Hero Job was a faithful and successful man whom God allowed Satan to test. He suffered loss of his family, property and wealth. He endured extreme physical affliction. Nevertheless, his patience and his faith in God, (“I know that my redeemer liveth,”) coupled with his prayers faor his unsympathetic friends healed and vindicated him. He now had greater wealth and the return of the entire family. The Bible tells us, “After this, Job lived 140 years, and saw his sons and grandsons.” He died, “An old man and full of days.” Let’s recall our first hero Moses. Because of disobeying God, he was not allowed to enter the promise land to which he had led his people. Joshua, great warrior, hero and strategist, did this as Moses’ successor. He also divided the gained land among the 12 tribes. His memorable words to his people were, “Choose for yourselves whom you will serve…but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”Lady heroes are correctly called “Heroines.” One of these was Deborah, a judge the Israelites needed when decisions had to be made. She even went to war against the ever-present enemy, the Canaanites. She accompanied her General, at his request, into a winning battle! Heroine Moabite Ruth’s allegiance to her mother-in-law (“Your people will be my people,”) brought them to Bethlehem. Encouraged by Orpah, Ruth gleaned in relative Boaz’ fields in order that they live and eat. She attracted Boaz who soon would arrange their marriage. To this union was born Obed, to Obed Jesse, to Jesse David, king, warrior and Psalmist. Find them in gospel writer Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus – chapter one, verses five and six. Esther, with her uncle and many more Jews, were in exile in Persia, following the destruction of Jerusalem in 597 B.C. Her Jewishness was not revealed and her beauty made her King Xerxes’ Queen. Her discovery of a plot to exterminate all Jews, and her wise, but daring report to her king husband was at her own risk. (“If I perish, I perish.”) But this action on her part defeated the Jews’ enemies and preserved the future of the Hebrew nation. God is never mentioned in Esther’s story. Following the destruction of Jerusalem, hero Nehemiah, also in exile, served as cup-bearer to King Artaxerxes. Learning that, “The city, (Jerusalem)…lies desolate (with) gates consumed by fire.” He begged to return to his homeland. His specific desire was to organize the rebuilding of the city walls. With the king’s approval, the return came to be despite outsiders’ taunting and harassment. Nehemiah’s plan was completed under his smart and systematically sound direction. He also reordered the Hebrew religious life. Hero and judge Gideon was called by an angel to deliver Israel from the Midianites. Gideon asked God for a confirming sign. Amazingly, a fleece was laid out to become either wet or dry, according to the Lord’s decision. For Gideon, it was to go to war with a reduced army of only 300 men. The Midianites were soundly defeated, and fled! Israel was at peace for the rest of Gideon’s life. Coming soon to your nearest South Platte Sentinel, “Prophets and Poets of the Old Testament.”(Patricia Roberts is a freelance writer and Bible historian and resides at Devonshire Acres.)