It was a window of relative peace in the kingdom of Israel. Saul had
met his end due to his unfaithfulness, the Philistines had been
vanquished, driven back from Gibeon as far as Gezer, the fame of David
had gone into all the lands, and the Lord had brought the fear of him
upon all the nations.
The people had prepared spiritually to move the ark and finally the
ark of the covenant had been returned to its rightful place. It was a
season of rejoicing in the land of Israel, and a once unknown shepherd
boy who was good with a slingshot, and played the harp in his spare
time, now felt the weight of the crown upon his head. David was king
of Israel, and remembering all that God had done on Israel's behalf,
he pens a psalm as a reminder to all who would read it that it is God
who is deserving of thanks of glory and of praise.
In this psalm David also reminds Israel that God has kept His promises
to them, that even when they were but few in number, and strangers in
the land of Canaan God had made a way, and given them the allotment of
their inheritance.
The world's greatest psalmist, continues this psalm of praise, and
revisits the times when they as a people, went from one nation to
another, and from one kingdom to another, yet God had permitted no man
to do them wrong.
David refreshes Israel's memory as to how God had gone as far as
reproving kings for their sakes, saying, 'do not touch my anointed
ones, and do my Prophets no harm.'
Today, men have taken this psalm of David, a psalm of remembrance, a
psalm of praise and reminiscence of what God had done on behalf of
Israel, and applied it to themselves, whenever anyone has the courage
to point out their heretical and deceptive teachings. They have made
themselves truth proof, by misappropriating a verse that was never
meant to keep their teaching from being compared to the words of the
Bible, or from their heresy being brought to light.
What they tend to overlook is the fact that when this psalm was
written, sometime around 1000 B.C., there was the God of Israel, and
then there were the other gods. The difference was evident, there were
the idols, the gods of the people, those made by human hands, then
there was the Lord who made the heavens.
When men came, they did not come with a new teaching in the name of
the God of Israel, but with an entirely new deity, an idol, a god made
of wood or stone.
Furthermore, when false prophets arose within Israel, claiming to be
sent of the one true God, the nation was still small enough, wherein
God would commission and send a true prophet to rebuke the false, once
even using a donkey to open the eyes of one who had lost his way,
making him accountable if he chose to pursue the deception.
When the words, 'do not touch my anointed ones and do my prophets no
harm', were uttered it was in the context of God warning kings and
kingdoms not to come against Israel, not warning believers against
confronting false doctrine.
With the advent of Christ, the door was opened to all the nations, Jew
and Gentile alike having access to the grace of God by faith in
Christ. Salvation was no longer reserved for a specific nation, or
people, but for all of mankind, any who would hear, repent, and be
born again. All who believe in Christ, become His, and all who pursue
holiness will see the Lord.
Why is this important in the context of this discussion?
Because once a soul has found Christ, once they have received Him as
Lord and Savior, they know as David knew that all other Gods are
merely idols, and there is but one true God.
Today Christians are no longer tempted away by strange gods made of
stone and marble such as Baal, as Israel was in the days of old, but
they are deceived off the narrow path of faith spiritually. Today we
no longer wrestle against flesh and blood, you will not see another
Elijah executing four hundred and fifty of Baal's prophets by a brook
anymore, because our warfare is now of a spiritual nature, as are the
attacks, and snares we endure and overcome.
The devil's greatest weapon today is deception, and he has his minions
doing his bidding, attempting to draw our focus from Christ and Him
crucified. Distract a man long enough to let something other than
Christ take root in his heart, and eventually that man will veer off
the path of righteousness. Whatever it is that has taken the place of
Christ, as preeminent in a man's heart, be it prosperity, fame, a
vice, or one's reputation, that thing is now his spiritual Baal, his
idol, and by definition he has become an idol worshiper.
The battle that rages between light and darkness is for the heart of
man, and because we are beholden to that which we allow to rule our
hearts, the Bible is filled with warning upon warning, to test the
spirits, and see if they are of God, if Christ is the message, or if
it's some other thing meant to replace Christ.
When we see such men, who have merely a form of godliness but deny the
power thereof, when we see the telltale signs of pride, love of
pleasure rather than love of God, when the love of money, or of self
is evident, we are not instructed to pray for them, to understand
them, to find the good amid the filth and deception, we are told to
turn away. We are instructed by a merciful God, to turn in the
opposite direction, to have no communion or fellowship with them. Only
in this way can we remain in Christ, spotless and without blemish.
2 Peter 2:1-3, "But there were also false prophets among the people,
even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly
bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them,
and bring on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their
destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed.
By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long
time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not
slumber."
1 John 4:1, "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the
spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have
gone out into the world."
It is no doubt men walk about today claiming to be anointed, but lest
we fall under the merciless cloud of deception that is swirling about
the church, we must determine by the word of God, who has anointed
them, and who has sent them.
If their message is not confirmed in the Word, if their focus is not
Christ, the Son of God, then flee, for the sake of your eternal soul,
turn away and do not look back.
Cherry picking a verse taken out of context, is not enough of an
explanation, excuse or justification as to why heresy is being taught
from the pulpit, and knowing that God does not anoint deception, be
bold in standing for the truth of the gospel.
In His omniscience God knew what an epidemic false teachers and false
prophets would be in the end times, that even Jesus warned against
them, admonishing us to stand on the foundation of the gospel, and not
give in to the beguiling voices of deceit. He who endures to the end
shall be saved, and knowing that we have been warned, there remains no
excuse for not enduring, persevering, and overcoming.

With love in Christ,

Michael Boldea Jr.