Bible People Who Were Told to Go Elsewhere Quiz

Answer: Nineveh

Jonah is forever linked with Nineveh, as per Jonah 1:2. He is the man who was swallowed by a huge fish only to be regurgitated onto dry land after surviving three days and three nights in its stomach, according to Scripture. After surviving his ordeal in the fish's stomach, Jonah agreed to go to Nineveh, the place the LORD wanted him to go all along.

According to the book of Jonah, the LORD told him to go to Nineveh and "preach against it" because of its wickedness. His story is one of the best known in the Old Testament.

Wikipedia states Nineveh was an ancient city on the eastern bank of the Tigris River in ancient Assyria. Its ruins are across the river from the modern-day city of Mosul.

Answer: Zarepath

Elijah was told by the LORD to go to Zarepath, as per 1 Kings 17:8-9. According to Scripture, Elijah performed two miracles in Zarephath. 1 Kings 17:8-24, states that he miraculously raised a widow's son from the dead after miraculously providing food for the two of them.

Incidentally, the woman's name is not given in Scripture. She is simply described as the widow of Zarephath in the region of Sidon.

Answer: Mount Sinai

Mount Sinai is where God commanded Moses to meet with Him, as per Exodus 19:18-20. Exodus 20 goes on to tell of God giving Moses the Ten Commandments as rules for the Israelite nation to follow. At the time, Moses and the Israelites were wandering in the wilderness after their exodus out of Egypt.

Answer: Keilah

According to Scripture, David was told by the LORD to go to Keilah and save its inhabitants from the Philistines. When David arrived in Keilah, he struck the Philistines with a "mighty blow", according to Scripture. Details can be found in 1 Samuel 23:1-5.

According to Wikipedia, Keilah, also known as Citadel, was a city in the lowlands of Judah.

Answer: The potter's house

According to Scripture, Jeremiah was told to go to the potter's house where he saw a potter at work at his wheel. In fact, what Jeremiah saw, combined with more words from God, prompted him to deliver a prophecy about the future of Israel. Details can be found in Jeremiah 18:1-11.

As part of the prophecy, Jeremiah implored the Israelites to turn from their evil ways or they would be dealt with harshly by God.

Answer: Egypt

According to Scripture, Joseph was warned in a dream to flee with his family to Egypt as Herod was about to kill all infants aged two years and under.
Herod was a ruthless king and he came up with a diabolical plan to kill all males aged two years and under in Nazareth and area to make sure the Infant Jesus would not grow up and replace him as king. Joseph had the dream shortly after the Magi, or Wise Men from the east, departed after presenting gifts to Jesus. Details can be found in Matthew 2:13-15.

Answer: Macedonia

Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, had a divine vision in which he saw a man requesting him to go to Macedonia to preach the Gospel. According to Scripture, Paul "immediately" went to Macedonia to help preach the news of a resurrected Jesus Christ. Details can be found in Acts 14:6-10.

Answer: Gaza

According to Scripture, Philip received divine instructions to visit Gaza. It was there along a road he met up with an Ethiopian man who was traveling in a chariot. Scripture states the Ethiopian gave Philip a lift and he used the occasion to preach the Gospel. Details about the conversion of the Ethiopian can be found in Acts 8:26-40.

The passage concludes with the miraculous transportation of Philip to Azotus.

Answer: All Nations

As part of the Great Commission, Jesus commanded His disciples to go into all nations to preach the Gospel. According to Scripture, Christ made the request after His resurrection from the dead and just prior to His ascension to heaven at Bethany. The instructions given by Jesus are known as The Great Commission. See Matthew 28:16-20 for details.

Answer: Straight Street, Damascus

Ananias was told to go to the house of Judas on Straight Street in Damascus to meet Paul, known as Saul at the time. The request of Ananias was made just after Paul had a dramatic encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ while traveling to Damascus to persecute Christians. Scripture states Paul was blinded as a result of the encounter. After Ananias laid his hands of Paul, Scripture states scales fell from his eyes and he re-gained his sight.

Incidentally, when Ananias was told to go to Straight Street to meet Paul, he wanted no part of the plan. Paul was a ruthless adversary of the early church and no doubt Ananias was expecting the worst would happen. It would be a bit like someone today receiving divine instructions to visit a mass murderer who is holed up in a house in their neighborhood. See Acts 9:10-20 for further details.