Biblical Dark Sides Quiz | Religious Figures

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Moses was chosen by God to lead the captive Israelites of of their slavery in Egypt. After forty years of leadership, God did not allow Moses to enter the Promised Land. Why?

Answer: Moses disobeyed God at Meribah.

When the Israelites arrived at Meribah, they demanded that Moses provide water for them. God told Moses to SPEAK to a rock and water would gush forth. However, Moses acted like the water was provided by his own power instead of coming from God and STRUCK the rock with his staff. This passage is found in Numbers 20.

2. Jacob, patriarch of the nation of Israel, was aptly named. After stealing his twin brother's birthright, he also was able to get his father, Isaac, to give him the elder son's blessing. How did he accomplish this deceit?

Answer: He disguised himself as Esau.

Rebecca was also involved with the deception of Isaac who was very old and blind at this time. Favoring her younger son, she devised the plan after hearing Isaac give the commission to Esau. Esau was to hunt wild game, prepare it as food, then Isaac would bless his elder son.

She killed some goats and made the meal for Jacob to take to his father. She also had Jacob dress in Esau's garments and wear animal skins on his neck and arms to imitate Esau. Jacob, whose name means "he who supplants", was able to deceive his father and steal the blessing, much to the fury of Esau.

This passage is found in Genesis 27.

3. Many Jews believe that David was the greatest king that ancient Israel ever had. He helped defend Israel from its enemies, was a poet and songwriter and loved God with all his might. He did go astray on occasion which displeased God. Which of these was NOT a transgression of David?

Answer: trying to kill King Saul

Most people have heard about David's illicit affair with a married woman, Bathsheba, and his plot to have her husband slain so he could have her as his wife (2 Samuel, 11). David also took a census of Israel against God's wishes (2 Samuel, 24). When David decided to bring the Ark into Jerusalem, he had a wagon built and pulled by oxen.

This was against God's specific orders that it be carried only on poles and by Levites. Uzziah tried to keep the Ark from falling off the cart when the oxen stumbled and was immediately struck dead (2 Samuel, 6). David never attempted to kill Saul.

In fact, he went out of his way to avoid confrontation with his jealous predecessor.

4. Samson was a judge in ancient Israel. He fought to protect Israel from its enemies. However, most remember him for being betrayed by his love interest, Delilah. Which of these was also an indiscretion of Samson?

Answer: trying to trick the Philistines with a riddle

Samson seemed to have a weakness for the Philistine women. Before his dalliance with Delilah, he was also engaged to a woman from Timnath. At a premarital feast, he though he could trick the men of Timnath with a riddle. Instead, they learned the answer from Samson's fianc�e and turned the tables on Samson. Samson did not take it well and, in a rage, killed 30 men of Ashkelon and took their garments to pay off his debt (Judges 14).

5. Elisha was a mighty prophet who performed many miracles. However, on one occasion, what did he do that might seem shocking to most modern people?

Answer: he cursed a group of boys

Some boys came out of the city of Bethel when Elisha passed by and started to taunt him. Elisha cursed them and immediately some bears attacked the boys and killed 42 of them. This can be read in 2 Kings 2:23-24. It was also the subject of a painting by Willem Willemsz van den Bundel.

6. Israel's first king, Saul, started out with good intentions, but in his later years seemed to drift into obsession and paranoia, thinking everyone was against him, especially David and even his own son, Jonathan. During his reign he committed some big no-nos that displeased God. Which was NOT one of them?

Answer: killed his son

Although it is mentioned once that Saul threw a javelin at Jonathan because he defended David's behavior (1 Samuel, 20), Saul never actually killed his son. They both died in battle on Mount Gilboa. Just before this battle, Saul was afraid and called upon a medium to evoke the spirit of the prophet Samuel (1 Samuel, 28) when it was forbidden to practice sorcery. Earlier (1 Samuel, 13), Samuel was scheduled to make sacrifices before a battle, but was delayed in arriving. Saul grew impatient and made the sacrifices himself and was severely reprimanded by Samuel when he did arrive.

After this battle, Saul also erred by failing to kill King Agag and the Amalekite domestic animals (1 Samuel, 15).

7. King Solomon, David's son by Bathsheba, was known as Israel's wisest and most resplendent king. However, late in his reign, what did he do that most displeased God?

Answer: allowed idol worship

Solomon had a large harem that included many foreign women. Not being raised in the Hebrew faith, they worshiped their own gods. Solomon allowed this and even built shrines for them and worshiped there himself. (1 Kings, 11:1-10).

8. Peter, the disciple of Jesus, was a devoted follower and even used a sword to attempt to defend Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. In a panicky about face after Jesus' arrest, three times he denied even knowing Jesus. In which Gospel(s) is this behavior of Peter mentioned?

Answer: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John

The account of Peter's denial is in Matthew 26:69-75, Mark 14:66-72, Luke 22:56-62 and John 18:15-18, 25-27. Peter redeemed himself by subsequently becoming a fervent evangelist of Christianity. Jesus gave Peter the keys to the kingdom (Matthew 16:15-19, Mark 8:27-30, Luke 9:18-21) and after the Resurrection, commissioned Peter (John 21:15-17).

9. Barnabas was an evangelist accompanying Paul the Apostle on his early missionary journeys. As evidenced in Acts 15, they apparently had a falling out and Barnabas left Paul's company. Where did this occur?

Answer: in Antioch

They apparently had a vehement difference of opinion as to whether to take John Mark along on their missionary travels. Barnabas wanted to take the youth, but Paul was against it. After the argument, Barnabas departed with Mark for Cyprus and was not mentioned again in the book of Acts. Paul then chose Silas as his companion and toured Syria and Cilicia (Acts 15:36-39).

10. Zechariah, father of John the Baptist, was a priest in the Temple of Jerusalem. When an angel announced to him he would become a father, the elderly priest didn't believe the news. As a result, what misfortune befell him?

Answer: he couldn't speak

Much like Abraham and Sarah of the Old Testament, Zechariah and his wife, Elizabeth, were elderly and he did not believe they could have a child at their advanced ages. For his lack of faith, Zechariah was made unable to speak until the birth of John (Luke 1:5-20).

Source: Author debodun

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor CellarDoor before going online.
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Biblical Dark Sides Trivia Quiz

Some well-known characters in the Bible are thought of as mainly righteous people and heroes. However, some of these people have blots on their otherwise pious lives. See how much you know about this side of their characters.

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