OLD TESTAMENT LESSON #4

Question 1

1. The Hebrew Bible contains only three books that belong within the genre of Wisdom literature:
   _____, _____, _____.

Answer 1

Job
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes

Question 2

2. Wisdom literature takes a very _______ approach than the other materials in Scripture. It does not talk about God’s ______ in the fate of _______ or in the broad sweeps of history. Rather, it deals with daily life and gives instructions about how to have a good life.

Answer 2

different
actions
nations

Question 3

3. Wisdom writers _____ the word of God in a way different than the way God speaks through _____. They do not claim to speak for God but rather impart helpful _____ as they pass on their insights about life. They believe their observations will help others understands the _____ and have a good life.

Answer 3

discern
prophets
advise
world

Question 4

4. Writers of Wisdom literature rely on what theologians call “_______,” which is knowledge of God a person can discern from ______ the world. They recognize that things do not always work as they should and that the world is an uncertain place, but insists that God _____ the world and remains in _____ with it.

Answer 4

“general revelation”
observing
loves
contact

Question 5

5. The real function of the book of Job is to raise the question of why____ things happen to _____ people. This is what theologians call ______.

Answer 5

bad
good
theodicy

Question 6

6. Sumney seems to hold the position that Job is not a _______ character but one designed to highlight the particular point the author wants to make. To him, the story is more like the _______ that Jesus tells in the Gospels teaching a lesson by using a ______ character.

Answer 6

historical
parables
fictional

Question 7

7. In the story of Job, God _____ Satan to devastate Job’s _____, killing his _____, and inflicting him with ____. Then Job’s friends come to visit, representing and arguing for the notion that _____ things happen to people only when they have done _____.

Answer 7

allows
property
children
boils
bad
evil

Question 8

8. In all of his troubles, Job remains _____ to God, even while _____ God, and to living a _____ life.

Answer 8

faithful
challenging
righteous

Question 9

9. In the end, the book proclaims that God is beyond human ______. We cannot always ______ what happens to people by ______ at whether they live as God requires.

Answer 9

comprehension
explain
looking

Question 10

10. When the righteous suffer, they must remain _____. Faith is not a resignation or cowering before God. Faith _____ God and _____ God in genuine _____, even debate. No matter what troubles a person may endure, the proper response is to remain ______.

Answer 10

faithful
trusts
engages
conversation
faithful

Question 11

11. There is no story line to the book of Proverbs. It contains simply ______ with which to ______ one’s life. They are a series of ______ to help readers guide their lives as long as one reads them at the ______ moment.

Answer 11

a collection of proverbial sayings
guide
generalizations
right

Question 12

12. The collection of proverbs is not _____ but are sometimes arranged by _____ and sometimes by the author. In totality, the book tries to persuade readers to ______ a particular way of living the life that _____the world God has made rather than enforce it through ______.

Answer 12

random
topic
adopt
fits
threats

Question 13

13. Ecclesiastes opens by identifying the author as “the son of David, king in Jerusalem, which most take to mean ______ who is giving advice about how to understand ______.

Answer 13

Solomon
life

Question 14

14. A repeated refrain throughout the text of Ecclesiastes is “_________.”
    The NIV translates the word “vanity” as “_______” (1:2). It is the writer’s poetic way of saying that life is absurd.

Answer 14

“Vanity of vanities, all is vanity”
meaningless

Question 15

16. The book of Esther never mentions _____. Despite that silence, the book seems to believe in divine ______ and divine ______.

Answer 15

God
providence
justice

Question 16

17. The story of Esther provides the basis for the Jewish feast of ______. It is the only Jewish festival that is not a _______ celebration. It commemorates the escape of Jews from a _______ (an organized massacre of a specific ethnic group) in the time of Babylonian exile.

Answer 16

Purim
religious
pogrom

Question 17

18. A contest is set up to select a new queen of _______ after emperor Ahasuerus’ wife publicly disobeys him. A Jewish member of the court by the name of ________ is the foster parent of _________, who wins the contest and is told to keep her Jewish identity concealed. Mordecai hears of a plot to assassinate the emperor and saves the emperor by reporting it.

Answer 17

Persia
Mordecai
Esther

Question 18

19. Mordecai makes an enemy of a powerful official named ________ and refuses to bow down to him when he passes by. _______ decides to get revenge by not only killing Mordecai, but all the Jewish people and tricks the king into signing an irrevocable _______ that sets a day when everyone throughout the empire was allowed to kill jews and take their possessions.

Answer 18

Haman
Haman
decree

Question 19

20. The casting of ______ was determined to be the means of deciding the day the massacre would take place. The holiday ______ gets its name from this act.

Answer 19

lots
Purim

Question 20

21. Mordecai hears of the ______ and goes to _____ who has not heard the news even though she lives in the palace and is reluctant to act. Mordecai warns her that she and her family will die unless she acted. Now Esther stops being a ______ character in the story and becomes the ______ force in the events that follow.

Answer 20

decree
Esther
passive
dominant

Question 21

22. Esther goes to the king, who receives her graciously. She invites the king and his advisor _______, the enemy of the Jews, to a ________ the next day. He accepts the invitation.

Answer 21

Haman
banquet

Question 22

23. The night before the banquet, Haman becomes newly enraged at Mordecai for not ______and builds a _____ gallows on which to hang him.

Answer 22

bowing
seventy-five-foot

Question 23

24. At the same time, Ahasuerus couldn’t sleep and requested the royal record of the last few years read to him. He is reminded that ______ saved his life and has never properly been thanked. The king summons ______ and asks him what he should do to honor someone. Haman proposes an elaborate public proclamation with the person wearing a ______ and riding the king’s _______.

Answer 23

Mordecai
Hamman
crown
horse

Question 24

25. Ahasuerus agrees with the proclamation and tells Haman to do that for _______ and perform the humiliating act of _____ the procession. Then the messengers arrive, taking him to Esther’s banquet.

Answer 24

Mordecai
leading

Question 25

26. At the banquet, the king again asks ______ what it is she requests. She asks him to let her and her people live because there is a plot to kill them. _______ desires to know who would do such a thing. Esther points across the table to ______.

Answer 25

Esther
Ahasuerus (king)
Haman

Question 26

27. Immediately ______ is hanged on the gallows that he had built to hang _______. Then the king gives all of Haman’s possessions to Mordecai and ______ him to the position that formerly was held by Haman.

Answer 26

Haman
Mordecai
elevates

Question 27

28. A new decree is issued that allowed the Jews to _______ and ______ themselves with the ability to kill anyone who tries to do them harm. With this new decree and Mordecai in such a high position no one dared to harm the Jews. Then Mordecai sends a letter to ______ throughout the Persian Empire telling them to remember this day. The _______ is a custom to commemorate these events and is still celebrated today.

Answer 27

assemble
arm
Jews
Purim