David: King of Judah

00:00:00 Speaker 1: Previously on the Chosen People. Saul's weary arms slashed through the enemy as they advanced. Closer and closer they pressed, but the king stood his ground until it hit an enemy arrow whistled through the air, finding its mark on Saul's side, through flesh, through bone, into the lungs. 00:00:41 Speaker 2: So this is how it. 00:00:47 Speaker 3: How it ends? What's the first. 00:00:59 Speaker 4: Love? 00:00:59 Speaker 1: The David sat again, the crown of soul in his lap, heavy with blood and memory. He did not look up. He only whispered, more to himself than any other. David closed his eyes. He had won no war, he had claimed no glory. The crown had come and with it the. 00:01:27 Speaker 5: Curse Shelloh my friends, from here in the holy Land of Israel, i'm ya l Exstein with the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, and welcome to the Chosen People. Each day we'll hear a dramatic story inspired by the Bible, stories filled with timeless lessons of faith, love, and the meaning of life. Through Israel's story, we will find this truth that we are all chosen for something great. So take a moment today to follow the podcast. If you're feeling extra grateful for these stories, we would love it if you left us a review, I read every single one of them, and if you're interested in hearing more about the prophetic, life saving work of the Fellowship, you can visit IFCJ. Dot Org. Let's begin. 00:02:24 Speaker 1: The sun rose like a crown over the black edge of the earth and spilled gold across the plains of Ziklag. To the common eye, it was a morning no different than the thousands that had come before it. The world turned, the light returned. Work began, but not for David. Long before the sun kissed the hills, David had climbed the eastern rise above the village alone. He sat with his lyre strumming a song of praise to the Lord. He sang and strum on the edge of the hill, looking out at the horizon. To the north lay the lands of Judah, the pride and strength of Israel. David stood between the past and the future, between the man he had been and the king he was fated to become. He watched the light crawl slowly across the valley. The warmth touched his cheeks like the hand of an old friend. It was as though the earth itself had turned its face to him. He closed his eyes and prayed. He prayed in the simplest of ways, no grand gestures or consultation of the ephod, just the sheep and his shepherd nestled together in the tall grass. 00:03:48 Speaker 3: Shall I rise up? Shall I return to Judah? 00:03:54 Speaker 1: The answer came not with fire or thunder, but with the wind, a stirring in the trees, her breath on his skin, her still, small, quiet voice. 00:04:07 Speaker 2: Rise. 00:04:08 Speaker 1: The word hummed through the stillness like a drawn bowstring. David's eyes opened. 00:04:15 Speaker 3: Where to who will receive me too? 00:04:20 Speaker 1: Hebron At that moment, David felt again the weight of Samuel's oil upon his brow. He had been just a boy, then a forgotten son. No one but the Lord had seen the fire in him. But now the fire burned hotter. The burden was no longer prophecy. It was purpose. David descended the slope with steady steps. The village below stirred as he returned. Beniah was the first to greet him, with a pat on the shoulder and a cup of hot broth. 00:04:55 Speaker 6: Saw is dead. Israel is in shambles. The tribes are disutified. The Philistines plunder and burn all in their wake. Ziglag doesn't seem too awful. It's pity we're leaving. I never said we were leaving. It's all over your face. 00:05:11 Speaker 1: The others gathered before him, Uriah, Joshabine Abshi, and the other mighty men. There was a hush among them, the sense that the ground itself was shifting beneath their feet. They were ready. David raised his voice, clear and fierce as a trumpet on a battlefield. 00:05:33 Speaker 3: The Lord would have us much to Judah. Will you go with me? 00:05:39 Speaker 1: A roar broke from the crowd, loud enough to shake the hills. Men beat swords against their shields, women wept, children clung to their mothers, and David stood at the center of it all, the sun rising behind him like a halo of fire. They packed what they could carry, tools and treasures, flocks and families, and by noon the roads of Ziklag bore the footprints of a nation in exile. No longer their shepherd led them, and the hills of Hebron waited. The road to Hebron stretched long across the hills of Judah, winding like an old scar through the land of his father's. Two figures could be seen riding toward them. In the distance. The company halted, and Beniah drew his blade. 00:06:35 Speaker 2: Those men looked darned. 00:06:37 Speaker 3: We will not draw any blood. Do you understand we won't have to? 00:06:43 Speaker 1: I recognize those horses, Abeshi bolted with a giddy stride. The two figures approaching were none other than his brothers, Joab and Arsahal. The three collided into each other, embracing with tears and laughs. David wrote to meet them, embracing them with familial love. Joe AB's graveling and hard voice was a strange comfort to David. 