THE

UNTOUCHABLE:

 cutting the hems of dirty garments

&

(observations from a sheep’s eye view)

 

Without fail, I am constantly reminded that I ought to be more careful when speaking about those who stand in places of ministry. I wholeheartedly agree, as long as those of whom I speak are definitely called to said offices. For example, if a man tells me that he’s a chef, but then cannot cook, we have a big problem. Those positions are holy because they belong to The Lord Jesus Christ Himself & He gifts men to occupy those places in His stead & according to His will. He chooses His Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors & Teachers (Ephesians 4:11) & no man positions himself thus without mandate (Hebrews 5:4). Paul said that The Lord counted him faithful, putting him into the ministry (1^st Timothy 1:12). He further instructed his son in the faith, ‘And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also’. (2^nd Timothy 2:2). Parts of The Church have placed the cart before the horse & have only set about finding able men, with little or no regard as to whether or not they’re faithful at all.

I & many others like me have been systematically warned not to touch The Lord’s anointed. Perhaps you have heard this fearsome admonition too. For many years it has been a successful scare tactic against those who are impertinent enough to question, criticise or even condemn the words & deeds of those who are seen as ministers of The Gospel. To be clear, Scripture tells us who & what a qualified minister of The Gospel is. The Lord Jesus was crystal clear about the difference between a shepherd & a hireling. The Apostle Paul was quite candid concerning the credentials for men called into eldership. The Apostle Peter admonishes those men to feed & shepherd God’s flock. The Apostle James warns that few should be teachers, because of the greater condemnation. From my reading of God’s Word, it is they who ought to be afraid. Not us.

 ²⁰And when they went from nation to nation, and from one kingdom to another people; ²¹ He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes, ²² Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm (1^st Chronicles 16:20-22).

¹³When they went from one nation to another, from one kingdom to another people; ¹⁴ He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes; ¹⁵ Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm (Psalms 105:13-15).

Part of this argument is easily put to bed, or at least it should be for anyone who is able to read. Scripture makes it plain that Israel is the subject of the verses cited. This small detail is all too often neglected by those issuing warnings of mortal & eternal judgements upon those who dare to think, say or do anything contrary to their life or ministry. This reminds me of something. What is it? I’m scratching my head & rubbing my chin. Perhaps it will come back to me as we wade through this issue. To get to the cream in the biscuit & the crux of the argument, we have to go to 1^st Samuel 24 to 26. Please take the time to read these chapters. David was anointed. Saul was anointed. David was running. Saul was chasing. David was hiding. Saul was seeking. David was righteous. Saul was wrongteous. Please don’t email me, I know that wrongteous isn’t a real word. Saul’s life could have been taken in the cave at Engedi, in the most undignified of circumstances. David had clear motive & opportunity to do so. Yet he stayed his hand. He didn’t kill Saul. To be honest, I have no idea what I would have done, however, David us gives an object lesson.

Being right in & of itself, does not automatically give us any or all intrinsic rights; you cannot assassinate others, physically or otherwise. murder is against the law & hating one’s brother is tantamount to the same & against the law of Christ. We should heed this.

So, what sparked the flurry of protest from ministers who insisted on demanding that no one say a word against them, no matter their misdemeanours? Let’s see now. If memory serves me correctly, it was the fact that guilty parties were named & shamed publicly, nationally & globally. But what were these men degraded for? Heresies. Excesses. Lying. Cheating. Stealing. Fakery. Chicanery. Immorality. The list rolls on.

They are not minsters of The Gospel. They are enemies of the cross. They are deceitful workers.

Some issued cautions about sickness coming upon their critics. Some declared that their detractors may even die. One prominent, white suit wearing, jacket swinging bloke, cursed every man & every woman who spoke against his anointing & his ministry. Touchhhhhhhh notttttt The Lord’ssssssss anoinnnnnted. You have to have a full arm extended & a pointing finger for full effect. That definitely reminds me of something. What is it? Ah yes; it reminds me of witchcraft. Thank God for Scripture.

²As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come (Proverbs 26:2).

There is no biblical prohibition against believers speaking the truth about & naming those who would seek to lead The Church astray or calling out their heresies.

Those insecure individuals with their hurt feelings & bruised egos, who are spitting their dummies & endlessly crying into their milk, shouldn’t be trying to hide behind the skirts of their public ministries & false personas, while they cry foul. Like petulant children, they threaten to tell their daddy on us because he will curse, judge or kill anyone who comes against them.

Well, that is quite fitting because they are all of their father, the devil.

