JUDGING AND TOUCHING THE UNTOUCHABLES
By: Victor T. Stephens
"If an offense comes out of the truth, better is it that the offense come than that the truth be concealed."
~ Thomas Hardy
TOUCH NOT MY ANOINTED
Consider the following passage:
Saying, "To you I will give the land of Canaan as the allotment of your inheritance," When they were few in number, indeed very few, and strangers in it. When they went from one nation to another, from one kingdom to another people, He permitted no one to do them wrong; Yes, He rebuked kings for their sakes, saying, "Do not touch My anointed ones, and do My prophets no harm." (Psalm 105:11-15)
Now, who are the "anointed"? The phrase, "My anointed ones," is typically used in reference to Israel's kings.
"Here I am. Witness against me before the Lord and before His anointed: Whose ox have I taken, or whose donkey have I taken, or whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed, or from whose hand have I received any bribe with which to blind my eyes? I will restore it to you." (1 Sam. 12:3)
And 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 Sam. 24:6)
But David said to Abishai, "Do not destroy him; for who can stretch out his hand against the Lord's anointed, and be guiltless?" (1 Sam. 26:9)
So David said to him, "How was it you were not afraid to put forth your hand to destroy the Lord's anointed?"
(2 Sam. 1:14) See also Psalm 20:6 and Lamentations 4:20)
Now, who are the prophets? The phrase "My prophets" is used in reference to God's patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
"Now therefore, restore the man's wife; for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you shall live. But if you do not restore her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours." (Gen. 20:7)
Looking at Psalm 105 in greater context, it says:
O seed of Abraham His servant, you children of Jacob, His chosen ones! He is the Lord our God; His judgments are in all the earth. He remembers His covenant forever, the word which He commanded, for a thousand generations, the covenant which He made with Abraham, and His oath to Isaac, and confirmed it to Jacob for a statute, to Israel as an everlasting covenant, saying, "To you I will give the land of Canaan as the allotment of your inheritance," When they were few in number, indeed very few, and strangers in it. When they went from one nation to another, from one kingdom to another people, He permitted no one to do them wrong; yes, He rebuked kings for their sakes, saying, "Do not touch My anointed ones, and do My prophets no harm." (Psalm 105:6-15)
Now, reading the passages preceding Psalm 105:15 and other related texts, "Do not touch My anointed ones, and do My prophets no harm" is literally speaking in terms of not inflicting physical harm upon God's anointed ones and prophets in the Old Testament. Neither of these designations means that an appraisal regarding the teachings of today's church is inappropriate. This scheme of butchering Psalm 105:15 functions to enhance the financial resources of rapacious demagogues. Moreover, by using fear of some form of retaliation for speaking out, it also serves to keep congregants in "their rightful places"... empowering pre-existing political correctness in the church.
Now, let's postulate momentarily that "Touch not My anointed" is defined as "Not touching (correcting) a pastor's teaching." In that case, how would we know who not to touch? How would we be able to discern the many false teachers the Bible so clearly points out? Anyone can claim to be a preacher, prophet, or evangelist. The latter question is just what false teachers fear. Satan's ministers do not want us to see them in their authentic form. Therefore, they twist Psalm 105:15 into a different rendition because it stifles debate and shields them from correction and exposure.
WHO ARE THE ANOINTED IN THE NEW TESTAMENT?
False church leaders twist and pull Psalm 105:15 from the Old Testament to instill the notion that they are exclusively God's anointed. However, according to Scripture, all believers under the new covenant are a part of the anointed priesthood.
"Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, 22 who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee." (2 Cor. 1:21-22)
"... who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life." (2 Cor. 3:6)
"... you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 2:5)
"... and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen." (Rev. 1:6)
"And have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth." (Rev. 5:10)
Nowhere in the New Testament do we find a single verse that indicates God's anointed is restricted to leaders in the church. Every believer in the body of Christ has been anointed by the Holy Spirit with specific gifts.
Next: Judge Not Lest Ye Be Judged
