Old Testament Bible Exam Prep Questions Part III Flashcards
Which prophet used the calamity of a locust plague to call the people to repentance?
Joel
Which prophet announced that a new Elijah was to come before the Messiah?
Malachi
Which prophetic book tells us something about how the books were originally formed?
Jeremiah
T/F The prophets tend to be records of bizarre visions of other worldly creatures that are full of hidden meanings.
False
What is the general time frame of the Prophetic books?
8th-6th Century BC
T/F The prophets often spoke and acted in colorful ways in order to attract attention and make their messages clear.
False
What is the phrase that the prophets usually used to introduce their messages?
Thus Sayeth the Lord
Which of the prophetic books is often thought to have been written much later than the time it claims to be written?
Daniel
A forthteller is primarily one who….
Tells of Current Events
What are the common divisions of Isaiah made by contemporary scholars?
Chs. 1-39, 40-55, 56-66
What archaeological evidence implies Isaiah was a unified book?
Dead Sea Scrolls
According to tradition, how was Isaiah killed? By which King?
Sawed in Two; Manasseh
In what year did Isaiah’s ministry begin? (Date and event)
740 BC (Death of King Uzziah)
In which chapter is the sign of Immanuel are in Isaiah.
7
The oracles against the nations are in which chapters of Isaiah?
13-27
T/F: Isaiah looks ahead to the messianic age and a new king descended from Jereboam II.
False
Who was Isaiah’s father?
Amoz
What is the central theme of Isaiah?
God Himself
What are the three “historical settings” for Isaiah’s prophecies?
Assyrian Invasion, Babylonian Exile, Return from Exile
What is the image used for the nation of Israel in Isaiah 5?
A Vineyard
Which name means “a remnant shall return”?
Shear-jashub
Who did King Ahaz trust in, instead of God?
Assyria
When Isaiah began his ministry, the enemy, Assyria, was led by what king?
Tiglath-pileser III
What “two kings of the north” threatened Jerusalem in Isaiah 7-9?
Rezin and Pekah
T/F: The prophets frequently traveled to the other nations to deliver prophecies against them.
False
Which Assyrian king laid siege to Samaria?
Sennecherib
T/F: The most common nations addressed by the prophets were the Philistines, Moab, and Edom.
True
T/F Despite the length of Isaiah, the New Testament writers rarely quote from the book.
False
In Isaiah 40-55, the return from exile is described as a new….
Exodus
T/F God is offended by religious ritual if it conceals an empty heart.
True
Which phrase is used to describe God in Isaiah (see 5:18-19) ?
The Holy One of Israel
Which king’s death marks the beginning of Isaiah’s prophetic call?
Uzziah
What was the sign that Isaiah gave to Ahaz?
Sign of Immanuel
Who was king of Judah when the Assyrians invaded and threatened Jerusalem?
Hezekiah
Who was the king of the Assyrians who threatened Jerusalem?
Sennacherib
What were the two languages that the Assyrian representatives used when addressing the Jews?
Hebrew and Aramaic
When Hezekiah was about to die, he prayed for mercy and God granted him…
Fifteen more years
Who did Hezekiah entertain in chapter 39?
Envoys from Babylon
What did Hezekiah show these envoys? Did Isaiah approve of this?
His Riches; No
In the New Testament, who is the “voice crying in the wilderness”? (chapter 40)
John the Baptist
T/F There are significant differences between the Hebrew and Greek versions of Jeremiah.
True
Which version of Jeremiah is shorter, the Hebrew or the Greek?
Greek
Because of his difficult life, Jeremiah is sometimes called the ….
Weeping Prophet
T/F Jeremiah stresses God’s judgment on covenant infidelity as opposed to God’s determination to restore his people.
False
T/F The prophets Nahum, Haggai and Zephaniah all ministered about the same time as Jeremiah.
False
T/F King Zedekiah was committed to throwing off Assyrian rule.
