Superheroes Of The Bible

"It's a bird....it's a plane....it's Superman!"

That is the well known line that told us a Superhero was on the way to do a good deed and save the world if only in the movies or in a comic book.

Superheroes and stories about them are pretty popular these days and I can't say I have ever met a little boy who has not pretended that they were Batman fighting to save Gotham City or Superman (complete with cape/towel) flying in to freeze a lake and melt it over the burning Metropolis City.

I've heard children ask, "Are they real?" and, "Do you think SpiderMan will come to my party, Mom?" or even, "When I grow up I am going to be Captain America."

Just recently I jokingly told an eleven year old kid who walked into a spider's web that he just might get lucky if the spider bit him and it was radioactive. I turned to him, grinning, only to see an earnestly hopeful face staring right back at me. He took me seriously and told me he would call me if he woke up with superhuman strength and the ability to cling to the ceiling.

It is amazing how children love these characters. They truly admire them and wish they could be like them.

To tell the truth, I too love Superheroes, and wish to be like them. Not the ones who came from someone's imagination and end up in comic books and the movies, nor the ones who come from some mythological story, rather the ones who did exist and who really were super people. These people I speak of are mentioned in the Bible and the source of their super powers is always the same - the Holy Spirit.

The Superhero With Super Strength - Samson

Samson had to be one of the strongest men of all time. Even though Samson's strength was in his hair, his real strength came from the Holy Spirit. Think about it - do you know anyone who grows stronger as their hair grows longer? I didn't think so.

Samson wrestled lions with his bare hands, was able to destroy a whole army with just the jawbone of a donkey as a weapon and took down an entire building with his bare hands!This building was no shabby place. It was a sturdy, established place that could have housed thousands of people. He took his hands and pushed the pillars and with the strength that the Spirit of the Lord gave to him, he threw it down! Take that Incredible Hulk! Sure I have seen you lift cars but turn buildings to dust with your bare hands?

(To read about Samson's life please see The Book Of Judges, Chapter 13 - Chapter 16, and also Hebrews, Chapter 11)

The Superhero With Super Speed - Elijah The Tishbite

Surely there was no one who could run like Elijah? You might say 'The Flash' but I am talking real people here. He was able to outrun a chariot of the king's with the help of the Holy Spirit!The Bible says that he girded up his loins and raced ahead of King Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel. If you think that a chariot does not go as fast as a car, first let me ask, can you out run a chariot driven by more than one horse? Or can you even outrun one horse? I thought not. And anyway, Elijah had sent Ahab well on his way while he stayed behind to pray so Ahab was far ahead of him on the journey and he still beat him. (See 1 Kings Chapter 18)

Elijah, through the Spirit of the Lord was able to do many mighty deeds that no ordinary person could do. He healed the sick, raised the dead and parted the waters of the Jordan. He even rode away into heaven on a chariot of fire!

He left behind one named Elisha upon whom the portion of Elijah fell. Elisha was able to do all that Elijah did through the grace of the Lord who answered and approved of his prayer.

(To read more about the life of Elijah and the mighty deeds he did through the power of the Lord, please see 1 Kings Chapter 17 - 21, and 2 Kings Chapter 1-10)

The Well- Loved Superhero With Courage That Caused Giants To Tremble - David

David was a Superhero even though he did not display any physical superpowers. He was of average size and strength and was observed to be a simple shepherd boy, but his courage was what enabled him to do mighty acts. This courage was the fruit of David's faith in the Lord. He loved the Lord and he knew that the Lord would fight for His people. This gave David nerve that ordinary men do not possess.

He faced the giant Goliath with only a sling. The Bible says that Goliath measured six cubits and a span. When that is converted to feet, it means that Goliath was 9' 7". He did not have all the fancy gadgets that Batman had or even a sidekick. He did not need either because his faith in the Lord God Almighty enabled him to move mountains such as the giant Goliath.

(To read more about David, the man after God's own heart, please see 1 Samuel Chapter 16 - 30, 2 Samuel Chapter 1 - 24, 1 Kings Chapter 1 - 2, and 1 Chronicles Chapter 3 -29)

The Stuttering Superhero - Moses

The Bible says that Moses was reluctant to speak because he was slow of speech and of slow tongue. Some people take this to mean that Moses stuttered or stammered. Even if he did not, it was definitely some sort of speech impediment. Yet he still managed to do great things. How? Through the Holy Spirit of course! There was nothing that was magnificent that Moses did that was not of the Holy Spirit.

The Nile turned to blood, the locusts, lice, and flies came and went,the fiery hail fell, the Red Sea parted, water came out of stone and bread fell from heaven all because Moses walked with the Lord and the Lord's Spirit was upon him.

(To read more about Moses and his time on earth serving the Lord of hosts, please see Exodus Chapter 2 straight through to the Book of Deuteronomy)

All of the above men listed got their strength from the Almighty God. They, along with others like the disciples and Paul, were able to do countless things in the name of the Most High and so glorified it. Even though all of the super men of the Bible will not be spoken of, there is one who cannot fail to be mentioned if it has to do with being a Superhero. He is The Superhero of all Superheroes.

The Superhero Of All Superheroes - Jesus Of Nazareth, Otherwise Known As The Christ, The Messiah, Emmanuel, The Kinsman Redeemer And Many More.

Superman has nothing on Jesus Christ. No imagined superhero can. No real superhero either.Sure Superman was fast but could he be everywhere at once? Could he know the thoughts in every mind at every moment? Did he create the earth and all that is in it? Did he form the stars, the moon and the sun? Did he breathe his own breath into man so that he might live? The answer is no. Only one person was able and is able to do all of that and more - Jesus Christ.

He was able to die in order to rescue mankind. And not from an asteroid or a meteor (He made those by the way and His grace controls them) but from the very fires of Hell. He was able to raise Himself from the dead and is declared the Judge of mankind as He was born of man. He is fully God and fully man - no one has that quality save for Him. It was He who sent the Holy Spirit for His disciples and it is He who sends Him to His elect today.

So there were and are real Superheroes that walked the earth. All have not been named here but the most important One has. Every last one of them received their talents through the Holy Spirit so what made them Superheroes really did not have to do with what they could do or what they did, it had to do with the God they served. Great and mighty things always lead back to Him.

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