Well, I just finished watching the first episode of NBC's Kings. It is loosely based on the story of David; beginning with his anointing.
Saul is called Silas Benjamin and Jonathan is Jack. It is a modern day version set in a city with the appearance of any large American metropolis. David is a mechanic but his last name is Shepherd & he plays the piano rather than the harp. "Goliath" turns out to be a model of tanks on the front line. David has fallen in love with Silas' daughter practically with in minutes of meeting. And butterflies signify the Holy Spirit, hence the emblem of the country (the picture above).
All of those changes I don't mind, however, there is one that bothers me a little but still can be over looked being that this is NBC & not CBN, and another that really sticks in my craw.
The smaller issue (& granted this is no small issue but is understandable being a secular TV station, plus I'm not sure how the upcoming episodes may deal with this, so I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt), anyway, the smaller issue is David devotion to the Lord, starting in childhood, has yet to be addressed. In fact, David has yet to mention one thing about the Lord even though we have witnessed him fighting in battle, "slaying" "Goliath," his brother's death, & risking his life to stop the war. Maybe this is a topic that will come up in later episodes, so I'll give NBC the benefit of the doubt just now. :)
The big issue I have is two part & has to do with Jack (aka Jonathan). Jack is apparently homosexual, or at least bi-sexual. I know a lot of people try to read that into the story of David but there is just no evidence of that in the Bible. There are 3 instances in the Bible where it says that Jonathan loved David, & many people believe this means he loved him as more than "just a friend." However, most believe this just emphasizes the fact that Jonathan & David were best friends. Many people have friends that they love & no one questions those relationships, well, not always, at least. In fact, the wording in all three instances is Jonathan "loved him as himself," but we are all called to love others as we love ourselves.
The second part of the issue I have with Jack is...well...he doesn't seem to like David at all. He is quite jealous of David, to the point that he is about to betray not only his father but the country itself to a corrupt banker or whatever this guy is supposed to be. A very important part of the story of David's life is his friendship with Jonathan & they are getting that very, very wrong. Who knows, though, they may do something later on in the season to switch that around.
Another thing that is bothering me a bit is the personal reporter. Silas has this guy that follows him around all the time recording everything that goes on. At times, Silas will as the guy to read what he has written or will tell him what to say so that it either completely lies or exaggerates circumstances to make him look better. If I were a conspiracy theorist (& I am quickly becoming one), I would say that this is a commentary of the writers to make it appear that the Bible isn't 100% accurate. Just a thought.
All in all, though, I did quite enjoy the show. I'm still quite amazed that they were allowed to speak of God so often & in a not-so-blasphemous way. It interests me that in today's world, where God & Christianity & the Bible are so hated, such a show would be made & aired on one of the most watched networks in America. I pray that the people who watch this show will be curious enough to read the story for themselves. It is a wonderful story about a great man, with great opportunities, who fell for temptation many times, but always returned to his Lord. God does not expect us to be perfect but he does expect us to come to him when we have fallen & beg for his forgiveness. It is always there, we just have to ask.
