More and more biblically themed movies are coming out today in contrast with the Hollywood Woke-agenda that promotes decidedly anti-Bible, even anti-moral films. The largest of these studios is Angel Film Productions, a Mormon founded and owned film studio (Sound of Freedom, Truth and Treason, King of Kings (an animated film) and the extremely popular The Chosen series (which I strongly oppose as anything remotely biblical). Another is the Kendricks Brothers Productions that brought us films like War Room and The Forge.
Previously we saw an Icon Production film (owned by Mel Gibson and Bruce Davey), The Passion of the Christ – an enormously successful film that Hollywood opposed. While the graphic nature of the film came closer to the historical Passion than any other film produced, it still actually fell short of the real event. It also was laced with various Roman Catholic themes but I find it a useful tool to present to the unsaved to give them a better grasp of the physical sufferings our LORD endured, and follow up with what His sacrifice was really about, and what it accomplished.
When I saw a clip for another Angel Studios animated film, David, I liked what I saw visually and thematically, but I was cautious. Would there be Mormon theology laced in this film?
As the premier came closer, I saw more and more clips from the film, and looking at the remarks after opening day, it seems this was very well received. The enthusiasm was palpable by adults, young people and children.
So we decided to go and see the film for ourselves.
You can tell a lot about a person through their writings. We learn a lot about David from the Scriptures – what was written about him, his declarations, his actions as seen in 1st and 2nd SAMUEL as well as what he penned himself in the PSALMS (almost half of them, from PSALM 1 to 73).
These tell us that David was a true worshiper and lover of GOD. He was sensitive, courageous, bold or humble whenever the occasion called for it. His yearning for fellowship with the LORD is abundantly obvious. He was a stalwart defender of the honor of the LORD (his bout with Goliath was not about taking out an enemy of Israel, but about a pagan who defied “the armies of the living GOD”; see 1 SAM 17).
Yet as admirable as David is, still – he was human with flaws that were painfully documented in the pages of Holy Writ. This is something that’s remarkable about the Bible – its heroes of the faith weren’t glorified but described plainly with their virtues and flaws in equal measure. And yet GOD was able to use them all for their faith and humility!
I’ve made it a matter of public record that the three people I’m most eager to meet in the hereafter (besides the LORD Jesus Christ, Whom I obviously want to see FIRST and FOREMOST!) are Job, David and apostle Paul.
David makes that list because I admire him for the poet and songwriter that he is (PSA 45:1), a deep-thinking soul that pondered the truth of GOD (PSA 8). He was an able warrior (1 SAM 14:52) and commander of men who loved him (2 SAM 23; 1 CHRON 11), a conscientious shepherd who loved his sheep (1 SAM 17:20; 2 SAM 7:8), a tender-hearted man of compassion (2 SAM 4:4; 9:6-10), a very humble man who made it a point to exalt GOD and not himself (2 SAM 22; 1 CHRON 29; PSA 18). He ever and always longed for fellowship with the LORD (PSA 27:4). He was also a man who, when confronted, owned up to his misdeeds and sins (2 SAM 12:13).
All of this was quite apparent in this film which began with David as a boy – somewhere in his middle teen years (approximately 13-15).
The film starts out as he is leading his sheep joyfully across the landscape, admiring GOD in His creation, and singing jubilantly about his being ready for “a great adventure”. At that time one of his sheep is about to give birth, but there is a lion prowling in the tall grass. David defends his sheep, but in doing so, is knocked out, and when he revives, to his dismay, the sheep is missing and so is the lion!
But all turns out well: the sheep is discovered to be alive after all, with her newborn ewe lamb. But the lion somehow managed to get itself lodged between some rock on a cliff face. Young David strains to release the lion from the boulder that has it trapped.
Early in the story David’s little sister sees him outdoors, laying back and viewing the starry heavens. David talks about how he loves going outside, seeing creation, and talking to GOD, feeling Him close.
“How do you know He’s really there and listening?” she asks him.
“I can feel Him,” he says with a smile.
This is the one point where a slight allusion to the Mormon belief of “the burning of the bosom” could be indicated. An experiential sensation that supposedly verifies GOD’s presence, His approval, His witness.
