Should I follow The Lord's Anointed or the Lord's Anointed or the Lord's Anointed?

 Perplexing question; is it not?! 

Recently I heard a sermon out of Psalms 52 where David is writing about the involvement of Doeg the Edomite when he killed 85 priests, their families and possessions at the command of King Saul. You can read the entire story in Psalms 52 as well as 1 Samuel chapters 21 and 22. Everyone sees Doeg the Edomite as a wicked man. He was. I do not question that. I do however see the story in a different light. It is something that I was sharing with one of the men after church when he asked me if I was a Doeg (playfully.) 

Saul

Saul was anointed king of Israel by Samuel when the people demanded that they be like other nations. God told Samuel that they had not rejected Samuel but rather they rejected God. He allowed the people to have their King and begin a reign of Monarchy rather than God's government. Saul disobeyed God and failed to execute righteousness against the Amalekites who had wronged God's people coming out of Egypt. Because of his disobedience which is as the sin of witchcraft, God had Samuel anoint David, the shepherd boy son of Jesse, to be King in Saul's place. Saul was still King. Saul knew his kingdom was being taken from him and instead of repenting and accepting his failure and consequences he began to be jealous of David. David was his Son in law and as a son to King Saul. Saul's vengeful pursuit of David should have been the intolerance that he had toward Amalek. Sadly, many preachers today will take a stronger stand against a brother than against the world or their flesh (another topic for another day.)

Saul, in his unrighteousness, sought to destroy David. When he found out that David had been to see Ahimelech he ordered his soldiers to destroy the priests and everyone around. His army refused and he turned to bloodthirsty Doeg who was all too willing. Here is the kicker; Doeg was obeying the Lord's anointed. 

David

David was the Lord's Anointed king upon Saul's death. He was the son in law to Saul. He was a dear friend of Jonathan. David was brokenhearted as he fled from Saul as a fugitive and became public enemy number One. David fled to Nob hill and met up with Ahimelech, the priest. David sought for bread from the Holy place. The bread was from the table of shewbread which was reserved for the priests. It was not for the common man. Yet, David insisted that he take of their provisions. He was the Son in law of the King and according to Ahimelech, he was understood to be the most dependable servant in the land to the King. David had no part of the Lord's table. He was not authorized to that bread. It was sacred. It was holy. David knew Saul was the Lord's anointed and he wouldn't even protect himself against Saul while the opportunity presented itself. It convicted him deeply that he even cut a part of Saul's clothing off as Saul slept in the cave. Saul was God's Anointed. David was Saul's Anointed. 

Ahimelech

Yes, Ahimelech was God's Anointed. The priests were anointed for a special purpose. They were to represent Man to God. They were responsible for carrying out the sacrifices and all things pertaining to the tabernacle. They were Holiness Unto The Lord. Let's be clear - When David asked for the bread that was specifically for the priests - David was willfully pressuring the priests to disobey God and break rank. Ahimelech disobeyed God as a result of this. My! My! MY! What a tangled web of deceit! 

Doeg The Edomite

We degrade Doeg for OBEYING the king. We condemn Doeg for showing no mercy in assassinating the anointed servants of God. Here is the kicker - Doeg was obeying the worf of the King. He was submitting himself to the "man of God." How did obeying the Anointed King turn into a man's reputation being that of a bloodthirsty man? Let's understand something. Doeg was in error before jealous ol King Saul ever rode up Nob hill. He was already being detained at the Tabernacle. David knew he was not a good person even when breathing the same air. He knew Doeg was trouble from the start. Doeg was an opportunistic, self- serving, blood thirsty, vile soul.  Yet, he was obedient to the command of the King. He obeyed the Lord's Anointed, King Saul. 

Before I close out my thoughts on the story I would like to remind the reader of another instance in God's Word. There were two unnamed prophets of the Lord whose lives intertwined in a horrible relationship and it cost the young prophet his life. I Kings 13.

God told the young prophet to go and preach against the altar and then go home. do not pass go; do not collect $200. The preacher did what God instructed and went on his way. Along the way the older prophet heard of what happened and latched on to the young man. He decieved the young prophet and deceived, delayed and derailed the young prophet all under the banner of "THE LORD TOLD ME TO TELL YOU." 

Sometimes, it is not wise to listen to the Lord's anointed. The Lord's anointed can sometimes ruin you. When the old prophet heard of the young prophet's demise he fetched him and buried him. He mourned his passing. He lamented his death. Maybe if the old prophet would not have lied to the young upcoming prophet - there wouldn't have been a funeral. Perhaps YEARS had gone by between the time God had the older prophet go and do that ONE single act. Maybe there was jealousy as Saul had. All I know is that FINALLY the Word of the Lord came to that old prophet and his message was death to that young prophet who was lied to by that veteran prophet. 

Don't be a Doeg. Don't be an opportunist and jump at the chance to destroy God's Anointed.