In His Name Devotionals
ARE WE REALLY "PEOPLE OF THE BOOK"?
In His Name Devotionals
ARE WE REALLY "PEOPLE OF THE BOOK"?
A designation that was once used of Christians might be out of date and erroneous nowadays. Outsiders once called us “people of the book” to indicate the importance believers attached to the Bible. There was a confession of the Bible as the Word of God. More than that, there was serious study and widespread knowledge of its contents. What about today?
Let’s take a short Bible quiz...
1. Put the following events in chronological order: (a) flood, (b) crucifixion, (c) exodus, (d) Babylonian captivity, (e) Isaiah’s ministry.
2. Put the following characters in chronological order: (a) Solomon, (b) Sarah, (c) Rahab, (d) David, (e) Paul
3. Name the cities in which these events took place: (a) Jonah’s sermon on repentance, (b) Daniel’s life and ministry, (c) Jesus’ birth, (d) death of James, brother of John, (e) Paul’s first two-year imprisonment.
4. Name the book of the Bible in which these are first recorded: (a) Ten Commandments, (b) death of Moses, (c) background to the Jewish Feast of Purim, (d) Sermon on the Mount, (e) Paul’s account of a dispute with Peter.
5. Name the friend or working associate with whom we link the following: (a) Miriam, (b) Caleb, (c) Jonathan, (d) Titus, (e) Barnabas.
When Jay Leno moved through his audience one night, he checked on their Bible knowledge. “Name one of the Ten Commandments,” he said. “God helps those who help themselves?” someone asked.
“Name one of the apostles,” Leno challenged. Not one could be identified.
Then he asked if the people in his audience could name the Beatles. With one voice, the studio spectators shouted, “George, Paul, John, and Ringo!”
How would you have done with “The Tonight Show” quiz? How did you do with the one above? How much time do you spend with the Bible each week? Each day? If we really believe the Bible is the God-given record of heaven’s saving work on our behalf, how could anyone be careless about learning its contents?
Are you still a person of the Book?
Answers:
1: a, c, e, d, b;
2: b, c, d, a, e;
3: Nineveh, Babylon, Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Caesarea;
4: Exodus, Deuteronomy, Esther, Matthew, Galatians;
5: Moses, Joshua, David, Paul, Paul.
Grading Key:
23-25 correct—keep reading Scripture on your present schedule;
15-23—increase your reading schedule by 30 minutes a week;
below 15—a daily program of systematic Bible reading would be of great benefit.
