In the Field of Grace (42 page)

Though my dreams be crushed, though my throne be plundered, yet shall I trust You
, he promised. And with a sigh gave up his fears into the hands of the Lord one final time.

“Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram, and Ram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon and Nahshon the father of Salmon, and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab …

“The descendants of Boaz and Ruth:

“And Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David the king.

“David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah’s wife, Solomon the father of Rehoboam
(during whose reign the nation of Israel was torn into two, resulting in Rehoboam ruling over the southern kingdom of Judah, only)
…

“Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asa, Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Jehoram,
Jehoram the father of Uzziah, Uzziah the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, Amon the father of Josiah, and Josiah the father of Jeconiah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon.

“After the exile to Babylon: Jeconiah was the father of Sheltiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, Abiud the father of Eliakim, Eliakim the father of Azor, Azor the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Akim, Akim the father of Eliud, Eliud the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob, …

“And Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.” (Based on Matthew 1:2–16.)

U
sing a deceptively simple story, the book of Ruth reveals the power of God at work in the daily life and toil of human beings. To me, this is one of the Old Testament’s most moving stories, demonstrating the sovereignty of God in the midst of sorrow and loss. The first word in my novel is death. The last word is Christ. God has the last word—even over death. That says it all, as far as I am concerned.

Choosing the right language for biblical fiction has something in common with the conundrum of the Bible translator. A linguist’s main grammatical choice revolves around one central decision: What is more important—sounding closest to the original language, or trying to convey an accurate
sense
of the words to today’s reader? You might present modern readers with a very close approximation of a Hebrew text, using word-for-word interpretation, but they may not necessarily understand it, whereas a more contemporary translation might grab the reader’s heart and mind more powerfully.

As a biblical novelist, I must contend with a similar choice. Ultimately, I want to create a world that feels like the biblical era and yet connects emotionally to my reader. There is no point in being literal if my readers come away feeling unmoved; untouched, because the world is too alien and the words too foreign. You might say my language resembles more of a New Living Translation vibe than the literal accuracy of a translation such as the English Standard Version. It’s a balancing act and one that I don’t always get right. I have tried to walk this tightrope in the story of Ruth as best I can.
Just as some readers resonate more deeply with the KJV and others with NIV, readers of a biblical novel will experience the linguistic choices of the author through their own personal preference of biblical language.

Some notes more specific to this novel are in order. The author of Ruth is unknown. The story thread dealing with the authorship presented in
In the Field of Grace
is a product of my imagination and has no basis in historical facts. The concept that some of David’s and Solomon’s writings were inspired by Ruth and Boaz is also due to literary license. However, as we are aware that some of the material in the Bible was preserved in oral fashion for long years before being written down, the idea that David and Solomon might have been quoting their great-grandparents is not entirely unthinkable.

Most readers familiar with the story of Ruth remember that according to the genealogy in the final chapter of Ruth, Salmon fathered Boaz. There is a practical challenge with interpreting the genealogy in this way. If you count the years in the book of Judges, during which era the story of Ruth takes place, you will find that there is almost three hundred years between the time of the conquest when Salmon lived and the period in history occupied by Boaz and Ruth. This would make Boaz’s age quite advanced, especially when you take into consideration that the age of extraordinarily long life spans is now over. According to David, only two generations later, the average age of a man is around 70, not 250.

As readers, we must recall that the original Hebrew for the word
father
used in Ruth is flexible. It need not mean that Salmon and Rahab gave birth directly to Boaz. It could just as easily mean that they were his great-great grandparents, because the word
father
works more elastically in Hebrew than it does in English. For example, Jesus warns the Pharisees and Sadducees about saying, “We have Abraham as our father” (Matthew 3:9). Obviously He does not mean this literally; He is exchanging the word
father
for
forefather
. (For a more detailed account, please refer to John Reed’s commentary on Ruth in the
Bible Knowledge Commentary
, edited
by John F. Walvoord and Roy Zuck.) It is possible that the generations in between the names mentioned in the genealogy were not considered worth preserving in Scripture because historically or theologically they made little difference to the kingdom of God. In any case, I have tried to write this aspect of the story with vague enough language that the reader can make his or her own decision on the matter.

According to some sources, ancient wedding rituals in Israel contained the phrase
the government shall be on his shoulders
. Clearly,
this is a quote from Isaiah, who lived several hundred years after the story of Ruth took place. However, it is possible that an oral tradition may have already existed, using this proclamation in the marriage ceremony, prompting Isaiah to use it in his prophecy of the coming Messiah, indicating that He would be as a Bridegroom to His people. Since that imagery occurs in the Bible already, I felt that the possibility of an older-existing oral tradition was not unreasonable, and chose to use the quote in Boaz and Ruth’s wedding ceremony.