00:07:11 Speaker 2: You look like you've seen a thousand lives. David, it feels that way. 00:07:17 Speaker 7: Thanks for keeping Abashi alive and in one piece. 00:07:21 Speaker 3: Oh, it was Abishai who kept me alive. Who was good to have family close by. 00:07:27 Speaker 1: Joe AB's tone turned serious. His gaze surveyed the company behind David. 00:07:34 Speaker 2: We've been sent by the elders of Jodah. The company of men is just around the bend, ready to escort you to Hebron. 00:07:42 Speaker 3: I haven't come to claim the throng, Joanna. We returned to serve at the conquer. 00:07:49 Speaker 2: The elders seem to think otherwise. 00:07:52 Speaker 1: Beniah and Jasha beam flashed their blades. 00:07:56 Speaker 3: What awaits us? 00:07:57 Speaker 4: Beyonna gates heron. You're telling me after all this is still don't trust David after everything he's done. 00:08:06 Speaker 1: Beniah shifted his stance. Joe Ab was undisturbed by their posturing. He was a harder man than any of them. 00:08:15 Speaker 2: Put that away, boy, you'd be idiots a start a fire. Right now, you're at the mercy of the elders of Judah. Your fate is in their hands, and no amount of posturing you change that. 00:08:29 Speaker 1: David's lip twitched. He looked back at his men and gestured for them to be at ease. He then reached into his pack and retrieved Saul's crown. 00:08:42 Speaker 3: As a hell. 00:08:43 Speaker 8: I know you're the swiftest in the man. Return this crown to the eldest as a gesture of goodwill. Tell them I've come as a servant of Judah. Abishi go with him. Tell them of what we've done since being in exile. 00:08:58 Speaker 1: The brothers mounted their horses and disappeared around the bend. David turned to Joab, heart pounding with anxious anticipation. 00:09:08 Speaker 3: Joe Ab, speak plainly, is this a trap? 00:09:14 Speaker 1: Joab's face was impassive, revealing nothing. 00:09:19 Speaker 2: You'll have to wait and see for yourselves. 00:09:26 Speaker 1: The fire crackled in the center of the circle, throwing sparks into the twilight. Saul's crown rested atop a stone table beside the flame. The elders of Judah sat around it, their faces half in shadow, half in flame. Arsahl and Abishai reclined on the outskirts. They had said little since delivering the crown and David's message, but they listened. The weight of history was in the air. One misstep here, good birth. 00:09:59 Speaker 2: A war. 00:10:00 Speaker 9: He's the champion of our people. He thought for us when no other would. Even when hunted. He guarded the borders of Judah as if he were already king. 00:10:12 Speaker 4: And yet the son of Saul still lives. Ishbashef remains in Mahinaan with Abner at his side. The lift David above him now would be treason in the eyes of all Israel. 00:10:24 Speaker 3: We would be inviting war. 00:10:26 Speaker 9: War is already upon us. The Philistines let their teeth at our orders. Who above you thinks ish Boshef will stop him? That frail child couldn't command a flock of sheep. 00:10:39 Speaker 1: The murmur rippled through the gathered men. 00:10:42 Speaker 9: Ishmashet is no king. He has neither fire in his belly, nor iron and his spine. Abner is the one ruling in his day, and that dog was ever loyal to Saul's pride, not to Israel's good? Would you trade one Hoummo for another? 00:11:02 Speaker 1: Voices rose, some in anger, others in caution. The air thickened with memory and fear, the fear of another civil schism, the ghost of Benjamin against Judah. No man here had forgotten the blood spilled in the name of unity. 00:11:21 Speaker 4: But what are the people of the Lord. Will they follow us? Have we crowned David? 00:11:26 Speaker 3: They may not. 00:11:28 Speaker 9: The Lord has already chosen his keeping. 00:11:31 Speaker 1: You all know it. 00:11:32 Speaker 9: You've known it since that day in the valley, when David stood alone against the giant. 00:11:39 Speaker 1: Eyes turned toward the crown, not as a symbol of glory, but of burden, a relic forged in duty, not desire. Our Sir, Hell stood then slowly and set aside his empty bowl. Habishi was visibly nervous. 00:11:59 Speaker 3: Would you do moving this along? 00:12:02 Speaker 1: Ah Sahela approached the roaring fire in the middle, and every elder suddenly silenced and fixed their eyes on him. 00:12:11 Speaker 7: I was on Mount Gilboa, When Saul fell, my brother and I watched the destruction, barely escaping with our lives. I smelled the burning flesh of our kin. The United Philistine kings are wolves, their bloodthirsty, revenous, and they're ruthless. Whoever is to be our king must be willing to face those monsters without fear. 00:12:38 Speaker 1: His words rang in the quiet, like a blade drawn from its scabbard. 00:12:44 Speaker 4: O my wandering, oh my waiting. Let you the rise behind the severn. If blood is to be smelled, let it be for righteousness. 