I think that we don't usually consider the relationship between our treatment of God's people and our personal circumstances. Psalm 105 (which is also contained in I Chronicles 16) gives us some insight regarding God's perspective on His people and in particular His ministers. Let's reflect on this for a few minutes today.
Prophetic Warning #4: Be extremely careful to show respect and love to Pastor Sam and his team at BBCN.
Psalm 105 begins with an exhortation for us to thank the LORD, call on the LORD, be witnesses for the LORD, sing to the LORD, worship the LORD, look to the LORD, seek the face of the LORD, and remember the miracles and judgements of the LORD.
The Psalm continues with a recounting of the mighty acts of God, with mentions of some of the men God used to carry out His program of deliverance. In the midst of this, the psalmist David reminds us that God said something: "Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm" (Psalm 105:15; I Chronicles 16:22).
I'd like to think there is some relationship between our willingness to extol God as detailed in Psalm 105:1-7 (I Chronicles 16:8-14), and our willingness to obey Him in this matter of respecting the persons whom God has placed in positions of authority as detailed in Psalm 105:15 (I Chronicles 16:22).
Touch not mine anointed... Who's anointed? Well, if we use the Old Testament as our blueprint, we see that God mandated anointing for priests (Exodus 29:4-7; 30:30-32). He called for the anointing of prophets and kings (I Kings 19:15-16). In addition to the anointing of individuals, God also mandated the anointing of the tabernacle and its furniture (Exodus 30:22-29). So we have these groups anointed: God's civic leaders (kings), God's spiritual leaders (priests), God's spokespersons/advisors to His leaders (prophets), and God's physical property (the tabernacle and its furniture).
...and do my prophets no harm. For those of you who may have been tempted to nitpick at my previous paragraph, don't bother. I know that not all prophets in scripture have a record of being anointed with oil at the inauguration of their ministry. But God is so good; He has put in this rider, "my prophets", encompassing every man and woman He calls- the oil of anointing, the ritual of anointing, is not the issue. The issue is the call of God.
Don't seek the harm of persons whom God has called to be a prophetic voice in the community of faith. What has God said? "He suffered no man to do them wrong" (Psalm 105:15; I Chronicles 16:21). God will not permit you, naysayer, to continue speaking ill of the men and women He has selected as servant-leaders for the BBCN community. Consider yourself warned.
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