Once upon a time there were six brothers, actually they were merely half brothers because they each had different mothers. Over the years their father had married each of their mothers for different reasons and he loved them all, especially the last one. In the kingdom it was not unusual for a noble man to have more than one wife, and in this case the women didn't seem to mind because they all loved him, especially now that he was the newly crowned king. Each of his wives were given special quarters in the palace and servants to help with the children. The king's kids never lacked for anything. As they grew up, they usually got whatever they desired. The king loved blessing his children with gifts, and blessing all the people of the kingdom, because of the wonderful God he served with his whole heart.
When the king was a child, he didn't always have it so good. He was the youngest of eight brothers and spent most of his childhood outside tending his father's flock. While watching the sheep this young shepherd would often sing and play songs to the God he loved. One day when he was a bit older, some of his brothers came out to fetch him from the fields. They told him that there was a man of God at the house who was insisting on meeting him. When they all got back to the house, this unusual holy man with very long hair said some surprising words and then poured oil over his head; then he blessed him. The old prophet said, "You have been appointed by Almighty God to be the next king of this great nation." From that day on the young shepherd's life was never the same—except for the love he had for the God he served with all his heart. This blessing however was a shock to his brothers and his father. His brothers resented him after that, scoffing at the thought that their little brother would ever become king, much less their king. They weren't even related to the current King, who already had sons and daughters.
A number of years had past, and in that time the young man was promoted from a shepherd boy to the armor bearer for the king—after slaying a giant with a slingshot. Eventually he became a commander in the king's army. He also played music for the King whenever the King was in a bad mood. The spirit of God was with this young man, and the people realized it—including the old King. And he was getting jealous now after all the notoriety this brave young warrior was getting from all the victories he won in battle. Instead of wanting to give the young warrior a daughter for a wife, as he had promised, the king now wanted to kill him. And one day he tried.
So the young warrior fled. Now the shepherd-warrior became the brave leader of a band of 600 rebels. They all became mercenaries, fighting against the enemies of the kingdom. He also was doing his best to avoid the mean old King and his army that was still trying to kill him; but the brave leader swore he would never kill the mean king even if he had the chance. There were a couple of opportunities that he and his men could have made the kill, but he chose not to, even though his men had encouraged him to. During all this time he made sure he took time to meditate and pray to the God he loved so much. He also wondered how he would ever be king, much less survive. He had never thought of or desired to be a king. Yet, somehow he knew in his heart that one day the fearful old King would die, and he would be king just as the old prophet had foretold.
One day the old king met his demise on the battlefield—along with his three sons. One of the old King's sons had been a special friend to the shepherd boy, and he too had realized and accepted the fact that his friend, and not he, was to be the rightful king. The shepherd-warrior mourned the death of his friend and also his father, the old King. However, now that the old King and his sons were dead, the people of the nation made the brave young warrior their new king.
As time passed by, the shepherd King was handed many responsibilities: uniting the kingdom, restoring the place of worship for the God he served with all his heart, fighting old enemies to regain land they had lost, also gaining land that had been promised by Almighty God. He also had a responsibility as a father in raising his growing family. (Especially after the loss of one of his sons at birth, a death that happened because of his own sin—a sin he would never forget.)
Over the years the king tried to set an example for all his sons to follow; especially his last son. But raising his children was never easy, especially with the responsibilities of the Kingdom, and of going to war every year. So some of his children didn't grow up quite the way he would have liked, no matter how hard he and their mothers tried. The new king had very few skills or examples when growing up, and maybe out of guilt he spoiled his own children. Unfortunately, most of them didn't follow in the footsteps of their father, the Shepherd King, a man after God's heart.
As the sons of the king got older, some of them must have started to wonder who would be the next king, possibly feeling the need to prove their power or manhood. One day his oldest son decided to deceive one of the king's daughters who was very beautiful and kind; then he raped her. This saddened the shepherd King greatly, but it infuriated another of her brothers. While the King did nothing, her brother decided that he should. And after waiting two years, he contrived a plot and killed his older brother, the one who had harmed his sister. Then he fled to another city. While the King grieved over the loss of his first son, he was not about to have another son killed in revenge. (The words of an old prophet must have echoed in his heart from long ago, back when the shepherd-King had sinned, that things would not bode well for his household later in life.)
After three years had past, and with the encouragement from a commander in the king's army, the shepherd King finally brought the estranged son back to the city; but the son never expressed any remorse for his actions, or for the pain and grief he caused the King's family. So he was sent to live in his own house away from the palace. The King waited to hear those words, but he never did. Therefore, the King would not see or talk to him. This frustrated the son greatly, and he perceived what he thought was a weakness in his father. Since the king was ignoring him, and a number of people were grumbling about the way things were being done, the son saw an opportunity to change all that. It seemed that justice was never served the way he and others thought it should be, and so he chose to take advantage of it. He never understood the love and mercy his father had shown him, a love and mercy that had been extended by God to the King for his own sinful actions.
One day the old king met his demise on the battlefield—along with his three sons. One of the old King's sons had been a special friend to the shepherd boy, and he too had realized and accepted the fact that his friend, and not he, was to be the rightful king. The shepherd-warrior mourned the death of his friend and also his father, the old King. However, now that the old King and his sons were dead, the people of the nation made the brave young warrior their new king.
As time passed by, the shepherd King was handed many responsibilities: uniting the kingdom, restoring the place of worship for the God he served with all his heart, fighting old enemies to regain land they had lost, also gaining land that had been promised by Almighty God. He also had a responsibility as a father in raising his growing family. (Especially after the loss of one of his sons at birth, a death that happened because of his own sin—a sin he would never forget.)
Over the years the king tried to set an example for all his sons to follow; especially his last son. But raising his children was never easy, especially with the responsibilities of the Kingdom, and of going to war every year. So some of his children didn't grow up quite the way he would have liked, no matter how hard he and their mothers tried. The new king had very few skills or examples when growing up, and maybe out of guilt he spoiled his own children. Unfortunately, most of them didn't follow in the footsteps of their father, the Shepherd King, a man after God's heart.
As the sons of the king got older, some of them must have started to wonder who would be the next king, possibly feeling the need to prove their power or manhood. One day his oldest son decided to deceive one of the king's daughters who was very beautiful and kind; then he raped her. This saddened the shepherd King greatly, but it infuriated another of her brothers. While the King did nothing, her brother decided that he should. And after waiting two years, he contrived a plot and killed his older brother, the one who had harmed his sister. Then he fled to another city. While the King grieved over the loss of his first son, he was not about to have another son killed in revenge. (The words of an old prophet must have echoed in his heart from long ago, back when the shepherd-King had sinned, that things would not bode well for his household later in life.)
After three years had past, and with the encouragement from a commander in the king's army, the shepherd King finally brought the estranged son back to the city; but the son never expressed any remorse for his actions, or for the pain and grief he caused the King's family. So he was sent to live in his own house away from the palace. The King waited to hear those words, but he never did. Therefore, the King would not see or talk to him. This frustrated the son greatly, and he perceived what he thought was a weakness in his father. Since the king was ignoring him, and a number of people were grumbling about the way things were being done, the son saw an opportunity to change all that. It seemed that justice was never served the way he and others thought it should be, and so he chose to take advantage of it. He never understood the love and mercy his father had shown him, a love and mercy that had been extended by God to the King for his own sinful actions.
To be continued.
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