The Prophet: Amos

Sons of Encouragement #4

by Francine Rivers

A man of solitude, who felt at home among the hills.

A man of conviction, who heard when God called.

A man of fortitude, who spoke to a nation unwilling to listen.

The Israelites rebelled against God and were devoured by war. But first they were warned by a prophet who refused to be turned away.

Amos

Genres: Christian Fiction, Christian, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Biblical Fiction, Historical, Christian Historical Fiction

224 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 2006

About the author

New York Times bestselling author Francine Rivers continues to win both industry acclaim and reader loyalty around the globe. Her numerous bestsellers include Redeeming Love, A Voice in the Wind, and Bridge to Haven, and her work has been translated into more than thirty different languages. She is a member of Romance Writers of America's coveted Hall of Fame as well as a recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW).

www.francinerivers.com
www.facebook.com/FrancineRivers
Twitter: @FrancineRivers

Reviews

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Francine Rivers is just my favorite. Ever. Period. The end.
I SO enjoyed this novella based on Amos. I had just finished studying the biblical book when I began. Rivers places the reader in the country, the time, and among the people of Judah and Bethel. As we read, we live among the sights and sounds, we see and know the people. We abhor them and love them simultaneously, just as Amos does. My absolute favorite part of the book is at the beginning when Amos purposefully injures a wayward lamb in his flock. He breaks its leg, then carries it upon his shoulders, allowing the lamb to bond to him as it heals so it is no longer a danger to itself or others in the flock. God is the same. He breaks us to bind us up, and He never tears without healing in mind. I have seen it in my own life, and oh--the beautiful imagery of His relentless love! I highly recommend this story, and am looking forward to reading the other novellas in the Sons of Encouragement collection in the near future.

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

The cover of this book alone exhibits the emotions I felt when reading it. God has truly blessed Francine Rivers with the gift of putting emotions into a written story. Biblical fiction, when written rightly with the right intentions, helps make the stories of the Bible come to life. This isn't to take away from what God reveals to us when we seek Him in His Word but I believe God gifted some with the ability to write stories that help the reader relate to the humanity and those God used. And this is exactly what Francine did with this story of Amos.

Amos was a shepherd by trade. He was not educated by the scribes and priests of his time though he was an intelligent man. This story of Amos reveals the great lengths a good shepherd goes through to protect his flock as it parallels the lengths Christ as the Good Shepherd went through for His flock of sheep. At one point in the story Amos must intentionally injure one of his little lambs in order to protect the flock because it kept wandering putting the whole flock at risk.

"It's this or death, little one." Amos took a stone from his pouch, weighing it in his hand. Too heavy and it would kill the lamb; too light and it would not serve to discipline him... Tears burning, Amos went to the wounded lamb and knelt, 'I am here, little one. I would rather wound you myself than see you come to greater harm.'....'You belong with the flock, not out here on your own where death will find you.' He ran his hand gently over the lamb's head. 'You will learn to stay close to me where you're safe.'...Amos sat on a flat rock that gave him a full view of the pasture. Lifting the lamb from his shoulders, he held it close. 'You will learn to trust me and not think you can find better forage on your own. I will lead you to green pastures and still waters.' He took a few grains of wheat from the scrip he wore at his waist and shared his food with the lamb. 'Sometimes I must wound in order to protect.' He smiled as the lamb ate from his hand. 'You will learn get used to my voice and come when I call.' He rubbed the notch in the lamb's ear. 'You bear my mark, little one. You are mine. Let me take care of you.'

The story of Amos being a shepherd isn't detailed in the Bible but the author of this book gives a descriptive point of view of what it meant to be a good shepherd of Amos' time so that we can understand how Christ came to be the Good Shepherd and also how Amos came to see God's people as God's flock.

As Amos came to see the sinful pride God's sheep lived day to day, God softened Amos' heart so that Amos grew to love God's sheep as he had loved his own. In the story, you experience Amos' heartache as he sees the people reject his warning to repent. Amos' knew what would come if they didn't repent. God had revealed to him the destruction of judgment He would pour out on Israel if they didn't repent and Amos' heart broke for the people.

