Don't Touch God's Anointed

This was a defining moment for both. A revelation of God and His character was about to be realised. Both David and Saul stood at the crossroad of destiny. As you listen be blessed, empowered and transformed in Jesus name.

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Transcript

00:00 Intro music and voice over.

Welcome to jesus loves the world podcast. For more information and free resources visit our website jesuslovestheworld.info Be blessed empowered and transformed in Jesus’ name! 

00:21 Speaker

God and His journey with the Ancient Israelites reveals much about God and His character. The Ancient Israelites wanted to be like the surrounding nations. They wanted to have a human king, instead of God ruling and reigning over them. 

God ruled and reigned in equity and love. Bringing deliverance and freedom, empowerment and harmony, justice and peace.

In complete contrast to God’s ways, the surrounding nations lived and died by the sword. They seized power though violence and oppression, demonstrating their strength with military might. 

God in His loving kindness to the Ancient Israelites, through His prophet Samuel, told them that a human king would not care for them as He does. The behaviour of this human king they desire so much would be this. He would rule over them, oppress them and dominate them all to serve his own interests. This king would tear families apart by taking their sons and their  daughters. Making many of the sons will be made into an army to go to war against the surrounding nations. This human king would also make many of their daughters serve his own personal desires. He will seize a tenth of their crops and produce to be given to the king’s servants and his military men. This human king will make the Ancient Israelites, his own people be servants to him. 

In response the Ancient Israelites cried out to Samuel and demanded this human king. The Ancient Israelites wanted this human king to rule over them instead of God. So that they too would be like the surrounding nations. With a king of war, oppression and dominance.

In rejecting God and His right to rule and reign, the Ancient Israelites demanded a human king. 

So God laments. 

For since the days when He brought them up from the land of Egypt, the Ancient Israelites  served other gods. They had forsaken Him and pursued their own selfish desires and lusts.

So God in His grace and mercy spoke to His prophet Samuel. He said to Samuel, they have rejected me. Listen to them and give them a king.

There was a man, who was mighty in stature. He had a son who was the most handsome person amongst the Ancient Israelites. He was also the tallest of them all. His name was Saul.

Time passes. Saul was crowned king.

Just as God said it would be. Saul led the Ancient Israelites into battle with the surrounding nations. He took their sons and daughters and 10% of their livestock and produce. Saul did it all to make a name for himself and serve his selfish desires. 

Whilst Saul is still king, God told His prophet Samuel to anoint a shepherd boy as future king. He will be a man after God’s own heart, giving total allegiance to the creator of heaven and earth and all things good. He too will use his power for self gain, but will remain faithful to God and worship only Him. This young man’s name was David.

As time passed Saul became tormented by an evil spirit. David finds favour in Saul’s palace and every time he played the lyre, the evil spirit departed. As the battles with enemy nations continues, David slays a giant enemy of Saul and the Ancient Israelites. David becomes popular. Saul becomes afraid of losing his popularity. 

As Saul attempts to kill David in a jealous rage, David flees the king’s court. Together with a group of men who like David have been cast out by Saul, they seek refuge in cave. It is in this cave that the greatest battle both Saul and David would face. The battle of their self wills. 

Let us pick up the story in 1 Samuel 24:1-10 Now it happened, when Saul had returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, “Take note! David is in the Wilderness of En Gedi.” Then Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel, and went to seek David and his men on the Rocks of the Wild Goats. So he came to the sheepfolds by the road, where there was a cave; and Saul went in to attend to his needs. (David and his men were staying in the recesses of the cave.) Then the men of David said to him, “This is the day of which the LORD said to you, ‘Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, that you may do to him as it seems good to you.’ ” And David arose and secretly cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. Now it happened afterward that David’s heart troubled him because he had cut Saul’s robe. 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.” So David restrained his servants with these words, and did not allow them to rise against Saul. And Saul got up from the cave and went on his way.

David also arose afterward, went out of the cave, and called out to Saul, saying, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed down. And David said to Saul: “Why do you listen to the words of men who say, ‘Indeed David seeks your harm’? 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.’

So David and those who have joined him are on the run from Saul. Staying in the recess of a cave. The men with David reminded David what the Lord had said. The Lord said that He would deliver Saul into David’s hands. David would have the power and moment to do what seemed good. 

If that statement by God is interpreted through the eyes of humanity, it could be reasoned that to kill Saul is ‘what seemed good.’ As David could even reason that in killing Saul he would become king and be able to represent God to the surrounding nations. 

