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Can You Guess Who’s Who?

Welcome to our challenge! We'll test your knowledge and attention to detail with a guessing game we’ve created. Your task is to dive into the fascinating lives of figures from Scripture and uncover their identities through a series of elusive and cryptic clues. Get ready to piece together the mystery and deepen your understanding of these remarkable lives. Let’s begin!

Clue Set 1:
1: My early years were marked by a dual heritage. 
2: I could be impatient, which was why I struck a rock twice. 
3: My final resting place was concealed and remains unknown.

Clue Set 2:
1: My journey began with familial discord and a special item that contributed to significant changes in my life’s trajectory, involving betrayal and relocation.
2: I was sold for twenty pieces of silver.
3: I stored grain.

Clue Set 3:
1: My name means "rest" or "comfort."
2: I cursed my grandson.
3: I lived through a lengthy period of significant redefinition and reestablishment that was influenced by a change in the conditions and structures of my world.

Clue Set 4:
1: I performed a significant act of healing that involved a ritual and a notable figure from outside the usual religious community. 
2: I sought refuge in a brook where I was sustained by an unusual source.
3: I experienced a unique departure from my earthly existence. 

Clue Set 5:
1: As a child, I slept near the Ark of the Covenant.
2: God called to me in the night, marking the onset of my prophetic ministry. 
3: My early years were marked by a significant vow made by my mother, which involved a lifelong commitment that influenced my role in a sacred institution.

Clue Set 6:
1: I faced a significant challenge involving a law that targeted my religious practices.
2: My contributions included revealing the meaning behind enigmatic symbols and dreams, which were integral to understanding future events and political shifts.
3: I spent a night in a place of extreme peril and miraculous preservation.

Clue Set 7:
1: My life was marked by the promise of numerous descendants, despite initial doubts and long years of waiting for this promise to be fulfilled.
2: My two sons represented different paths and promises. 
3: My faith was tested with an unthinkable sacrifice. 

Clue Set 8:
1: My first husband and I moved to a foreign land with his family during a famine, where both he and his brother died.
2: My life included a notable interaction that led to a significant change in status and circumstance and influenced the continuity of a particular family line.
3: My story is read during a Jewish festival that celebrates the giving of the Torah.

Clue Set 9:
1: My birth was foretold by an angel who instructed my mother on the specific vows I was to follow.
2: I riddled a riddle that led to a dispute.
3: My most trusted confidant led to my downfall. 

Clue Set 10:
1: I established a lasting memorial at a notable crossing point.
2: I led my people to perform a covenant renewal ceremony on two mountains. 
3: I was responsible for distributing portions of land among my people.

Clue Set 11:
1: My initial name was synonymous with a positive and agreeable nature, which I eventually renounced in favor of a name embodying my grief and loss.
2: My return home coincided with the beginning of the barley harvest.
3: I was instrumental in a series of events that led to the continuation and restoration of my family's line.

Clue Set 12:
1: I made a pact that my family would be spared during an attack.
2: I tied a scarlet cord in my window.
3: My faith earned me a mention in the book of Hebrews.

Clue Set 13:
1: I left my lucrative job after a two-word invitation.
2: I hosted a great feast for Jesus in my home.
3: My Hebrew name was Levi.

Clue Set 14:
1: I was absent when Jesus first appeared to the disciples post-resurrection.
2: My name is also a common English name that means "twin."
3: I exclaimed, "My Lord and my God!"

Clue Set 15:
1: I am mentioned by name in all four canonical Gospels.    
2: My name means "rebellious" or "bitter."
3: I provided monetary needs for Jesus and His disciples.

Clue Set 16:
1: I was a physician by profession.
2: My writings are addressed to a person named Theophilus.
3: My writings include precise details about Roman and Jewish leaders that accurately place my account within the broader historical context of the time.

Clue Set 17:
1: I was accused of blasphemy against Moses and God.
2: A young man named Saul was present at my execution and openly approved of what was happening. 
3: I was described as having a face "like the face of an angel" during my trial before the Jewish council, indicating my calm and divine demeanor under pressure.

Clue Set 18:
1: I was educated under a prominent teacher of the Law, Gamaliel, which greatly influenced my knowledge and understanding of Jewish traditions and scripture.
2: I spent three years in Arabia.
3: My path was rerouted by an extraordinary experience that beckoned me toward new opportunities and unfamiliar shores.

