You have planted much, but harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.”

• Haggai 1:6

“You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?” declares the Lord Almighty. “Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with your own house.

• Haggai 1:9

“This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land.

• Haggai 2:6

This quiz is about the word “little,” but the three Scriptures from Haggai need not apply.  In this quiz, the question will be “what is little?”  That could be anything from an emotion to a type of person to a few grapes.

Thus, the Scriptures above paint that picture but the “thing” that is little is not specifically mentioned.  In what harvest was it little although you planted much?  Wheat? Grapes? Barley?  You expected what, and got little?  From the context, since God’s house was in ruin, why should the Jews expect their own houses to be mansions, but you have to draw a conclusion.  And a “little while” is a short bit of time.  I will not ask you to count “whiles” and find few.  In the cases of these questions, it is basically the word, or two words, following “little.”

The questions are in biblical order and all from the Old Testament.

The Questions:

	Question	Bible Reference	Answers
1	When Abraham saw three men approach, he addresses them, “If I have found favor in your eyes, my Lord, …”  He then requests, probably of a servant that a little WHAT be brought.  And these men would have their feet washed and they could rest under a tree?
2	When Israel and his sons ran out of food, again, his sons said that Benjamin had to go with them.  With this knowledge and the fear of losing his only remaining son of Rachel, Israel insists they double the amount of silver they carry, add extra almonds, pistachio nuts, more spices and myrrh, but also a little WHAT which is soothing and WHAT which is sweet?
3	In Moses’ recounting of when the Israelites had no faith in taking the Promised Land, God said that these little WHAT would take it, these who did not even though the difference of good and bad.
4	When Samuel started ministering before the Lord as a small child, he was a “boy wearing a linen ephod.”  Each year his mother made and brought him a little WHAT to wear, and Eli blessed Elkanah, asking God to give him more children from Hannah?
5	King David got Bathsheba pregnant.  David had Uriah killed and married Bathsheba.  In the prophet Nathan’s parable, a poor man raised a little WHAT (two words, first representing gender).  The poor man raised it in the house as if it was a member of the family, but a rich man took it for dinner when a traveler came by?
6	When Solomon becomes king, God promises him whatever he wishes, and Solomon laments that he is only a little WHAT and now is king over his father’s kingdom?
7	When Rehoboam becomes friends, Jeroboam pleas for the tribes to have less taxes, but Rehoboam’s friends wrongfully tell Rehoboam to say that even his little WHAT is thicker than his father’s waist and the heavy yoke will become even heavier”?
8	Elijah approached a widow of Zarephath.  He asked for water and a piece of bread.  The widow lamented that she only had a handful of flour and a little WHAT (two words, first meaning what type) to prepare a final meal before she and her son died?
9	When Ezra discovers that the remnant that were in Jerusalem had intermarried with other “races,” he tore his robes and prayed.  But then rising, he preaches that God has given them some light and a little WHAT in their bondage?
10	In the Proverbs, the sluggard is warned that a little WHAT, a little WHAT, and a little folding of the hands will lead to poverty and scarcity?  These two words are synonymous in most contexts.

“But the kingdom of the prince of this world is very different.  Remember that John 10:10 tells us that the devil is the one who kills, destroys and steals. And while God’s kingdom is full of the abundant life, Satan’s kingdom might well be called the ‘Kingdom of the Littles’:
“Little self-control, Little discipline, Little obedience, Little sacrifice, Little accountability, Little responsibility, Little patience
“LEAD TO
“Little blessing, Little freedom, Little contentment, Little unity, Little joy, Little faith, Little hope.”

• Carole Lewis (editor), begin with Christ, first place 4 health

The study guide then asked my wife to circle 2-3 that she had trouble with.  My wife circled them all except for freedom, unity, and joy.

It was gut-wrenching to read this confession, but as she went further in the Bible study, she was able to talk about how she gained strength in these areas by trusting in God and turning control over to Him.  She was growing in faith.

But in studying the “Kingdom of the Littles” it is a problem with many of us that we have little self-control, discipline, obedience, etc. which leads to not getting the full measure of God’s blessings, contentment, and hope.