False (Babylonian Rule)
Who was the governor of Judea who was assassinated after Jerusalem was destroyed?
Gedaliah
Where did Jeremiah lead the refugees after the fall of Jerusalem?
Egypt
According to Jeremiah 1:1, Jeremiah’s father was…
Hilkiah
Where did Jeremiah live when he was called to be a prophet?
Land of Benjamin
Who was king when Jeremiah began his ministry?
Josiah
What event marks the end of Jeremiah’s ministry?
Fall of Jerusalem
Which king of Judah tried to kill Jeremiah?
Jehoiakim
Who burned the scroll of the Word of the Lord?
Jehoiakim
Who served as Jeremiah’s scribe?
Baruch
When God confirmed Jeremiah’s call by touching his mouth, he was symbolically…
Clean
Why was Jeremiah considered a traitor?
He prophesied the destruction of the Temple
Who became king of Babylon about the same time as Jeremiah was called by God?
Nebuchadnezzar
How is Jerusalem described in chapter 2?
A Bride
When Jeremiah announces “disaster from the North”, to what nation is he referring?
Babylon
How can Israel “return to the Lord”? (4:1-4)
Circumcise their hearts
Where is Jeremiah when he delivers his condemnation of the people in chapter 7?
The Temple
What does Jeremiah do in order to demonstrate his mourning for Israel?
He Weeps
Why did Jeremiah describe the Valley of Hinnom as a “Valley of Slaughter?”
Child Sacrifice
What does the Lord tell Jeremiah to wear in chapter 13 – and what is the point of the illustration?
Dirty Underwear; Judah’s pride will cling to them like an intimate garment
Where does the Lord tell Jeremiah to go in chapter 18?
A Potter’s House
What does Jeremiah do with the pottery he purchases? What is the point of the illustration?
Smashes it; represents Israel being broken and shattered
How long was the captivity to last, according to Jeremiah? Why this long? (See chapter 25)
70 Years / 3 Generations
In contrast to the first part of the book, Jeremiah 30–33 contain words of…
Hope
Jeremiah said that the new covenant would be written on…
the heart
With whom is the New Covenant to be made?
the House of Israel and the House of Judah
What does Jeremiah purchase in order to show that the exiles would return to the land?
A Field
What does God promise in Jeremiah 33:3?
to reveal hidden things
How is the Messiah described in Jer 33?
A Branch
To what earlier passage is Jeremiah referring in 33:14- 18?
Chapter 31 (New Covenant)
How long did the siege of Jerusalem last?
3 Months
Where did some Jews not taken captive by Babylon seek refugee? (What is the name of their community?)
Egypt; Elephantine
What is Lamentations called in the Hebrew Bible?
Ekah
Lamentations contains a series of . . . .
Laments
T/F Despite the fact that Lam 1:1 states Jeremiah is author, scholars still debate the fact.
False
What event does Lamentations describe?
Destruction of Jerusalem
What is the key passage in the book? What do these verses express?
3:19-24; Mercy and Restoration (center verse of whole book)
T/F Lamentations is unique in the Hebrew Bible in that it disagrees with Deut 27-30 (the curses and blessings).
False
What other book in the Hebrew Bible states that Jeremiah “uttered a lament”?
2 Chronicles
A lament is express. . . .
formal grief in high literary style
What is the most likely date for the Book of Lamentations?
586-516 BC
What does the careful structure of the book of Lamentations indicate?
It was written intentionally
Among the common signs of mourning in the ancient world are …. (see 2:10)
Sack Cloth and Ashes
By the end of chapter 3, the writer is confident that the Lord will….
Punish their enemies
What does the name Ezekiel mean?
God strengthens
What was Ezekiel’s age when he is called and why is this significant?
30; it’s the age he became a priest
What are the range of dates for the ministry of Ezekiel?
593-571 BC
In what nation did Ezekiel minister?
Babylon
T/F When Ezekiel was taken captive, the Judean King Zedekiah was also taken to Babylon.
