Scripture:
1 Samuel 24:5-6; 16:1-3, 12-13
Wed, 6 October 2021

“My Lord, the LORD’s Anointed”

Observation:

What is the significance of David acknowledging Saul as “my lord, the LORD’s anointed” (v.6)?

Deeper Reflection
THE WORD “anointed” is a key word in the Book of Samuel, comprising two Hebrew words, masah and masiah (messiah). The two Hebrew words together occur a total of 32 times (19 times in 1 Sam and 13 times in 2 Sam), all of which are used in reference to the anointing of a king of Israel. To be “anointed” by God is to be set apart for a special service of God, which “presuppose[s] special obligations”13. The expression, “the LORD’s anointed”, conveys the idea of “special status” and of being “under God’s special favor and protection”14: God “will give strength to His king and will exalt the horn of His anointed” (1 Sam 2:10). When David’s “conscience bothered him” after he had secretly cut off the edge of Saul’s robe, it seems like he received a divine revelation: “Far be it from me because of the LORD that I would do this thing to my lord, the LORD’s anointed, to reach out with my hand against him, since he is the LORD’s anointed” (vv.5-6). For the first time, David referred to Saul as “my lord, the LORD’s anointed”. This reflects David’s character, in that although he had been anointed as Saul’s successor (1 Sam 16:12-13), he did not see his anointing as somehow invalidating Saul’s anointing. And David realised that to touch “the LORD’s anointed” was “to touch the Lord Himself ”15. He recognised that Saul was still “the LORD’s anointed” and hence his humble submission: “my lord, the LORD’s anointed.”
13 John N. Oswalt, New International Dictionary of OId Testament Theology & Exegesis, Volume 2, General Editor: Willem A. VanGemeren (Zondervan, 1997), 1125
14 John N. Oswalt, 1125
15 John N. Oswalt, 1125
Application:

What views and attitudes toward God’s chosen leaders do I have which I need to change?

Prayer:
Write a prayer to God as your response from your meditation on and application of the Scriptures.
Prayer Pointers:
  • Give thanks and praise:
  • Pray for leaders:
  • Pray for married couples: To subject to one another lovingly in reverence to Christ
  • Pray for those in need:
  • Pray for self:

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Daily Devo
Daily Devotional Journal
Scripture:
Daniel 10:11-12, 14-19
Tue, 26 September 2023

A Man of High Esteem

Observation:

What significant observations can you make about Daniel being called “man of high esteem” (vv.11, 19)?

Deeper Reflection
One of the heavenly beings called Daniel “man of high esteem” (v.11). This honour was bestowed on Daniel emphatically, in that it was repeated twice (v.19). This “high esteem” did not come from man, but from God Himself. God gave this honour to Daniel toward the end of his life when God called him to “enter into rest” (Dan 12:13). As a youth, Daniel “made up his mind not to defile himself with the king’s choice food” (Dan 1:8), and as an old man, he was faithful to God in spending time with Him in his “three times a day” devotion, even if it means to be thrown into the lions’ den (Dan 6:10). Daniel was finishing well in his life with “humbling yourself before your God” (v.12). When we think of finishing well in terms of successful accomplishments, we must be careful that we are not exalting ourselves.It is not for us to see ourselves in any way as a person of high esteem before God. It is for God to say that to us (2 Cor 10:17-18). Daniel never saw himself as a “man of high esteem”. A key emphasis in Daniel 10 is Daniel being greatly overwhelmed by the holiness and glory of God represented by the heavenly being with an awesome appearance (Dan 10:5-10, 15-18). And it was in this encounter with God when he was called “man of high esteem” that Daniel said, “How can such a servant of my Lord talk with such as my Lord?”50 (v.17). The man highly esteemed by God saw his unworthiness before God.
50 I have theologically translated “my lord” to “my Lord”, since the heavenly being is a representation of God.
Application:

What does being highly esteemed by God mean to me?

Prayer:
Write a prayer to God as your response from your meditation on and application of the Scriptures.
Prayer Pointers:
  • Give thanks and praise
  • Pray for pastors and staff: To be able to see oneself as God sees
  • Pray for significant people
  • Pray for those in need
  • Pray for self

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