Ethics

2 Samuel 4:9-11 KJV

And David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said unto them, As the LORD liveth, who hath redeemed my soul out of all adversity,

When one told me, saying, Behold, Saul is dead, thinking to have brought good tidings, I took hold of him, and slew him in Ziklag, who thought that I would have given him a reward for his tidings:

How much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous person in his own house upon his bed? shall I not therefore now require his blood of your hand, and take you away from the earth?

Once again David shows his faith to wait on God to promote him rather than to take the kingdom by harming one of Saul's house. David's insistence that the kingdom not come through any force of his own against the anointed of the Lord is a lesson for those in ministry. What God chooses to do with us He can do without our doing harm to another preacher. There is no need for us to ever attack another man of God, even if we know them to be in error. God has all of that in his own hands. Neither must we encourage or support one who is under a man of God but seeks to cause him harm. Our duty is to keep about the business of serving the Lord. He will bless and promote our work as He chooses.

I do note however that David's rebuke of one under his authority is stern and far reaching, even pronouncing judgment upon Joab's children because of his murder of Abner. I assume this is because he has seen Joab's character already displayed in his children. David was no pushover. He was simply convicted to never touch the Lord's anointed.

Such an ethic does not seem to exist among many preachers today.