False
What is the chief concern (key theme) of Ezekiel?
Holiness of God and the sins of his people
What New Testament book is heavily influenced by Ezekiel?
Revelation
Which chapters contain a detailed description of renewed worship in a future temple?
40-48
At what place did Ezekiel have his first vision?
Chebar River
What did Ezekiel see in his first vision?
The Glory of God
What are the angelic beings described in chapter 1 called?
Cherubim
What did God tell Ezekiel to eat when he commissioned him? What is the point of this illustration?
A Scroll; God is putting his word in Ezekiel’s Mouth
What did Ezekiel do to symbolize the siege of Jerusalem (chapter 4)
Models Jerusalem being sieged using a brick
What did Ezekiel do to demonstrate the dividing of the people of God?
Shaves his head and throws his hair into the wind
Who does Ezekiel prophecy against in chapter 6?
The Land of Israel
What does Ezekiel see departing from the temple of the Lord?
The Glory of God
What idol were the women of Jerusalem mourning for in chapter 8?
Tammuz
How many elders did Ezekiel find practicing idolatry on the temple grounds?
70
When Ezekiel condemns the elders at the gate, who is it that lifts him up and places him at the gate?
The Hand of the Lord
What will God do for Israel in order to solve the problem of their idolatry? (See 11:16-25)
turn their hearts of stone to flesh
The city of Tyre is in what modern country?
Lebanon
Who does chapter 28 seem to describe?
Satan
T/F Tyre traded with Damascus to the east and Rhodes to the west.
True
What did Ezekiel say the name of the city would be? (See the last verse of the book)
The Lord is There
Ezekiel compared Pharaoh, king of Egypt, to a…. (see 29:1-5, 32:1-8).
Dragon
What is the image used in chapter 37 to illustrate the restoration of Israel in the future?
The Valley of Dry Bones
T/F Ezekiel 37 is a rare reference to resurrection in the Hebrew Bible.
True
Who are the great enemies of Israel in chapters 38-39?
Gog and Magog
In what year was Daniel taken into captivity?
605 BC
What is the river which ran through the ancient city of Babylon?
Euphrates
In what year was Babylon captured, and by whom?
539 BC; Cyrus of Persia
What is the central theme of Daniel?
God’s sovereignty over history and empires
Why do some scholars suggest that Daniel was written in the second century B.C.?
It has detailed prophecies about events in the 2nd Century BC and there are alleged historical inaccuracies with the 6th Century BC
In Nebuchadnezzar’s vision in chapter 2, what are the four metals and their interpretation (according to class, compare to the chart on ESVSB 1590)?
Gold (Head) = Babylonian Empire, Silver (Chest and Arms) = Medo-Persian Empire, Bronze (Middle and Thighs) = Greek Empire, Iron (Legs and Feet) = Roman Empire
The Book of Daniel is written in what two languages?
Hebrew and Aramaic
T/F Apocalypses use symbols and visions to describe how people receive spiritual understanding from heavenly beings.
False
T/F Biblical scholars generally agree about the meaning of the symbols in apocalyptic.
False
T/F Apocalyptic literature demonstrates that God has a plan and is in control of the future.
True
Who were the two divisions of the Greek Empire that battled for control of Palestine? (ESVSB 1611-1613 is excellent here)
Ptolemies and Seleucids
Who was the Greek ruler that persecuted the Jews, eventually causing a civil war that resulted in a period of independence for the Jews?
Antioches IV Epiphanes
What was Nebuchadnezzar ’s madness in Daniel 4?
He ate grass like an ox (lived like an animal)
How tall was Nebuchadnezzar’s golden idol?
Sixty Cubits (90 ft.)
The story of the fiery furnace is found in Daniel chapter…
3
Whom did Nebuchadnezzar order to worship the golden idol?
All peoples, nations, and languages
How does Nebuchadnezzar describe the “fourth man” in the fiery furnace?