Clue Set 19:
1: My story includes the shortest passage in the English version of the Bible.
2: This incident that I am most famous for contributed to the intensifying conflict that surrounded an important individual. 
3: My story serves as a prelude to an event that would redefine the boundaries of life and death.

Clue Set 20:
1: I was given a new name that means "rock" in Greek, symbolizing the foundational role I was to play in the church.
2: I had a vision that was interpreted as an instruction to accept Gentiles into the early Christian community.
3: I was the first to speak to the gathered crowd on the day of Pentecost, delivering a sermon that resulted in about 3,000 people being baptized.

Clue Set 21:
1: My name means "pure" or "innocent," which contrasts sharply with my occupation and reputation among my fellow Jews.
2: I resided in a city that Herod the Great had rebuilt and adorned with a palace, making it a significant administrative and economic hub in Judea.
3: My story is recounted in a Gospel where my name and actions serve as a prelude to Jesus' parable of the minas.

Clue Set 22:
1: I was a centurion in the Italian Regiment and stationed in a coastal city known for its mixed Gentile and Jewish population and strategic position in the Roman province of Judea.
2: I am described as a devout and God-fearing man who regularly gave to the poor and prayed to God.
3: I was the first Gentile to be baptized and receive the Holy Spirit in a manner explicitly sanctioned by Peter, which challenged prevailing Jewish customs and set a precedent for future inclusivity in the early church.

Clue Set 23:
1: I am known for my role as a prominent businesswoman and patroness in Philippi.
2: I became the first European convert to Christianity.
3: My home became a meeting place for early Christians.

Clue Set 24:
1: I am from a city in North Africa. 
2: The Gospel of Mark mentions my two sons by name.
3: I was drawn from the outskirts to partake in a momentous act; providing relief to someone en route to their final mortal destination.

Clue Set 25:
1: My name means "God is gracious."
2: My story highlights the serious repercussions of dishonesty and hypocrisy within the growing Christian community.
3: I fell dead at the feet of a prominent person.

Clue Set 26:
1: My father was Greek and my mother was Jewish. 
2: A close friend of mine sometimes referred to me as his "true son in the faith.”
3: I received guidance that emphasized moral conduct and behavior. 

Clue Set 27:
1: An apostle's long sermon put me to sleep.
2: While sleeping, I had an accident that caused my death, but I was revived. 
3: My name means "fortunate,” which seems to be accurate to this specific incident. 

Clue Set 28:
1: I was a very old widow. 
2: I spent much of my time worshiping God in a special place.
3: I recognized a child for who they really were.

Clue Set 29:
1: My wife and I had the same profession as an important apostle. 
2: My wife and I make a great team when it comes to teaching. 
3: I contributed to the establishment and strengthening of congregations.

Clue Set 30:
1: I was one of seven.
2: My legacy includes the baptism of a specific eunuch.
3: The Spirit of the Lord miraculously delivered me to my next destination.

Answers

Print the game here

Congratulations on making it through! By now, you’ve likely stretched your knowledge, but we hope this undertaking has deepened your appreciation and understanding of these pivotal figures and their stories. Whether you guessed them all or found yourself stumped by a few, the experience reveals the richness of faith, perseverance, and God’s purpose throughout the Bible. We urge you to keep exploring, studying, and uncovering the layers of wisdom and inspiration within the sacred text. Thank you for joining us in this exploration. Until next time, may your curiosity and faith continue to grow.

-Torrance Church of Christ

The Wonderfully Weird Beasts of the Bible

The Bible is filled with vivid imagery and symbolism, often drawing from the natural world to convey deeper spiritual truths. from the awe-inspiring and majestic to the mysterious and even fearsome, animals are frequently used as intermediaries to convey moral truths, illustrate human traits, and sometimes are even messengers of His will.

The Curious Menagerie 

The Leviathan
The Leviathan is one of the most enigmatic and formidable creatures mentioned in the Bible. Described as a giant sea monster or dragon, it embodies chaos and power that only God can tame. Primarily featured in three key biblical texts, Job 41 describes the leviathan as a creature of immense strength and invincibility, emphasizing human powerlessness compared to Godly might. Psalm 104:25-26 references the Leviathan, depicting it as one of God’s creations, and Isaiah 27:1 describes a future where God defeats it.

Symbolism and Insights 
The Leviathan represents:

  • The conflict between good and evil 
  • The ultimate triumph of good over evil
  • God’s supremacy over all of creation 
  • God's protection and deliverance
  • The futility of human strength without God
  • Sometimes seen as a symbol of pride that God will ultimately humble.
  • An embodiment of Satan or demonic forces

The Behemoth
Spending its days peacefully grazing and roaming the soil, Job presents the Behemoth as a colossal beast with brute strength and stature.

