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| The heroes of the Bible were just ordinary people. |
We find that some dictionaries define a hero as:
"a person who, in the opinion of others, has heroic qualities or has performed a heroic act and is regarded as a model or ideal".Heroes might be more clearly described as ordinary people who do extraordinary things. In the book of Hebrews, Chapter 11, we find the names of several inspirational Biblical heroes, including Abraham, Enoch, Noah, Sara and others. There are many more chapters of the Bible containing the names of those whom we could classify as heroes, but here we will take a closer look at only five.
Noah was a hero of the faith and always remained faithful to God
It must have been difficult for Noah to hold strongly to this faith in such a wicked world, but through his trust in God, he was able to keep clear of all the evil around him. Noah was the only person to remain faithful to God. The righteousness of Noah can be found in Genesis 7:1 (KJV).
The Bible doesn't specifically state Noah's ordinary profession, but there is no reason to believe that he was a ship builder. How difficult it must have been for him to even conceive building a boat some 450 feet long, but Noah was determined to follow God's instructions, not only to save his own family but every living creature upon the earth. Noah, by faith, completed the task before him and saved his family and two of every animal and creature. It is known that Noah had a little problem with wine, which lends more credibility to the fact that ordinary people with ordinary problems can be heroes, even in the Bible.
Joseph of Nazareth became the earthly father of Jesus
Joseph lived in a society that demanded virginity in a bride, but he was prepared to marry a girl who was already with child and a child whom he knew wasn't his. Joseph moved his wife and child to Egypt for a time due to a dream and possibly because of family disapproval. Joseph and his family moved back to Nazareth because he wanted to support his family and teach Jesus a trade. Joseph has been revered for his devotion to his family and this has caused him to be recognized as a role model for husbands and fathers throughout the world. Joseph of Nazareth was one of the great heroes of the Bible for the simple reason all wives and children need a hero. An account of Joseph's devotion to God's word can be found in Matthew 1:17-25 (KJV).
Moses was a hero of freedom for his people
Moses was the only prophet who actually spoke to God face to face. His encounter with God concerning the freedom of the Jewish people can be found in Exodus 3 (KJV).
His own people rejected Moses, but by his faith and in spite of the ingratitude of the people around him, he was actually the founder of a nation. Moses was chosen by God to free the Jewish slaves in Egypt, and even though sometimes reluctant, he surrendered to God's will for him.
Moses spent his final days watching over his people as they traveled for some 40 years to a new homeland, which he only saw from a distance and was never allowed to set his feet there. The story of Moses teaches us that ordinary people, even with imperfections and doubt, can be heroes and accomplish great things when we listen to what God is trying to tell us.
After Jesus Paul was the most influential person in shaping Christianity
Paul was an organizer and traveled from city to city, talking to whoever would listen. Paul had never met or spoken with Jesus, but had only heard His teachings in his visions. Paul's personal encounter with Jesus can be found in Acts 9:1-9 (KJV).
He was consumed by the teachings of Jesus and developed an overwhelming mission to tell everyone about Him. Paul was not always welcomed and his preaching often caused him to get into very serious trouble, including time in prison. Paul was most definitely a hero of the Bible and was one of the founders of Christianity.
Job never lost his faith even in the midst of tragedy
Job was a successful and exceptional man. Job made daily sacrifices because he feared for his children and it was through this fear that Satan entered his life. Job's family and practically everything he owned were destroyed. Satan even inflicted physical ailments on Job. Through all of his trials and tribulations, Job rather than surrender his faith, fell to his knees and worshiped God. Job summed it all up in these words found in Job 27: 5-6:
God forbid that I should justify you: till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me. My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live.Job is certainly one of the greatest heroes of the Bible because his story teaches us about the tragedies of "fear" and the true meaning of "faith". Job sacrificed all those he loved and everything he owned for his personal beliefs and his integrity.
The heroes of the Bible were mostly ordinary people, both men and women, who accomplished extraordinary things through their unyielding faith in God and belief in the teachings of Jesus. Many of these Bible heroes suffered tragedy, great loss and sometimes even death, not because of their deeds, but simply because of who they were, not totally unlike the times in which we live today.
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