This is one of two points that I take exception to. While it’s well within biblical truth to say that we can feel GOD’s presence (I often do when in times of worship, prayer, even in the reading/studying of the Word), David had far greater assurance than his feelings. He had the testimony of Scripture that reveals His reality, His truth, His verified testimony of His promises and prophecies. Peter makes the same point (2 PET 1:16-19).He heads home, running with his sheep and all creation seems to rejoice with him: a soaring hawk flies just overhead, and on a high hill a majestic deer stands tall. He finally makes it home only to discover that none other than the prophet Samuel is there!
He asks David if he is “ready for a great adventure?” Hesitant at first, then with conviction David responds, “yes!” But then the prophet asks him are you ready to be king?
“What?! No! Not me… we already have a king!” Samuel says that GOD has chosen the “son of Jesse” but even as David comes up with every excuse he can think of to decline this calling, the prophet affirms: “every excuse you make tells me all the more that you are the right one to lead Israel”.
“But I’m just a shepherd!” David says. To which Samuel replies: “GOD’s people have lost their way. What they need right now is a shepherd!” Still uncertain, David looks to his mother (whom he loves dearly), and she silently smiles and nods.
David bows his head as Samuel opens his horn of oil and anoints David, for the time ahead when he will eventually become king.
One scene after another refers to the various events recorded in Scripture: his playing and singing before the distressed king Saul, the errand given him by his father to bring cheese and bread to his elder brothers who stand with the armies of Israel to face the Philistines, his challenge and subsequent victory over Goliath.
When asked about his upcoming confrontation with Goliath, Jonathan (king Saul’s son) asks him, “You alone will challenge Goliath?”
“I won’t be alone!” And here the refrain from the song “I Will Not Be Afraid” is heard in the background.
“But look at you,” says one of the king’s attendants. “You’re just a boy!”
“Yes!” said David, “Look at me! I have slain a lion and a bear who were after my flock and GOD delivered them into my hands! And He will do the same with this giant!”
Later he says that just as he is a shepherd who watches over his sheep, he himself has a Shepherd who watches over him!
This is an animated musical film, and the songs sung are well written, produced and sung by Phil Wickham (older David), Brandon Engman (younger David) and Lauren Daigle, Brian Stivale, Miri Mesika and Marty Goetz.
One song particularly struck a chord with me (every pun intended!; this is an awesome duet between Brandon Engman and [I believe] Miri Mesika):
EPHESIANS 2:10
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
The Greek word for “workmanship” is poiema, and it means “an intricate work, a fabric weaving, something that is made”. It’s he same word used in ROM 1:20.
The song (provided above) exemplifies this perfectly!
Another song with the duet of Phil Wickham and Miri Mesika is called:
The only other point that I disagreed with on biblical grounds was when David was present during the attack by the Amalekites where King Saul and Jonathan lost their lives (though the king isn’t in the scene).This was another altercation with the Philistines and when their king confronted Jonathan, this godly man said that either GOD will grant Israel the victory or if they are defeated, that will only succeed in placing David on the throne – “we win either way!” he says triumphantly.
David was at Ziklag at the time and there he received the sorrowful news that king Saul and his son Jonathan were slain at Mount Gilboa. David was broken over the news for he always respected the king’s authority (even when he had the chance to slay this man who sought to slay him, still he refused to “touch GOD’s anointed”.) and Jonathan was like a brother to him – so close were they that their love, it is said, was “greater than the love of women” (2 SAM 1:26).
That being said, I understand why the writers chose to put David in this scene for its dramatic effect. David understood that Jonathan didn’t share his father’s ambition for keeping the power of the crown. He, like David, understood and plainly stated that “the crown belongs to GOD”!
There we see the quality of humbleness shared between David and Jonathan, as well as their reverence for GOD.
The script, the voice acting, the animation and illustrations, the music, the songs, the narrative flow and pacing were all excellent. I found this film to be awesome, heart-felt, jubilant, tearful, encouraging and inspiring. It’s still playing in theaters and they have provided the opportunity for viewers to “pay it forward”. We can provide (and I did) the price of a ticket for children who can’t afford to pay.
The way that they left the film, they could easily do a Part Two on the life of David.
Personally, I would love to see that, as well as a quality film like this one on the life of Noah, of Joseph, Moses, Joshua and even Elijah!
Here is a ten-minute clip that starts at the beginning of the film! Enjoy!
And for any who aren’t (too) familiar with the life of David as portrayed in Scripture, check out this study by the late Dr. Chuck Missler on 1st and 2nd Samuel!
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