Bible References:

	Question	Bible Reference	Answers
1	When Abraham saw three men approach, he addresses them, “If I have found favor in your eyes, my Lord, …”  He then requests, probably of a servant that a little WHAT be brought.  And these men would have their feet washed and they could rest under a tree?	Genesis 18:4
2	When Israel and his sons ran out of food, again, his sons said that Benjamin had to go with them.  With this knowledge and the fear of losing his only remaining son of Rachel, Israel insists they double the amount of silver they carry, add extra almonds, pistachio nuts, more spices and myrrh, but also a little WHAT which is soothing and WHAT which is sweet?	Genesis 43:11
3	In Moses’ recounting of when the Israelites had no faith in taking the Promised Land, God said that these little WHAT would take it, these who did not even though the difference of good and bad.	Deuteronomy 1:39
4	When Samuel started ministering before the Lord as a small child, he was a “boy wearing a linen ephod.”  Each year his mother made and brought him a little WHAT to wear, and Eli blessed Elkanah, asking God to give him more children from Hannah?	1 Samuel 2:19
5	King David got Bathsheba pregnant.  David had Uriah killed and married Bathsheba.  In the prophet Nathan’s parable, a poor man raised a little WHAT (two words, first representing gender).  The poor man raised it in the house as if it was a member of the family, but a rich man took it for dinner when a traveler came by?	2 Samuel 12:3
6	When Solomon becomes king, God promises him whatever he wishes, and Solomon laments that he is only a little WHAT and now is king over his father’s kingdom?	1 Kings 3:7
7	When Rehoboam becomes friends, Jeroboam pleas for the tribes to have less taxes, but Rehoboam’s friends wrongfully tell Rehoboam to say that even his little WHAT is thicker than his father’s waist and the heavy yoke will become even heavier”?	1 Kings 12:10
8	Elijah approached a widow of Zarephath.  He asked for water and a piece of bread.  The widow lamented that she only had a handful of flour and a little WHAT (two words, first meaning what type) to prepare a final meal before she and her son died?	1 Kings 17:12
9	When Ezra discovers that the remnant that were in Jerusalem had intermarried with other “races,” he tore his robes and prayed.  But then rising, he preaches that God has given them some light and a little WHAT in their bondage?	Ezra 9:8
10	In the Proverbs, the sluggard is warned that a little WHAT, a little WHAT, and a little folding of the hands will lead to poverty and scarcity?  These two words are synonymous in most contexts.	Proverbs 6:9-11

In this materialistic world, we think of more, more, and even more.  We are like the Rich Fool in the parable where he is thinking of building bigger barns to hold his great wealth, but God will require of him his life.

And that is the way we often are.  We die in the process of trying to get more, while God knows we only need a little and we should be content with what we have.

It is not that God could not give us more, but with more we focus on getting even more and we rely on the more that we have.  It leads to a lack of humility; in that we think we did it other than God doing it.

Having a little can be a great blessing.  It teaches us the importance of our faith in God, and it grows that faith.

   …

   …

   …

The Answers:

