Welcome, dear reader!
This is the first major collaboration between our dear Parker brothers, so you just know this is gonna be a blast! We’re going back to biblical times for this one. Yep! Another biblical retelling for the State!
Let’s get into it; we’re following two very familiar kings of Israel right now…
YEARS AGO
Seven days had passed since the attacks began. Jonathan’s rogue actions had caused a retaliation that neither he nor his armor bearer could’ve expected. All the men of Israel were scattering, the army was pressed, and his father was seething with rage at his rogue actions. It was bad enough that his actions had to be claimed by his father, but now he’d led them into an all-out war. Chaos was a kind way to describe what the last couple of days had been.
Meanwhile, Saul was at Gilgal, waiting with mighty men who were trembling with fear. He was only two years into his reign and he’d already led the men into a war just to cover for his son. He knew that the Philistines were nothing to sneeze at, but the full might of the Philistine army coming at just three thousand Israelite warriors was not what he had signed up for. He had waited the seven days that Samuel had instructed before he’d left, and now the prophet was nowhere to be found.
The commander of the army came to see him.
“Your Majesty, the men are beginning to scatter, each one unto his home. Some have left to hide among the rocks with their brothers, and more still are preparing to go to the caves. The men need your direction, Your Majesty. What am I to tell them?”
Saul sat in thought, looking for the solution they required. His reign as king of Israel had not come without its detractors, men who thought he was a Benjamite scoundrel, unfit to save them. He had won them over, but he had yet to establish a period of peace for them. This would’ve been it, had it not been for Jonathan’s recklessness.
“Has Samuel sent word?”
“No, Your Majesty.”
“Have seven days not passed since his departure?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Yet he has not sent further instructions while our wait is prolonged?”
“No, Your Majesty.”
Saul looked around as he remained in thought. He was under a pomegranate tree, right the view of all the men. He was barely hanging onto the throne at this stage; anything that made him look weak would possibly get him killed. Something had to happen soon, otherwise that possibility would become a reality in a hurry.
Saul turned to the commander, and issued the first instruction that would spell trouble.
“Have the burnt offerings and the fellowship offerings brought to me.”
“Very well, Your Highness.”
******
YEARS LATER
David was bored out of his mind. It was springtime, and he would normally be in the throes of war by now, but old age had caught up with him. He was a fierce warrior, revered among even the mightiest of his men, but here he was in his palace, like a lion in a cage. Neither his wives nor his maidens could do much to entertain him.
One of the men from the war had come to see him, and he was in the throne room when the man was ushered in.
“Your Majesty, may you live long and may your reign go on forever!”
“Eliud, you have done well to reach Israel safely. Tell me about the war.”
“Your Majesty, may you live long. Your mighty man Joab has led your men successfully thus far. Under his command, the Ammonites have been completely destroyed. We have now moved to lay siege to Rabbah, and we believe the hand of the Lord is with us to conquer them.”
“Well done, Eliud. My servants will see to it that you are well-fed and rested before your return to the battle. May God be with you.”
The man bowed and was escorted out of the throne room by the guards. David gave thanks to God, and then sent for his aide.
“I will see no one else today unless a grave matter arises. See to it that I am undisturbed.”
“Very well, Your Majesty.”
David went upstairs into his room and lay down to rest from the day.
*****
YEARS AGO
“Is that the last of the rites that must be performed?”
Saul had received the burnt offerings and the fellowship offerings, and had offered up the burnt offerings to God. He was now in the process of preparing the fellowship offerings. The commander was with him.
“Yes, Your Majesty. The fellowship offering is the only rite that remains.”
“Very well. Gather the men so we may partake of the offering together.
“At once, Your Majesty.”
The commander left to carry out his orders while Saul continued to make the offering. He had never had to perform any of the priestly duties before, but watching his men quake in their boots at the attacks of the Philistines had left him no choice. Samuel should have been here by now, but being the anointed king of Israel, he had the authority to do the work of the priest. Or so he thought.
He was almost done with the preparations when the commander returned.
“Your Majesty, the prophet Samuel has arrived.”
Saul breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, Samuel had decided to show up. Maybe he could complete the preparation of the offering.
“Good. I will go and greet him.”
******
Saul met Samuel with relief on his face, but was met with a look of confusion.
“Prophet Samuel. It is good that you have finally arrived. The men were trembling and the seven days had passed since you left.”
Samuel’s confusion continued. “What have you done?”
Saul would have been lost at the question, but the smoke from the burnt offering filled the area, and the men were clearly prepared for a feast in the middle of war.
“I needed the favor of God.”
“Could you not have waited?”
“I needed the favor of God. The men were scattering, and the Philistines were assembling at Mikmash. You said you would be here, and you had yet to arrive. I was sure that the Philistines would come down against me at Gilgal, and I was not going to wage war against them without seeking the face of the Lord. I needed the favor of God.”
Samuel sighed, the disappointment on his face growing exponentially. He went quiet for a while, and then finally spoke.
“Your Majesty, you have done a foolish thing.”
Saul’s face darkened but Samuel did not seem to care.
“You have not kept the commandment that the Lord gave you. If you had, He would have established your kingdom over Israel forever.”
Saul’s displeasure began to show on his face but Samuel pressed on with the final blow.
“Instead, your kingdom will not endure. Even now, the Lord has already sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him ruler of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.”
With that, Samuel turned and walked away, and Saul was starting to get angry.
How dare Samuel! If he had not fulfilled his role as king, would there even be any men left in Israel? Did Samuel not understand the urgency of the situation?
Before Saul could say anything, his commander rushed to him.
“Your Majesty, a panic is unfolding among the men. They have seen the rest of the army melting away in all directions.”
As the man spoke, the ground beneath them began to shake.
Saul elected to deal with Samuel’s rebuke later. Right now, he had a country to save.
“Muster the forces. See who has left us.”
Yeah, you can kinda understand why Saul was miffed. But hey, he moved out of fear, and you know that doesn’t sit well with God…
