Were Prophets The People In Bible Days Who Made Lots Of Money?

Answer: It’s easy to confuse words that sound alike but have different meanings. Profit refers to making money; prophet means a person who represented God to the people in Bible times.

A prophet spoke God’s messages and told the people to obey God. People never became prophets in order to become rich or famous.

Most of the time – especially when they had to give bad news – prophets were very unpopular; some were even put in prison.

But God’s prophets were willing to risk everything for God. Some of the most famous prophets include Moses, Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel.

Some less well-known prophets also wrote books of the Bible: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, and Malachi.

Even though these prophets spoke hundreds of years ago, their messages apply to us, too, and we should listen to what they had to say.

Key verse: Long ago God spoke in many different ways to our fathers. He spoke through the prophets in visions, dreams, and even face to face. Little by little he told them about his plans. (Hebrews 1:1)

Related verses: Deuteronomy 18:15-22; Jeremiah 1:5; Ezekiel 2:5; 2 Peter 1:20-21

Related questions: What does prophet mean? What does a prophet do?

Note to parents: Many children think prophets mainly foretold the future. But their main job was to “forth-tell” God’s word to the people, to challenge the people to turn back to God.

Often the prophets’ messages contained predictions about the future, but most of the messages were calls or challenges to obey God and live right.

Why Did Elijah Go Up To Heaven So Early?

Answer: Elijah was a famous prophet who spent most of his life telling others about God. He is one of only two people mentioned in the Bible who didn’t die before going to heaven (Enoch is the other one- see Genesis 5:21-24).

Instead, God took them. God used a chariot of fire and a whirlwind to take Elijah to heaven.

The whirlwind and fire didn’t kill Elijah or burn him; rather, the chariot and horses separated Elijah from his good friend and student, Elisha.

Then the whirlwind carried Elijah to heaven. This showed that God approved of Elijah and that Elijah was a good man who loved God.

And God took Elijah to heaven at just the right time, not early. We don’t know how old Elijah was when God took him; he may have been an old man.

Key verse: (Elijah and Elisha] were walking along, talking. Then suddenly a chariot of fire came. It was pulled by horses of fire. It drove between them and separated them. Then Elijah was carried by a whirlwind into heaven. (2 Kings 2:11)

Related verses: 2 Kings 2:1-12; Matthew 16:14; 17:3; 27:49; James 5:17

Related questions: Why would God want to bring Elijah to heaven? Why was the chariot on fire?

Note to parents: Children often imagine that the chariot of fire would have killed Elijah and burned Elisha because it was on fire.

We don’t know what the “fire” was like. The point of the image is that God used a dramatic and miraculous event to separate Elijah and Elisha and to take Elijah to heaven.

Why Did Solomon Want To Cut The Baby In Half?

Answer: After David died, his son Solomon became king. God told Solomon that he could have anything he asked for. Solomon asked for wisdom.

One day two women came to King Solomon arguing over who was the real mother of a baby, and Solomon suggested that he cut the baby in half and give one half to each mother.

Solomon didn’t want to kill the baby. He just suggested that they cut the baby in half in order to find out who was the baby’s real mother.

Solomon knew that the real mother would never let such a thing happen to her baby. Solomon’s trick worked, and the baby was given to his real mother.

This story is in the Bible to show how wise Solomon was, in answer to his prayer. God made him the wisest man who ever lived.

Key Verses: So [God] replied, “You did not ask for a long life. You did not ask for riches for yourself You did not ask me to defeat your enemies.

Instead, you asked for wisdom in ruling my people. Yes, I’ll give you what you asked for! I will make you wiser than anyone else ever has been or will be!” (1 Kings 3:11-12)

Related verses: 1 Kings 3:3-28

Related questions: Why did God make Solomon rich when he only asked for wisdom? How did Solomon get to be so smart?

Why Did Solomon Want To Cut The Baby In Half?

Answer: After David died, his son Solomon became king. God told Solomon that he could have anything he asked for. Solomon asked for wisdom.

One day two women came to King Solomon arguing over who was the real mother of a baby, and Solomon suggested that he cut the baby in half and give one half to each mother.

Solomon didn’t want to kill the baby. He just suggested that they cut the baby in half in order to find out who was the baby’s real mother.

