“Do not scoff at prophecies, but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good.”
1 Thessalonians 5:20-21
Test everything that is said….I’ve always heard, one of the best ways to test whether or not something in your life is from God, is to start by comparing it with His Word. He will never contradict Himself!
I have found this to be applicable in so many areas of my own life!
In the spirit of Christmas and as a fun example, test your knowledge of the Christmas story with these 10 questions:
Read the questions carefully and no peeking in your Bible until after you answer them!!
1.) The angel Gabriel appeared to Joseph in a dream announcing that Mary would become pregnant by the Holy Spirit
True or False?
2.) Both Mary and Joseph were told that His name would be Jesus
True or False?
3.) What animal did Mary ride on from Nazareth to Bethlehem?
4.)What is the name of Jesus’s earthly grandfather?
A – Simeon
B – Jacob
C – Zechariah
D – Eli
5.) The innkeeper told Mary and Joseph
A – “There is no room”
B – “You can stay in the stable”
C – Just B
D – Both A and B
E – The Bible doesn’t say
6.) Jesus was born in a stable
True or False?
7.) A heavenly host appeared to the shepherds, singing of the Savior’s birth
True or False?
8.) The wise men were kings who traveled from the East
True or False?
9.) There were three wise men who brought gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh
True or False?
10.) What animals were present at Jesus’ birth?
A – donkey and ox
B – sheep
C – Both A and B
D – The Bible doesn’t say
Answer key:
1.) False – Gabriel appeared to Mary but the name of the angel who appeared in Joseph’s dream is not mentioned.
2.) True
3.) The Bible does not say Mary rode an animal.
4.) Jacob
5.) The Bible does not even mention an innkeeper!
6.) The Bible does not say Jesus was born in a stable…it is believed to have been in a cave or the bottom part of the house which was used to keep animals.
7.) False – Angels are never recorded in the Bible to be ‘singing’.
8.) False – The wise men or ‘magi’, referring to a Persian religious caste, did bring the three gifts, but they were not kings. They are also known as priests or astrologers.
9.) False – The Bible does not mention the number of wise men, but refers to more than one.
10.) The Bible doesn’t say. It is assumed, because Jesus was placed in a manger that animals were present, but it does not specifically name any.
Were you surprised with the amount of information we associate with the Christmas story that is not actually recorded in the Bible?
To me, this is another reminder that sometimes we as humans tend to fill in our own interpretations of what God is speaking, teaching, working and calling us to in life instead of confirming through His resources!
Sometimes, we just need to open up the Bible and let His Word speak to us in a new and refreshing way…no assumptions.
What voices/beliefs/areas of life are you believing and acting upon without testing and comparing against the truth of God’s Word?
P.S. Don’t believe some of the quiz answers are true? I was going to give the references for each answer, but decided it could be more fun for you to check out the story in your Bible and look up the answers yourself! =)
Happy reading!
