The Old Testament is replete with stories of people who achieved amazing feats. But we're so familiar with these stories that we may overlook the real message—that God called them to faithful service.

Moses: The Escape Artist
When his mother set him adrift in a basket on the Nile River, Moses escaped Pharaoh’s death warrant. He was found by an Egyptian princess, who adopted him and raised him in royalty. But Moses fled to the desert after killing an Egyptian, who was beating a Hebrew.

Leaving his wealth behind, Moses became a shepherd. He was content with his simple life, until he heard the voice of God in a burning bush that wasn’t consumed by fire. Moses’ great escapes were over. He could do nothing but obey God’s call, eventually leading the Israelites from captivity to freedom.

Samson: The Great Muscleman
Samson is a man of legendary strength. He tore a lion in half and killed 1,000 Philistines using the jawbone of a donkey. As a Nazarite, Samson dedicated his life to God and was forbidden to cut his hair. Samson attributed his strength to his hair, which Delilah--his duplicitous lover--cut while he slept.

Samson’s strength immediately disappeared. He was captured by Israel’s enemy, and his eyes were gouged out. Blind and mocked, he was taken to a temple where thousands of Philistines gathered. Samson asked for God’s strength and pushed the temple’s columns. The building collapsed, killing all the Philistines and Samson, who realized that God alone was his source of strength.

Solomon: Wisdom, not Wealth
At the start of his reign, God tested Solomon by inviting him to ask for any gift he wanted. Solomon chose wisdom and was reputed for his fair judgments.

Solomon enjoyed great financial and diplomatic success. But his wealth and power drew him away from God. At the height of his reign, Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines and seemed to love them more than the Lord. In the end, he realized his folly. In Ecclesiastes 12:13, he wrote: “Respect and obey God! That is what life is all about.”

Esther: Queen of Persia
Originally named the Hebrew Hadassah, Esther was orphaned and adopted by her cousin Mordecai, a Jew who held a high position in the King of Persia’s court. Esther caught the eye of the king, who married her. As a result, she and Mordecai were elevated in the court. Haman, one of the King’s chief ministers, was jealous of Mordecai’s influence and concocted a plan to murder him and all the Jews living in Persia. Learning about the plot, Esther used her influence and told the king. Haman was hanged, and all the Jews in Persia were saved.

Daniel: In the Lion’s Den
A quiet hero, Daniel didn’t do anything spectacular in his life. But God often works precisely through people who quietly obey him. Captured by the Babylonians, Daniel assimilated into Persian life, but still remained true to the Jewish faith. For this, he was thrown into a den of ravenous lions. Miraculously, the lions didn’t attack him, and the king released him. “Daniel’s faith in his God had kept him from being harmed.” Daniel 6:23(b) (CEV).