And when you release them, do not send them away empty-handed.

• Deuteronomy 15:13

“Would a wise person answer with empty notions or fill their belly with the hot east wind?

• Job 15:2

He spreads out the northern skies over empty space; he suspends the earth over nothing.

• Job 26:7

Indeed, God does not listen to their empty plea; the Almighty pays no attention to it.

• Job 35:13

As for the Scriptures, they all use the word “empty” in the NIV.  When your brain is running on empty, I guess a quiz about “empty” is what you get.

All of the answers refer to verses that have the word “empty” in them.  Please do not come away empty-handed (a hint there).  While this quiz’s Bible references refer to the verse that mentions the word “empty,” you may have to read a few verses before or after, or even the chapter to find the answer to the questions.

The Questions:

	Question	Bible References	Answers
1	The Bible starts off with something that is formless and empty.  What?
2	Jacob ran away from someone who eventually caught up with him.  Who did Jacob say would have left him empty-handed if it were not for the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac?
3	Who was thrown into an empty cistern and then sold as a slave?
4	God promises Moses that He will make the Egyptians so disposed that the people of Israel will not leave Egypt in what manner?
5	When Gideon’s army was cut down to 300 men, he gave each of them trumpets and what empty thing with a torch in it?
6	When Naomi leaves Moab, she laments that the Lord was bringing her back home empty, but how was she when she had left?
7	Ezekiel is instructed to take a cooking pot and boil the choicest of meats in it (bone in).  He then takes the meat out, leaving the deposits of the cooking in the empty pot.  The pot is returned to the coals to be heated until it glows and the deposit burned away.  What is this a symbol of?
8	Micah prophesies that the people will eat, but there stomach will be empty.  They will store up, but save nothing.  What will the Lord give all that to.
9	Peter tells those reading his first letter that they should work in reverent fear for God, because their redemption was not paid in the empty way of their ancestors, but by what?
10	In the last usage of “empty” in the NIV, Peter warns that these people use empty, boastful words and appeal to the lusts of the flesh.  What type of people?

You would think that one of the questions might refer to possibly the most important “empty” in the Bible.  In the NIV, the only time it occurs in that context is in John’s Gospel when the translators of the NIV added the heading (not part of the Scripture itself – The Empty Tomb).

This is important because it is foundational in our Christian beliefs.  Jesus Christ, who was fully human and fully God, came to earth to make Himself known, to walk among us, and to sacrifice Himself, carrying our sins within Him to the cross as the perfect living sacrifice for our sins.  By this we have our means for salvation in believing and trusting in Jesus.  But beyond that, Jesus rose on the third day to exhibit to us that we will be resurrected from the dead to live with Him forever.

Bible References:

	Question	Bible References	Answers
1	The Bible starts off with something that is formless and empty.  What?	Genesis 1:2
2	Jacob ran away from someone who eventually caught up with him.  Who did Jacob say would have left him empty-handed if it were not for the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac?	Genesis 31:42
3	Who was thrown into an empty cistern and then sold as a slave?	Genesis 37:24
4	God promises Moses that He will make the Egyptians so disposed that the people of Israel will not leave Egypt in what manner?	Exodus 3:21
5	When Gideon’s army was cut down to 300 men, he gave each of them trumpets and what empty thing with a torch in it?	Judges 7:16
6	When Naomi leaves Moab, she laments that the Lord was bringing her back home empty, but how was she when she had left?	Ruth 1:21
7	Ezekiel is instructed to take a cooking pot and boil the choicest of meats in it (bone in).  He then takes the meat out, leaving the deposits of the cooking in the empty pot.  The pot is returned to the coals to be heated until it glows and the deposit burned away.  What is this a symbol of?	Ezekiel 24:11
8	Micah prophesies that the people will eat, but there stomach will be empty.  They will store up, but save nothing.  What will the Lord give all that to.	Micah 6:14
9	Peter tells those reading his first letter that they should work in reverent fear for God, because their redemption was not paid in the empty way of their ancestors, but by what?	1 Peter 1:18
10	In the last usage of “empty” in the NIV, Peter warns that these people use empty, boastful words and appeal to the lusts of the flesh.  What type of people?	2 Peter 2:18

What about me being a bit empty?