Yet God’s words cannot be interpreted through humanity’s eyes. For humanity is trapped in their desire for self gratification, self glory and self gain.

So at that very moment, Saul entered the cave. The same cave where David and the men were. Saul was attending to his own personal needs. He was vulnerable.

This was a defining moment for both. A revelation of God and His character was about to be realised. Both David and Saul stood at the crossroad of destiny. David had an opportunity to seize by force what God had told him He would be given. Remembering that the Ancient Israelites had chosen the ways of the surrounding nations. Demanding a human king from their own people. A human king who would go to war and seize by violence power and self glory. The Ancient Israelites desired to be a powerful nation ruled by a human king, so all the surrounding nations would be in awe and dread of them. 

This is in complete contrast to God and His plan. He personally and intimately desired to make them a great nation. So that they and the surrounding nations may know Him. The one true God who created the heavens and the earth and all things good. That each one regardless of nation and tongue would have a choice to receive God and His right to rule and reign, or reject God and His right to rule and reign. The sole purpose and desire of God is to set humanity free. Free from their selfish desires and the injustices of this world. This world that has been corrupted by the lusts and selfish desires of humanity and evil. 

Remembering that sadly the Ancient Israelites chose they ways of humanity and the surrounding nations. A pathway of violence, dominance and oppression. Remaining trapped in bondage to their selfish desires.  

Back to the cave. The tension builds. 

David, like Saul was from amongst the Ancient Israelites. Yet from a different tribe and no military training. David was a shepherd who now was tempted to seize his own moment, glory and fame. He knew this was the moment. David secretly cut off a corner of Saul’s royal robe. But David’s heart troubled him. He knew he had disrespected Saul and the men with David witnessed it. David could not let the men with him kill Saul, so he retrained them.

This defining moment has nothing to do with whether Saul was to remain the king of the Ancient Israelites. It wasn’t even a test of David’s worthiness to be the next king of the Ancient Israelites. This was the moment to reveal God’s heart and David knew the heart of God.

David revealed God’s heart is to honour and not to shame. To forgive and not to punish. God’s heart is set humanity free and to bind up. To bring peace and not violence. 

For if David seized the crown of king by force, this would bind up not only David, but his people even more than they are already. It would be choosing a pathway of destruction. As the lusts and selfish desires of humanity are destructive negative forces of destruction. 

In complete contrast to the ways of humanity, David declares to those in the cave and ultimately Saul that he would not stretch out his hand against his master, for he is the Lord’s anointed. 

This statement is very powerful. David knew God and His heart was and is to be the King. As His desire is that humanity be set free. As God is the only one to rule and reign in justice and love as a witness to the surrounding nations.

It is God’s desire that each individual, regardless of position in this life rule and reign over their selfish desires. That each one lives in the daily victory of surrender to God and His will. This is only possible when God’s right to to rule and reign is chosen. 

So David honours the right to rule and reign and in doing so reveals the one true God and HIs heart for all people.

David at this point in his life refused to seize by force what God had told him would be given to him. He also revealed the character of God. Reminding Saul of God and that He had anointed Saul. Sadly Saul refused to listen to the voice of God. The very one who had anointed him and wanted him to be set free.

David went on to be king. God said of David that he served his generation well. Yet sadly, David too became consumed by the lusts and selfish desires of humanity. Using his position of power as king for self gain. As a result he was longer an effective witness of God to the surrounding nations. 

David’s words are not the words of a king in power, who has been accused of wrong doing. For we are to expose the abuses of power and position and the injustices and lies of self and evil.

The contrast between God and His kingdom and the ways and empires of humanity are evident in David’s words. 

God’s kingdom is for everyone. Anyone who has given their allegiance to God and received His right to rule, receives His kingdom. They are anointed by God. That is set apart from the ways of the empires of humanity. Anointed by God to live in the daily victory of surrender of self will to that of God’s will. Being transformed by Him, an effective witness of Him to the world. 

God’s kingdom is a kingdom of equality and respect, freedom and victory, identity and purpose.

The kingdom of God cannot be seized by force, corrupted by selfish desires or be used to coverup the wrongs committed by God’s people. Just as David knew and testified. God and His kingdom is a gift of God Himself. In acceptance of His right to rule and reign we are a true witness of Him. In surrender being transformed by Him and to Him all the glory. 

19:40 Outro music and voice over. 

For more information and free resources visit our website jesuslovestheworld.info Be blessed empowered and transformed in Jesus’ name!