Symbolism and Insights 
The Behemoth represents:

  • The variety and wonder of God’s creation
  • The limitations of human strength and understanding
  • God’s provision and care for all creatures
  • Unyielding strength and stability
  • Peace and harmony within the world

Potential Real-World Counterparts
Unable to reach an agreement, scholars have suggested the behemoth may be a mythological creature created by blending characteristics of various large animals known to the ancient world to convey theological truth through symbolism. Still, many scholars have debated the possibility of the Behemoth being one of or a relative of the following animals:

  • Hippopotamus
  • Elephant
  • Ancient Megafauna like the wooly mammoth or another prehistoric herbivore
  • A large herbivorous dinosaur similar to a sauropod 

Balaam’s Talking Donkey
Balaam’s talking donkey is one of the more unusual and memorable animals in the Bible. As described in Numbers 22, the non-Israelite prophet Balaam has been summoned to curse the Israelites. During the journey, his donkey abruptly stops, keenly aware of the angel on the path ahead. Unaware of the angel's presence, Balaam becomes frustrated by the donkey's refusal to move forward and strikes the donkey three times. In a dramatic turn of events, the Lord opens the donkey’s mouth, allowing it to speak and question Balaam’s actions. After the donkey spoke, God opened Balaam’s eyes to see the angel, who rebuked him for his stubbornness and disobedience. 

Symbolism and Insights 
Balaam’s Donkey Represents:

  • God's ability to use any means to communicate His will and intervene in human affairs
  • The revelation of spiritual truths that are often hidden from human perception
  • Human folly
  • The reminder to remain spiritually aware and attentive to God’s presence and directives
  • The reminder that guidance can come through unexpected sources 
  • The need for humility and acceptance of God's will over personal desires
  • The importance of vigilance and discernment

Jonah’s Great Fish
Jonah’s encounter with the great fish is one of the Bible’s most famous stories.  Called upon by God to intervene with the wicked ways of the citizens of Nineveh, the Book of Jonah reveals Jonah’s attempt to flee his responsibility. At sea, headed in the opposite direction, God sent a violent storm, and Jonah was thrown overboard by the terrified crew. Instead of drowning, Jonah is swallowed by a great fish, spending three days and three nights in its belly. Inside the fish, Jonah prayed to God, expressing his repentance and commitment to obey. God commands the fish to vomit Jonah onto dry land, and Jonah obediently goes to Nineveh to deliver God's message.

Symbolism and Insights 
Jonah’s Great Fish represents:

  • The process of turning back to God after straying
  • God offers second chances to those who repent and seek His forgiveness
  • The powerful renewal and transformation of repentance
  • Internal struggles
  • Personal introspection and reflection 
  • The assurance that God’s plans are fulfilled 
  • God’s ability to use creation to accomplish His purposes
  • God's means of discipline and protection 
  • The need to acknowledge sin
  • God’s mercy 
  • Opportunities for redemption

The Serpent in Eden
While Jonah’s fish may be one of the most famous animals, the Serpent in Eden is hands down the most infamous and pivotal animal within scripture. More cunning than any other animal, the serpent tempted Eve by questioning God’s command not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The serpent deceitfully assured Eve that eating the fruit would open her eyes, allowing her to know good and evil, ultimately making her like God. Eve succumbed to the temptation, ate the fruit, and shared it with Adam, leading to their disobedience against God's command. As a result, sin entered the world, and Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden.


Symbolism and Insights 
Eden’s Serpent represents:

  • The origins of sin and temptation
  • The deceptive and subtle nature of temptation that distorts truth and leads to disobedience
  • Tests of faith
  • The concept of free will
  • Moral decisions between right and wrong
  • The loss of innocence
  • Underscores the correlation between disobedience and a broken relationship with God
  • God's plan to restore humanity through Jesus Christ
  • The act of questioning and doubting God's word
  • The enticement of forbidden desires and autonomy
  • The human susceptibility to temptation 

Facts and Peculiarities of Other Biblical Animals 

  • Although more modern translations use the description of “wild ox” or “wild bull,” the KJV references the unicorn 9 times! (Numbers 23:22, Numbers 24:8, Deuteronomy 33:17, Job 39:9, Job 39:10, Psalm 22:21, Psalm 29:6, Psalm 92:10, Isaiah 34:7)
  • The animals mentioned in the Bible come from many different regions around the Middle East.
  • The lions mentioned in the Bible are presumed to be the Asiatic lion, which became extinct in Palestine around 1400 AD.
  • Four species of antelope are mentioned in the Bible.
  • There are around 100 different species of animals mentioned in the Bible.

