I’m an avid college sports fan, and am often amazed at the depth of skills some of the young men and women display in their pursuit of an individual or team victory. Something about the level of their play inspires me. I’ve watched some of these young warriors “will their team to victory,” by giving an almost heroic effort against a stronger opponent. The crowd goes wild, and the teammates hoist the hero on their shoulders in jubilant celebration. I am captivated and encouraged watching a person spend all their energy and effort to give everything to win for their team. I feel the same for those outside the sports arena who give their best as parents, teachers, policemen, ministers, politicians, and many others who are everyday heroes.
Throughout our country’s 250-year history, heroic men and women have sacrificed much for the freedoms we often take for granted, spending their lives, talents, treasure, and blood for the ideals on which our nation was founded. Our Founding Fathers realized the gravity of the risk they took in declaring independence from the mother country; they put their property, names, and lives on the line in their quest for freedom. “Heroic” is the most fitting word I know to use for what they did. And, through the succeeding two hundred and fifty years, many others have given life and treasure to ensure the freedoms we enjoy today. Who will be the heroic persons who will pass these hard-won freedoms to the generations to come?
Is there someone you consider your hero? Your mom, dad, a teacher, or a minister? What is the story or experience behind why you consider them your hero?
Perhaps you grew up hearing stories about Old Testament heroes such as David, Abraham, Noah, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. Was one of these the greatest Old Testament hero?
I believe the most notable, most heroic of all the Old Testament personalities was Moses! There are many reasons to put him at the top of the list of Old Testament heroes. He served God faithfully for 40 years, doing the hardest job imaginable. He organized and stabilized the Israeli nation after bringing them from Egyptian slavery. His faithful intercessions for Israel saved them from immediate destruction. He loved his people so deeply that he offered his name to be stricken from God’s book if God would not forgive Israel’s sin. And, through Moses, God gave the Ten Commandments, the rules and guidelines for godly living.
As you may recall, Moses spoke with God several times about the troublesome Israelites he was called to lead to the Promised Land. There is one more I want to call to your attention, providing yet another reason to see him as the greatest hero of the Old Testament. The incident I have in mind is recorded in Exodus 33: 13-17, but first, a little background.
While Moses was with God for forty days receiving the Ten Commandments, the Israelites decided to have Aaron make them an idol to worship. This rebellion provoked God to a burning wrath with which He threatened to destroy the Israelites. Moses saved them by his passionate intercession on their behalf. While God refrained from wiping them out, He punished them and told Moses He would not travel among them because if He did so, His anger would break out against them and destroy them on the trip. Moses’ attempt to atone for Israel’s sin didn’t work with God, but God told Moses to prepare to lead the people on the journey ahead. Moses delivered God’s warning and verdict to Israel and continued to meet with God outside the camp. Here, we pick up the story as Moses contends with God again for His leadership and blessing.
“Now therefore, I pray Thee, if I have favor in Thy sight, let me know thy ways, that I may know Thee, so that I may find favor in thy sight. Consider too, that this nation is Thy people.” And He said to him, “My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest.” Then he said to Him, “If thy presence does not go with us, do not lead us up from here. For how then can it be known that I have found favor in Thy sight, I and Thy people? Is it not by Thy going with us, so that we, I and Thy people, may be distinguished from all other people who are upon the face of the earth? And the Lord said to Moses, ” I will also do this thing of which you have spoken; for you have found favor in my sight, and I have known you by name.” Exodus 33:13-17
All heroes, whether athletes, religious leaders, parents, teachers, or whatever, exhibit some, if not all, of the following personal qualities: wisdom, commitment, focus, courage, and action.
Look again at the passage above and see how Moses exhibits commitment, courage, wisdom, focus, and action.
. Moses was a man of action. He knew how to wait on God, but he also knew when it was time to act. He knew the Israelites were in deep trouble with God, and he attempted to resolve the issue. The conversation above is one of many things he did to gain God’s favor for the people he was leading.
. Moses showed commitment and courage during a difficult time. The text above is the third difficult conversation Moses had with the Lord on behalf of the “obstinate” Israelites. The first was his pleading with God not to destroy the Israelites when they provoked Him to anger by worshipping the golden calf. Exodus 32:11. God disowned His people because of their idolatry, prompting Moses’ attempt to atone for their sin, offering for his name to be removed from God’s book. Exodus 32:30. The conversation above is about God’s refusal to travel among the people lest He destroy them along the way. Exodus 33:12 This was unacceptable to Moses, and this meeting underscores the depth of his commitment to the task to which God had called him and the courage to speak respectfully, but plainly to God about his concerns.
. Moses was wise and focused on his task. Moses was committed to leading the Israelites to the Promised Land, but also wise enough to know the job was too much for him to handle alone. Ever since God commissioned him to lead the Israelites out of slavery, he had been laser-focused on leading them to the land God had promised. The text above shows us this: he remained focused on his work, and his wisdom led him back to God to seek the assurance of His presence on the way ahead, knowing His presence would sustain him in the difficult days ahead.
Has someone embodied heroic qualities in your life? Who was/is that, and how have their actions affected your life? What are you attempting to do to help others as you have been helped?