Five Brave Leaders of the Old Testament

Brave leaders are those that step up and are courageous in dangerous situations when others would not think about stepping up. They stand up for what they believe in and know is right and do not back down, because of the consequences that may come their way for going against what others have done in the past.

They are not just those leaders that go to war, but they can be and are leaders like Daniel who persevere through the trials and hardships brought to them because of their faith in God. Our soldiers are not just heroes. They are among the bravest of all leaders. Honor our soldiers and veterans, as they are among the greatest brave leaders. Without them we would not be where we are today.

• Joshua
• Caleb
• David
• Nehemiah
• Daniel

Joshua Commands an Army

Joshua was Moses’ aide and one of the best military leaders of his time. When Moses died Joshua became the leader and delivered the Israelites into the promised lands. God commanded Joshua “Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or left, that you may be successful wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:6-7).

Joshua’s faith in God sets him apart from the others in his tribe. In Numbers and Exodus (where we first meet Joshua), we find him unafraid of the strength and size of the cities and warriors he was setting out to defeat. His unwavering faith is what gives him the strength and ultimately the wins in battle. God puts forth in him great courage and Joshua is rewarded for obediently following God’s commands. We see this through the battles that Joshua fights. In Exodus, Joshua’s courage and faith gives him the win (Exodus 17: 11-13). “As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up one on one side, one on the other so that his hands remained steady till sunset. So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword.”.

We see Joshua’s courage come out again in Numbers 14. It is well known that the Canaanites are larger than the Israelites, but despite this Joshua believes that the Lord will once again find favor on them and deliver them to the lands that were promised to them if only they believe and do not rebel against God. “Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had explored the land, tore their clothes and said to the entire Israelite assembly, ‘The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. If the Lord is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us.'” (Numbers 14:6-8).

Caleb a Faithful Man of God

Like Joshua, Caleb was also a spy for Moses. He had great faith in God and in his people. After scouting out the land of Canaan “Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, ‘We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.'” (Numbers 14:30). The other spies and soldiers did not believe they were nearly strong nor large enough to defeat the people of the land. Once again after much complaining from the Isrealites, Caleb spoke up once more in favor of going to war saying “‘The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. If the Lord is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will swallow them up. Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with us. Do not be afraid of them.'” (Numbers 14:7-9).

Caleb’s faithfulness and trust in the power of God found favor with the Lord. When the other Isrealites were struck down never to see the promised lands God said, “But because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it.” (Numbers 14:24). After wandering the desert for forty years and spending another several years in war, Caleb at the age of 85 with Joshua’s blessing, finally fought the Anakites and won his inheritance. “So here I am today, eighty-five years old! I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out; I’m just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then. Now give me this hill country that the Lord promised me that day.” (Joshua 14:10-12).

Caleb’s unwavering faith is one we should always strive towards. He was facing great opposition from his fellow Israelites, yet his faith was strong. He didn’t care that he was one of the only two men who believed. He stuck to his guns, stood strong in the power of God and in the end he was rewarded for his faith.

David and Goliath

David was a shepherd and the youngest of Jesse’s sons an Ephrathite. He was a brave man who spoke well and was fine-looking. I’m sure most know the story of David and Goliath, however I want to emphasize some very important details that I think make his story more profound. David was a young boy when he went to see his brothers on the front lines of the war between Israel and the Philistines. He was meant to bring his brothers and the commanders food and return home to his father with good news about the war. Instead, he found himself preparing for battle. When David found out about Goliath and how no one wanted to fight him, he went to Saul and told him “‘Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.’ Saul replied, ‘You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a boy, and he has been fighting since his youth.'” (1 Samuel 17:32-33). From a young age David worked in the fields protecting his father’s sheep. He has killed lions and bears to protect those sheep. In his eyes, he could do the same to Goliath for he was God’s servant and would be protected. Armed with only a sling and 5 stones he went to face off with the Philistine. Goliath cursed David and his small stature mocking his weaponry and lack of armor. However, David came up against him in the name of the Lord and won.

Not only was he the youngest he was also the smallest son of Jesse. Despite this, David was appointed by God to be the next king and to take Saul’s place. God looked at his inward appearance and found favor on him, because of his pure heart. One does not need to be strong or of high status to be brave. God looks at the heart, faithfulness, and truth within a person and gives them the courage to do what needs to be done.

