut off the corner of your robe, and did not kill you, know and see that there is neither evil nor rebellion in my hand, and I have not sinned against you. Yet you hunt my life to take it. Let the Lord judge between you and me, and let the Lord avenge me on you. But my hand shall not be against you.” [2]

King Saul lifted up his voice and wept. He said to David: “You are more righteous than I; for you have rewarded me with good, whereas I have rewarded you with evil. And you have shown this day how you have dealt well with me; for when the Lord delivered me into your hand, you did not kill me. For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him get away safely? Therefore, may the Lord reward you with good for what you have done to me this day. And now I know indeed that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand.” [3]

King Saul’s repentance did not last long. He reverted back to pursuing David.

One night, David and one of his soldiers snuck into King Saul’s camp while they were sleeping. He took a spear and a jug of water without being detected. David’s body guard wanted to kill Saul, but David said to him, “Do not destroy him; for who can stretch out his hand against the Lord’s anointed, and be guiltless?” [4]

David professed, “As the Lord lives, the Lord shall strike him, or his day shall come to die, or he shall go out to battle and perish. The Lord forbid that I should stretch out my hand against the Lord’s anointed.” [5]

King Saul did eventually perish in a horrible way, but not by the hand of David. David became the king instead of Saul as the Lord promised he would. David had waited on the Lord, and the Lord brought him to throne without him having to resort to violence to overthrow the government.

I have heard egocentric teachers talk about not touching the Lord’s anointed but apply the word “anointed” to themselves. This is a misapplication. We do need to discern between true and false teachers, as the Berean Christians did and as Paul instructed the Corinthian believers to do.

“Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.” “The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets.” [6]

Does the teacher’s words come from and line up with Scripture? Is his words in line with the words of God’s prophets? The Bible says, “The Spirit of prophecy bears testimony to Jesus.” [7]

Jesus of Nazareth is the Anointed One, the Messiah, the Christ, the King of kings, and the Lord of lords. It is His Name that we should honor. Personality cults and hero worship is idolatry.

When the Corinthians were arguing over who had the G.O.A.T. (Greatest of all time) Christian leader, Paul asked them, “What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task.” [8]

All glory belongs to God and God alone!

Paul explained the growth process, “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.” [9]

The Church’s one foundation is Jesus Christ her Lord. “For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.” [10]

The time for following prophets like Moses, Samuel and Elijah, has given way to the time for all God’s people to follow Jesus. He is the One to whom all the prophets give witness. [11] We are to each have a spiritual relationship with Christ.

We should also obey the civil government. “Obey the government, for God is the One who has put it there. There is no government anywhere that God has not placed in power. So those who refuse to obey the law of the land are refusing to obey God, and punishment will follow.” [12]

We should honor our parents. Jesus rebuked the religious leaders in Jerusalem for not honoring their parents. “All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition. For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’ and ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’ But you say, ‘If a man says to his father or mother, whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban’’ (that is, a gift to God), then you no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother, making the Word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do.” [13]

Wisdom is to “Listen to your father who begot you, and do not despise your mother when she is old.” “Let your father and your mother be glad and let her who bore you rejoice.” [14]

We were birthed by particular parents into a particular country. Whether the circumstances are good or not, we need to look to Messiah, Jesus the Christ, and follow His leading. In some cases, rebellious children and rebellious nations have been given good parents and good governments. In other cases, good children and good nations have been given bad parents and bad governments. In each location and in every circumstance, we should serve and honor Christ. Keep testifying for Jesus, and you will avoid being deceived by false teaching.

Stick with honoring God’s Anointed One, Jesus of Nazareth. The Apostle John wrote, “Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds.” [15] Honor Christ alone!

[1] 1 Samuel 24:4-7
[2] 1 Samuel 24:8-12
[3] 1 Samuel 24:16-20
[4] 1 Samuel 26:7-9
[5] 1 Samuel 26:10-11
[6] Acts 17:11; 1 Corinthians 14:32
[7] Revelation 19:10
[8] 1 Corinthians 3:5
[9] 1 Corinthians 3:6-7
[10] 1 Corinthians 3:11
[11] Acts 10:43; Luke 24:25-27
[12] Romans 13:1-2
[13] Mark 7:9-13
[14] Proverbs 23:22, 25
[15] 2 John 9-11