Psalm 105:15 – Touch not the Lords anointed

Out of Context

Psalm 105:15  – Touch not the Lords anointed

Psalm 105:15 (NKJV)

Saying, “Do not touch My anointed ones, And do My prophets no harm.”

1 Chronicles 16:22 (NKJV)

Saying, “Do not touch My anointed ones, And do My prophets no harm.”

Eisegesis: 

You should be careful when criticizing “anointed” preachers as it can have serious consequences.

Exegesis:   

This verse does not imply that God’s “anointed ones” or “prophets” are beyond accountability or correction. This passage refers to the patriarchs (God’s prophets) who were chosen to accomplish a specific work of God in the world.

Often times, these verses are quoted in modern church settings to warn against challenging or criticizing religious leaders or pointing out any errors in their theology or lifestyle or even prevent a biblical evaluation of their teachings. It is common for pastors or leaders to refer to themselves as “anointed ones”, implying that any opposition or challenge to them is equivalent to opposing God Himself.

This protects them from scrutiny and allows them to spread falsehoods and bad theology without restraint.

While respect for church leaders is a biblical principle, this application takes the verse out of its historical context.

There is no implication that God’s “anointed ones” or “prophets” are above accountability or correction in this verse.

No matter how “anointed,” every leader must align with God’s word, believers are held responsible for distinguishing truth from error. There is no such thing as an untouchable preacher or leader.

Proper context

Chronicles 16:22 testifies to God’s protection of Israel during its formative stages and vulnerable times.

.Psalm 105 recounts the history of the Israelites, celebrating God’s providence and care for His chosen people. Beginning with a call to worship and thanksgiving (Psalm 105:1-5), it proceeds to recount the history of Abraham’s call (Psalm 105:6-11), the escape from Egypt (Psalm 105:23-38), and the wanderings in the wilderness (Psalm 105:39-45).

The psalm highlights God’s faithfulness and mighty acts on behalf of Israel, calling His people to remember His wondrous deeds and righteous judgments.

Background

During the Israelite ruling, it was forbidden to kill or commit violent acts against anointed kings or prophets.

This passage refers to the patriarchs (the line of men God used to establish Israel), Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. When “they” (the patriarchs) were few in number, they lived as wandering strangers in a strange land (Hebrews 11:9). Through all their travels and ordeals, God protected them, increased their number, and prevented the powerful rulers of the land where they stayed from harming them.

God’s protection over Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob demonstrates His sovereignty and faithfulness in fulfilling His covenant promises. On two occasions, God safeguarded Abraham while he was in hostile nations, where foreign kings desired his wife, Sarah. Despite the precarious circumstances, God intervened, and both kings spared Abraham and Sarah, sending them away unharmed and even enriching them (Genesis 12; Genesis 20). Similarly, Isaac faced a similar situation when God protected him during his sojourn in Gerar (Genesis 26).

Jacob’s story further illustrates God’s providence. When Jacob arrived in Paddan Aram, he had nothing, but God blessed him abundantly, and he left with vast riches (Genesis 31). Reflecting on his experiences, particularly his dealings with his deceitful uncle Laban, Jacob declared, “God has not allowed him to harm me” (Genesis 31:7).

These accounts reveal that no one can thwart God’s plans for His chosen people. As stated in 1 Chronicles 16:22 and echoed in Psalm 105:15, God’s protective hand ensured that no harm would come to His anointed ones. The stories of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob remind us that God’s purposes prevail, and His faithfulness remains steadfast regardless of opposition or adversity.

This context is clearly illustrated and confirmed in the previous verse (21);

1 Chronicles 16:21 (NKJV)

He permitted no man to do them wrong; Yes, He rebuked kings for their sakes,

David is a good example of a person who applied God’s command not to harm God’s anointed to their situation. In 1 Samuel, we learn that King Saul attempted to kill David, which led to him and his men being on the run. One night, David’s men attacked Saul’s army while they were sleeping. Seeing that they had the advantage over their enemies, Abishai suggested they kill Saul immediately. 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 us (Deuteronomy 32:35; Romans 12:19).

David recognized Saul as the Lord’s anointed and refused to harm  / kill him.

So taking into consideration the background of the text, God’s command “Do not touch my anointed ones; do no harm to my prophets” was addressed to a specific group of people for a specific period of time: the patriarchs were preserved from physical harm by God.

Application for today.

Under the new covenant established by Christ all believers are anointed by God. God has set each of us apart for the work He is doing in this world.

1 John 2:20 (NKJV)

But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things.

2 Corinthians 1:21-22 (NKJV)

Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.

All believers are God’s anointed, so does this mean that His command “Do not touch my anointed ones” protects us from all harm? No, believers still suffer the effects of living in a fallen world.

Yet, believers are aware that God is in complete control, and He can easily protect them.