There are no examples of animals being named in the Bible, although this is a common practice among other ancient cultures. In the end, I chose to name a few animals in the story because my scholarly sources pointed out that it would make life awkward if none of the animals were named.

As I often do, I have made reference to the work of other authors in this novel. Ruth’s assertion that horses are dangerous on both ends and uncomfortable in the middle is a quote from Oscar Wilde, although Wilde’s original statement is somewhat more colorful in language. I have used the phrase
acceptance with joy
from Hannah Hurnard’s classic
Hinds Feet in High Places
.

Every chapter begins with a biblical quote. Readers familiar with the Bible will be instantly aware that these verses are anachronistic. I am using them as a lens through which the chapter can be read, rather than an accurate representation of Scripture in Ruth’s world.

The best way to study the Bible is not through a novel but
simply to read the original. This story can in no way replace the transformative power that the reader will encounter in the Scriptures. For the original account of Ruth, please refer to the book by the same name in your Bible.

T
he gracious expertise and help of many people made this novel possible. I would like to thank my agent, Wendy Lawton, whose efforts on my behalf continue to pave the way for me as a writer. I was blessed the day we met. To Deb Keiser at River North Fiction, simply, thank you. It’s been such a joy to work with you, brainstorm, pull out our hair mutually over title woes, have delicious dinners together, and celebrate the challenges of the writing life. You have been a generous and supportive resource, one of the foundational blessings in my writing life. In the same way, I wish to thank Michele Forrider, whose gentle, sweet nature can make any day look good, and whose belief in these books has been a rock of encouragement. What an amazing team to work with.

Few writers are blessed with faithful and encouraging critique partners who genuinely make a difference in the outcome of a book’s life. Lauren Yarger’s friendship, incredible book launches, events, and brilliant editing has left a lasting imprint in my life. Cindy McDowell is always a rich source of encouragement and hope when hope is thin. And she can make one mean flower arrangement! These women occupy a special place in my heart.

I deeply appreciate the unstinting support provided by Deryk Richenburg, who as a pastor understands the Bible better than most scholars, and as a farmer knows how to properly wrestle a ram to the ground—a rare skill. He also knows what it feels like to go flying through the air and earn a fat lip when said ram is feeling rambunctious. What more can I ask of a proofreader? Except for his insightful ideas that made
In the Field of Grace
a better book.

Thanks to my dearest friends, Rebecca Rhee, who is always there, graciously allowing me to moan about plotline problems, and Beth and Rob Bull who never cease to encourage and support me along this path, recommending my books to everyone they know. As always, my sister Emi Trowbridge’s undeserved faith in me sustains me every day.

Special acknowledgment is due to Tegan Willard for her astute suggestions and incredible proofing, and Molly Chase who graciously brought her fantastic editing knowledge into this novel and made it better. I am grateful for the Reverend Halvor Ronning’s suggestions regarding Ruth’s travel arrangements. I spent an invaluable evening with Judy Franzen, pouring over her photos from her recent trip to Israel in order to make the world of Ruth come alive for me.

A book’s life is complicated, and there are many who are essential in the process of its birth and release. My profound thanks to Jeane Wynne and the Moody sales force, who manage to land these books in the most astonishing locations. You folks are marvelous. A special note of appreciation is due to Janis Backing whose exceptional support helps to release my novels into many hands. Thank you for giving up your Saturday for me, Janis!

And to my fans, who write Facebook messages, emails, and best of all read my books, you are a true joy to me—my beloved companions on this adventure.

* * *

Now that you have finished, share with your friends! Write a review on Goodreads and other book-sharing sites, Tweet & Facebook your thoughts on the subject, and share your testimony on how this book impacted you at
[email protected]
.

To connect with Tessa, please visit her website at
www.TessaAfshar.com
.

Thank you,

The Moody Publishers Team

Now that you’ve finished
In the Field of Grace
, we know you’ll enjoy more biblical fiction from Tessa. Please check out the following excerpt from her novel
Pearl in the Sand.

Pearl in the Sand
, the story of Rahab the harlot who became an ancestor of Christ, delivers a very powerful truth within its pages: forgiveness, redemption, and the changing power of God. An unforgettable read, Novel Journey and I give a high recommendation. —Ane Mulligan, Editor, Novel Journey

To view a video trailer for
Pearl in the Sand
, go
HERE
.