Biblical Alphabetics -- The Letter 'U' Quiz

Answer: Uriah

Yes, Uriah was the first husband of Bathsheba, David's most famous wife. After David learned Bathsheba was pregnant through an adulterous affair he had with her, he ended up conspiring to have Uriah murdered. The adultery took place while Uriah, a soldier, was in battle.

After plotting and scheming, David eventually ordered Uriah to be placed in the front line where the fighting was fiercest and then had all the men withdraw, as per 2 Samuel 11:15. True to plan, Uriah was killed.

Answer: Uzziah

Uzziah, also known as Azariah, was one of the kings of Judah in the Old Testament. According to 2 Chronicles 26:1-5, he was 16 years old when he became king, replacing his father Amaziah. He reigned 52 years. His mother's name was Jekoliah who was from Jerusalem.

2 Chronicles 26:4-5, in the NIV Bible, states: "He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father Amaziah had done. He sought God during the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God. As long as he sought the LORD, God gave him success."

Answer: Uzzi

Uzzi is the correct answer. According to Wikipedia, the name Uzzi means "the Lord is my strength." Not much is known about Uzzi as he is mentioned in passing reference.

1 Chronicles 7:2-3, in the NIV Bible, states: "The sons of Tola: Uzzi, Rephaiah, Jeriel, Jahmai, Ibsam and Samuel -- heads of their families. During the reign of David, the descendants of Tola listed as fighting men in their genealogy numbered 22,600. The son of Uzzi: Izrahiah. The sons of Izrahiah: Michael, Obadiah, Joel and Ishiah. All five of them were chiefs."

Several men had the name Uzzi in the Old Testament. For example, in Nehemiah 12:42, a priest named Uzzi assisted in the dedication of the walls of Jerusalem.

Answer: Urijah

Urijah, who is also known as Urriah in the NIV, is the correct answer. 2 Kings 16:10-16, in the NKJV, tells of King Ahaz meeting in Damascus with Tiglath-Pileser, king of Assyria, and seeing an altar that deeply impressed him. So Ahaz commissioned Urijah to build an altar of the same design as the one in Damascus.

Answer: Uzzah

Uzzah is the correct answer. The sixth chapter of Samuel tells of David and 30,000 "able young men of Israel" taking the Ark of God from Baalah to Jerusalem. According to the fifth verse, the Israelites were ecstatic with "David and all Israel were celebrating with all their might before the LORD, with castanets, harps, lyres, timbrels, sistrums and cymbals." Then things took a dramatic turn.

2 Samuel 6:6-7, in the NIV Bible, states: "When they came to the threshing floor of Nakon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the Ark of God, because the oxen stumbled. The LORD's anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore God struck him down, and he died there beside the Ark of God."

Answer: A co-worker in Christ.

Urbanus is described by Paul in Romans 16:9 as a 'co-worker in Christ'. However, not much is known about Urbanus as he is mentioned in only this passage in Scripture. In the NIV Bible, Paul simply states: "Greet Urbanus, our co-worker in Christ, and my dear friend Stachys." The 16th chapter of Romans is seen by many as a tribute to the 'Joe' and 'Jane' Christians of the day.

Answer: Useful

The correct answer is 'useful.' Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles is using a pun in the passage as Onesimus' name, according to notes in the NIV Study Bible, means 'useful'. In Philemon 1:10-11, Paul writes to Philemon, the owner of the runaway slave: "...that I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains. Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me."

It was a 'classic small-world story'. Paul was involved in instructing the early church in Colosse of which Philemon was one of the members. Philemon's slave Onesimus runs away and goes to Rome and wouldn't you know it, he meets Paul and is converted to Christianity.

Answer: Proverbs

The passage is from Proverbs 3:5-6. Notes in the NKJV Study Bible sum up things this way: "The words 'trust in the LORD' echo the command of Deuteronomy 6:5 to love God with all our being. The verb 'trust' is complemented by the verb 'lean'. Trusting in God is a conscious dependence on God, much like leaning on a tree for support.

The idea is reinforced by the command to 'acknowledge Him', which means to observe Him and get to know Him in the process of living. In doing so, a person finds time and time again that God smooths out the paths."

Answer: James

The correct answer is James with the passage in question coming from verse 27 of the first chapter of James. While it is agreed the book was written by a man named James, there is no clear evidence as to who he really was. Some of the possibilities include James, the brother of John; James the son of Alphaeus and James the half brother of Jesus, as per Matthew 13:55.

Notes in the NKJV Study Bible have this to say about the Book of James: "From fixing a car to wallpapering a bedroom, 'how-to' books explain how things are done with helpful pointers and colorful illustrations. The Epistle of James is the 'how to' book of Christian life. It is one of the most practical books in the New Testament because it offers instruction and exhortation to Christians who are experiencing problems, as all of us do."

Answer: Paul

Paul, of course, is credited with writing Ephesians. The book was addressed to members of the early church who lived in Ephesus, which is in present-day Turkey. Paul was the apostle to the Gentiles and was responsible for preaching the news of a resurrected Jesus Christ in the area now known as Turkey as well as Europe.