Biblical Mountains: Can You Reach the Top? Quiz

Answer: Moriah

The story of Abraham preparing to sacrifice Isaac is one of the best known stories in the Old Testament. Scripture reports God commanded Abraham to take his son Isaac to a mountain in the region of Moriah and to sacrifice him as a burnt offering.

Just as Abraham was preparing to sacrifice Isaac on the unnamed mountain, Scripture reports an angel of the LORD called out and told him to spare his son because it was evident Abraham feared God. After the angel called out, Abraham spotted a ram in the thicket and used it as his sacrificial offering.

The story is told in the 22nd chapter of Genesis. Many Christians compare this episode to God's sacrifice of His own Son, Jesus, in the New Testament.

Answer: Mount Nebo

Deuteronomy 34:1 tells of the LORD taking Moses to Mount Nebo so he could view the Promised Land the Israelites would be entering. Scripture goes on to tell of Moses dying on Mount Nebo, with his burial taking place in a valley in the land of Moab, opposite Beth Peor. He was one hundred and twenty years old.

Although Moses had led the Israelites for forty years on their march from Egypt to Canaan, he never got to enter the Promised Land. That honor went to Joshua.

Mount Nebo is also known as Pisgah. According to Wikipedia, Pisgah in Hebrew means 'summit' or 'peak'.

Answer: Mount Carmel

Mount Carmel was the location of Elijah's victory over the prophets of Baal in 1 Kings 18. Elijah and the prophets of Baal had a showdown to see who could call upon a higher power to ignite a sacrificial offering on Mount Carmel. The four hundred and fifty prophets called on Baal and Elijah called on the LORD, with Elijah being the clear winner, according to Scripture.

Carmel was such a lovely place that Solomon even compares the beauty of a bride to it. Song of Solomon 7:5, in the NKJV Bible, states: "Your head crowns you like Mount Carmel, and the hair of your head is like purple; a king is held captive by your tresses."

Answer: Ararat

After surviving a massive flood that engulfed the world, Genesis 8:4 tells of Noah's ark coming to rest in the mountains of Ararat. The region is in Turkey, near the border with Iran, Armenia and Azerbaijan, according to Wikipedia.

Scripture states Moses and his unnamed wife, with their three sons and their wives took refuge in the ark to survive the Great Flood.

The land of Ararat is also mentioned in 2 Kings 19:37, Isaiah 37:38 and 51:27, using the NKJV.

Answer: Mount Hor

Aaron, the brother of Moses and Miriam and the high priest for the Israelites, died on Mount Hor, as per Numbers 20:22-29. The passage tells of the LORD instructing Aaron to proceed to Mount Hor with Eleazar his son, and then to strip off his priestly garments and give them to Eleazar. After giving his garments to Eleazar, Verse 27 tells of Aaron dying on top of the mountain. Scripture goes on to tell of the Israelites mourning Aaron's death for thirty days.

According to Numbers 20:23, Mount Hor was "by the border of the land of Edom".

Answer: Gilead

According to Genesis 31:25, Jacob had pitched his tent in the mountains of Gilead after fleeing from Laban, his father-in-law. Scripture tells of Laban finding Jacob after seven days of pursuing him and having a frank and earnest discussion with him about their differences.

Scripture goes on to tell of the two men settling their differences and erecting a pile of stones to symbolize their friendship.

According to Wikipedia, Gilead was a mountainous region east of the Jordan River.

Answer: Gilboa

Saul and his three sons (Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishuarth) were killed by the Philistines on Mount Gilboa, according to 1 Samuel 31:1-6.

To prevent correction notices, it must be pointed out Saul committed suicide after he was severely wounded in battle. Scripture tells of Saul asking his armorbearer to "draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised men come and thrust me through and abuse me." According to Verse 3, Saul had been hit by archers, indicating at least two arrows hit him. When his armobearer refused to fulfil Saul's request, Scripture states he took his sword and fell on it, ending his life.

According to Wikipedia, Mount Gilboa, sometimes called the Mountains of Gelboe, is a mountain range overlooking the Jezreel Valley in northern Israel.

Answer: No name is given

No name is given for the mountain on which the transfiguration of Jesus took place. Matthew 17:1 in the NKJV simply says that Jesus took Peter, James and John and "led them up on a high mountain by themselves."

However, a number of scholars suspect the transfiguration took place on a spur of Mount Hermon which rises to about 9,400 feet above sea level, according to notes in the NKJV Study Bible.

Details about the transfiguration can be found in Matthew 17:1-3, Mark 9:2-13 and Luke 9:28-36. Reference to the transfiguration is also made in 2 Peter 1:17-18.

According to the accounts in the three Gospels, Moses and Elijah also appeared on the mountain with Jesus and three of His disciples.

Answer: Zion

Using the NKJV, Mount Zion is mentioned thirty-seven times in the Old and New Testaments, considerably more times than any other mountain. For example, Mount Sinai is mentioned twenty times and Mount Carmel nine times.

In the New Testament, Zion is used sometimes to denote the Church of God (Hebrews 12:22), and sometimes the heavenly city (Revelation 14:1). However, in the Old Testament, it often refers to Jerusalem.

In the NKJV Bible, the place name Zion appears more than 160 times in the Old Testament, but only seven times in the New Testament.

Answer: Mount of Olives

Jesus made the comment while nearing the descent from the Mount of Olives, according to Luke 19:37. Verse 40 states Jesus made the comment to the Pharisees that if the people who were singing His praises were silenced, "the stones would immediately cry out." It was all part of His triumphal entry into Jerusalem.

As Jesus entered the city riding on a colt, citizens showed immense adoration with some of them even spreading their clothes on the road. Scripture goes on to state "the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice... saying 'Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!'" The statement 'Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord' is seen as fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy, as per Psalm 118:26.

The Pharisees, however, were enraged by the show of affection with Luke 19:39 stating they told Jesus to rebuke His disciples.

Despite the massive show of affection, a short time later Jesus would be betrayed by Judas Iscariot, arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane and put on trial in what amounted to a kangaroo court. He would be mocked, humiliated, tortured and crucified with two common thieves only to rise triumphantly from the dead, according to the four Gospels.