00:12:54 Speaker 1: The men nodded one by one, and just like that, the stars of Hebron under the eyes of the Lord, and the ghosts of Israel's passed. They chose their king. The tall gates of Hebron were in sight. David rode at the front, his eyes fixed on the distant walls. The sun hung low behind them, painting the sky a deep royal purple. His men said little. They were nervous. Judah had once called them rebels. The name David had once been cursed in Saul's course, and now they marched toward a city that might equally crown him or behead him. David said nothing. He prayed. When they came within a mile of the gates, they could hear it, a low thrum. As they neared, the sound grew louder. The wind carried the timbre of drums. The air trembled beneath their feet. 00:14:05 Speaker 2: Those drums of war were celebration. 00:14:09 Speaker 1: They reached the city walls, then the gates opened. It began with one voice, a shout, ragged and full throated. Then many the people poured forth, like floodwaters from a broken dam. There were no soldiers with swords, no stones hurled at their feet. Instead, there was singing music, dancing hands reaching toward heaven, children through garlands. At David's feet, old men wept, women danced with tambourines. David's mouth parted, but no sound came. The faces before him blurred. 00:14:55 Speaker 2: The years of. 00:14:56 Speaker 1: Running, the caves, the betrayal, the blood, all of it melted away. His heart swelled. He had never imagined joy could feel so heavy. The crowd parted, revealing the elders of Judah atop a high platform of carved stone. Abeshei and Arsahl were at the base, beaming. In their midst stood the priests, their robes catching the light of the setting sun, and there, resting in the hands of Hebrun's high elder, was the crown of Israel, the same gold once worn by a man who loved and hated David in equal measure. David climbed the steps, slowly and steadily, each footfall echoing like thunder in the hush that fell. Beniah, Jashabine, and Uriah were close behind him. At the top, he turned to face the gather'd multitude. 00:16:00 Speaker 10: The Jias Sayer, the harvest of Bethlehem, the warrior who would not lift his hand against the king, the outlaw who guarded our borders. 00:16:11 Speaker 2: When our king would not. 00:16:14 Speaker 11: You have been chosen by God and confirmed by the voice of the people, David, son of Jesse, rise now as King of Judah, not by birthright, but by divine anointing. 00:16:30 Speaker 1: The crown was raised, David bowed his head, the weight of it settled on his brow like iron and fire. He rose, and the city shook with praise. Long Live King David. They cried, long Live the Shepherd of Judah. From the walls to the fields beyond. The land rang with joy. David did not speak, not at first. His eyes searched the horizon north toward Jerusalem, and further still to the war torn hills, where the rest of Israel watched and waited. Judah had chosen. 00:17:13 Speaker 12: Him, but the North had not. This was only the beginning. He would reign, He would rule, and one day a greater king would rise from his line, not born of court or crowned in gold, but in thorns. But that was a tale for another age. Here stood David, no longer the boy who played songs to soothe a mad king, nor the outlaw who slept among wolves. Here stood the shepherd King, crowned not in comfort but in fire. 00:17:57 Speaker 5: If your faith has been kindled by this Power podcast and it has affected your life, we'd love it if you left her review. We read them, and me personally I cherish them as you venture forth boldly and faithfully. I leave you with the biblical blessing from numbers six Iva Hashem vishmerechra Yeah Heir hashempanave eleven ye sa hashempanave lera. 00:18:26 Speaker 3: Salon. 00:18:27 Speaker 5: May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make his face shine upon you. May he be gracious to you. Made the Lord turn his face towards you and give you Peace Amen. 00:18:40 Speaker 1: You can listen to The Chosen People with You Isle Exstein add free by downloading and subscribing to the Pray dot Com app today. This Prey dog Com production is only made possible by our dedicated team of creative talents. Steve Katina, Max Bard, Zach Shellavaga and Ben Gammon are the ex executive producers of The Chosen People with Yile Eckstein, edited by Alberto Avilla, narrated by Paul Coltofianu. Characters are voiced by Jonathan Cotten, Aaron Salvado, Sarah Seltz, Mike Reagan, Stephen Ringwald, Sylvia Zaradoc, Thomas Copeland Junior, Rosanna Pilcher, and the opening prayer is voiced by John Moore. Music by Andrew Morgan Smith, written by Aaron Salvato, bre Rosalie and Chris Baig. Special thanks to Bishop Paul Lanier, Robin van Ettin, Kayleb Burrows, Jocelyn Fuller and the team at International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. 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