David said to the young man who told him, "Where are you from?" And he answered, " I am the son of an alien, an Amalekite." Then David said to him, "How is it you were not afraid to stretch out your hand to destroy the Lord's anointed?" And David called one of the young men and said, "Go, cut him down." So he struck him and he died. David said to him, " Your blood is on your head, for your mouth has testified against you, saying, 'I have killed the Lord's anointed. '" (2 Samuel 1:13-16 NASB)The sequence of the narrative in 2 Samuel 1 goes as follows: 1) An Amalekite comes to David and tells of the death of Saul and Jonathan and the loss by Israel. 2) David and his men mourn for the loss of Israel. 3) David has the Amalekite killed. 4) David writes a dirge for Saul and Jonathan.
Sandwiched in the middle is the death of this 'young man' who brought David news. Ironically, the boy's news does not match the account in 1 Samuel of Saul's death, so it's possible the boy is exaggerating his role. What he does have is the crown and the bracelet from Saul. So, if nothing else, he got to Saul's body first, before the Philistines, and 'rescued' these items.
I think it's interesting that this guy is an Amalekite, the same people who plundered Ziklag, taking David's wives; whom David caught and fought for a day and a half, and then he plundered them. David's not all that well disposed toward Amalekites anyway, especially right now. And then, after David has taught his men that it's not right to strike 'The Lord's Anointed' (1 Sam 24 and 26), here's another opportunity. And David doesn't even condescend to execute the man himself, he has one of his men do it.
Because it comes after the initial clothes-rending and wailing, I wonder if it's an 'afterthought' of David. On the other hand, it's much more likely it simply occurs to him in the normal path of grief, when he gets to the 'anger' stage, and there's this guy who says he killed the king and that he's an Amalekite; a double-whammy in David's book. Also, the sense I get, or how I imagine David pronouncing this judgement is with distaste in his mouth for such a person; as if this Amalekite disgusts him (my imagination, it doesn't say that).
David makes a statement in his response to this news brought by this unlikely messenger. His command and response makes it plain that he finds no joy or relief in the death of Saul and Jonathan. A case could be made he's more upset about Jonathan, but it's both of them together he laments. Saul pursued him, eventually drove him from his homeland, and tried to kill him numerous times. Yet David laments his death, and avenges him on the one claiming to have killed him.
David was no idiot. He didn't hang out with Saul when he knew Saul would kill him if he could. He realized he couldn't even be in the same country with Saul. Yet, while he didn't trust his king, David always treated him with the respect that Saul was chosen by God. Even when it became clear God had also rejected Saul, David never stopped treating him as the 'Anointed of God'.
'Anointed' is 'messiah' in Hebrew and 'christ' in Greek. The Anointed is Jesus, the Jewish Messiah and Universal Christ. And our culture and society treats this One as a 'historical figure', a 'wise man', a 'prophet', a 'teacher', a myth, and so on. They truly destroy the Anointed of the Lord, seeking to treat with contempt the Eternal Son of God, the One chosen from before time to rescue His human creatures. It's ironic we, as a race, have rejected our Creator and Savior.
So, the application is for me to have someone wipe out all humanity...wait, no. That's not it. I know, the application is for me to wipe out all humanity...hmmm, no, that's not it either. Okay, here it is: my Master will wipe us all out...um, still no. So, what is the application of this passage? Where do I see the connection between David and Saul, and me and my circumstances?
David loved Saul to the end. I'm to love my Savior to the end. But I'm also to acknowledge those around me chosen by my Master as authorities over me. For instance, pastors, teachers, elders, and so on in my church. I would say, especially pastors. Churches are so quick to condemn anyone, especially pastors. Even pastors seem to have such little regard for each other. I am particularly critical (I call it being 'picky').
When Jesus stands and speaks to John on Patmos, He says that he has 7 stars in his right hand, and that these stars are the 'angels' of the seven churches. Angels. My pastor said that he thought it was cool to think that every church had an angel. I think that, in this sense or application, the word really referred to the normal Greek meaning of 'messenger'. I think the 'pastors' are the angels; messengers of God. That's my opinion, and there are plenty of other opinions from which to choose. But my opinion would mean that my pastor is not only one 'anointed' but also that he is held in the right hand of my Master and Savior.
So then, the application is to never raise my hand against the anointed of the Lord, human or deity. It's Thanksgiving tomorrow. Do I express thanks for my pastor? Do I support him behind his back? Do speak of him with the respect as one held in the right hand of my Master? Do I consider him the messenger of my Master to our congregation? Do I honor him even when he seeks my demise? Do I honor him even when I don't agree with him? What if he is out to get me (and I don't think he is)? Do I turn on him then? What is the application in my circumstances? Maybe you can find the application in yours? In any case, I don't recommend you bragging to me about how you 'brought down your pastor'...and heaven help you should you tell me you're bringing down mine. I'm just saying.