Appearance like a son of the gods
What happens to Nebuchadnezzar in chapter 4?
He is humiliated (went mad) and restored by God
What were the words that were written on the wall in chapter 5, and what did they mean?
MENE, MENE, TEKEL, and PARSIN (God has numbered the days of the Kingdom, it has been weighed and found wanting, it is divided and given to Persia)
Who was the king who gave that banquet using the items taken from the Temple?
Belshazzar
Who was the king that made the command forbidding Daniel to pray?
Darius
In chapter 7, Daniel has a vision of four great….
Beasts
What does the Ram and the Goat likely represent in chapter 8?
Persia and Greece
Who interprets the vision of the Ram and the Goat for Daniel?
Gabriel
What did Daniel learn from reading the scroll of Jeremiah? (Chapter 9)
The Exile is Almost Over
According to the Maccabean View, when did the 70 weeks end?
Maccabean Revolt
According to the Dispensationalist view, when did the 70 weeks end?
Return of Jesus
What is the major difference between the Dispensationalist and Preterist views of the 70 weeks?
Dispensationalist = Future, Preterist = Past
Who is the “great prince” that defends Israel?
Michael
What is the “abomination that causes desolation”?
Antioches IV Epiphanes set up an idol/alter to Zeus in the Temple and set up sacrifices (likely swine)
How many books of the Old Testament are considered to be minor prophets?
12
To which kingdom is Hosea a prophet?
Judah (Kings = Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah)
Gomer was the wife of…
Hosea
What did the wife of Hosea do?
She was a whore/committed adultery
T/F The ultimate message of Hosea is that those who are punished by the Lord are completely without hope.
False
T/F Prostitution in the ancient world was often associated with the worship of fertility gods.
True
T/F Hosea is never really reconciled to his wife in the book.
False
Who was threatening Israel at the time of Hosea’s ministry?
Neo-Assyrian king Tiglath-pilesar III
Who was Hosea’s father?
Beeri
Who was king of Israel when Hosea began his ministry?
Jeroboam
What is the most likely date for the Book of Hosea?
720 BC
What do the names of Hosea’s children mean (Lo-ruhamah and Lo-ammi)?
Lo-ruhamah = “No Mercy”, Lo-ammi = “Not My People”
Because Israel has “sown the wind”, she will….
Reap the Whirlwind (bring a ruthless invader)
What kind of a plague did Joel describe as “the day of the Lord”?
Locusts
The name Joel means “the…”
Lord is God
The problem for dating Joel’s prophecy is that he does not mention….
Any Kings
What will the Lord “pour out” in the “last days?”
Spirit
What are some of the “signs” of the day of the Lord found in 2:10-11?
The earth quakes, heavens tremble, sun and moon are darkened, stars withdraw their shining
What does the Lord require the people do in 2:12-14?
Return to God
In what Valley will the Lord gather the nations, according to Joel 3?
Valley of Jehoshaphat (“Yahweh has Judged”)
The Book of Joel was written as early as…., or as late as….?
9th Century BC; 4th Century BC
When the Lord restores his people, the land will be restored. What are some of the metaphors used for this in chapter 3:17-21?
Mountains drip sweet wine, hills flow with milk and honey, fountain shall come forth
Amos worked in the town of…
Tekoa
Who was king of Israel and Judah when Amos ministered?
Israel = Jeroboam II, Judah = Uzziah
To which nation is the book primarily aimed?
Israel
What was one way Amos earned a living?
Breeding Sheep or Tending Sycamore Trees
What king is not mentioned in the Book of Amos?
Amaziah of Israel
What event occurred about two years after Amos’ prophecy?
Great Earthquake
Which prophet begins his book with the words …”The Lion roars from Zion…”
Amos
Which date is a likely range of years for Amos’ prophecy?
793-739 BC
For what reasons does Amos condemn the worship of Israel?
Religious behavior corrupted by sinful conduct / poor social justice
How many nations did Amos speak out against?
