Bible Trivia Devotional (eBook)

JANUARY

JANUARY 1

A NEW CREATION

Once we have given our lives to Jesus Christ, we are each a new creation. The old things we once considered the most important have been replaced by what God thinks is most important. The old paths we used to take have been rerouted by Jesus. The old desires of our hearts, the old focus of our eyes, the old worries of our souls, have all passed way, and the goals of God for us are alive.

The year ahead is a set of 365 days of opportunity to live in the newness of God. We are reborn because of Jesus. We are renewed through his death and resurrection. Our sins are forgiven. Our lives are redeemed. His Spirit is working in us and promises to continue working in us until the day we are fully complete.

If anyone is in Christ, this person is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

2 CORINTHIANS 5:17 NASB

What new thing would you like Jesus to do in your life this year? Take time to dedicate this to the Lord in prayer.

Answer: new creation; new things have come

JANUARY 2

MEANING OF BABEL

The people who settled in the ancient plain of Shinar (in what today is the country of Iraq) had grown pretty confident in themselves. To highlight their own sense of greatness they conspired to build a city and a tower that reached as high as the heavens. In doing so, they planned to expand their reputation across the earth as the central gathering place for all people. Their egotistical vision was arrogant against God’s authority and ignorant of God’s glory.

The Lord challenged them. It’s as if he said, “You think you are great, do you? Well, let’s see what happens if I disrupt your communication.” He confused their language which meant that the people could no longer understand one another. These arrogant, ignorant people were quickly thrown into such disorder that they scattered and went their own ways. Their building projects were halted. Their arrogance was humiliated. Their ignorance was revealed.

Its name was called Babel, because there the LORD confused the language of all the earth. And from there the LORD dispersed them over the face of all the earth.

GENESIS 11:9 ESV

What areas of pride in your life do you need to submit to God?

Answer: true

JANUARY 3

A NEW NAME

Abram was a very old man when God changed his name. Interestingly, his original name, Abram, meant “exalted father,” but Abram had no children. He and his wife were barren. He was a son to his dad, Terah, and he was an uncle to his nephew, Lot, but Abram’s name was a misnomer. It was a mocking reminder that he was not the father of anyone.

God wanted to do something miraculous. He wanted to reveal his remarkable plan of salvation for the world by turning Abram’s ironic name into a truly exalted one. God turned the name of Abram into Abraham, which meant the “father of many.” He promised Abraham that he would become very fruitful, that nations would descend from him, that kings would come from him, and that his off-spring would bless all people on earth. Soon after his name change, Abraham’s son Isaac was born. From Isaac came Jacob. From Jacob came Judah and all eleven of the other tribes of Israel. And from Judah’s lineage came David. And from David’s lineage, came Jesus, the promised Savior of the world.

“No longer will you be called Abram, but your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of a multitude of nations.”

GENESIS 17:5 NIV

What does Abraham’s name change tell you about God’s long-range plan for the world?

Answer: D) Abram

JANUARY 4

BREAD FROM HEAVEN

The Hebrew word manna means, “What is it?” When God rained manna down in the desert, the Israelites had trouble comprehending this mysterious wafer-like bread. But the Lord had promised to take care of Israel during their years wandering in the desert. He provided enough quail and manna for everyone to eat every day. He simply wanted Israel to trust him to provide.

Later, Jesus would instruct his followers to pray for their daily bread (Matthew 6:11). He would also reveal that he is the true bread from heaven (John 6:32) and the living bread that came down from heaven (v. 51). Again, the Lord wants people to trust him and turn to him for both the daily needs of life and for life everlasting.

When the dew had gone up, there was on the face of the wilderness a fine, flake-like thing, fine as frost on the ground. When the people of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the LORD has given you to eat…Now the house of Israel called its name manna. It was like coriander seed, white, and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey.

EXODUS 16:14-15, 31 ESV

My Father in heaven, give me this day my daily bread. Let me trust you for everything I truly need.

Answer: What is it?

JANUARY 5

PAYMENT FOR BETRAYAL

When it seemed like the crowds were starting to turn against Jesus, Judas decided to capitalize on the moment. He met Israel’s leaders in order to make a plan to turn Jesus over to them and, in turn, to benefit financially from the transaction. And his plan worked. Later that week while sharing the Passover meal with Jesus and his disciples in the upper room of a house in Jerusalem, Judas left to alert the leaders. Judas led a mob with swords and clubs to arrest Jesus and delivered him into the hands of the high council.

When Jesus was sentenced to be executed on a cross, Judas realized he had sinned and deeply regretted what he had done. He was so distraught that he “brought back the thirty pieces of silver” and threw down the money into the temple. He then went and hanged himself (Matthew 27:3-5).

One of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?”

And they paid him thirty pieces of silver.

MATTHEW 26:14-15 ESV

Why did his betrayal of Jesus disturb Judas so deeply? Ponder this and take a moment to pray for strength to remain faithful to Jesus today.

Answer: thirty pieces of silver

JANUARY 6

OTHER STONES

The account of David’s victory over the giant, Goliath, is one of the most famous stories ever told. It is a story that is meant to show that God is more powerful than any man, any army, or any weapon. It is a story that teaches us to stand up for God, even when the odds seem frightfully stacked against us.

First Samuel 17 records the moment: “As Goliath moved closer to attack, David quickly ran out to meet him. Reaching into his shepherd’s bag and taking out a stone, he hurled it with his sling and hit the Philistine in the forehead. The stone sank in, and Goliath stumbled and fell face down on the ground. David triumphed over the Philistine that day with only a sling and a stone, for he had no sword” (vv. 48-50). David believed in God. He never even needed the other four stones in his bag. With God, he only needed the one.

He picked up five smooth stones from a stream and put them into his shepherd’s bag. Then, armed only with his shepherd’s staff and sling, he started across the valley to fight the Philistine.

1 SAMUEL 17:40 NLT

What battle are you facing today? If you saw the situation from God’s point of view, how might that change the way you approached the struggle?

Answer: four

JANUARY 7

PAUL SHIPWRECKED

Paul had been arrested and imprisoned for preaching about Jesus. As a Roman citizen, he appealed to Caesar and was eventually sent under armed guard by ship to Rome to await a trial. During a long, difficult journey, a violent storm overcame their ship. Trying to stay afloat, they threw most of their cargo overboard and even began stripping off the heavy equipment from the ship itself. For two weeks, the storm drove the 276 people onboard the ship across the Adriatic Sea. Eventually the fierce waves and winds pushed them against a reef and started to break the ship apart.

The soldiers wanted to kill all the prisoners including Paul in order to keep them from escaping, but the centurion assigned to Paul wanted to keep Paul alive. He commanded everyone to...