To claim that the phrase touch not The Lord’s anointed applies to them, is to admit that they are cast in the role of Saul. Who said that they were The Lord’s anointed? They did, of course. Well then, they can swallow this.

³⁸But thou hast cast off and abhorred, thou hast been wroth with thine anointed. ³⁹Thou hast made void the covenant of thy servant: thou hast profaned his crown by casting it to the ground. ⁴⁰Thou hast broken down all his hedges; thou hast brought his strong holds to ruin. ⁴¹All that pass by the way spoil him: he is a reproach to his neighbours. ⁴²Thou hast set up the right hand of his adversaries; thou hast made all his enemies to rejoice. ⁴³Thou hast also turned the edge of his sword, and hast not made him to stand in the battle. ⁴⁴Thou hast made his glory to cease, and cast his throne down to the ground. ⁴⁵The days of his youth hast thou shortened: thou hast covered him with shame. Selah (Psalms 89:38-45).

Surely, it has been said, not everyone out there is false. This is true. I think that there are definitely some who began right, with correct motives. Then with time, they were enlarged. Money came in. Notoriety followed. Book deals. Media exposure. They were everywhere. Pretty soon they were a brand. Then one day, they were no longer small in their own eyes, or anyone else’s for that matter (1^st Samuel 15:17). Crash. Bang. Wallop. From qualification to saulification.

By the time David was in a position to cut away part of Saul’s garment, it was already over & had been for some time. Samuel had anointed David as king, even though he didn’t occupy the throne. Saul, like many so called ministers & ministries today, was running on momentum. That small piece of material that David cut away from Saul’s clothing was a recapitulation & a reminder of the judgement to come. Read those verses from Psalms 89 again.

It is sad to think that there are some men who have been sacked by The Lord, without them even realising it.

This is the pitiful state of those who have nothing else to offer except gimmickry. No power. No wisdom. No truth. No anointing. Touch not The Lord’s anointed no longer reasonably applies to them, if it ever did. Saul rejected God’s Word & God rejected him (1^st Samuel 15:23). Samuel gave Saul both barrels for his disobedience & then finished the job that he had given to Saul; he killed Agag, king of the Amalekites. He hacked the heathen king to pieces & went his way. Saul went to his house as if it was business as usual. Don’t forget that this was not Samuel’s first rodeo. He had learned this lesson early, when he was young, as he ministered with Eli.

Remember the formidable words of The Lord Jesus, Who warned the Chief Priests & the Pharisees; ‘Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them’ (Matthew 21:42-45). Dread words indeed. 

²⁷And as Samuel turned about to go away, he laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle, and it rent. ²⁸And Samuel said unto him, The LORD hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of thine, that is better than thou (1^st Samuel 15:27-28).

I don’t remember Saul sticking his finger in Samuel’s face & warning him off or cursing him. Samuel said some harsh things which were true, but didn’t put his hands on Saul. He didn’t touch him. He didn’t have to. We too cannot meet these despicable men in the car park for a crash course in Queensbury Rules. So what is our recourse? Identify them. Mark them. Avoid them. No doubt, we will continue to hear the words touch not The Lord’s anointed spouted by every Tom, Dick & Harry from time to time. Do not be afraid to frame the usual subjects & likely culprits in the light of Scripture (Deuteronomy 18:22). Paul said, ‘Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them’ (Romans 16:17).

However, remember that there are men in the ministry who are called, appointed & anointed to the task of serving The Church & these men ought to be honoured, supported & obeyed. Also remember that throughout Scripture, those who were truly anointed, endured criticism, ridicule, persecution, torture, punishment & even death. First & foremost of course, there is The Lord Jesus Christ. He is our chief example. Are these modern day cry-babies better than Christ, the Apostles & the Prophets? I think not.

The simple message to all & sundry who are not sparing the flock, is this; you know who you are & you know what you’re doing. You may hide behind your facades, but some of us know the difference between fleece & fur. You wolves in sheep’s clothing. We have & will continue to touch you, day & night. Jeremiah said, ‘Cursed be he that doeth the work of the LORD deceitfully, and cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood’ (Jeremiah 48:10). Personally, I’m with Jezza & as Samuel said to Saul, so say I to those who consider themselves untouchable. stay; shut up; button it; stop; zip it; shush.

¹ But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. ² And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. ³ And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not (2^nd Peter 2:1-4).

²⁸ Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. ²⁹ For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. ³⁰ Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. ³¹ Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears. ³² And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified (Acts 20:28-32).

 

 

 

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