What does the Bible mean when it says not to touch God’s anointed?

Answer

The command not to touch God’s anointed is found in two places in Scripture: “Do not touch my anointed ones; do my prophets no harm” (1 Chronicles 16:22; Psalm 105:15). These passages are sometimes used in Pentecostal and Charismatic circles to defend certain preachers from criticism. Preachers who promote themselves or their ministries as “anointed” warn their would-be critics, “Do not touch God’s anointed!” This helps to insulate them from scrutiny and allows them to spread falsehood and bad theology unrestrained.

Others take God’s command “Do not touch my anointed ones; do my prophets no harm” to mean that Christians are promised protection from all harm.

Both of the above interpretations of “Do not touch my anointed ones” ignore the context of the passages in question. The “anointed ones” in these passages are not modern-day Pentecostal preachers. The Bible never promises that God’s prophets, anointed ones, children, or other faithful believers will never suffer harm from evil people. As Jesus explained to the Pharisees, “God in his wisdom said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and others they will persecute’” «Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute: », (Luke 11:49).

Here is the context of 1 Chronicles 16:22: David is publicly praising God by giving a condensed review of the miraculous history of Israel. He cites some of the miracles God performed to fulfill His promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (1 Chronicles 16:15-18; referencing Genesis 50:24 and Exodus 2:24).

Genesis 50:24 and Exodus 2:24). Through these miracles, God formed a nation of Abraham’s descendants that would bring blessings to the entire world (see Genesis 12:1-3). No one or nothing could hinder God’s promise from coming true, even against all odds.

In the verses leading up to God’s command “Do not touch my anointed ones,” we read the following:

“When they were few in number,

indeed, very few, and strangers in the land,

they roamed from nation to nation,

from one kingdom to another.

He allowed no one to oppress them;

for their sake he rebuked kings” (1 Chronicles 16:19-21).

This passage refers to the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. When “they” (the patriarchs) were few in number, they lived as wandering strangers in a foreign land (see Hebrews 11:9). Throughout all their journeys and challenges, God shielded them, multiplied their descendants, and prevented the mighty rulers of the lands they visited from causing them harm.

For instance, God shielded Abraham on two occasions while residing in hostile nations where kings desired his wife. Neither king harmed Abraham or Sarah but instead sent them away unharmed and even enriched them (Genesis 12 and 20). The same protection was extended to Isaac (Genesis 26). Jacob entered Paddan Aram with nothing, but he departed with great wealth (Genesis 31); following all his interactions with his deceitful Uncle Laban, Jacob declared, “God has not permitted him to harm me” (verse 7).

Therefore, the message of 1 Chronicles 16:22 and Psalm 105:15 is that nothing and no one can thwart God’s plan; God had a purpose for Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and He refused to allow the kings of Canaan and Egypt to harm them: “For their sake he rebuked kings: ‘Do not touch my anointed ones’” (1 Chronicles 16:21-22). The patrMonarchs were His prophets. They were His “anointed ones”; that is, God chose them to accomplish a specific work in the world.

David, who orchestrated the praise of 1 Chronicles 16, applied God’s command not to injure God’s anointed to his own situation. King Saul was trying to kill David at one time, and David and his men were on the run. One night, David’s men came upon Saul and his army while they were sleeping. Abishai rejoiced that they had the advantage over their enemies and suggested they kill Saul then and there. But David said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him, for who can lift a hand against the LORD’s anointed and be guiltless? . . . As surely as the LORD lives, the LORD Himself will strike him down. . . . But the LORD forbid that I should stretch out my hand against the LORD’s anointed” (1 Samuel 26:9-11). It is God who takes vengeance, not we (Deuteronomy 32:35;Romans 12:19).

The command from God “Do not touch my anointed ones; do my prophets no harm” was for a specific group of people for a specific time: God preserved the patriarchs from physical harm. The prophets of the Old Testament have given way to teachers in the New Testament «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. », (see 2 Peter 2:1). No one today can properly quote 1 Chronicles 16:22 to deflect criticism or silence challengers. No apostle in the New Testament ever told anyone “Do not touch God’s anointed” as a means of insulating himself from critique.

The fact is that all believers today are God’s anointed. We are all set apart for the work God is accomplishing in this world “But you have received an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth.”, (1 John 2:20). “Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come” (2 Corinthians 1:21-22).

Since all believers are anointed by God, does this mean that His command “Do not touch my anointed ones” shields us from all harm? No, believers still experience the consequences of living in a sinful world. However, believers are aware that God is completely in control, and He can effortlessly safeguard His children. Everything that occurs to them is permitted by Him. Even Satan cannot harm God’s children without God’s explicit consent (see Job 1:12; see Job 2:6). Therefore, we place our trust in God completely. Regardless of the circumstances in our lives, we have faith that God is sovereign and will enable, strengthen, and safeguard us to fulfill His purpose for us: “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus”, (Philippians 1:6, ESV).