“Don’t touch. . . to my anointed, nor do evil to my prophets” (I Chronicles 16:22).
Spiritual Authority: Woe to him who touches my anointed
This is a very important scripture that deals with the issue of authority. It teaches us two things. First, we must have respect for the man of God. As we have already said, we must appreciate the office that a man occupies.
God often uses someone in a position of authority to carry out His plan even though that man is not always doing His will. He appointed the pagan king, Cyrus, to fulfill his purpose (Isa. 44:28-45:3), and He spoke to the people about him through the Egyptian king, Necho (II Chronicles 35:20-24). . God sent a spirit of prophecy upon the apostate King Saul (I Samuel 19:23-24).
Touch not my anointed and do no harm to my prophets, 1 Chronicles 16:22
If God can use these wicked men because of their positions, how much more can He use sincere, honest, and godly leaders even when we think they are making a mistake?
Second, this scripture (Touch not my anointed and do my prophets no harm, 1 Chronicles 16:22) forbids individual action against a leader before God has removed him from his office. It is not biblical for someone to conspire or rebel against a leader whom God has called.
God reinforced the authority to Moses before the murmuring of Aaron and Miriam
Aaron and Miriam murmured, but woe to him who touches one of my anointed
God reinforced the authority of Moses against the murmuring of his older sister and brother, Miriam and Aaron, and against the rebellion of Korah. Even when the leader is wrong or wrong, it is dangerous for an individual under his authority to rebel.
Don’t touch my anointed
Saul had turned away from God and Samuel had anointed David as the next king, but even then David refused to oppose Saul. Due to his jealousy, Saul tried to kill David and tried to catch him. On two occasions during this time David had the opportunity to kill Saul, but he did not, even though he apparently would have done God’s will.
While Saul was king, David respected his position and anointing. No matter how justified you think you are, it is extremely dangerous to gossip or rebel against the authority God has placed over you.
Everyone must submit to a higher authority
However, some leaders try to use this scripture to establish a type of dictatorship or exemption from control. They are forgetting that at the same time they have an authority placed over them by God. Everyone has to submit to a higher authority, as was the case in the early church. “Let everyone submit to the higher authorities” (Romans 13:1). In this regard, note the story recorded in I Kings 2:13-27.
Solomon was chosen by God to take David’s place as king. His older half-brother, Adonijah, had plotted to become king, but Solomon was the one who had already been anointed. Adonijah continued to plot with Abiathar the priest and Joab the general.
Specifically, Adonijah attempted to obtain a wife from David as his own wife. The custom at the time was that the wife of a deceased monarch should remain a widow or instead be given to the monarch’s successor.
So Adonijah was really trying to establish himself as the true successor in the eyes of the people. Solomon found out and had them kill Adonijah and Joab. He also expelled Abiathar from the priesthood, but did not kill him because of his past service to God and David. Solomon had respect for him because of his position as a priest, but expelled him from his office anyway. He had respect, but also judgment.
Solomon had the authority to judge Abiathar
The lesson is this: Solomon had the authority to expel Abiathar from the priesthood because Abiathar, by his own rebellious actions, had lost his qualifications to be a priest. Solomon was God’s chosen ruler over the nation, and he had the authority to judge Abiathar.
If a minister has been silenced, excommunicated, or judged in any way, some say the church is meddling with God’s calling and anointing and is in violation of the scriptures we have quoted. However, according to the Bible, those in positions of authority have the power to judge.
The church is not removing the anointing, but that person has disqualified himself from his position by his own actions. In fact, Paul rebuked the church in Corinth for failing to judge sin in a certain situation. He asked if there was anyone who was wise enough to judge him. If not, then he wanted to know how they would later be able to judge the world (I Corinthians 5:1-13, 6:1-5).
Just because some have been anointed by God to a position does not mean they cannot be removed from that position. It is true that no individual should try to do this, but God has given the authority to the church to do so.
Otherwise why would God have given the qualifications for the offices of minister (elder, bishop) and deacon? God himself has placed the government in the church (Romans 12:8, I Corinthians 12:28). Why would he do this if that government had no power to be exercised?
We realize that we must follow God’s itinerary and direction. However, we must also realize that God has already made known his will and his itinerary in certain situations.
In particular, God has already said in the Bible that when a leader sins and fails to meet certain enumerated standards, then that is the time when those in dominion over him must act.
Church people have no right to rebel, but they can inform those in authority of a situation, and those in authority have the right to judge the matter.
So, “touch not my anointed” does not give any immunity from control and discipline to either the minister or the leader. He did not save Abiathar from being thrown out of the priesthood when he rebelled. Nor did it prevent Ezra and Nehemiah from dismissing large numbers of men who did not meet the proper qualifications from the priesthood (Ezra 2:61-63, Nehemiah 7:63-65).
Mistakes in leadership.
What should we do if we think our pastor or leader is wrong? If this is in relation to a method, a program, or a particular teaching, we must be humble and submissive. We may have differences of opinion and conviction, but we should still support and respect godly leaders. We never have the right to murmur, complain, or sow discord.
If we want to change some things, we can pray and hope that God will fix things. Sometimes it is appropriate to offer respectful suggestions directly to the leader. If you don’t actively collaborate with a certain thing, then at least don’t do anything to obstruct or undermine it.
If a leader is not operating ethically, is living in sin, or is teaching false doctrine, then we must bring the issue before those in control and let them deal with it.
Although we have emphasized the importance of obeying authority, we want to clarify two things regarding leadership issues.
Firstly, leaders can be replaced or changed if this is done with the right attitude and with the proper authority.
Second, no one has to follow the leadership into spiritual error or positions contrary to God’s Word. We follow the leaders as they follow Christ (See I Corinthians 11:1, Galatians 1:8).