Pledging Allegiance

DAVID spared Saul’s life twice—once in the cave at En Gedi (1 Samuel 24:1–7) and again in the Wilderness of Ziph (1 Samuel 26:2, 7–12). Even though Saul was demented, unfit for office, and bent on destroying David, David refused to take his life, because Saul was the Lord’s anointed.

David was even troubled in conscience for having cut the garment that Saul was wearing. It’s similar to the way Americans “pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States . . . and to the republic for which it stands.” To David, the robe of Saul represented the king.

David’s respect for Saul’s position serves as model for the high respect that God’s people today should have for government and its officials. Like David, we may not care for the people in office or their actions, but we can respect the position, since government is ordained by God (Romans 13:2).

All officeholders—whether they are Christians or not God-fearing people—deserve our respect and prayers (1 Timothy 2:1-2). A governmental position invested by the prayers of God’s people, anointed by God’s representative, and confirmed with an oath of office invoking God’s help—such an office is undeniably God-ordained.

Paul indicated that even “secular” governments, such as the autocratic Roman Empire, are God-ordained (Romans 13:1–7). Likewise, secular governments carry out God’s sovereign purposes. For example, He called Cyrus, the pagan king of Persia, His shepherd and His anointed (Isaiah 44:28–45:1).