Anything that happens to them is allowed by Him. Without God’s explicit permission, Satan cannot touch God’s children (see Job 1:12; 2:6). Therefore, we put our trust in God at all times. Regardless of what happens in our lives, we trust in God to equip, empower, and protect until He fulfills His plan and purposes in our lives.

Provers 22:6 – Train up a child and they will not turn from it.

Out of Context

Provers 22:6 – Train up a child and they will not turn from it.

Proverbs 22:6 (NKJV) 

Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.

Eisegesis: 

When a child is raised in the Lord, he or she will never separate from the faith.

Exegesis:   

The purpose of this verse isn’t to promise or guarantee that a child will never depart from the faith, but rather to teach of the cause and effect of parental guidance and wisdom.

Some have interpreted this verse as a guarantee that children raised in Christian homes will remain Christians. Conversely, many parents often blame themselves when their children turn away from God.

It is true that children often carry forward the values they are taught, and that parents are important in the upbringing of their children, but it does not guarantee salvation to everyone. Individuals are held responsible for their decisions regarding Christ.

Background

The book of Proverbs is a collection of wise sayings and general truths that provide guidance on living righteously and prudently. These are not promises or guarantees, but general observations about life.

In this well-known proverb, several important considerations are raised. Firstly, to train up (or “dedicate”) a child means to start him or her off on a path of discipline and perhaps even religion.

The proverb describes the common experiences of God’s people over the centuries. In most cases, a child whose parents dedicate him to the right path and train him carefully will remain in that path throughout his life.

This proverb acknowledges that children are not mechanically programmed and are capable of making their own decisions, and it does not suggest that parents can control every outcome or compel divine intervention in their favor. Instead, it emphasizes the responsibility of parents to guide their children wisely, while recognizing that outcomes may be influenced by factors beyond their control.

Unfortunately the parents of prodigal children often suffer untold pain thanks to the standard interpretation of this verse, which is that proper upbringing ensures a child will follow his parents’ faith and never waver.

Parents who misinterpret this proverb often blame themselves if their children rebel. They reason that if proper parenting results in godly children, then rebellious children must be the result of inadequate parenting. While poor parenting can certainly contribute to negative outcomes, this is not always the case.

Consider God’s relationship with the nation of Israel. As the perfect “parent,” God provided for them, guided them with His law, and sent prophets to correct and teach them. Yet, despite His flawless care, Israel repeatedly chose to rebel. Similarly, just as God’s love for Israel did not take away their ability to rebel, no parent can hinder a child’s free will. This demonstrates that even with perfect guidance, individuals still have the ability to make their own choices.

Parents of prodigals face painful, tragic challenges and we only add to their burden when our careless handling of Scripture provokes them to blame themselves for their children’s sin.

Mark 11:24 – Name it and Claim it

Out of Context

Mark 11:24 – Name it and Claim it.

Mark 11:23-24 (NKJV)

For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. 

Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.

Eisegesis: 

If you pray hard enough and really believe it, God is obligated to answer your prayer no matter what you ask.

Exegesis:   

This verse is not a black cheque that can be used for all our desires. It simply needs to be understood in the context of the surrounding events before this verse was said and in alignment with the rest of the scriptures that teach all our prayers need to be in accordance with the will of God.

This passage is famous for being wrongly interpreted to teach that you can personally pray for whatever you desire and you will receive it as along as you believe that.

The verse is also favorite amongst the word of faith movement which teaches the idea of “name it and claim it,” and that if we want to receive something we only have to receive it in Jesus’ name. This teaching has more in common with the New Age movement in the secular world which teaches that by simply visualizing what we want to happen we can actually change the world around us.

Certain examples of people missusing this is by telling people that if they pray for physical healing (or for some other specific request) with enough faith, then they can be confident that God has already done (or will do) whatever they ask.

But this is totally nonsensical and is not the message of Christ. Jesus in this passage is not saying that you can believe for any kind of desire that is in your heart but that our desires  are aligned with the will of God and the Kingdom of God.

To fully understand the context it was written in it is essential to note the series of events that took place before this verse was spoken by Christ.

  • The Barren Fig Tree (Mark 11:12-14): Jesus cursed a fig tree for being fruitless, symbolizing judgment against unfruitfulness.
  • Cleansing the Temple (Mark 11:15-19): Jesus drove out the money changers from the temple, denouncing the corruption and misuse of the temple, referencing Jeremiah 7.
  • Withered Fig Tree (Mark 11:20-22): The disciples saw the fig tree withered from the roots, demonstrating the fulfillment of Jesus’ curse.

The cursing of the fig tree symbolized Jesus’ judgment against the temple and its corrupt religious system. Jesus found the temple fruitless and corrupt, similar to the barren fig tree. When Jesus says, “have faith in God, you can say to this mountain,” He is likely referring to the Temple Mount (symbolizing the religious system He was condemning for its corruption and spiritual barrenness).

