Babylonian/Persian captivity exam

What possible reason did Daniel not want to eat the king's food?

1. it was unclean according to the Law 2. it was sacrificed to Babylonian gods 3. Daniel refused to conform to culture 4. eating was equivalent to accepting a covenantal relationship with the king

How long did the women receive beauty treatments before being presented to the king?

12 months

According to Haman's edict, what day were the Jews to be annihilated?

13th day of the 12th month

Who was the queen of Persia before Esther?

Vashti

The Babylonian captivity is marked from the time of the exile until what event?

rebuilding the temple

What happened to those who created the edict?

thrown in with the lions & bones crushed

How many people did the king see walking inside of the furnace?

4

Persian court etiquette in Esther's time stated that a man could not approach a woman in the king's harem closer than...

7 steps

How much hotter than normal was the oven that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were to be thrown into?

7 times

How many years did the Babylonian captivity last?

70 years

What did Haman build to kill Mordecai?

75 ft pole

How high was the image of gold the king commanded everyone to bow down to?

90 ft

Persia rose to power after defeating what nation?

Babylon

In the king's dream about the statue, what does the gold head represent?

Babylon, Lion

Who was the king that saw fingers from a human hand writing on the wall?

Belshazzar

What was Daniel's Babylonian name?

Belteshazzar

The Daniel narratives clearly display faithful believers who would not compromise when faced with cultural pressures. What are some specific examples of this from the book of Daniel? How can we apply these narratives to our lives today?

Daniel wouldn't eat the king's food, Hananiah Mishael and Azariah wouldn't bow down to the king's statue, Daniel didn't pray to King Darius. We should stand firm in our faith even when society tells us to put our attention on other things.

Who was the king that had Daniel tossed into the den of lions?

Darius

Esther was part of the Jewish population known as the...

Diaspora

Babylon is built around which river?

Euphrates

T or F: At the second banquet thrown by Esther, she first tried to reconcile with Haman.

False

T or F: In the edict reversal, the Jews were granted the right to assemble and protect themselves, but they could not plunder the property of their enemies.

False

In the king's dream about the statue, what does the bronze belly and thighs represent?

Greece, Leopard/goat

What is Esther's Hebrew name?

Hadassah

What were the Hebrew names of Daniel's companions?

Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah

What did Xerxes want his queen to wear to a banquet?

Her royal crown

What Babylonian city was Daniel and other skilled Jews taken during captivity?

Jerusalem

In the king's dream about the statue, what does the stone that smashed the statue represent?

Jesus & the Kingdom of God

In the king's dream about the statue, what does the silver chest and arms represent?

Medo-Persia, bear/ram

What is the meaning of the words on the wall that Daniel interpreted?

Mene: God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end. Tekel: You have been weighed and the scales found wanting. Peres: Your kingdom will be divided and given to the Medes and Persians.

The last chapter of Esther shares how this person rose to second in command to the king. He spoke up for the welfare of the Jews.

Mordecai

Who became the second in command and reversed the edict to kill the Jews?

Mordecai

Who discovered a plot to assassinate Xerxes?

Mordecai

Who was the king referring to when he asked, "What should be done for the man the king delights to honor?"

Mordecai

What is not stated in the book of Esther?

Name of God

Which Babylonian king sieged Jerusalem?

Nebuchadnezzar

Who had a dream of a mighty tree that became a stump bound with shackles?

Nebuchadnezzar

What new Jewish holiday was created in honor of the Esther events?

Purim

In the king's dream about the statue, what does the legs of iron and feet of iron mixed with clay represent?

Rome, frightening beast

Explain some of the implications the word "place" could mean in Esther 4:12-14. Why are these verses important for the Jews and how can we apply them to our lives today?

Some people think it is a secret reference to Yahweh, and others say it has messianic overtones. This reminds them that even if their plan fails, God's will prevails, and he will deliver them. We need to trust in God's plan rather than worrying about ours.

What are some specific ways the people and events in Daniel and Esther help bring us one step closer to the coming of the Messiah in our journey through the OT?

The Israelites in Daniel kept obeying God's commands, and they believed that he would deliver them, and in pursuing holiness, we prove our trust in his deliverance through the second coming. 4th person in the fire could be Jesus. In Esther, we see God putting people in the right place at the right time, and he did this with jesus, and he does it with us.

Haman's wife, Zeresh spoke a prophetic word that Mordecai would become his downfall and he would come to ruin.

True

T or F: After the edict reversal, the Jews assembled and struck down those who intended to do them harm, including Haman's 10 sons.

True

The dream of the tree meant that the king would be driven away for seven years and live like...

a wild animal

What was Haman's response to the question, "What should be done for the man the king delights to honor?"

bring a royal robe , a horse w a royal crest, entrusted to the most noble prince, parade him down the street

Esther was raised by Mordecai who was her...

cousin

What test did Daniel create to see who was stronger and healthier?

eating just veggies & water

What edict did some of the officials create to trap Daniel?

for the next 30 days, the people could only pray to the king

What was the king's reaction to the news about Haman's plot against the Jews?

got up in a rage & went to the garden

At first, what did Mordecai want Esther to do with her ethnicity?

keep it secret

Haman tried to beg her for mercy from Queen Esther, but the king thought he was doing what?

making sexual advances toward her

What literary genre is the book of Daniel?

narrative & prophetic apocalyptic literature

How did Daniel disobey the edict?

opened his window toward Jerusalem and prayed 3x a day

Esther took place during the period of the...

return & restoration of the Jews

Haman created an edict to destroy all the Jews using the king's...

signet ring

What does Esther's name mean?

star

Who did the Babylonian empire fall to? On what date?

the Persians (Cyrus), Oct 12, 539 BC