Solomon knew that the real mother would never let such a thing happen to her baby. Solomon’s trick worked, and the baby was given to his real mother.

This story is in the Bible to show how wise Solomon was, in answer to his prayer. God made him the wisest man who ever lived.

Key verses: So [God] replied, “You did not ask for a long life. You did not ask for riches for yourself You did not ask me to defeat your enemies.

Instead, you asked for wisdom in ruling my people. Yes, I’ll give you what you asked for! I will make you wiser than anyone else ever has been or will be!” (1 Kings 3:11-12)

Related verses: 1 Kings 3:3-28

Related questions: Why did God make Solomon rich when he only asked for wisdom? How did Solomon get to be so smart?

How Did David Fight Goliath If He Was So Small?

Answer: Although David wasn’t a big man or a soldier, he wasn’t afraid to fight the giant Goliath because he trusted in God, not in his own strength or in a soldier’s weapons and armor.

In fact, he wouldn’t wear the king’s armor when it was offered to him. David remembered that he had defeated lions and bears while protecting his father’s sheep.

David also knew that he would not fight Goliath in hand-to-hand combat; instead, he would use a sling and a stone. Also, David was about sixteen, not a little boy.

David trusted in God and knew that he had to fight Goliath because Goliath was mocking the armies of Israel and God.

Key verse: David shouted in reply, “You come to me with a sword and spear. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of the armies of heaven and of Israel.

I come in the name of the God whom you have defied.” (1 Samuel 17:45)

Related verses: 1 Samuel 17:12-58

Related questions: Why did King Saul put heavy armor on David? Why wasn’t David afraid of Goliath?

How could David as a little boy fight a big, big giant? Why did the Philistines turn and run when David killed Goliath? How come David took Goliath’s head with him?

Why Was Saul Jealous Of David?

Answer: After Saul made David an army commander, people were singing, “Saul has killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands!” (1 Samuel 18:7).

It angered Saul that David had become so popular with the people; in fact, it seemed as though everyone liked David more than Saul.

This made Saul jealous. Saul knew that David was a better man – a better warrior and a better person.

This jealousy made Saul a very cruel and deceitful person, and he tried for years to kill David.

Eventually, God told Saul he couldn’t be king anymore, and after Saul died, David became king.

We must be careful to be content with whom God has made us and not become jealous of others.

Key verses: Of course, Saul was very angry. “What’s this?” he said to himself “They credit David with ten thousands and me with only thousands.

Next, they’ll be making him their king!” So from that time on King Saul was jealous of David. (1 Samuel 18:8-9)

Related verses: 1 Samuel 18:6-9

Related questions: Why did Saul throw his spear at Jonathan? Why did an evil spirit come on Saul from God? Why would Saul want to kill David when he was married to his daughter Michal?

Why Did The People Want To Have A King?

Answer: The people of Israel were unhappy with God as their king and wanted to be like all the other nations-to have a human king who would lead them in battle.

Times were tough, and Samuel’s sons were turning out to be bad judges. They were accepting bribes and making wrong decisions.

Samuel knew that God wanted the people to trust in God and not in a king, but God told Samuel to give them one anyway, along with a warning that a king would bring them many hardships.

The man chosen to be Israel’s first king was Saul; he was tall and handsome, but very shy. Saul started out to be a good king, but then became bad because he disobeyed God.

Key verse: “Do as they say,” the Lord replied. “For I am the one they are rejecting not you. They do not want me to be their king any longer.” (1 Samuel 8:7)

Related verses: 1 Samuel 8:1-22

Related questions: Why did Saul hide in the baggage? Was Saul a wicked man?

What Did Goliath Eat That Made Him So Big?

Answer: Goliath was a very big man – over nine feet tall. If he were alive today, he would be able to dunk a basketball without jumping, and his head would touch the net.

We don’t know how Goliath got to be so big, but he was a giant of a man. Goliath was as nasty as he was big; he hated the Israelites and would make fun of them and God.

King Saul and his soldiers were afraid of fighting him. But a young man named David wasn’t afraid. He knew that he had to fight against this man who stood against God, no matter how big he was.

And he knew he would win because God would fight for him.

