Around the River's Bend
Page 27
Book 1 in the LIONS OF JUDAH series
Dear reader,
Many years ago, someone suggested: “Gil, why don’t you write a series of biblically based novels tracing one family from the Flood to the birth of Jesus?” At the time I was too busy to consider such a thing, but the seed fell into the ground. Six years later, the Lions of Judah came to me in a rush, each story idea falling into place with seemingly little effort on my part. Naturally each novel has to be hammered out with all the skill I possess, but the first novel, Heart of a Lion, seemed almost to write itself.
One goal of every good novelist is to give pleasure, to entertain. The other is to edify, to give the reader more than pleasure. The Scripture says “He who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort.” I am certainly no prophet, but I want every novel I write to accomplish these things.
Every story in the Lions of Judah series is intended to give pleasure, but I want readers to learn something, too. I stick as closely as I can to accurate history. I also try to paint a reasonable picture of how ancient people lived from day to day. I hope to offer readers an overview of the Old Testament, fixing in their minds the general history of the times and putting the heroes of the faith in the spotlight. Not as a substitute for the Scripture. Far from it! Indeed, my hope is that readers will turn to the Bible as a result of reading these books.
I want these novels to exhort, as well, to somehow give the reader a desire to become a more faithful servant of God. Most modern fiction does exactly the opposite of this—it urges the reader to indulge in the false values that have come to dominate our society. I spent many years teaching the so-called “great” novels at a Christian university. Many such novels stress the values of this world, not those of God. But I believe fine novels can dramatize godly values—without being “preachy.”
Finally, great novels give comfort. I don’t know how this works, but some books give me assurance and build my faith that dark times are not forever. God, of course, is the source of all comfort, but I know he uses poetry and fiction as well as people.
I pray that the Lions of Judah will give pleasure, enlightenment, motivation, and comfort to faithful readers.
Parents and teachers, here are books that will introduce young people in your charge to the most important history of all—how God brought the Messiah into the world to save us from our sins. I trust that the men and women of the Old Testament will come alive for readers young and old, so that they are not dim figures in a dusty history, but dynamic bearers of the seed that would redeem the human race.
Sincerely,
Gilbert Morris
GILBERT MORRIS spent ten years as a pastor before becoming Professor of English at Ouachita Baptist University of Arkansas. During the summers of 1984 and 1985, he did postgraduate work at the University of London. A prolific writer, he has had over twenty-five scholarly articles and two hundred poems published in various periodicals. He and his wife live on the Gulf Coast of Alabama.
AARON McCARVER teaches drama and Christian literature at Wesley College in Florence, Mississippi. His deep interest in Christian fiction and broad knowledge of the CBA market have given him the background for editorial consultation with all the “writing Morrises” as well as other novelists. It was through his editorial relationship with Gilbert that this book series came to life.