"Amos cried, weary, heartsick. A year ago, he wouldn't have cared about what happened to these people. And then he had prayed and God answered. Now he cares so much that his heart broke every time he thought of Jerusalem, every time he entered the gates of Bethel, every time he looked into the faces of the people who could not stand before the judgment of a righteous God, least of all he. God was holding the nations accountable for what they'd done against His people, but the Lord would also hold His people accountable for the way they live before nations."

I cried, throughout the whole book. What conviction to know that I, too, am an Israelite in need of repentance yet I'm also called to be an Amos among God's sheep. I am to love in truth no matter the cost.

The Bible doesn't tell of Amos' death but history tells of a violent death at the hands of Jeroboam II. The story ends with Amos' death and in his death, The Good Shepherd takes him home.

When reading Biblical fiction stories, the reader needs to understand that the story is built around Biblical facts with a mix of cultural history of the time. Not all details and descriptions are Biblical fact though the event is...Amos was a prophet who was sent by God to Israel to warn of God's judgment that was to come if they didn't repent of their sins. The story around Amos' daily life is fictional based on the culture of the time.

I will be using this book as a read aloud with my sons. It presents wonderful discussion opportunities that are relevant to our lives of today. There are elements of mild gore from the physical persecution Amos suffered at the hands of the high priest he prophesied to. The priest of the time saw Amos' prophecy as blasphemy against them...revealing of the just how corrupt God's people had become.

5 Stars. I consider this a must read as a book to help the Bible come to life and further reveal Christ's love for us.

[Janelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was kind of a cross between a novel and a Bible study. It was very challenging, thought provoking and inspirational, but lacked some of the pulling power of a pure narrative. I listened to the Oasis audiobook, which has an excellent narrator.

[Malia Wong · Rating 4 out of 5]

*3.5
Short but powerful! I have never really thought much about the lesser known prophets' lives (we also get to meet Hosea!) and this made me appreciate them as much as the more well-known prophets. Thank You, Lord, for chasing after your children with steadfast love even when we do not.

[Sarita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amos had such a huge challenge, trying to get God’s people to realise that they are on a lost path and need to repent and return to God.

As per the author’s introduction note, there was so many prophecies Amos heard from God which is still relevant today.

I enjoyed the way Amos and Hosea was linked together.

*I listened to the audio on Scribd.*

[Sherri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't know anything about this prophet who bears a small book in the Old Testament. Showed me the patience and perseverance he had as well as introducing Hosea.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wat ik heel sterk vind aan dit boek is dat er duidelijk wordt weergegeven hoe het volk reageert op profeten: de heftige waarschuwingen en dreigementen als straf voor de ontrouw van het volk die Amos moest doorgeven, werden hem absoluut niet in dank afgenomen. Toch blijft Amos gehoorzaam aan de woorden die God hem geeft en dat maakt hem bewonderenswaardig. Tegelijkertijd is het levensverhaal van Amos zelf behoorlijk gedramatiseerd en lees ik ook veel elementen in met name Amos’ persoonlijke leven die ik niet terugvindt in de Bijbel. Het zorgt ervoor dat het karakter van Amos tot leven komt, maar tegelijkertijd blijf ik het erg belangrijk vinden om boeken over dergelijke personage te lezen met de Bijbel als primaire bron!

[Laurel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, I have to applaud the author for getting a whole novel out of the very short book of Amos. That is impressive, and there wasn’t too much added to cause me to raise my eyebrows.

However, it was a little dry. Definitely okay for adult readers, but it won’t fly with my target audience, which is middle schoolers. Just a little too dull for them.

I’m hoping that Rivers’ book The Warrior (a novella about Caleb from the book of Joshua and Judges) will have a little more action to keep middle schoolers entertained. We shall see

Overall, a clean read and an interesting look at a biblical prophet who doesn’t get too much attention in the pulpit nowadays.

[S. Shigemitsu · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sobering retelling about the prophet Amos － a humble shepherd and gardener who was called to be a prophet for Israel. Though the pace was slow, it certainly gave the sense of time God gave to Israel and its neighbours the chance to change their rebellious ways.
Made me also think about the serious role and responsibility of leaders back then and now regardless of office.