8
Amos compared the women of Israel to….
Cows of Bashan
What was in Amos’s vision that showed the high standard that God had for Israel? (See chapter 7)
Plumb Line (7:7-9)
Who was the priest of Bethel who accused Amos of treason?
Amaziah
“In that day” the Lord promises to repair / restore something. What is it, and what did it represent? (See chapter 9)
Booth (tent) of David; God’s future blessing through the line of David
T/F During Amos’s time as a prophet, Israel was suffering an economic depression.
False
On which nation did Obadiah focus his message?
Edom / Judah
Sela was the capital city of…
Edom / Judah
The Edomites were descendants of…
Esau
Obadiah speaks out against the Edomites because of their….
Siding with Foreign Invaders (vv. 10-14)
What does the name Obadiah mean?
“one who serves Yahweh”
Which date is the most likely for the ministry of Obadiah?
586-553 BC
What did the Edomites do when Judah was being destroyed by Babylon?
Took advantage of Judah’s plight
Who took over the Edomites in the 4th century B.C.?
Babylon
What city located between the Dead and Red Seas demonstrates the Edomites pride?
Sela
Who was the son of Amittai?
Jonah
In which tribal territory did Jonah live?
Zebulun
When God told Jonah to go to Nineveh, Jonah set out for…
Tarshish
Jonah ran from God because he…
Did not want to do God’s will
How far did Jonah have to travel to Nineveh?
500 Miles
Who was king when the story of Jonah took place?
Jeroboam II
Who is it that suggests that Jonah be tossed overboard?
Jonah
From what location does Jonah cry out to the Lord?
Belly of Sheol (near death) and Fish’s Belly
T/F Jonah preached that the Assyrians ought to repent and ask God’s forgiveness?
True
Who is it that suggests that the Assyrian people fast and mourn?
King of Nineveh
Why is Jonah angry with God in chapter 4?
God did not destroy Nineveh
When did Micah most likely minister?
720 BC
Micah lived in a town called….
Moresheth
The name Micah means….
“who is like Yahweh?”
Which prophet refers to Bethlehem as the birthplace of God’s ultimate king? What is the chapter / verse?
Micah; 5:2
What are the two cities to which the message of Micah was aimed?
Samaria and Jerusalem
T/F God would rescue his people and lead them to worship once again in Jerusalem.
True
T/F According to Micah, the leaders of Israel and Judah were fine, but the people were corrupt.
False
Micah is a contemporary of which other two biblical prophets?
Hosea and Isaiah
Who invaded Israel during Micah’s ministry?
Assyrian King Shalmaneser V
In the last days, what will be established by the Lord? (See chapter 4)
Mountain of the Lord
What will Israel do with their weapons in the last days?
Turn Swords into Plowshares (Micah 4:3) and Spears into Pruning Hooks
According to Micah 6:8, what does the Lord require?
Do justice, love kindness, walk humbly with your God
Which prophet was an Elkoshite?
Nahum
What does Nahum’s name mean?
“comfort”
Nahum’s prophecy was directed at what nation?
Assyria
What is the possible range of dates for the book of Nahum?
664-612 BC
Much of the wickedness in Nineveh centered around the worship of….
Ishtar
Nahum prophesied the sure destruction of what city?
Nineveh
In 1:2-3 there is a contrast of two aspects of God’s nature – what kind of God is he according to these verses?
Jealous, avenging, and wrathful
How is the city of Nineveh pictured in chapter 3?
Bloody City, Prostitute
Which prophet had a “prayer-filled conversation” with God?
Habakkuk
What was Habakkuk’s complaint to the Lord?
God does not seem to answer his prayers
The reference to Babylon in 1:6 indicates what date for the book?
Mid-late 7th Century
When did Babylon invade Judah to take Jehoiakim captive?
597 BC
What are the descriptions of God found in 1:12?
Everlasting, Holy, Rock
What is the metaphor used by Habakkuk to describe his waiting for God’s answer?
