Lift Up Your Head! Trivia Quiz

Answer: Sword

The prophet Micah was active between 742 and 687 BC and lived around the same time as the prophets Hosea, Isaiah, and Amos. He was from an agricultural town so a farming reference is not surprising. His prophecies were divided into three parts:

-the condemnation against Samaria and Judah because of the sins of the people;
-the future punishment that the Assyrian armies would inflict; and
-the hope for a restoration of Israel after their repentance.

This is a picture of world peace. Bible commentators suggest that this prophecy is yet to be fulfilled and relates to the last days, either when the Messiah reigns on earth, or when Christ reigns over his kingdom in heaven. It speaks of a time when the nations will bring their disputes to him as a righteous judge, and not resort to the use of weapons of war, going about their daily tasks, growing food and living in contentment with a perfect judge in control.

Condemnation, punishment, and hope for restoration repeat throughout the book, and reliably follow each other. Later in the book it speaks of a promise of a ruler from Bethlehem who will rescue the people: "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times." The people at the time of Jesus believed that he fulfilled this prophecy, as evidenced by the quote in Matthew 2:6.

Picture hint: The word Gladiolus comes from the Latin for a sword

Answer: Needy

Israelites sang a collection of psalms, known as Hallel (sometimes called the Egyptian Hallel), at particular festivals, the most notable of which was the Passover. Psalms 113 to 118 form the Hallel grouping. At Passover it was customary to sing Psalms 113 and 114 before the feast of the Passover. Psalm 113 talks about the fact that, despite being worthy of worship, God still loves and cares for the people of the earth, and mercifully gives renewed hope despite seemingly hopeless circumstances. He is a powerful and faithful God who is able to do the things he promises. This section is echoed in the Beatitudes in Matthew 5 where, in verse 3, Jesus says "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" and in verse 6: "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied."

Picture hint: Picture of a person in need, begging

Answer: Face

I love the imagery in this verse. It's like a flower that turns its face to the sun; Job, going through immense suffering, starts to complain to God. Eliphaz, the son of Esau and Adah, was the principal of the three friends who visited Job during the period of his sufferings. When Job started to complain, Eliphaz told Job should turn with confidence to his God and instead of sufferings, enjoy the rewards and blessing of being God's child. Barnes, in his 'Notes on the Bible' suggests that "We hang our face down when we are conscious of guilt; we bow the head in adversity.... we have evidence that we are the children of God, we look up toward heaven."

Picture hint: Clock face

Answer: Hand

In chapter 49 of Isaiah, the disappointment of God's people is dealt with, along with their fear that he will forget them or no longer use them. The verses from 18-23 talk about an afflicted widow whose children have deserted her. This could be a picture of the church waiting for all of God's children to be saved. It indicates God will call a people to himself and will rule over them (the allusion to the standard) and that he can never forget his children, despite their unworthiness.

Picture hint: Hand of bananas

Answer: Staff

In this familiar passage, the Israelites are being told to wait on God - but they had Pharoah's army behind them and the Red Sea in front. They said to Moses: "It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!" (verse 12). Moses told them to stand firm and see what God would do. God told Moses to raise his staff over the water; the wind blew, and the water parted; the Israelites went through on dry ground. The following Egyptians were drowned as the waters closed up again.

Picture hint: Musical staff

Answer: Cake

Chapter 15 of Numbers is concerned mostly with sacrifice, in which God repeats and clarifies some of the laws regarding offerings. He explains that he chooses to be reconciled to his people despite their wrongdoing. The act of sacrifice shows that the person is aware of their transgression and wants to show God they are grateful for his forgiveness. This is another of the 'first fruits' sacrifices - setting aside the first and best portion before using the rest. In this case, it was cakes made of dough; first fruits were also wheat, fruits and ears of corn. The first fruit is brought with joy and recognition of the provision of God; in turn God blesses with abundance.

Picture hint: Cake of soap

Answer: Ark

In Genesis chapter 6, God commands Noah to build an ark as he plans to destroy the world because of its wickedness. One hundred years or so later, the ark is finished, the animals arrive, and the door is shut. The "waters increased," and raised up the ark until it floated - the subject of this question. The Hebrew word translated 'increased' means that the waters grew strong and likely very rough. The highest mountains were covered by the rain that poured down for 40 days. Once the rain stopped, the waters covered the earth for another 110 days. After the water receded and the ark was opened, those inside were able to step safely onto the ground. The ark is a type of Christ, a means of rescue for those who heed what God says.

Picture hint: Arc de Triomphe

Answer: Eyes

Psalm 121 speaks of the longing believers have to be in the Lord's presence. The mountains in this psalm likely refer to Mount Zion, the seat of God's throne, and represent 'home' for the child of God living as a foreigner in a distant land. Ultimately, for a believer in Christ, it means being home in heaven. The psalmist acknowledges God's help and his confidence in God as he travels through life.

Picture hint: snake eyes on dice

Answer: The Lord

Uzziah (called Azariah in 2 Kings 15) began his reign at age 16, reigned 52 years, and, according to 2 Chronicles 26:3-4, "did what was right in the eyes of Yahweh." He died around 742 B.C, the year that Isaiah had the vision of the Lord enthroned in the temple. There are numerous similar references in the Bible representing the Lord as a king (among them 1 Kings 22:19; Ezekiel 43:7; Jeremiah 17:12), and this verse suggests the grandeur of God compared with the insignificance of man. The apostle John in John 12:41 says that it was Jesus whose glory Isaiah saw, and the vision related to his future kingdom.

Picture hint: Lord of the Rings

Answer: Heads

The Bible talks about 'signs of the times' in various situations, what to look for and what is to come. In this case, Jesus is speaking in Luke 21 and he talks about the rise of conflict in verse 21: "nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom" and that people will claim to be the Messiah, in verse 8: "See to it that you are not misled; for many will come in my name, saying, 'I am He'". In this chapter, Jesus also talks about disturbances in the heavens. The great hope among these fearful times is in verse 28: "But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near." Of course, this passage is interpreted in different ways by different scholars. Spurgeon says: "This passage refers, in the first place, to the siege of Jerusalem and in its second and yet fuller meaning, to the coming of the Lord." Matthew Henry suggests "the destruction of Jerusalem....would be a type and figure of Christ's second coming" and exhorts believers to remain faithful. For me, the reminder to 'straighten up' and to be aware of coming redemption is both instructive and encouraging.

Picture hint: People's heads