圣经中古代人物的记录提供了广泛而多样化的背景，使每一个人都能将自己与其中的某一个人联系起来。聪明的人会通过研究这份记录，获得指导、丰富和引领他个人生活的教训。他会从胜利者身上吸取勇气，并且有望免遭那些作出愚昧选择之人的切心之痛。
圣经在叙述人类的进取、失败和成功时，往往只对其中的人物作简要的描写。二十世纪的印刷工艺，使得怀爱伦的灵感之笔容易向我们提供更为详尽和完整的记录。她以独特的笔触，用灵敏和受上帝引导的目光，从圣史所描写圣徒和罪人的生活中，提取和发挥重要的教训。我们这本灵修书籍从怀爱伦丰富而庞大的资源中选取了365页材料。
本书显然无法完全再现许多人物的生平。详细内容可参阅五卷本的《历代斗争丛书》，《教会证言》，怀爱伦的其他书籍和《怀爱伦圣经注释》。来自人物生平的教训通过事件和历史背景予以说明，大体上按照年代的顺序，但没有严格地依据事件发生的先后，甚至在这本文选里面也无法作详细的解说。
每一页开头的经文，有许多将提示下文圣经故事的教训。
每一段引文均注明出处。细心的读者会发现大多数材料都选自大家所熟悉的《历代斗争丛书》。原书将提供更为翔实和完整的记录。
文稿的选择和编排由怀爱伦著作托管委员会办公室负责完成。我们希望这本书能实现它的宗旨，在世界最后的试炼中给上帝的子民带来勇气。
怀爱伦著作托管委员会
1970年于华盛顿
The Bible record of men and women of ancient times presents backgrounds so broad and diverse that every modern person may identify with someone portrayed therein. All who are wise will gain from a study of this record that which will direct, enrich, and guard their own personal life. They will draw courage from those who triumphed, learn from the mistakes of others, and hopefully will be spared the heartaches of those who made unwise choices. {CC 5.1}[1]
The Word of God treats only briefly the exploits, failures, and successes of the characters it portrays. More detailed accounts are given to us by Ellen G. White in her inspired writings. In a rare manner she catches and applies, with sensitive, divinely guided insight, relevant lessons from the lives of saints and sinners depicted in sacred history. From this voluminous and rich source of materials the 365 brief sketches that comprise this devotional volume have been selected. Obviously there could not be reproduced here full biographies of the many characters mentioned in the Bible. These may be pursued in the five volumes of the Conflict of the Ages series, the Testimonies, other Ellen G. White books, and in the Ellen G. White supplement to the SDA Bible Commentary. Rather, the lessons from their lives have been set forth here by incidents, in their biographical setting. They appear in roughly chronological order, but without a tight sequence of events; nor has it been possible to be exhaustive even in this selective area. {CC 5.2}[2]
The Scripture reference at the top of many of the pages will guide to the Bible account of the experience from which the lesson has been drawn. {CC 5.3}[3]
Credit is given for each item appearing in these pages. A close look at the listing at the back of this volume will reveal that the prime source has been the familiar books of the Conflict series, which in general present the fullest and richest accounts. {CC 5.4}[4]
The task of selecting and arranging these sketches has been undertaken in the office of the Ellen G. White Estate. May they accomplish the purpose for which they are intended—to bring courage to God’s people for the trials of earth’s closing days. {CC 5.5}[5]
The Trustees of the Ellen G. White Estate[6]
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