This objection is popular especially among Word of Faith heretics and other megachurch-type leaders. This verbiage appears in 1 Chronicles 16:22 and Psalm 105:15. Let us examine 1 Chronicles 16 in its context, as the wording and context of Psalm 105 are almost identical.

1 Chronicles 16:15-22 (NASB) -
Remember His covenant forever, the word which He commanded to a thousand generations,
The covenant which He made with Abraham, and His oath to Isaac.
He also confirmed it to Jacob for a statute, to Israel as an everlasting covenant, saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan, as the portion of your inheritance.”
When they were only a few in number, very few, and strangers in it, and they wandered about from nation to nation, and from one kingdom to another people, He permitted no man to oppress them, and He reproved kings for their sakes, saying,
“Do not touch My anointed ones, And do My prophets no harm.”

As we can see here, the referent of “anointed ones” is the covenant people of Israel, especially the early patriarchs. Verse 21 mentions “He reproved kings for their sakes”, which is, doubtless, a reference to Genesis 20:1-7 and 21:22-34 and Israel’s desert wanderings, and possibly to other occurrences not mentioned in the Scriptural narrative.

Such testimony from Almighty God was given for a reason, namely to inform us about God’s powerful care for His chosen people. Yet as we have seen, that protection and patience did not last forever; Israel split into two kingdoms because of sin, fought each other numerous times because of sin, and were eventually destroyed and exiled to pagan nations because of sin. “Touch not Mine anointed” lasted a specific length of time, for a specific reason, both chosen by God. It was a prohibition directed toward the surrounding, more militarily-powerful people groups, that they not engage in violent behavior toward the people of God.

Those who would claim “Touch not Mine anointed” privileges for themselves or others in our modern day have all their exegetical work ahead of them. Where does the Bible teach that this sort of notion is to be applied to certain people in our generation? How can we know who they are?

“Touch not Mine anointed” did not mean “criticise not, nor call out bad behavior” in the original context. Why should anyone think it means that today?

A mere claim to an “anointing from God” can give rise to this sort of attitude among the followers of a certain leader. We entirely reject such a notion, as it is anti-biblical. Mere humans are always fallible and must always be examined in light of Scripture. We should switch our minds off for the sake of no man.

  • Saul was anointed by God and yet fell into grave sin and rebellion.
  • David was anointed by God, wrote a ton of Scripture, and yet fell into grave sin.
  • The Apostle Paul’s message was examined carefully by the men of Berea, and those men received a commendation (Acts 17).
  • The Apostle Peter was specifically commissioned and appointed to the apostolic office by Jesus Himself, yet was called “Satan” once, denied Jesus thrice, and was rebuked to his face by the Apostle Paul (Galatians 2).
  • Jeremiah 23 strongly warns against those who claim the authority of God for their “prophecies”.
  • The New Testament repeatedly admonishes Christians to test everything, no matter what claim to immunity from examination the person might make.