David was a great leader because he not only was anointed and brave, but David was called by God to rise up and lead the great nation of Israel. The Lord told Samuel “rise and anoint him; for this is the one” (1 Samuel 16:12). David was a faithful and determined servant of God doing His will despite the cost. Could you imagine taking on a giant with just a sling and a stone?

Nehemiah Prays for Answers

Nehemiah is a servant to the king when he hears the news about Jerusalem’s state of affairs. He is brought to great sadness and prays to God for several months asking for answers and guidance on what to do for the city. Despite his sadess and fear, Nehemiah goes before the king and asks him for several favors. “I was very much afraid, but I said to the king, ‘May the king live forever! Why should my face not look sad when the city where my fathers are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?'” (Nehemiah 2:2-3). Despite his fear of being disobedient to the king, Nehemiah successfully answers God’s visions for him by asking the king to provide him with freedom (so he could leave and help rebuild the city of Jerusalem), safety (by providing men to watch over him on his travels), and fortune (in the form of lumber for the rebuilding of the walls). By the grace of God the king granted Nehemiah all his requests and Nehemiah glorified God.

Nehemiah’s faith and courage are the exact characteristics God is looking for in great leaders. While Nehemiah and the other men went to work on the wall, they ran into opposition from their enemies. They prayed constantly to God, asking Him for favor and to protect their city “Hear us, O God, for we are despised. Turn their insults back on their own heads. Give them over as plunder in a land of captivity. Do not cover up their guilt or blot out their sins from your sight, for they have thrown insults in the face of the builders” (Nehemiah 4:4-5). With God as their guide they posted men to guard the city and prayed to God for the strength to defend them while they finished rebuilding the great city’s walls and gate.

Nehemiah stands as a testament for prayer and perseverance. Though he lived away from home, he never stopped trusting in God. He believed he would one day return to his homeland. His courage to speak up in a situation where it would have been unheard of and even looked down upon, brought forth great results. He found favor with God, and it was because of his continued prayers and faithfulness that the kingdom of Jerusalem was restored.

Daniel and the Lion’s Den

Daniel is a wise, faithful, and brave leader. He was taken from his Israelite home and forced to serve in the king’s palace. Although he was with the king, he rebuked the customs and laws of the king. God found favor with Daniel and gave him knowledge and skills in every aspect of literature and wisdom. “In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom” (Daniel 1:20).

Throughout his time at the palace, he never failed to follow faithfully his God even after the new decree was put in writing. “Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before” (Daniel 6:10). Because of his faithfulness to God, Daniel was to be thrown into a den of lions for praying to his God and not the king. He trusted in the Lord and knew that no harm would be done to him, so he went to the den emboldened by his faith in the Lord.

When he survived the king found favor on Daniel and changed his decree saying that all his peoples and nations throughout the whole world should tremble and fear the God of Daniel. “For He is the living God and He endures forever; His kingdom will not be destroyed, his dominion will never end. He rescues and He saves; He performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions” (Daniel 6:26-27).

Daniel was a true and faithful servant to God and God’s people. He never ceased to worship and follow his God, despite the hardships that would come to him. He truly was a brave servant of God and brought many people to believe in God’s power through his wisdom and faith. It only takes one brave person to stand up for what they believe in to become a great leader.

Final Thoughts

It is not always easy being brave. There are times when the going is not only tough, but where it feels everyone is against you. Honoring God comes at a cost, and sometimes that cost can be high. Going against the masses can be difficult, but there are so many ways we can display our courage and hold fast to our faith. Through prayer like Nehemiah and Daniel we can find the strength to ask the hard questions and stand up for what we believe in. We can fight the tough battles like David and Joshua knowing that when we follow God he will pull us through the hard times.

These leaders remained faithful to God when times were good, but also when times were hard and others were turning from Him. No matter what your background, age, sex, or ethnic heritage God will find favor in all His people. God used these men to enhance His kingdom and bring glory to Him. These men followed God faithfully and earnestly until their deaths. He calls us to do the same today, yesterday, and forever.