There's No Horsing Around Here

Imbued with intentional meaning and lessons, these captivating and strange animals remind us of morality, God's sovereignty, the need for obedience, the potential for transformation, and the ever-present opportunity for redemption. 

- Torrance Community Church of Christ

60 Poetic Passages within the Bible

The Bible is replete with poetic language that captures the depth of human experience and divine interaction while creating a lyrical cadence that elevates spiritual messages and teachings. The poetic passages in the Bible convey the grandeur of God's creation, the intimacy of human relationships, and the intricacies of faith, providing immutable inspiration and comfort. Through its rich and ornate tradition, the Bible offers a unique fusion of literary beauty and spiritual insight, imparting readers with an experience of beauty and contemplation. 

Echoes of Sacred Wisdom

The following passages use poetry to express worship, reflection, and instruction. 

Psalm 91:4: He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge, his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7: Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
John 15:5: I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me, you can do nothing.
Psalm 84:11: For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.
Isaiah 35:10: And those the Lord has rescued will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.
Hebrews 4:12: For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
Psalm 8:3-4: When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon, and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?
Proverbs 18:10: The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.
Psalm 23:1-4: The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.


Ecclesiastes 3:1-8: There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.
Isaiah 40:8: The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.
John 14:27: Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
Revelation 22:5: There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign forever and ever.
Psalm 103:2-5: Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits—who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagles.
Zephaniah 3:9: Then I will purify the lips of the peoples, that all of them may call on the name of the Lord and serve him shoulder to shoulder.
Psalm 30:5: For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.
Isaiah 61:10: I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
Psalm 119:105: Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.
Colossians 1:16-17: For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him, all things hold together.


Isaiah 64:8: Yet you, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.
Isaiah 44:22: I have swept away your offenses like a cloud,  your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you. 
Psalm 107:9: For he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.
Romans 8:38-39: For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Isaiah 49:15-16: Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.
Psalm 63:1: You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water.
Jeremiah 17:7-8: But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes;  its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.
Hebrews 11:1: Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.
Proverbs 26:27: Whoever digs a pit will fall into it; if someone rolls a stone, it will roll back on them.
Isaiah 40:11: He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.


Psalm 104:1-4: Praise the Lord, my soul. Lord my God, you are very great; you are clothed with splendor and majesty. The Lord wraps himself in light as with a garment; he stretches out the heavens like a tent and lays the beams of his upper chambers on their waters. He makes the clouds his chariot and rides on the wings of the wind. He makes winds his messengers, flames of fire his servants.
Luke 6:38: Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
Psalm 139:13-16: For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
Isaiah 55:12: You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.
Colossians 3:16: Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.
Psalm 1:1-4: Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers. Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away.
1 John 4:18: There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
Proverbs 4:23: Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.


Psalm 147:15-18: He sends his command to the earth; his word runs swiftly. He spreads the snow like wool and scatters the frost like ashes. He hurls down his hail like pebbles. Who can withstand his icy blast? He sends his word and melts them; he stirs up his breezes, and the waters flow.
Isaiah 43:2: When you pass through the waters,  I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.
Job 12:7-10: But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you, or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish in the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.
Psalm 33:6: By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth.
Ecclesiastes 7:8: The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride.
John 10:14: I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me.
Ephesians 1:18: I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people. 
Psalm 34:7: The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.
Hebrews 12:1-2: Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him, he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Psalm 119:114: You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word.


Ecclesiastes 8:1: A person’s wisdom brightens their face and changes its hard appearance.
Psalm 42:1-2: As the deer pants for streams of water,  so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?
Isaiah 40:31: But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
Psalm 19:14: May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart, be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.
Mark 8:36: What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?
Psalm 139:9-10: If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.
Hebrews 13:8: Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
Psalm 19:1-2: The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge.
Matthew 6:26: Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?
Isaiah 53:5: But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.
Psalm 40:1-3: I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him.
Psalm 119:130: The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.


Revelation 21:4: He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.

A Final Whisper 

Truly, through its poetry, the Bible communicates God’s splendor, the depth of His love, and the reality of human existence in ways that engage both the mind and the heart.

-Torrance Community Church of Christ

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