[Jon Larson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very relevant to what is currently happening today. A great listen!

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a heartbreaking book to read. I wept with Amos at the refusal of the people of Israel, and many of the people of Judah to refuse to repent to avoid destruction. That being said, I think it was a good exercise for me to look at my own heart to make sure that I am choosing to follow the Law of the Lord.
Francine Rivers does an excellent job of staying true to the source material (the book of Amos in the Bible), while also making the historical characters' stories come alive in new ways.
4.5 stars

[Loraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having read the book of Amos in the Bible, I found this story enlightening. Rivers does such a good job of writing Biblical fiction, and this one definitely meets her standard. She brings Amos to life and shows what life was like in his time period which was approximately 760-755 BC. The Jews had strayed so far away from God: worshipping idols, committing immoral acts, becoming greedy and not following any of God's laws. I think this will give me a different perspective as I reread Amos in the Bible. I look forward to reading about the other prophets in this series all who shaped history and changed it forever.

[Faith · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really great story of one of the lesser known prophets of the Old Testament, I liked how it showed Amos's faith despite being given prophecy from God and no one hearing him. I really liked Ms. River's rendering of Amos, and how she connects his story to Hosea, and the corruption of the time. It really brought to life the kings, times, places, and struggles that God's people faced, as well as their willful disobedience and falling away. I was especially helpful as I am currently reading through 2 Kings, and it gave me a more vivid perspective.

[Art · Rating 5 out of 5]

Look of the life of a Shepherd in the Old Testament days.
"Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing
without revealing his plan
to his servants the prophets."
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/...

God always shows his love by warning and foretelling us of the troubles that come our way, if we are willing to listen.

Enjoyed learning about sheep herding and Psalms 23 means more to me now than before.

[Kazue Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

Francine Rivers is a great story teller, as always. I was not familiar with the book of Amos. Through this novel, I feel like I l understood better what it meant to be a prophet. Amos’ struggles were written well and in a way that helps us to relate to them. It was also helpful to know how the society was like when Amos was prophesying.

[Melodie De bruyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was such a blessing. I love how Francine brought to life this mans struggles. it has truely been inspiration.

[Nathan Swedberg · Rating 3 out of 5]

- book felt a little repetitive
- loved the powerful analogy of shepherd and sheep, and its relevance today
- sobering to think about the sacrificial nature of his life and his humble roots

[Anita Welborn · Rating 3 out of 5]

laborious

I found the book hard to read, laborious, repetitious. Unlike the previous books, the story line was repetitious,uninteresting, I expected more of Francine Rivers.

[Josh Olds · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amos: The Prophet is my favorite of all of Francine Rivers’ Bible studies/biblical fiction novellas. Maybe it’s the low expectations set by the rest of the books, my enjoyment of Amos as a biblical character, the lack of other biblical fiction on Amos to compare it with, or something else, but, for me, this is the only one of the Sons of Encouragement or Lineage of Grace books worth reading.

Rivers begins a bit out of the bounds of the Biblical narrative, portraying Amos’s family as shepherds who are indebted to and work for the priests in Jerusalem. Every year, when Passover lambs are brought to Jerusalem to the Temple for slaughter, the priests thoroughly inspect each lamb to ensure they are without blemish. If there’s a blemish, no worries, the priests have their own pre-vetted lambs—for a fee, of course. This exchange system is well-documented in the day of Jesus and Rivers transposes that to the time of Amos.

Young Amos learns very quickly of the priests’ racket and his faith in God becomes shaken. How can he follow a God whose priests are so corrupt? He grows up, his family pays off their debt, and Amos tries to live a life separate from Jerusalem out in the fields of Tekoa. It’s there that God calls Amos to be a prophet.

By setting up this earlier fictionalized confrontation, Rivers is able to bring nuance to Amos’s biblical confrontations with the religious elite. Initially, the crowds love Amos’s messages, as he presents his oracles to the nations and prophesies their destruction. However, it’s all a trick as God closes in on the nation of Israel and excoriates them for their sin.

