Sons of Encouragement

The complete biblical historical fiction compilation by the New York Times bestselling author of Redeeming Love and A Voice in the Wind.The Bible is filled with inspiring stories of unlikely candidates God chose to quietly change eternity. This bestselling compilation in one volume contains five novellas about such people?men who stood behind heroes of the faith. Aaron. Caleb. Jonathan. Amos. Silas.Each faithfully sought God in the shadows of His chosen leaders. They answered God?s call to serve without recognition or fame. And they gave everything, knowing their reward might not come until the next life. Be challenged by these faithful men whose stories we must never forget.Aaron?the priest who stood in Moses? shadow but had the courage to cover his brother?s fears.Caleb?the warrior whose words stirred men?s hearts and brought God?s people to the Promised Land.Jonathan?the prince whose humility led him to befriend the man who would become king in his place.Amos?the prophet who heard when God called and spoke to a nation unwilling to listen.Silas?the scribe who surrendered his wealth to record God?s Word, even as those around him were silenced.Each novella includes an in-depth Bible study perfect for personal reflection or group discussion. From the Back Cover Behind the men who shaped history are the heroes who changed it forever.Aaron: The priest who stood in Moses? shadow but had the courage to cover his brother?s fears.Caleb: The warrior whose words stirred men?s hearts and brought God?s people to the Promised Land.Jonathan: The prince whose humility led him to befriend the man who would become king in his place.Amos: The prophet who heard when God called and spoke to a nation unwilling to listen. Silas: The scribe who surrendered his wealth to record God?s word, even as those around him were silenced. Each story includes a six-part Bible study, perfect for individual use or group discussion. Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. SONS of ENCOURAGEMENTFive stories of faithful men who changed eternityBy FRANCINE RIVERSTyndale House Publishers, Inc.Copyright © 2004Francine RiversAll right reserved.ISBN: 978-1-4143-4816-2ContentsAcknowledgments..............................ixIntroduction.................................xiThe Priest...................................1The Warrior..................................153The Prince...................................289The Prophet..................................431The Scribe...................................559About the Author.............................697Books by Francine Rivers.....................699Chapter One Aaron sensed someone standing close as he broke loose a mold and put the dried brick aside. Skin prickling with fear, he glanced up. No one was near. The Hebrew foreman closest to him was overseeing the loading of bricks onto a cart to add on to some phase of Pharaoh's storage cities. Wiping the moisture from his upper lip, he bent again to his work. Through the area, sunburned, work-weary children carried straw to women who shook it out like a blanket over the mud pit and then stomped it in. Sweat-drenched men filled buckets and bent beneath the weight as they poured the mud into brick molds. From dawn to dusk, the work went on unceasingly, leaving only a few twilight hours to tend small garden plots and flocks in order to sustain life. Where are You, God? Why won't You help us? "You there! Get to work!" Ducking his head, Aaron hid his hatred and moved to the next mold. His knees ached from squatting, his back from lifting bricks, his neck from bowing. He set the bricks in stacks for others to load. The pits and plains were a hive of workers, the air so close and heavy he could hardly breathe for the stench of human misery. Sometimes death seemed preferable to this unbearable existence. What hope had he or any of his people? God had forsaken them. Aaron wiped the sweat from his eyes and removed another mo