Fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the fat portions on the altar. And when all the people saw it, they shouted for joy and fell facedown.

• Leviticus 9:24

So have you acted honorably and in good faith toward Jerub-Baal and his family today? If you have, may Abimelek be your joy, and may you be his, too!

• Judges 9:19

David told the leaders of the Levites to appoint their fellow Levites as musicians to make a joyful sound with musical instruments: lyres, harps and cymbals.

• 1 Chronicles 15:16

For seven days they celebrated with joy the Festival of Unleavened Bread, because the Lord had filled them with joy by changing the attitude of the king of Assyria so that he assisted them in the work on the house of God, the God of Israel.

• Ezra 6:22

Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

• Nehemiah 8:10

For the Jews it was a time of happiness and joy, gladness and honor.

• Esther 8:16

The Jews in Susa, however, had assembled on the thirteenth and fourteenth, and then on the fifteenth they rested and made it a day of feasting and joy.

• Esther 9:18

I was struggling to find a topic for this quiz.  I was so frantic that my “brain hurt.”  That made me think of Mr. Gumby from Monty Python’s Flying Circus.  I started to laugh.  I thought about the fruits of the Spirit.  Then, it dawned on me that I could do, and must do, a counter to the series of quizzes on the seven deadly sins.  I thought of the fruits of the Spirit.  Thus, since “love” has been the theme of many quizzes, I thought I would start with Joy.

All the verses in this quiz have the word “joy” or “joyful.”

The questions are in biblical order.  All questions are from the Old Testament.  Too many people talk about the God of the Old Testament is full of wrath.  But when we get to the fruit of forbearance, God was patient and long-suffering with his rebellious people.  And there were many moments of Joy.

The Questions:

	Question	Bible References	Answers
1	In the first use of “joy” in the NIV, who asks Jacob why he left without notice, otherwise they could throw a party with lots of joy?
2	Which festival has the command to be joyful?
3	When God warns them through Moses’ parting comments, why does God say the curses will come on Israel?
4	After Goliath was killed, David would be sent out and he was always victorious.  The women would sing joyfully upon David’s return, but what did they sing that made Saul angry?
5	For what event did they offer so many offerings that they offered them in the middle of the courtyard due to the bronze altar being too small? Then all the people blessed the king and went their own way in joy.
6	What event did David instruct Asaph to praise the Lord and the song given uses joy twice?
7	Did Jehoshaphat and his army have to fight to win the battle against three allied armies: Moab, Ammon, and the men of Mt. Seir? Connection to “joy” in that their triumphal entry into Jerusalem was met with joy.
8	Who offered the festival of unleavened bread and Judah celebrated for seven days, nothing like it since the days of David and Solomon?
9	For what event did many people weep while others shouted for joy
10	What celebration in the time of Nehemiah brought joy to the people?

On the 50^th Anniversary of the point when I unconditionally surrendered to Jesus, I put on a comedy act.  I started with a little back story to let the audience know why comedy and sitcoms and variety shows had been so important to me.

I had been added to our family when my sister and brother were eleven and nine.  My mother thought she with done with that, but we needed more people to run the growing turkey farm.  But by the time I was in first-grade, we lost the turkey farm along with all the other turkey farms in the southeast United States.  The federal laws had run us all out of business.  There was no one left to sell our equipment to and cover some of our losses.

Fast forward ten years, and my mother agreed to let me watch Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In.  During one of the first sketches between Gladys Orphmby (Ruth Buzzi) and Tyrone F. Horneigh (Arte Johnson) my mother clutched her heart and started having trouble breathing.  She was unresponsive when I asked what was wrong.  She had trouble breathing.

I reached for the phone, before the days of 911, and I was about to call for an ambulance when she yelled for me to put down the phone.  She was only laughing.

Excuse me, but in the past ten years, I had never seen her smile.  My mother laughing was a new experience entirely.

At the end of my comedy, I gave my testimony, a quest for inner Joy and finding it in Jesus.