Watcher on Watch Tower
What is “shigionoth”?
A type of Psalm (perhaps a lament)
Zephaniah traced his ancestry back four generations and in it included…
Hezekiah
Who was king of Judah during Zephaniah’s ministry?
Josiah
Which nation was not included in Zephaniah’s list of nations that would be judged for their evil?
Egypt
What does the name “Zephaniah” mean?
“Yahweh has hidden/protected”
What are the two key messages of Zephaniah?
Day of the Lord = 1) Judgment on those who sin against God 2) Blessing for those who follow God
Who were the two kings of Judah that were known for practicing idolatry?
Amon and Manasseh
How effective was the revival of Josiah?
Totally ineffective following his death
T/F The promised destruction of Judah is compared to the flood of Noah.
False (they will be swept away)
Which two false gods are the people of Judah worshiping instead of the Lord?
Baal and Milcom
Where will the nation celebrate the Lord in the future?
Jerusalem/Zion
To whom did Babylon fall in 539 B.C.?
Persian Ruler Cyrus the Great
Which king encouraged the Jews to begin building Jerusalem again?
Cyrus the Great
Who was Haggai’s prophetic contemporary?
Zechariah
Another name for Zerubbabel is….
Sheshbazzar
Who was the high priest at the time of Haggai?
Joshua the Son of Jehozadak
In what year was the new temple finally completed?
515 BC
How does the Lord describe Zerubbabel in chapter 2?
Like a Signet Ring
Zerubbabel was descended from…
David
What does the name Zechariah mean?
“Yahweh has remembered”
How many “night visions” did Zechariah have?
8
Zechariah contains elements of what kind of literature?
Apocalyptic
In which New Testament book are there many references to the prophecy of Zechariah?
Revelation
What sections of Zechariah do some modern scholars doubt came from the prophet?
Zechariah 9-14
What are some reasons for this doubt?
The style and context are different (showing similarities to Malachi)
In Zechariah’s vision of four horns and four craftsmen, the craftsmen represented…
God’s forces against the nations
What does the measuring of Jerusalem represent?
New Jerusalem
Why is Satan standing before God in chapter 3?
Accusing Joshua the High Priest
What does Zechariah see in 5:1-4?
A Flying Scroll
What does the woman in the basket represent?
Wickedness
In Zechariah 6:9–15 the Lord through Joshua prophesies that the temple would be built by…
The man whose name is the Branch (see Jeremiah 33;15)
Why did the people fast in the fifth and seventh month?
Fifth Month = this is the month that the Temple in Jerusalem had been destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar 70 years earlier, Seventh Month = this is the month of the assassination of Gedaliah
How is the prophecy in 9:9-10 fulfilled in the New Testament?
Matthew 21:5 and John 12:15
What is the description of the leadership of Judah in 11:4-17? Who will be the true shepherd?
Shepherds; Jesus Christ
In what place will the Lord touch his feet on the Day of the Lord? What will happen when he does this?
Mount of Olives; The mountain will be split in two creating a valley
From what place will the “river of life” flow out after the Day of the Lord?
Jerusalem
Malachi’s name means “my…”
Messenger
Which date for the ministry of Malachi is most probable?
Mid-5th Century
T/F The Lord says he hated Esau.
True
How were the priests to be disgraced?
Cursed and Covered in Dung
Malachi says that Judah has been unfaithful in what ways in chapter 2:10-16?
Profaned the sanctuary of the Lord / married the daughter of a foreign god and cover the alter of the Lord with tears
Malachi condemned the priests because they offered improper sacrifices. What was wrong with them?
Blind, Lame, Sick
What are the two images of the Day of the Lord in 3:2?
Refiner’s Fire and Fuller’s Soap
According to Malachi, how are the people robbing God?
Not Tithing as Required
Who does Malachi say will return in the last days?
Elijah the Prophet
Who is said to have fulfilled that prophecy in the New Testament?
John the Baptist