This prediction came true in 70. A.D. when the temple and the corrupt religious system was destroyed resulting in nobody being able to could eat from the fruit (teachings) of that corrupt religions system.

We can certainly learn from Jesus’ statement to have faith in God which can certainly help us deal with the problem of fruitlessness and remove mountainous obstacles.

Jesus’ statement to have faith in God encourages believers to trust in God’s power to overcome obstacles and deal with unfruitfulness. However, these verses do not grant authority to pray for miraculous powers for personal convenience. If we know it is God’s will to remove a certain difficulty, we can pray with confidence, trusting in His timing and purposes.

Mark 11:23-24 should not be interpreted as a guarantee that God will fulfill any personal desire if we believe hard enough.

Instead, it emphasizes the importance of faith in God and alignment with His will. Prayers should be offered with the understanding that God’s will is paramount, and true faith involves trusting His wisdom and sovereignty in all situations.

This approach maintains the integrity of Jesus’ teaching and avoids the pitfalls of the “name it and claim it” theology, which can lead to disappointment and misunderstanding of God’s character and promises.

Psalm 51:11 – Do not take your Holy Spirit from me

Out of Context

Psalm 51:11 – Do not take your Holy Spirit from me.

Psalm 51:11 (NKJV)

Do not cast me away from Your presence,
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.

Eisegesis: 

“Be careful of sinning against God, He may take His Holy Spirit away from you.”

Exegesis:   

This prayer by David does not apply to believers today who are promised the permanent indwelling the Holy Spirit. This verse was written in a different era of God’s dealing with humanity where the Spirit was temporarily given for God’s special servants (judges, kings, prophets, priests) for a specific task.

This psalm records David’s personal lament and confession of sin where in recognizing the seriousness of it, he prays for God’s forgiveness which included a request to retain the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit.

In the Old Testament, divinely anointed kings received a temporary indwelling of God’s Spirit with the condition of faithful obedience.

Some commentators suggest that David (in grieving of his own sin) may have had Saul’s demise in mind. Because of Saul’s repeated disobedience, the Spirit departed from Saul and came upon David instead (1 Sam. 16:13–14). In addition, Saul was permanently denied any further prophetic guidance (1 Sam. 15:35; 28:6).

Saul had the Spirit come upon him (1 Samuel 10:10), but then the Spirit left him (16:14) on account of his blatant disobedience to God’s commands (13:8–15; 15:10). David knew that his wicked behavior, having committed adultery and murder, was grounds for the Spirit’s departure, but he pleaded for mercy so that he might continue to serve faithfully as king of Israel.

How does this apply to Christians today?

Well it does not, believers today are in a different era (New Covenant) where God now deals differently with humanity. Psalm 51:11 is exclusively a “Before Christ (B.C.)” prayer, that was limited to a period of salvation history when God’s Spirit temporarily equipped God’s special servants (that is, judges, kings, prophets, priests) for a specific task.

Christians today receive the Holy Spirit as a permanent indwelling presence for the purpose of empowering them for spiritual growth and ministry which cannot be taken away (Ephesians 1:13–14).

While there are certain New Testament texts that speak of grieving (Eph. 4:30) or quenching (1 Thess. 5:19) the Holy Spirit they are simply stating that we can lose His effective ministry in our lives but is not an indication that believers are able to drive the Spirit out of their lives. Today under the New Covenant, the Holy Spirit indwells believers permanently (John 14:16-17). Therefore, Christians do not need to fear losing the Holy Spirit entirely or pray David’s exact prayer in this sense.

Lastly, while we do not want to directly associate our selves with the prayer of David we should not however disregard the appropriate example that this Psalm has to offer in showing us how to confess our sins before God, and plead for his forgiveness and restoration.

Mark 7:20-23 6:23 – Evil Eye

Out of Context

Mark 7:20-23 6:23

Evil Eye.

Mark 7:20-23 (NKJV)

And He said, “What comes out of a man, that defiles a man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,  thefts,  covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man.”

Proverbs 23:6 (KJV)

Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats:

Matthew 6:22-23 (NKJV)

The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

Eisegesis: 

“Be careful of someone who is jealous of you or something you have they may put a curse on you.”

Exegesis:   

When the Bible mentions the “evil eye,” it has nothing to do with the superstitious belief of causing curses on someone. Instead, it refers to the sin of envy, jealousy, or stinginess that arises from within a person. The context of such verses suggests that the term is best understood as being stingy, which aligns with passages warning against eating with a selfish or begrudging person.

The evil eye is a superstitious belief appearing in many cultures around the world that enforces the idea that someone can cause injury, harm or bad luck to another person by simply looking at them.

Some teachers have gone so far as to teach that a resentful person can transmit a curse, willingly or unwillingly by simply looking at someone or something in envy. In order to ward off such superstitions of the evil eye people often buy accessories that they can wear to protect them from any evil intensions.