	Question	Bible Reference	Answers
1	When Abraham saw three men approach, he addresses them, “If I have found favor in your eyes, my Lord, …”  He then requests, probably of a servant that a little WHAT be brought.  And these men would have their feet washed and they could rest under a tree?	Genesis 18:4	Water – for washing the feet, but it could have been anything to welcome visitors.  Of course, One was the Lord and Abraham would plead with Him regarding Sodom.
2	When Israel and his sons ran out of food, again, his sons said that Benjamin had to go with them.  With this knowledge and the fear of losing his only remaining son of Rachel, Israel insists they double the amount of silver they carry, add extra almonds, pistachio nuts, more spices and myrrh, but also a little WHAT which is soothing and WHAT which is sweet?	Genesis 43:11	A little balm and a little honey.
3	In Moses’ recounting of when the Israelites had no faith in taking the Promised Land, God said that these little WHAT would take it, these who did not even though the difference of good and bad.	Deuteronomy 1:39	Specifically little “ones” but children is also mentioned.
4	When Samuel started ministering before the Lord as a small child, he was a “boy wearing a linen ephod.”  Each year his mother made and brought him a little WHAT to wear, and Eli blessed Elkanah, asking God to give him more children from Hannah?	1 Samuel 2:19	Robe
5	King David got Bathsheba pregnant.  David had Uriah killed and married Bathsheba.  In the prophet Nathan’s parable, a poor man raised a little WHAT (two words, first representing gender).  The poor man raised it in the house as if it was a member of the family, but a rich man took it for dinner when a traveler came by?	2 Samuel 12:3	Ewe lamb. While the parable could be taken at face value of a rich man oppressing the poor man, meaning David killing Uriah, it has a deeper meaning in that often the Israelites took their annual Passover lamb into their home to ensure that it had no blemish when sacrificed for the Passover.  Yet this made killing the lamb like killing one’s own children.
6	When Solomon becomes king, God promises him whatever he wishes, and Solomon laments that he is only a little WHAT and now is king over his father’s kingdom?	1 Kings 3:7	child
7	When Rehoboam becomes friends, Jeroboam pleas for the tribes to have less taxes, but Rehoboam’s friends wrongfully tell Rehoboam to say that even his little WHAT is thicker than his father’s waist and the heavy yoke will become even heavier”?	1 Kings 12:10	Finger, which led to Jeroboam’s successful rebellion
8	Elijah approached a widow of Zarephath.  He asked for water and a piece of bread.  The widow lamented that she only had a handful of flour and a little WHAT (two words, first meaning what type) to prepare a final meal before she and her son died?	1 Kings 17:12	Olive oil.  But Elijah promised that God would be faithful and her supply of flour and olive oil to make bread would never quit flowing until God sent rain to the land.
9	When Ezra discovers that the remnant that were in Jerusalem had intermarried with other “races,” he tore his robes and prayed.  But then rising, he preaches that God has given them some light and a little WHAT in their bondage?	Ezra 9:8	Relief.  This leads to the people confessing their sins and those married to foreign wives separating from them and their families to purify the Jewish remnant.
10	In the Proverbs, the sluggard is warned that a little WHAT, a little WHAT, and a little folding of the hands will lead to poverty and scarcity?  These two words are synonymous in most contexts.	Proverbs 6:9-11	A little sleep, a little slumber

Whether you did well on this quiz or, ummm, not so well, … I was thinking of starting with a children’s song, Jesus Loves the Little Children.  But then I thought of another song that starts with that children’s song.  Ray Stevens wrote, and continues to write, humorous songs that will make you laugh.  But his two Grammy awards, not his funny things at all, both Grammies for musical arrangements, were for Misty and Everything is Beautiful.  He admits that he and his band were having fun with Misty, and then had the engineer rush over to record it.  His arrangement for the other Grammy winner tugs at your heart.  Here is Ray Stevens, singing Everything is Beautiful.

Here is the Magnolia Melodies with The Little Things.

And here is Just a Little Talk with Jesus sung by the “Bass Singers Quartet.”  If you do not get what is going on, four bass singers are told they have to sing all four parts, and none of them want to have to sing the tenor. Why not have a little humor along with a song that uses the word “Little?”

And here is the Gaither Vocal Band, acapella, with O Little Town of Bethlehem.

And thinking of “little” things, I have written that Rachel died soon after giving birth to Benjamin in Ephrath, but the Genesis 48:7 retelling of Benjamin’s birth clarifies that a little.  Rachel died a “little distance” from the little town who would one day become Bethlehem.  You know, maybe the same zip code, and she was buried by Israel along the side of the road to Ephrath.  But I think that is close enough to the town that would be the home of Jesse and his sons, and later the birthplace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

And thinking of Benjamin being born, our son, Benjamin, was born in the Heidelberg US Military Hospital, Heidelberg, West Germany. And the photo was taken of our family in the hospital while Benjamin was only a day or two old.

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.