Scripture

“Why were you not afraid to kill the Lord’s anointed one?” David asked.

Observation

An Amalekite comes to David with Saul’s crown and armband. He tells David that Saul and Jonathan are dead. He found Saul fatally wounded and killed him at Saul’s request.

David is mortified when he hears this news. He and his men weep all day for Saul and Jonathan.

David asks the man, “Why were you nt afraid to kill the Lord’s anointed one?” He then has the man killed.

Application

Despite years of running from Saul, David was grieved by Saul’s death. He asked the Amalekite twice, “Why were you not afraid to kill the Lord’s anointed one?”

This verse is often used as a justification for some high profile ministers to be above any form of accountability. “You must not touch the Lord’s anointed,” they say. They then are allowed to commit all kinds of sins of greed, sexual immorality and arrogance.

In the other hand, some ministers seem to be hamstrung by people who think it is their job to humiliate, criticise and judge them.

So how do we rightly interpret this verse? We should start by noting that even though Saul was sinful and out of God’s will, to the point that the Lord had removed His Spirit from him, David refused to kill him, and refused to rejoice in his death.

When we become aware of a preacher’s sins we should first confront him alone and plead for him to repent. If they refuse to repent, we should withdraw from their influence, possibly changing churches. We should continue to pray for him, honour and respect him and allow God’s judgement to work its ways.

Finally, we should never rejoice in the fall of a minister, because that is always a victory for the enemy and a wound to the Kingdom of God.

Prayer

Lord I pray for all ministers whom I know. Please protect them from the wily temptations of the Evil One. May they remain in your anointing and in the path of holiness. Amen.