Biblical Heroes and Villains Multiple Choice Quiz | Religious Figures

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Biblical heroes came in all shapes and sizes and levels of faith. These three friends literally went through the fire together and came out the other side intact, physically and spiritually. Who were the three friends that refused to bow down to King Nebuchadnezzar's gold statue?

Answer: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego

Nebuchadnezzar set up his gold statue and demanded that all bow down and worship it. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refused to bow down even when given a second chance.
Daniel 3:17-18 says, "If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. But even if he doesn't, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up."
The story continues with the three being tied up and placed in the furnace, but when the king saw the fourth person with them he screamed for them to come out of the fire.
Nebuchadnezzar understood that God had sent an angel to protect the three and that they were willing to die rather than worship any god other than their own.
The complete story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and their overwhelming faith can be found in Daniel 3.

2. Biblical villains came from all walks of life and levels of greed. This king was so afraid of losing his throne, that he made Bethlehem the scene of murder and mayhem. Who was this king?

Answer: Herod

The wise men came to town (Jerusalem) and asked about the "newborn" king, because they wanted to worship him. Herod, who was the current king, became paranoid and asked the wise men to report back to him when they found the messiah. Being "wise men", they were able to figure out Herod's plan and went home the opposite way.
Matthew 2:16 says, "Herod was furious when he realized that the wise men had outwitted him. He sent soldiers to kill all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under, based on the wise men's report of the star's first appearance."

3. After decades, this one-time assistant stepped into the leadership position and led the Israelites through additional hurdles. Who was this faithful servant of not only God, but also the Israelite nation?

Answer: Joshua

Moses brought Israel to the bank of the river, but Joshua took them across to the other side and into the promised land. Joshua was a faithful servant of God even when others faltered. (Numbers 13,14) Throughout Joshua's life and that of the elders that outlived him, the Israelites remained steadfast and true to their God.

4. To have been the first to accomplish a biblical task would seem to have been a difficult situation, especially without a blueprint of the steps involved. This brother was not a keeper but a murderer, the "first" in kind. Who killed his brother?

Answer: Cain

The first murder was the death of Abel, and his murderer was his brother Cain. Genesis 4:9-10 in the New King James Version recounts, "Then the Lord said to Cain, 'Where is Abel your brother?' He said, 'I do not know. Am I my brother's keeper?' And He said, 'What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood cries out to Me from the ground.'"

5. Sometimes heroes went nameless except for generalities, like a group name. This group of disciples were all team players. Whom did Jesus send out, two by two, to spread His word?

Answer: the 70

Jesus sent out the 70, as He had previously sent out the 12. Luke 10:1-3 (New King James Version) says, "After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go. He said to them, 'The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves.'"

Note: Some translations have 70, others have 72.

6. Did greed get the best of this next villain? His final act was not well received, even by himself. Who was involved with the kiss of betrayal, and was paid for his involvement?

Answer: Judas Iscariot

Judas Iscariot conspired, with the high priest and others, for thirty pieces of silver to betray Jesus with a kiss. Matthew 27:3-5 says, "When Judas, who had betrayed him, realized that Jesus had been condemned to die, he was filled with remorse. So he took the thirty pieces of silver back to the leading priests and the elders. 'I have sinned,' he declared, 'for I have betrayed an innocent man.' 'What do we care?' they retorted. 'That's your problem.' Then Judas threw the silver coins down in the Temple and went out and hanged himself."

7. Most biblical heroes were challenged in some way, either by God or by their desire to remain faithful to God; this next hero was no different. One of his biggest challenges from God was to reduce his army from 32,000 to 10,000, to only 300 soldiers. Who was instructed by God to take on the horde of Midianites that threatened Israel, with only 300 soldiers?

Answer: Gideon

Gideon's story is included in Judges 6-8. Gideon, although not overly enthusiastic in the beginning, was a Judge in Israel for 40 years. God instructed Gideon to reduce the army, to ensure that the glory of victory went to God and not man (Judges 7:2).

8. The protagonist and antagonist; the hero and the villian; the prophet and the king, this story was about their duel. The contest was between the only remaining prophet of God and the king's 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah. The challenge was to see whose god would first set fire to their separate sacrifices. Who were the prophet (winner) and king (loser) of the contest?

Answer: Elijah and Ahab

Ahab went first: his prophets set up the altar, killed the bull and started praying to Baal to light the fire. Elijah finally said to them around noontime that maybe they should shout louder, because Baal their god may be asleep. Evening time came, and there was still no answer from Baal.
Elijah took his turn: he set up the altar, and killed the bull. He added one more thing. He had the people pour water all over the wood and the offering. Not once but three times, the people drenched Elijah's altar. Elijah prayed to God and the fire came down.
The story of Elijah and Ahab can be found in 1 Kings 16-20.

9. Biblical villains were sometimes handed the title through their genealogy. This villain had no intention of breaking the cycle. The Amalekites were the cursed enemies of God's people. In the Book of Esther, Mordecai refused to bow down to an Amalekite. This non-action put not only Mordecai's life in peril, but that of all the Jews. Who was this Amalekite who was defeated by Queen Esther?

Answer: Haman

The cast of the Book of Esther includes King Xerxes, Queen Vashti, Esther, Mordecai and Haman. The Amalekite Haman plotted against the Jews and convinced the King that all the Jews needed to be destroyed. Haman intended to kill Mordecai himself, but Esther turned the tables and Haman was killed instead. The complete story is found in the Book of Esther.

10. Biblical heroes sacrificed their work, property, family and sometimes their lives for the benefit of others. Who is credited with this quote from John 15:13? "There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends."

Answer: Jesus Christ

This is the ultimate sacrifice of a true hero, and it is a sacrifice that Christians believe Jesus Christ made for humanity.

Source: Author spice2

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor CellarDoor before going online.
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Biblical Heroes and Villains Trivia Quiz

Here are just a few good guys and bad guys, and maybe some that are not so familiar. The New Living Translation was used for reference, unless otherwise noted. Dedicated to delboy22's Author Challenge.

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