Amos’s prophetic confrontation with Israel and her priests are told in a bold, straightforward manner. The formal tone that characterizes this series fits the narrative of Amos better than the other stories. Rivers does have a habit of having Amos quote Jesus, which, I get why she does it—it’s a bit of an Easter egg that’ll provoke discussion in the small group—but I actually think it detracts from talking about Amos message and contemporary applications of it.

Overall, this ends up being the best installment in the series not because Rivers does anything differently or exceptionally—she just doesn’t commit any unforced errors. Oddly, from the Goodreads ratings, this is the lowest rated in the series, which is maybe just further proof that the antithesis of Rivers’ intended audience for these books.

[Joleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of the stories in Sons of Encouragement series, this was my favorite! This was about a shepherd who became a prophet, albeit reluctantly. This was Amos.

What amazing analogies of our disobedience and God's patience with us. What pictures of God's love, yet His discipline. The stories of how the shepherd tends his flock with such care and what he has to do to keep them in line, or how to not wander off, and the measures he must do in order to teach them he is the only one to listen to are so thought provoking.

My favorite view into the depths of what a shepherd must do was a story of one lamb who was sadly taught by its mother to wander. After the mother was killed, he continued to wander because he had her bad habits. Amos knew this would continue to happen until he was taught in a harsh way to love and trust the shepherd. Amos had to throw a stone at the sheep when it had wandered and was caught in some brambles. The stone broke its leg. Then the lamb was utterly dependent on Amos, who put the lamb on his shoulders and carried him day after day until he was healed. The lamb learned faith and trust in the voice he became so familiar with, and followed closely thereafter.

We balk at "bad" things that happen in our lives and wonder about God's decisions or His love that we should endure our uncomfortable circumstances. But God is showing us to look to Him and listen to the only voice that truly matters.

I recommend this book to anyone.

Mind you, this is a biblical retelling, fiction wrapped around a book of the Bible. Although much of it is Francine Rivers imagination, it is nonetheless a wonderful story. Reading the book of Amos might give more insight into the prophet and his words.

This was an audio novella created by Oasis Audio (not Audible) read by Chris Fabry. Very, very good narration.

As an aside… the end of the book tells that Amos was killed by the son of a priest. This was not in the Bible, since the book of Amos was written by Amos, and he couldn’t have written that. I believe the author used an apocryphal reference as the basis of this ending.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Francine Rivers’ The Prophet is the story of “‘Amos…burden bearer.’ His heart was truly burdened with the task God had given him, burdened even more by the visions he carried in his mind…I was never trained to be a prophet. I’m just a shepherd, and I take care of sycamore-fig trees. But the Lord called me away from my flock and told me, ‘Go and prophesy to My people in Israel!’”

“Men without God put their trust in a spider’s web, not even knowing they had been captured and bound. Everything these people counted upon to keep them safe would fall, pulling them down…Sin took root and spread tendrils of arrogance and pride into every area of life…This blackness had teeth that sank into his soul…How soon men forget the Word of the Lord. And choose to perish in the midst of God’s patience…Prod them. Plead with them. Pray they will listen!”

“The Lord knows we are like sheep, prone to wander. We cast ourselves into sin and can’t get out. We look for better pastures among the religions of the nations around us and feed on poison. We drink from other men’s wells and are infected with parasites. And still, the Lord sends prophets to call the people back to Him.”

“Amos was a humble shepherd and gardener. His heart for God helped him to weather the times he lived in and to face rejection. Amos did not shrink from the task to which God called him. Rather, he stepped forward and embraced his calling. Amos’s obedience to God’s call on his life is extraordinary. It foreshadows another prophet–the ultimate Prophet, Jesus of Nazareth.”

[Hope Elias · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was pretty much as I expected 😆 Nothing really surprised me but not in a bad way. It being a telling of Amos I suppose nothing should’ve been too surprising 😂 There wasn’t any romance… as is expected 😂 It was really fun to see Hosea with Amos a couple times. And I loved all the shepherding analogies. I did like The Prince book better and i probably won’t reach for this one again but I still really enjoyed it!!

