The Anointed One | Judith Ingram

The Anointed One by Susan Van Volkenburgh

This second volume in the Trilogy of Kings Saga follows the rise of Israel’s first king and the emergence of Israel as a monarchy. Through a fictional account that closely follows the biblical record, the story details the life of Saul, a humble farmer from the tribe of Benjamin who reluctantly accepts the crown when the people demand a king. As the anointed one of Yahweh, Saul at first feels the empowerment and wisdom of God’s Spirit as he takes up the mantle of leadership and saves his people through heroic deeds. Pride, however, gradually usurps his pledge to serve Yahweh, and when God takes away his Spirit from Saul, the king begins a descent into malicious jealousy and paranoia. The volume ends with a crazed King Saul pursuing David, the shepherd-turned-warrior who slew Goliath and now bears the favor of Yahweh, setting up conflict that will take readers into the third and final volume of the series.

Readers who are familiar with King Saul’s story will enjoy The Anointed One for its biblical accuracy, unique character viewpoints, and painstaking details that give color and substance to familiar passages. The author weaves together historical facts with fictional embellishments in an intriguing tapestry that deepens understanding not only of the biblical plot but also of its spiritual significance. Add to the mix the author’s masterful handling of archaic language patterns and passages that blend seamlessly with quoted biblical material, and The Anointed One delivers a credible, entertaining read that could arguably take its place beside any scholarly history of ancient Israel.

Even if you have not read the first book in the trilogy, The Stone of Ebenezer, you will enjoy Volkenburgh’s second book as a stand-alone story.

I became acquainted with this author through her first published book, Silent Resolve and the God Who Let Me Down (a 9/11 story). When her father was murdered during the 9/11 attack on our country, Susan struggled to hold onto her Christian faith. She caught my attention with her flair for storytelling and her raw and real questions about a God who did not protect her family from tragedy. She offers no neat solutions but rather a testimony of how she learned to cling to God as the only way to rise above her wound that could be neither undone nor forgotten.