Pastor John,
Over the past few weeks, we have been reading the story of David with the girls. We followed David’s life from a shepherd boy to defeating Goliath, to fleeing from Saul and how he hid in caves, forests, and mountains from Saul’s pursuits. Though David did nothing wrong to Saul, Saul turned against David and continually tried to kill him. David, however, still respected and acknowledged Saul as the anointed man whom God had set over him and all of Israel. When opportunities arose where David could have struck down Saul and killed him, ending his exile and hardships, he feared God’s anointing more than his own safety and comfort, and he would not lash out against Saul.
Even though the anointed man of God wrongfully turned on David and attempted to kill him, David never spoke evil against Saul. Now, David pleaded with Saul to give up his unjust pursuit, but the Bible never records David saying anything negative or slanderous regarding Saul, as David acknowledged God’s anointing on Saul and that God made Saul king. And as long as Saul was alive and king, he was still God’s anointed man, and opposing God’s anointed man was the same as opposing God, even if God’s anointed man was opposing him!
When the Amalekite messenger reported Saul’s death to David, and tried to win favor with David, falsely claiming that he was one who had slain Saul:
2 Samuel 1
14. And David said to him, “How were you not afraid to stretch forth your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?”
15. Then David called to one of the young men and said, “Go near, and light upon him.” So he smote him that he died.
16. And David said to him, “Your blood be upon your head, for your mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I have slaughtered the anointed of the Lord.’”
¶17.Then David mourned with this lamentation over Saul, and over Jonathan his son.
As you have mentioned many times, slander is a form of murder, as it kills a person’s influence. May God have mercy on anyone that stretches forth their hand against God’s anointed to oppose or attempt to kill their influence. And even if an anointed teacher/healer/pastor/evangelist/preacher of God has gotten off track and is currently out of the will of God, that person is still God’s anointed, and we would do well to follow David’s example of respecting, acknowledging, and fearing any anointing that God establishes.
Wanted to share some of the thoughts and feelings evoked while reading about David’s humility and respect.
Richard French
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Thanks, Richard.
David was certainly a wise man to think like that, and God richly rewarded him for it.
By example, my father taught us who knew him never to speak evil of a man anointed by God. He showed great respect to Oral Roberts, Kathryn Kuhlman, and others who had an anointing from God. He even told me one Sunday morning that God spoke to him as we watched some religious programming that morning, and said, “Don’t speak evil of anyone who is speaking well of my Son.” The safest way, I suppose, is just to heed Paul’s counsel and “speak evil of no man” (Tit. 3:2).
Thanks for letting us know what you and your sweet family have been up to.
Pastor John