My wife’s health has not been good for a long time.  I try to keep my writing about two weeks, plus a couple of posts, ahead of schedule.  In that way, I can mull over what I have written and avoid making a stupid mistake.  It also gives me time to read over these posts and catch my errors, although it seems a few typos still crop up.

But the two-week plus cushion lets me feel comfortable and not anxious that I might miss a scheduled post.  With that in mind, maybe next week’s quiz will have a “worry” or “anxiety” theme.

With my wife’s two angioplasties in less than six weeks (with immediate “issues” in dialysis) and then back problems (the start of lower back arthritis), and then shingles, she is in excruciating pain and as her care giver, I have been exhausted.  Add to that the sometimes overpowering temptation to watch a college or professional American football game, even when I have no rooting interest in either team (and the proverbial nap that then occurs), I have wasted more time that my wife has consumed with her requests for a cushion or a glass of milk over ice, etc.

I have found myself staring at the television screen.  Self-flagellating for having done so.  And then staring at an empty computer screen, until my brain says, “Check e-mail!  Do something!”

As a result, I am about a week and a half ahead of schedule and one side of my brain is saying that I need to pick up the pace, but the creative side of my brain wants to take another nap.

Yes, the exhaustion has led to having an empty brain at times.

It is not exactly writer’s block.  In my moments of rest, I have even thought of some short stories that will have to remain unwritten until I am back in my comfort zone. It is more a matter of inertia.  An object at rest stays at rest until acted on by a force.  And I think that God is wanting me to rest.  He has reminded me, through that Voice in my head, that when I get on a roll, I can write 3-4 posts per day …  But I must have the energy in which to do it.

   …

   …

   …

The Answers:

	Question	Bible References	Answers
1	The Bible starts off with something that is formless and empty.  What?	Genesis 1:2	The earth
2	Jacob ran away from someone who eventually caught up with him.  Who did Jacob say would have left him empty-handed if it were not for the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac?	Genesis 31:42	Laban, Jacob’s father-in-law
3	Who was thrown into an empty cistern and then sold as a slave?	Genesis 37:24	Joseph
4	God promises Moses that He will make the Egyptians so disposed that the people of Israel will not leave Egypt in what manner?	Exodus 3:21	Empty-handed
5	When Gideon’s army was cut down to 300 men, he gave each of them trumpets and what empty thing with a torch in it?	Judges 7:16	Jars
6	When Naomi leaves Moab, she laments that the Lord was bringing her back home empty, but how was she when she had left?	Ruth 1:21	Obviously the opposite – full
7	Ezekiel is instructed to take a cooking pot and boil the choicest of meats in it (bone in).  He then takes the meat out, leaving the deposits of the cooking in the empty pot.  The pot is returned to the coals to be heated until it glows and the deposit burned away.  What is this a symbol of?	Ezekiel 24:11	Jerusalem as a cooking pot with residue from being unrepentant that must be burned away.
8	Micah prophesies that the people will eat, but there stomach will be empty.  They will store up, but save nothing.  What will the Lord give all that to.	Micah 6:14	To the sword (literally), but in the process of warfare and the destruction that causes.
9	Peter tells those reading his first letter that they should work in reverent fear for God, because their redemption was not paid in the empty way of their ancestors, but by what?	1 Peter 1:18	By the blood of Christ, the lamb without blemish
10	In the last usage of “empty” in the NIV, Peter warns that these people use empty, boastful words and appeal to the lusts of the flesh.  What type of people?	2 Peter 2:18	False teachers

Since you did so well or even if you did not do too well, here is Tauren Wells singing Empty.  Do you feel that can of empty?  Jesus is the answer.  A beautiful song, but he never states the answer.

Here is Brianna Wirtanen are singing, My Everything.

And here is Master’s Promise singing, Must I Go and Empty-Handed.  

And here is Empty Broken Here I Stand, Kyrie Eleison.  It is published by Divine Hymns.  Kyrie Eleison is Greek for Lord, have mercy and the Christe Eleison in the chorus is Christ, have mercy.

If you like these Saturday morning Bible quizzes, but you think you missed a few, you can use this LINK. I have set up a page off the home page for links to these Saturday morning posts. I will continue to modify the page as I add more.

Soli Deo Gloria.  Only to God be the Glory.