Match These Old Testament Characters -- #17 Quiz

Answer: Earthquake

After experiencing an earthquake, as well as a major wind storm and fire, Scripture says Elijah heard "a still small voice". The voice was that of God giving Elijah divine instructions. One of the instructions was to anoint Elisha as a prophet to replace himself.

Incidentally, the wind in 1 Kings 19:12 is described as being "great" and "strong". It was that and very much more, as Scripture says the wind was so powerful it "tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces". No details are given in Scripture about the intensity of the earthquake and the fire. One can only imagine.

Answer: Exiled to Nod

According to Scripture, Cain was exiled by God to the land of Nod and had a mark put on him after he killed his brother Abel. Genesis 4:11-12, in the NKJV, tells of the LORD making the following statement to Cain: "So now you are cursed from the earth, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. When you till the ground, it shall no longer yield its strength to you. A fugitive and a vagabond you shall be on the earth." Verse 16 tells of Cain dwelling "in the land of Nod, east of Eden."

Christiananswers.net offers this interpretation of Cain's punishment: "For this crime, from that day on he led the life of an exile, bearing upon him some mark which God had gave him in answer to his cry for mercy. This may have served as a protection from the wrath of his fellow men, or it may be that God only gave him some sign to assure him that he would not be slain (Genesis 4:15). Doomed to be a wanderer and a fugitive in the earth, he went forth into the 'land of Nod,' i.e., the land of 'exile', which is said to have been in the 'east of Eden', and there he built a city, the first we read of, and called it after his son's name, Enoch. Six generations of Cain's descendants are listed in the Bible. They gradually degenerated in their moral and spiritual condition till they became completely corrupt before God. Eventually, the Deluge was sent by God to prevent the final triumph of evil."

Answer: Er

According to Scripture, Tamar's first husband was Er, the son of Judah, and he was put to death by the LORD. However, little in the way of details are given about the man and why he was put to death. He was the first-born son. Genesis 38:6-7, in the NKJV, states: "Then Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. But Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD, and the LORD killed him."

The 38th chapter of Genesis goes on to tell of Er's younger brother being married to Tamar and also being put to death by the LORD.

Answer: Sons of Aaron

Nadab and Abihu were the sons of Aaron and according to Exodus 28:1 they served as priests. However, they met a horrific end as Scripture states they were "devoured" by fire from the LORD for offering "profane fire" in the tabernacle of meeting. (The NIV states the men were killed because they offered "unauthorized fire".)

According to Leviticus 10:1, fire from the LORD "devoured" Nadab and Abihu after they both took a censer, put fire in it and put incense on it and then offered profane fire before the LORD.

Leviticus 10:1-3, in the NKJV, explains things this way: "Then Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it, put incense on it, and offered profane fire before the LORD, which He had not commanded them. So fire went out from the LORD and devoured them, and they died before the LORD. And Moses said to Aaron, 'This is what the Lord spoke, saying:
'By those who come near Me
I must be regarded as holy;
And before all the people
I must be glorified.'
So Aaron held his peace."

Answer: Afflicted with leprosy

After having an altercation with no less than 80 priests of the LORD, Scripture tells of Uzziah being afflicted with leprosy until the day he died.

Scripture states he became king at the tender age of 16 and started well. However, after Uzziah became powerful, his pride apparently led to his downfall. Similar to other kings, Uzziah was unfaithful to the LORD, Scripture states. He was afflicted with leprosy after he had an altercation with 80 priests of the LORD in the sanctuary of the temple of the LORD.

2 Chronicles 26:19-20, in the NKJV Bible, states: "Then Uzziah became furious; and he had a censer in his hand to burn incense. And while he was angry with the priests, leprosy broke out on his forehead, before the priests in the house of the LORD, beside the incense altar. And Azariah the chief priest and all the priests looked at him, and there, on his forehead, he was leprous; so they thrust him out of that place. Indeed he also hurried to get out, because the LORD had struck him."

Answer: Keturah

Abraham married Keturah, probably after Sarah's death. According to the Web site Christiananswers.net, Keturah means 'incense'. She bore six sons for Abraham. The six sons were sent away by Abraham to "the country of the east."

Genesis 25:1-6, in the NKJV, explains things this way: "Abraham again took a wife, and her name was Keturah. And she bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. Jokshan begot Sheba and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, Letushim, and Leummim. And the sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abidah, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah. And Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac. But Abraham gave gifts to the sons of the concubines which Abraham had; and while he was still living he sent them eastward, away from Isaac his son, to the country of the east."

Answer: Loveless marriage

Leah was the first wife of Jacob and there is no disputing the fact she lived in a marriage with little, or no love. It seems the only reason Jacob married her is the fact he was tricked into doing so, as per Genesis 29.

Jacob agreed to work for seven years for Laban if he could marry his younger daughter Rachel. However, at the end of seven years, Laban gave Jacob his older daughter Leah in marriage, saying "it is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older one." So, Jacob agreed to work an additional seven years for Rachel's hand.

Genesis 29:31-32, in the NKJV Bible, states Leah was part of a loveless marriage. The passage states: "When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren. So Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben; for she said, 'The LORD has surely looked on my affliction. Now therefore, my husband will love me.'" It was wishful thinking by Leah that she would be loved by Jacob after giving birth to Reuben. Scripture indicates nothing changed at all.

Answer: Reuel or Jethro

The first wife of Moses was Zipporah the daughter of Reuel (also known as Jethro) and she gave birth to two sons, Gershom and Eliezer.

According to the Website Christiananswers.net, Zipporah means 'female bird'.

She was the daughter of Reuel, who is also known as Jethro in Scripture. According to Exodus 2, Moses met Zipporah in Midian where he had fled after killing an unnamed Egyptian man.

Answer: Orphan

According to Scripture, Esther's original name was Hadassah and she was an orphan before she was adopted by her cousin Mordecai.

According to 'The Bible Story', a ten-volume set of books written by Arthur S. Maxwell, Hadassah was the Hebrew name for Myrtle. After she was adopted by Mordecai, she was given the Persian name Esther, which means star. "You can recognize it in the word 'asteroid,' which is a very little star, and in 'aster,' the lovely star-like flower," Maxwell writes. "In Babylon, the morning and the evening stars were worshipped as gods under the name 'Ishtar'."

Answer: Hid prophets

According to 1 Kings 18:3, Obadiah was in charge of King Ahab's household. And while Ahab and his wife Jezebel worshipped false gods, 1 Kings 18:3 states Obadiah "feared the LORD greatly".

1 Kings 18:3-19 tells of Elijah and Obadiah meeting followed by a another meeting between Elijah and Ahab. According to Verse 13, Obadiah "hid one hundred men of the LORD'S prophets, fifty to a cave, and fed them with bread and water."