Questions from “blue highway” texts
By Joanna Felts
Test your knowledge of little-known Bible stories and characters with these 10 questions. Answers follow the questions.
Questions:
1. What “problem” do Eldad and Medad have? What was the response of their leader?
2. What woman calls her husband a fool and lives to tell about it
3. When does a donkey have the last word?
4. Who is the “Mother of Israel?”
5. Who was responsible for the first court system in Israel?
6. In one biblical passage a woman is described as a prophetess and a garment keeper. Who is she and what is unique about her recorded words?
7. What man, at the age of 85, asks for a mountain and sets out to conquer it?
8. What event made the people of Jericho afraid of the Israelites?
9. Christ-followers were not always known as Christians. What name did Jewish leaders first give this group of people?
10. Did Jesus actually baptize people?
Answers:
1. Numbers 11 tells the story of Eldad and Medad, elders in the Israelite camp. They somehow do not make it to the gathering of the elders in the tabernacle at Moses’ direction. However, they are filled with the Spirit of God and they prophesy in the camp. Those zealous for Moses’ leadership ask Moses to make Eldad and Medad stop. However, Moses is not worried about his position and instead says that he wishes all of God’s people were prophets and able to prophesy God’s Word.
2. 1 Samuel 25 tells the story of Abigail who was the wife of Nabal, a name that means “fool.” She intercedes for her foolish husband to David and succeeds in convincing David not to destroy Nabal and his household. Instead, God himself destroys Nabal and Abigail marries the future King David.
3. Numbers 22 tells the story of Balaam, a man who is not an Israelite but who acknowledges that God is very powerful. While he does not believe God to be the only true God, Balaam is willing to do what God wants, especially if he can get something out of it. His donkey, however, has no trouble seeing God or obeying him. God uses the donkey to convince Balaam to do what God asks of him.
4. Judges 4 and 5 tell the story of Deborah, a prophetess chosen by God to judge Israel. Under her tenure, Barak and Deborah take on the army of Sisera while Jael is acknowledged for killing Sisera himself. During the song that follows the victory over Sisera’s army, Deborah is given the title “Mother of Israel.”
5. Exodus 18 shows that Moses has his hands full. He spends every day sitting in judgment over the people of Israel and the Scriptures point out that this happens from morning until night. However, his father-in-law, Jethro, encourages Moses to teach capable, honest men how to do this work so that his load will be lighter. Only the most difficult cases are then brought to Moses, setting him free for other kinds of leadership in Israel.
6. Huldah’s story is found in 2 Kings 22:12-20 and 2 Chronicles 34:22-33. She serves during the reign of Josiah. She never speaks without giving credit to the Lord as the author of the news she bears.
7. In Joshua 14:6-15, Caleb reminds Joshua of the promise of Moses. Because Caleb is faithful to follow God and stands against the other 10 spies as recorded in Numbers 13 and 14, Moses promises that when land is given out in the Promised Land, Caleb will have his own portion. After 45 years of waiting on that promise, Caleb claims the hill country of the Anakites for his own. At the age of 85, Caleb drives the Anakites out and settles his family in the land of Hebron.
8. Joshua 2 and 6 tells the story of Rahab’s conversation with the spies and the subsequent fall of the city of Jericho. Rahab tells the spies that the city of Jericho is in terror over the Israelites because of how the Lord opened up the path of dry land through the Red Sea 40 years earlier.
9. Acts 24:14 and 22 reports that Jewish leaders called those who followed Christ followers of “the Way.”
10. John 1 records the fact that John the Baptist went about preaching, gathering disciples and baptizing. In John 4, the Pharisees have begun to hear rumors that Jesus is gathering even more disciples than John. However, according to verse 2, Jesus does not actually baptize these followers; instead, his disciples baptize them.
Joanna Felts is a freelance writer living in Fresno, Calif., with her family. She is the author of CL Discussion, an online study guide to use with CL feature articles.
