by Petraverd
Introduction
The time has come for Character Connection issue number three! Thanks once again for the ongoing encouragement I’ve been receiving. I’ve been having a great time writing these, and I hope you all have been enjoying reading them just as much. I’ve had a few requests to cover the topic of this month’s article before, so I decided to listen to the people! (See, you CAN make a difference!) I must admit I had my misgivings about the comparison myself at first, but after doing some research, I liked what I saw. It also seems very appropriate, considering all the hubbub over a certain movie due to come out May 2008 lately. This month’s comparison is: none other than Caspian X and David.
Revelations of Kingship
There’s one obvious similarity between these two characters, and that’s the fact that they were both kings. However, the similarities don’t stop there. First of all, it was another person who made them aware of their “kinghood.” For Caspian, it was Doctor Cornelius who told him of his rightful place as king, and that his uncle Miraz killed Caspian IX in order to gain power. In David’s case, after Saul was rejected as king by God for his disobedience, He revealed to Samuel the prophet that He had chosen one of Jesse’s sons to be the king. Samuel went to Jesse and looked over his sons, of which David was the one God revealed to be the king. Samuel then “anointed him in the presence of his brothers.” (1 Samuel 16:13) While Caspian learned of his right to be king from Cornelius, Samuel was the one who made David aware of his future place as king.
Rivals
It was not going to be easy for these two rightful kings to actually assume the throne, though. For both Miraz and Saul sought to eliminate the one who would take their position. Miraz was looking to kill Caspian so that his own son would be the next king. Saul became angered at the way people praised David, “and from that time on Saul kept a jealous eye on David.” (1 Samuel 18:9) He became so jealous of David that he tried to kill him. (See 1 Samuel 19) Both Caspian and David were forced to flee for their lives, and spent a good length of time in hiding.
Close Friends
Their struggle was not all bad, however. Both had a friend who certainly could have established themselves as king, but didn’t. Peter, as the High King, could have re-established himself as the King of Narnia, but didn’t. As Peter says to Caspian, “I haven’t come to take your place, you know, but to put you in it.” Likewise, David had Saul’s son Jonathan. As the king’s son, he could have rejected David and sided with his father in attempting to get rid of him, striving to become the next king himself. But instead, he became David’s closest friend and helped him to escape the wrath of Saul, as detailed in 1 Samuel 20.
Living Legacies
Also, both Caspian and David’s descendants played important roles. Caspian’s son Rilian was the whole reason The Silver Chair took place, and a few generations later, King Tirian became the last King of Narnia and played a very important role in The Last Battle. David’s descendants included Solomon the wise and eventually Jesus Himself.
In Conclusion
Well, there you have it. A glimpse into the similarities between King Caspian X of Narnia and King David of Israel. Whew, there was a lot of research that went into this article…they each have three books explaining their history. (Hey, another similarity!) Caspian’s story is told in Prince Caspian, Voyage of the Dawn Treader, and briefly in The Silver Chair. David’s is told in 1 and 2 Samuel, and concluded in the beginning of 1 Kings. Hopefully you’ve enjoyed this edition. I leave you all with yet another reminder that not all aspects of these two characters will be similar, but there are enough of them to be worth talking about. Until my next article, I bid you all…farewell!