Bible References:

	Question	Bible References	Answers
1	In the first use of “joy” in the NIV, who asks Jacob why he left without notice, otherwise they could throw a party with lots of joy?	Genesis 31:27
2	Which festival has the command to be joyful?	Deuteronomy 16:14-15
3	When God warns them through Moses’ parting comments, why does God say the curses will come on Israel?	Deuteronomy 28:47
4	After Goliath was killed, David would be sent out and he was always victorious.  The women would sing joyfully upon David’s return, but what did they sing that made Saul angry?	1 Samuel 18:6-7
5	For what event did they offer so many offerings that they offered them in the middle of the courtyard due to the bronze altar being too small? Then all the people blessed the king and went their own way in joy.	1 Kings 8:66
6	What event did David instruct Asaph to praise the Lord and the song given uses joy twice?	1 Chronicles 16:27, 33
7	Did Jehoshaphat and his army have to fight to win the battle against three allied armies: Moab, Ammon, and the men of Mt. Seir? Connection to “joy” in that their triumphal entry into Jerusalem was met with joy.	2 Chronicles 20:27
8	Who offered the festival of unleavened bread and Judah celebrated for seven days, nothing like it since the days of David and Solomon?	2 Chronicles 30:23-26
9	For what event did many people weep while others shouted for joy	Ezra 3:11-13
10	What celebration in the time of Nehemiah brought joy to the people?	Nehemiah 12:27

Happiness comes and goes.  It requires circumstances being right – maybe only for the moment.

Joy is something that you can have in the worst of times.

With Christ in your heart, you know who has already won the battle between good and evil.

We know our final resting place is not in a box, looking up at the grass.

No pain and suffering can take the love of God away from us.

And some of that pain brings us closer to God.  We get our strength from Him.

   …

   …

   …

The Answers:

	Question	Bible References	Answers
1	In the first use of “joy” in the NIV, who asks Jacob why he left without notice, otherwise they could throw a party with lots of joy?	Genesis 31:27	Laban, but the truth was that Laban would find reason why they should never leave.
2	Which festival has the command to be joyful?	Deuteronomy 16:14-15	The Festival of the Tabernacles (booths)
3	When God warns them through Moses’ parting comments, why does God say the curses will come on Israel?	Deuteronomy 28:47	They did not worship in a manner that was joyful and with gladness
4	After Goliath was killed, David would be sent out and he was always victorious.  The women would sing joyfully upon David’s return, but what did they sing that made Saul angry?	1 Samuel 18:6-7	Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.
5	For what event did they offer so many offerings that they offered them in the middle of the courtyard due to the bronze altar being too small? Then all the people blessed the king and went their own way in joy.	1 Kings 8:66	King Solomon dedicated the temple
6	What event did David instruct Asaph to praise the Lord and the song given uses joy twice?	1 Chronicles 16:27, 33	When the Ark of the Covenant was taken into the tent that king David had erected.
7	Did Jehoshaphat and his army have to fight to win the battle against three allied armies: Moab, Ammon, and the men of Mt. Seir? Connection to “joy” in that their triumphal entry into Jerusalem was met with joy.	2 Chronicles 20:27	No.  While Judah marched toward the battlefield singing praises to God, Moab and Ammon attacked the men of Mt. Seir.  When they were destroyed, Moab and Ammon started killing each other.  Jehoshaphat only found dead bodies.
8	Who offered the festival of unleavened bread and Judah celebrated for seven days, nothing like it since the days of David and Solomon?	2 Chronicles 30:23-26	Hezekiah
9	For what event did many people weep while others shouted for joy	Ezra 3:11-13	The foundation of Zerubbabel’s temple was laid.
10	What celebration in the time of Nehemiah brought joy to the people?	Nehemiah 12:27	Dedication of the wall of Jerusalem

Whether you did well on this quiz or, ummm, not so well, I hope you laughed.  If not, here is a video of Mr. Gumby from Monty Python’s Flying Circus, “My Brain Hurts”.

Here is King & Country with, Joy.

Here is CeCe Winans, singing I’ve Got Joy.

I’ve got Jesus, so I’ve got Joy.

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.