Sons of Encouragement:

Similar to A Lineage of Grace, this book contains five novellas about different biblical characters – but this time, it’s the men! For this collection, Rivers chose to tell the stories of background figures and secondary characters who don’t often get as much focus as the main heroes of their stories: Aaron (The Priest), Caleb (The Warrior), Jonathan (The Prince), Amos (The Prophet), and Silas (The Scribe).

Aaron’s and Caleb’s stories overlap as they chronicle the plagues in Egypt, the Exodus, and Israel’s wandering in the wilderness, with Caleb going on to tell of conquering the Canaanites under Joshua’s leadership. Jonathan struggles to remain loyal to both his father, the first king of Israel, and his best friend, David, anointed to take Jonathan’s place as Saul’s successor. Amos is called to turn the hardhearted nation of Israel back to the Lord and warn of His coming wrath, and Silas recounts his travels with the apostle Paul and the emerging first-century churches across the Roman Empire. I see the theme of faithfulness throughout: both our lack of it and God’s abundance!

NO OF PAGES: 242 SUB CAT I: Fiction SUB CAT II: Bible Stories SUB CAT III: DESCRIPTION: Behind the men who shaped history are the heroes who forever changed it. In this book, beloved author Francine Rivers illuminates the life of Jonathan. Each novella in this new series from beloved author Francine Rivers tells the story of one of five biblical men who stood behind the great heroes of the faith: Aaron the priest, Caleb the warrior, Jonathan the prince, Amos the prophet, and Silas the scribe. In the vein of the Lineage of Grace, these books will entertain, challenge, and inspire, directing readers back to the Bible as the ultimate source of truth and hope.NOTES: Purchased from CBD. SUBTITLE: Sons of Encouragement Series #3

The story of Jonathan, the son of King Saul, the first king of Israel. Tells of his great friendship and loyalty to David, his father's sucessor.

In The Prince, beloved author Francine Rivers illuminates the life of Jonathan. His zeal carried him into battle. His faithfulness won him honor among his people. His humility led him into friendship with the man who would become king in his place. David was a man after God's own heart. But it was the courage and selflessness of his best friend that opened the door to David's rule. A man of honor and deep faith. Jonathan.

I have just finished two biblical novellas from author Francine Rivers. They were wonderful,
easy to read and above all, inspiring. Francine Rivers has written novellas about five great men of the bible. The two I have just finished were about Aaron, the Priest and Jonathan, the Prince.

The Prince tells the story of Jonathan, his troubled relationship with his father King Saul: his deep friendship with the shepherd boy David (later King David) and the politics of Israel. It is also a story of a nation (Israel) tired of letting God be their King that turn from the One who loves them the most, to selfishness, greed, war bloodshed and murder. As the Prophet Samuel tells Jonathan, "God does not abandon men, my son. Men abandon God."

There are colorful details and great character discriptions. This book is worth reading just to find out more about Jonathan's life and trials and how God worked in ways that may not be clear in scripture

In Aaron, the Priest, Rivers tells the story of Moses, his younger brother Aaron, and the Israelites as they flee from Egypt and Pharaoh. It starts off as a rather slow read and is
redundant in spots but turns into excellent character development. It is refreshing to see the story of the Exodus through Aaron's eyes instead of Moses. It is only when God calls him to serve his brother, that Aaron finds love for Moses instead of the jelously that festered for years.
After becoming the first High Priest of Israel, Aaron confronts his own unworthiness and struggles with self doubt, sin and the blatant rebellion the people show toward God during
their 40 years of wandering in the wilderness.