🚨 Spoilers ahead 🚨

Fave Chapter:
Ch 6
I loved that we got a peak at the start of Hosea’s story. The anguish he felt with God’s assignment was powerful.
And I loved how Amos explained how his and Hosea’s very different messages from God do indeed match God’s character.
It was so sad to see Amos die. I’ve only read about 2 other Sons of Encouragement books and I have to wonder if each book is gonna end in the main guy dying 😅

Fave Character:
Amos
He had some righteous anger and a true heart for obeying God that was very admirable! Even though he didn’t have a wife, it was fun to see him still be fatherly to his nephews!

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amos was a shepherd from the town of Tekoa, in the kingdom of Judah, during the time of King Uzziah, a contemporary of the prophet Isaiah. He was sent by God to prophesy to the northern kingdom, Israel, that their land would be devastated and their people carried away in captivity unless they repented and turned away from the idols they were worshipping.

For ten years Amos preached and prophesied in Bethel, the main worship center of the golden calf and one of the royal cities of Israel. Sadly, the people did not heed his warnings and the Assyrian Captivity was the result of their rebellion.

Ms. Rivers is one of the best at visualizing and interpreting the life and times of Biblical people, while staying true to the Message.

** HIGHLY RECOMMENDED **

[Jessie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't give one-star reviews to books I DNF because I feel like that is unfair. I am a huge Francine Rivers fan, Mark of the Lion is one of my favorite series OF ALL TIME. This book just started out feeling like I was reading the bible. I know that's weird since it's a religious book, but one of the things I appreciate so much about some of her other books is her ability to bring the bible alive without it feeling dry or ancient. I didn't get far in this book, so I can't say if it picked up or if the language worked better later on but it just felt like a chore when I was reading it so I was disappointed. This could have been a me issue because I have a hard time believing it's a Francine thing. I adore her.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amos, shepherd in Tekoa, is called by God from the fields and the sheepfold to speak against Israel to turn them back to God. I’ve enjoyed this one the most of the series because it caused me to think. I don’t know that I realized that he spent 10 years living outside Bethel and speaking against the sins of the nation. At least, she has the story spread out over that amount of time. It also caused me to think about the heart that Amos had to want to see the people repent and challenged me to think about how I care for the lost around me. What was a little strange at points was Scriptures from other parts of the Bible – including New Testament which were incorporated.

[Mrs.Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed "The Prince" by Francine Rivers but this was a hard one to get into. I read "The Prince" in a few hours and this took me a few weeks because it was just hard to get into. The last 50 pages made the book worth reading but getting there was a struggle. I appreciated the background story of Amos because it is minor prophet in the Bible and doesn't get much attention. Francine Rivers paints a beautiful picture with her words of what Amos' life could have been and leaves the reader reverencing the love of the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ.

[Milka · Rating 1 out of 5]

Honestly, this felt more like a bland Bible summary than a novel. The writing was dry, emotionless, and oddly disconnected from the very God it’s supposed to honor. I expected depth, grit, something prophetic—what I got was repetitive storytelling that didn’t move me at all. Amos deserved a stronger, more spirit-led voice. This book just didn’t carry the weight or wonder of God's power the way it should’ve. It was a chore to finish—and I almost didn’t.

I’ve read Christian fiction that lit a fire in me. This? Just smoke. No fire. No fragrance. Just… pages.

[Peggy Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s very clear what God wants me to do!

I would courage anyone to read this book who wants a closer walk with God. But don’t stop there, make sure you slowly and carefully do the Bible study at the end. It will really make you think and go back and look and really figure out what this means in our world today. He warns about conforming to our world today.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Including Amos as a Son of Encouragement surprised me in that he wasn't the second man to the more famous one, as the other men of the series are. However, the story was very interesting and encouraging. I didn't like the ending she chose for Amos, but it might be true to what is known. I have to do some research. However, I can understand why she chose to end his story that way.

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the description of Amos' sheep tending. Not only was its historical accuracy interesting, but so much care, time, and love directly coincides to God's love for his wayward people.

She did a fabulous job fictionalizing the relatively unknown personal life of Amos. I also appreciated the link to Hosea. Although it was an outwardly sad life, the joy Amos had in the Lord was inspiring.