A Book Review of
A Tale of Three Kings

I read A Tale of Three Kings: A Study in Brokenness by Gene Edwards and found it quite different from other books that I have read at seminary. The book appears to be devotional rather than academic. It also appears to be written as much in poetry as in prose. It aims at the heart and not at the mind. This book was not long and at 99 pages I read it easily in a single sitting. I will break up my book review into two sections: a longer report of the book and a shorter response to the book.

Report:

In the author's preface, Gene Edwards states the purpose of his book: "I noted some years ago a growing number of letters from Christians devastated by the authoritarian movement that had become so popular with many evangelical groups. A reaction to this totalitarian concept eventually set in (p xi)." As its name implies, The Three Kings does include three kings, but the overarching emphasis is on one single king, King David. Saying that this book is about "three kings" is like saying that Calvary is about three crosses. Yes indeed, we agree that there were three crosses, but the cross to the left and to the right provide the contrast that sets in stark relief the cross in the middle. So it is with this book. The author paints King David as a virtuous king who refuses to raise his hand against his predecessor - King Saul - or against his would-be successor - Absalom.

In Part One of The Three Kings, Edwards focuses on David's flight from Saul. In Part Two he focuses upon the events leading up to David's decision to flee from his own son, Absalom. Edwards states, "This book reflects my concern for this multitude of confused, brokenhearted, and often bitter Christians who now find their spiritual lives in shambles and who are groping about for even the slightest word of hope in comfort (p xii)". As the subtitle of this book implies, "A Study in Brokenness" is a study of David's broken spirit as Saul chases him while a young man and later as Absalom rebels against him while an old man. The lessons learned while on the run from Saul are again applied as David retreats from Absalom.

Chapters one through eighteen comprise Part One. We see the story of young David unfold. This youngest son of Jesse is pictured alone in the wilderness with only a harp and sling to keep him company. In this lonesome setting David grows close to God. With his harp he sings praise to God at the top of his lungs. With his sling he whiles away the hours casting stones at distant targets. I hadn't thought about it, but this is probably an accurate picture. Our Bible tells us that David killed a bear and giant as a young man. Scripture also says that young David was the best harp player in all the land. These warrior and music skills did not arise in a vacuum. David's stay in the palace of King Saul was not long. David was summoned to stay and play for the king, but this music therapy only comforted Saul for a season. In a fit of madness, Saul threw a spear at David. As Gene Edwards tells it, the most telling sign of David's godly character was that he did not throw the spear back at Saul. This purposeful decision to not retaliate against God's anointed is the theme of the David/Saul and the David/Absalom relationship. While on the run from King Saul, David acquired the brokenness that made him the greatest of all kings. (As an aside, my computer program tells me that the name "David" appears 1085 times in Testaments, while "Jesus" appears 973 times, and "Moses" appears 829 times). David's humility enabled him to become exalted - number one in world count. In an echo of Philippians 2: 8&9, "He humbled himself" and "God exalted him".

Part One of The Three Kings asks three rhetorical questions:
(1) "What is your response when you are innocent and still your leader attacks you?"
(2) "How do you retaliate against your leader when you are chased and attacked?" and
(3) "How can you tell a good leader who may happen to get things wrong from a mad leader who is out for blood?"

Gene Edwards answers these questions by telling us:
(1) "We flee from those trying to do us harm".
(2) "We do no violence toward those who are trying to violate us".
(3) "As humans we cannot discern the true but frail leader who is chosen by God from the mad violent leader who God has abandoned".

The author emphasizes that we must trust God to deal with unjust leaders. It is not our place to fight against authorities, because maybe God Himself has installed our adversary and (more interestingly) maybe He has appointed them to break us down before He can build us up. Spiritual formation begins at ground zero when we are poured out as water. My favorite chapter was seventeen. In this chapter, a young soldier visits an old soldier who was once one of David's "mighty men". I savored this quote:

"Rules were invented by elders so they could go to bed early! Men who speak endlessly on authority only prove they have none. And kings who make speeches about submission only betray twin fears in their hearts: They are not certain they are really true leaders, sent of God. And they live in mortal fear of a rebellion (p 49)."

Chapter nineteen through twenty-seven comprise Part Two. These chapters weave the tale of Absalom as he slowly builds his power base, moves to Hebron and then returns to Jerusalem to rebel against his father. This story is a bookend event to Saul's pursuit of David. The madness of Absalom is not apparent, but his lust for power is transparent. Gene Edwards does an excellent job of describing how the seed of rebellion in Absalom's heart grew into open warfare. Absalom slowly acquires a following. At first he would not allow others to criticize his father. Then he grew to allow criticism. Then he criticized his father himself. Finally he was flattered into believing that he could rule better than his father. As in the episode with Saul, David was counseled to strike out against Absalom, but his answer was always the same: "God is in control of this situation. If God wants Absalom to have my throne, then he will have it". I was bit disappointed that the narrative ended abruptly at David's fleeing from the city. I wish it would have lasted until the bereavement of Absalom. Just as Saul is a counterpoint to Absalom, so there is a counterpoint to David's psalms of abandonment (like Psalm 22). This counterpoint is David weeping for his rebellious son: "And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son! (2 Samuel 18:33)" How could any father love a wicked son such as that? How could God love a sinner such as I?

Response:

I enjoyed the drama of the book and I appreciated its childlike simplicity. I had never thought of Saul, David, and Absalom in the way presented in the book. I wish that Jonathan could have been worked into Part One. I appreciated the fact that the great center of David's life is missing. There is the young man, then there is the old man. I thought that the message of the book was clear. Perhaps it was stated most succinctly by the mighty man of valor: "I will tell you of my king and his greatness: My king never threatened me as yours does. The clearest memory I have of my king, when we lived in the caves, is that his was a life of submission. David taught me losing, not winning. Giving, not taking. He showed me that the leader, not the follower is inconvenienced. David shielded us from suffering; he did not mete it out. (p 49)." One cannot truly love until one's heart is truly broken.

Although I am in sympathy with the sense of this drama, I am still unsure when to apply its lessons. Should Iraqis have submitted to the authority of Saadam because he was in authority? I think not. I assume that Elijah was a righteous man since he was taken up bodily into heaven. Yet didn't he rebel against King Ahab? Yes he did. But these are the thoughts of a systematic theologian, and my aesthetic self did enjoy this drama and its lessons.

Brokenness finds a special place on this Maundy Thursday leading to Good Friday, then to Easter Sunday. The words of David's brokenness fill our minds:
Psalm 22:1 My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
Psalm 22:7-8 All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.
Psalm 22:14-15 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels. My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.
Psalm 22:18 They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.

It is interesting that Jesus is not only of the seed of David, but his words are the fruit of David's mouth.