HIS ONLY SON Director Brings Another Old Testament Story to Life
By Movieguide® Contributor
After the success of HIS ONLY SON last year, director David Helling is bringing the story of Jacob, Leah and Rachel to life.
“There have been depictions about Jacob’s life before in film and different media but I’ve never seen anything the way I want to tell it,” Helling told The Christian Post. “Scripture is already alive, but I want to bring it before people’s eyes so that by God’s grace, they’ll be drawn to the Word for themselves and want to dig in for themselves.”
The movie, titled JACOB, “will bring beautiful accurate depictions of Jacob, Leah, and Rachel—characters whose struggles and triumphs resonate across millennia,” per Angel Studios.
“Jacob’s life has always been portrayed with a focus on this love story between Jacob and Rachel,” Helling added. “That’s not what scripture points to at all. Leah is the wife that he was given, and Leah is the line of the Messiah. Leah is the one whom he was asked to be buried next to. [I want to] get at her heart, what it would’ve been like from her perspective. May God be glorified in it.”
Helling also wants to focus on Jacob’s grappling with God’s plan, something he believes many believers today can relate to.
“This man tried to do everything in his own strength. He was named ‘heel grabber,’ he was trying to wrestle that Abrahamic blessing and con his own father to get the blessing of the Father,” he explained. “Ultimately, the Lord had to break him of faculties and give him a fully new identity.”
Just as with this upcoming movie, HIS ONLY SON provided a look at Abraham and Isaac’s story in a new light. Movieguide® previously reported:
HIS ONLY SON tells a deep story, with good performances, but so-so production values. It deals with its historical subject in a biblically accurate way. In focusing on a difficult biblical passage, it brings deep philosophical and psychological insight into Abraham’s situation. Viewers will feel Abraham’s pain as he seeks to obey God’s will. HIS ONLY SON has a strong Christian, biblical worldview that connects Abraham’s story to Jesus Christ’s sacrificial death and resurrection. MOVIEGUIDE® advises caution for older children due to the story’s weighty nature, some peril and references to the physical condition of Abraham’s wife.
Helling’s approach to telling biblical stories in a fresh way is helping bring the word of the Lord to millions of people who may have never opened themselves up to it before.
“My heart in doing these [movies] is to bring people to God’s Word by His grace and proclaim the Gospel,” he said, “because we’re to go out and tell the world, to make disciples and teach others what Christ taught His disciples.”
Movieguide® previously reported:
HIS ONLY SON writer and director David Helling revealed the role “the Lord’s hand” had when it came time to cast the lead in the movie.
HIS ONLY SON is a retelling of the story of Abraham, focusing on God’s command that Abraham sacrifice his son Isaac and the journey the father and son took to Mount Moriah.
“I had looked at over 1,700 applicants for the role of Abraham — no one fit the bill at all,” Helling said.
The situation got so complicated that Helling was told by producer Roman Medjanov that the movie would have to be delayed if he couldn’t find an actor to play Abraham. Helling turned to prayer to help him figure out a way to find his Abraham.
“You know who Abraham is,” he remembered praying. “You know who You’ve declared to play Abraham, so please just show me who that person is.”