A Tale of three Kings: A Study in Brokenness

How David coped with these insane situations with God's love, grace, and wisdom have changed my life. The patience, respect for God, surrender, and trust in the Lord spoke powerfully to me through the years of history between us. David's unique reactions revealed Jesus Christ to me in a new way.

David's struggles dwarfed mine but the lessons of his life challenged me to become a better Christian - a man of honor - a man of God.

Gene Edwards has a gift for cutting through difficult topics on a unique slant. He brings a new level of understanding to old problems, stories, and issues. There were times when reading this book that I had to stop, lay it down, and catch my breath as new revelation washed over me.

A strong recommendation for the thoughtful believer who is willing to go to the next level of faith.


A profound look into the purpose of why Christians suffer   December 29, 1999
MrGifts2000@yahoo.com (Miami, Fl)
23 out of 25 found this review helpful

A Tale Of Three Kings is a an awesome piece of Christian literature. If you are tired of all the "holy spirit, healing, prosperity, achieving wealth through biblical principles" type books, than Gene Edwards is your man. In this book, Gene lays out a refreshing perspective on brokeness that is not quite traditional in mainstream "Sunday school, pulpit preachings". Through his wonderful and simplistic story telling style, Gene goes into the depths of the hearts of three kings, namely King Saul, King David, and King Absolom. Not only will this book aid in your journey towards the deep things of the Lord and His ways, but it will cause us to look into our very hearts and ask the question, "which heart of these Kings do I have....." Indeed men fix things that break, but after we read this book we emerge w/ the understanding that God breaks men to fix them.


I found this book intriguing.   September 10, 2003
Robert Wynkoop (Washington State)
22 out of 25 found this review helpful

This book is must reading for every church leader. It is a study of the use and misuse of authority. In it, Edwards examines the lives of King Saul who demanded allegiance and held onto power at all cost; the life of King David who would not pursue power or hold onto it by force even when faced with rebellion; and David?s son, Absalom, the man who would become king by leading a rebellion.

The book was written especially to address the problem of submission and authority in the modern church. An underlying theme of this magnificent tale is that one cannot know for certain who are anointed by God and who are not; whom God has blessed and whom He as not. True leaders often make mistakes and pretenders to the crown can often look Godly; therefore, we should be very careful about passing judgment on our leaders.

These three simple stories convey more meaning and impact than a scholarly tome on authority. Edwards follows the example set by Jesus by telling simple stories to convey deep theological truths. His insight that leadership, even Godly leadership, is inherently flawed because God works through flawed people is excellent. Also worthy of note is the insight not to rush to judgment when condemning authority. The message needs to be heard in our impatient culture. Edwards notes that men who thought they were doing the will of God murdered both Jesus and Stephen.

There are two significant weaknesses in this book.. First, the story is incomplete. It ends with David retreating from Jerusalem with Absalom holding power. Edwards fails to tell us that the story really ends with David doing battle with the rebels and Absaloms subsequent death. David did fight for his throne. Second, we live in an age where everyone believes they have the inherent right to question authority. Edwards does not address the need to teach on authority and submission as contrasted with demanding it. Boomers and Xers often have no idea of submission. Even many who were born before World War II do not understand the biblical concept of authority; like Korah who rebelled against Moses, they hold to a democratic model of authority. If we do not each our people the biblical concepts of authority and submission, how will they learn?

This book is a sobering reminder that all church polity is ultimately congregational. Leaders cannot demand the allegiance of their people. If my people choose not to follow my leadership by withdrawing their attendance, offerings and service, I will fail as a leader. I was especially helped by Edwards observation that all kings have their critics. Leaders are flawed vessels of God?s anointing. Rebels may promise the world, but they can only deliver it with the cooperation of the people. If the people grow tired, wither the rebels dream may fail, or a dictatorship must be established.

Again, this book is must reading for all church leaders. As a political science major, B.S. University of Oregon, 1973, I found this book intriguing.


Hurt by authoritarian leadership?   May 5, 2006
Gerald Khoo (Singapore)
7 out of 7 found this review helpful

Gene Edwards uses the story of 3 kings (Saul, David and Absalom) to show the difference between the heart of Saul and the heart of David. It is written in a very simple format to read, but worded so that we reflect upon our own lives and see how much of a Saul or a David we are. There is a Saul in all of us that we need to realize, and Edwards writes reflectively to help reveal that Saul in us. Edwards also portrays David in a way that is not common, but yet I see the great possibility of David being such a king. It shows what a man after God's heart is like, as compared to a man after his own heart.

God is after brokenness in a person's life, but brokenness does not mean weakness, but it is strength under God's control. So why does God put us under authoritarian leadership? Edwards writes, "David the sheepherder would have grown up to become King Saul II, except that God cut away the Saul inside David's heart. That operation, buy the way, took years and was a brutalizing experience that almost killed the patient. And what were the scalpel and tongs God used to remove this inner Saul? God used the outer Saul. King Saul sought to destroy David, but his only success was that he became the instrument of God to put to death the Saul who roamed about in the caverns of David's own soul. Yes, David was virtually destroyed in the process, but this had to be. Otherwise the Saul in him would have survivied." (pg. 24-25)

Rebellion, legalism, power, authority, submission... are all shown in this story. How do we handle all these areas of our lives? Sometimes, we can come up with even the best reasons to do something that the Saul in us would want, rather than what God would want of us.

So how does Absalom come into the story? Read it and see for yourself the struggles that the man after God's heart would have to go through, literally all the days of his life.


Continues to challenge me   February 23, 2001
Mary Ellen (Upper Marlboro, Maryland United States)
9 out of 10 found this review helpful

I first read this book in one night at work 10 years ago, and it continues to affect my outlook and spiritual life today. This book has affected my life more than any other I've ever read (except the Bible, of course!) Gene Edwards takes emotionally- laden issues like submission to authority and pride, and presents them in a way that forces you to look at not the situation, but your response to it. Mr Edwards offers us a unique way to measure our motivations and responses to challenges we face against a godly framework. You will want to order several more to give away after you read this. God bless!