Called Individuals / Heroes
When examining the forces that drive history, questions arise: Is world history the result of individual people's will, or just a collection of random events? Who or what principles lie behind the events? Does freedom or necessity dominate history?
In past centuries, historical perspectives concluded that God's role in history diminished over time, and human actions took center stage. In traditional Christian historiography, God subordinated nations to a chosen individual's will, controlling that person's decisions. They believed in God's direct intervention through fate.
According to the Bible, history unfolds according to God's plan. He determines the course of history, holds everything in His hands, and directly intervenes—manifesting in individuals, His chosen people, historical events, and destinies—to bring His plan to fruition. Historical figures fulfill their roles but are not merely passive participants in the process. Human decisions influence the course of events. People live for themselves, pursuing personal goals, but are subtly nudged by Providence to follow God's plan. The biblical stance is clear: humans are not programmed beings but responsible ones capable of changing the course of history. Whether or not a decision aligns with God's redemptive plan is another matter. God does not prevent human freedom, and despite human wills, He fulfills His plan.
Without knowledge of the biblical redemption plan, it might seem that people just drift along with the current of events. However, the plan includes predetermined times, circumstances, and people. God enters the lives of individuals, makes plans for them, commissions them to fulfill His will, and uses them to accomplish His purposes. They become essential instruments for important goals. Humans cannot do whatever they wish; they must always consider God's plan. The ultimate goal of human life is to know His will, to align their own lives and actions with it. Those who understand their role in God's work will see His intentions. For those who serve where God places them, there are no coincidences in life—God's presence is evident. This person is God's instrument. No one can thwart God's plans.
God has sent notable people throughout history—Moses, Daniel, Alexander the Great, Caesar, etc.—to fulfill His purposes. But everyone is a messenger of God, born for some mission. Human life is not pointless; God is present in everyone's life, creating circumstances to help individuals carry out their assignments. Our lives have meaning only when we accomplish what God has set for us, recognizing that we are God's messengers.
In the new historiography of the Enlightenment era, heroes replaced individuals led by God's will. It became clear that world history is nothing more than the sum of the great people's work—heroes. These were the leaders, the great thinkers, the shapers and creators of everything that people sought to achieve or build throughout history. What we see realized in the world today is, in fact, just the external result, practical manifestation, or embodiment of the thoughts that lived in great people sent into the world—world history's soul, so to speak.
The cult of heroes has always been and will remain a tremendous force in human life. Religion, society, and culture rely on it. Thomas Carlyle ("On Heroes") states that a Hero can be a God-Man, prophet, poet, priest, writer, or king. In every era, a great individual was essential to the salvation of their time. The Hero is the great thinker, the inspired divine messenger, the one who knows sacred mysteries, the teacher of everyday life, the intermediary of eternal truths, and the practical life leader. Amid the world's noise and triviality, people naturally turn to silence, where noble heroes quietly work in their domains, unnoticed by the media. These heroes are the essence of the Earth. Every human created by God is a "fleshly manifestation" (Novalis). They are the heroes of everyday life.
Nowadays, people deny the existence of great heroes, labeling them as mere products of their time, small and insignificant. History is just a game of Time, with no true place for heroes. Yet, while the hero is needed, the world must also be ready for them. If the world does not recognize a hero when he appears, then what is the point? We must learn to recognize the hero!