In the Bible, the notion of an “evil eye” is mentioned a few times, but it does not align with the superstitious understanding of the term found in other cultural contexts.

In context

The “evil eye” is a Hebrew expression referring to envy, a jealous attitude toward the possessions of others. The “evil eye” in any other culture than that of the Jews would make reference to this as casting a spell. But among the Jews it was an expression for envy.

Mark 7:20-23

In this verses, Jesus is simply repeating the positive truth that what comes out of a person is what defiles him morally (v15). If the heart is evil, there will be evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, and all other sins Jesus lists here.

Proverbs 23:6

As we can see, the “evil eye” in this verse again is not a malicious curse-causing stare. The person with the evil eye is best interpreted as stingy and selfish, which the writer here advises to not eat from. Likewise, in contrast, the person who has a “good eye” is someone who gives his bread to the poor and is called blessed.

Proverbs 22:9 (NKJV)

He who has a generous eye will be blessed,
For he gives of his bread to the poor.

Matthew 6:22-23

Here Jesus contrasts the “good eye,” which is generous and full of light, with the “evil eye,” which is envious and full of darkness.

Application

These biblical references are more about an individual’s moral character than about a superstitious curse. It’s a metaphorical use of the term rather than a literal one.

Christian beliefs are diverse, and the idea of the “evil eye” as a destructive supernatural force is not part of mainstream Christian theology. It should be noted that references to “evil eye” in the Bible generally refer to moral character, rather than to supernatural harm.

There are however some Christians who blend this cultural superstition with their Christian faith, especially those from cultures where the evil eye has been deeply embedded in traditional beliefs. A person may wear an amulet or perform a ritual to protect against the evil eye, but this is more of a cultural practice than an orthodox Christian teaching.

To combat evil influences, mainstream Christianity emphasizes faith in God, prayer, and reliance on His protection, rather than adhering to superstitions like the belief in the evil eye, which is not endorsed by most Christian denominations.

No need to fear

Lastly it must be noted that superstition often brings with it fear, but believers in Christ need not fear anything superstitious or supernatural.

When a person receives Christ, they can live in freedom from fear and superstition knowing that Satan is a defeated foe along with all his evil devices.

Romans 8:28 – All things will work together

Out of Context

Romans 8:28 – All things will work together.

Romans 8:28 (NKJV)

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

Eisegesis: 

Everything will work out in your life and you will proposer if you love God. 

Exegesis:   

This verse is speaking specifically to Christian believers and not everyone. The ‘good’ is not a reference to comfort, wealth, or health; rather, it is our conformity to Christ. God will work all things together to bring each Christian to conformity to christ – closer to holiness. This is all for His glory, not ours. 

This verse is often used by Christians on their social posts and might even be a life verse for many people. Quoted on its own, it sounds nice and gives a warm fuzzy feeling. But the problem  is not so much that God is working out everything (because He sovereignly does work all things) but it is in in assuming that we will have a hassle-free, trouble-free and a pain-free life.

Life is certainly hard and there is no doubt about that. Yes we will experience pain, loss and suffering. But, at the core, we can rejoice knowing that ultimately God is over all, directing our steps and although we may not be able to see it, feel it, or experience it this side of heaven, He is working all things together for good for those who love God.

The frequent misquotation of this verse reflects and ego-centric view of the world and God’s word that tempts us to think that because God loves us, every problem will be resolved in the way we think best. But God’s view is higher than ours and often times the best thing for our sanctification might be exact opposite of what we wished for.

This promise is not a universal principle that applies to all people but is only a promise to those who love God and are called according to His purpose.

Jesus defined “those who love Him” in John 14, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching” so obedience to Christ is a key distinction of those who are true followers of Him.

Furthermore, the “good” that Jesus speaks of is good that which only Christians experience which is a conformity to Jesus’ character (29). (Therefore we cannot apply use this verse as a universal principal for all people).

Romans 8:29 (NKJV)

For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.

The “good” thing that Paul had in mind is clear from the above verse 29; the use of the word “for” indicates that he is  elaborating on what he said in verse 28, that for us to be conformed to the image (character) of Jesus is the ultimate good.

Therefore we can conclude that Paul is describing our personal sanctification, not individual blessings such as a better job, more money, a spouse, happiness, etc. There is no promise that God will always provide a temporal blessing corresponding to every temporal evil we experience.

For example, God has not promised that if we are unjustly terminated from our employment that He will provide us with a new job that makes more money.

What God has promised us is that God will use the evil we experience in life to make us more like Jesus, which is the ultimate blessing. 

We know this to be true by experience. While we enjoy temporal blessings, rarely will such things help us to become more Christ-like. Suffering, however, has a way of changing our character to be more like Jesus.

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