Moses as he knelt before the burning bush, doubting his ability to serve as Israel’s redeemer. Like Joshua as he stepped into Moses’ shoes, they needed the encouragement of a divine commissioning. Like King David, it was their love for God that led them into their hardships. Their battles of faith were every bit as important as the conquests of earlier heroes. The shattered city they labored to rebuild was as beloved to God as Jerusalem had ever been. And the temple they rebuilt, though not outwardly