Key verse: Then Goliath came out of the Philistine ranks to face Israel’s army. He was a Philistine champion from Gath. Goliath was a giant of a man! He was over nine feet tall! (1 Samuel 17:4)

Related verses: 1 Samuel 17:4-11

Related questions: How tall was Goliath? How did Goliath get so tall if his mom was a regular-sized person? Was Goliath’s mom a giant? How did Goliath get so big?

Why Did Samson Tell Delilah His Secret?

Answer: Samson was in love with a woman named Delilah even though Delilah did not really love him and was a friend of his enemies.

When some of those enemies offered her money to help them capture Samson, Delilah agreed and asked him for the secret of his strength.

At first he gave her the wrong answers, but she nagged him and prodded him until finally Samson told her the truth-his strength came from God as part of a vow that included not cutting his hair.

He told her that if his hair were cut, the Lord and his strength would leave him. Samson let himself be tricked because he was blinded by his feelings for Delilah.

We need to be careful about our friends; even people we care about and like may sometimes want us to do bad things. Whenever that happens, we should obey God.

Key verses: She nagged at him every day until he couldn’t stand it any longer. In the end, he told her his secret. “My hair has never been cut,” he confessed. “For I’ve been a Nazirite to God since before my birth. If my hair were cut, my strength would leave me. I would become as weak as anyone else.” (Judges 16:16-17)

Related verses: Judges 16:1-22

Related questions: How did Samson get his strength? When Delilah kept asking Samson about what his secret was, why did he tell her when he knew she would tell the Philistines?

Why Did Hannah Leave Her Son At The Church?

Answer: For a long time, Hannah was unable to have children, and that bothered her very much.

One day, while crying and praying to God, she vowed that if God would answer her prayer and give her a son, she would give the boy back to God, dedicating his life to serving God.

When Samuel was born, Hannah remembered her promise to God; a few years later, when Samuel was old enough to eat solid food, she brought Samuel to the tabernacle (the place where God’s people worshiped).

Leaving Samuel there was like leaving him at a boarding school, with people who would love and care for him and teach him God’s ways.

Hannah wasn’t abandoning Samuel; she was leaving him with teachers who would train him to become a priest and servant of God.

Hannah’s son was in good hands. Samuel grew up to be a leader of Israel and a spokesman for God.

Key verses: “I asked [God] to give me this child. And he has given me what I asked for! Now I am giving him to the Lord for as long as he lives.” So [Hannah] left him there at the Tabernacle for the Lord to use. (1 Samuel 1:27-28) RELATED VERSES: 1 Samuel 1:1-28; 2:26-21

Related question: Why did God choose Samuel instead of a grown-up or someone who knew him better?

Note to parents: Questions like this one may have others hidden underneath: Will I be left alone with strangers? Does God think it’s good for children to be left with strangers?

Do my parents care about me? Be sensitive to this concern and reassure your children of God’s care and your commitment to love and nurture them.

Did The Israelites Have Lawyers And Courts For Their Judges?

Answer: Joshua was the Israelites’ leader when they first got to the Promised Land. After Joshua died, God used judges to lead his people.

The judges that we read about in the book of Judges were not like the judges we have today, so they didn’t have courts or listen to lawyers.

The Israelite judges were their nation’s spiritual leaders and sometimes military leaders. Their main job was to organize the people, rescue them from enemies, and lead the people to God.

This was how God led the Israelites, much the way parents lead their children.

Key Verse: The Lord raised up judges. They were chosen to save the Israelites from their enemies. (Judges 2:16)

Related verses: Judges 2:16-23; 1 Samuel 8:1-22

Related question: What is a judge?

Was Samson A Good Guy Or A Bad Guy?

Answer: One of Israel’s judges was a man named Samson. Samson served God and wanted to please him, but he wasn’t perfect.

God had chosen him to do a special service for the nation of Israel – to rescue his people from cruel enemies. Samson fulfilled that job well.

But Samson also did some cruel and foolish things, just as most people do. God didn’t force him to do everything right.

Like us, Samson had the freedom to choose to use his God-given abilities (in his case, strength) for good or bad.

Sometimes Samson chose to go his own way instead of God’s.

Key verse: “Your son’s hair must never be cut. For he shall be a Nazirite. He shall be a special servant of God from the day he is bom. And he will begin to rescue Israel from the Philistines.” (Judges 13:5)

Related verses: Judges 13:1-16:31

Related question: Why did the Philistines want to capture Samson?

Why Didn’t The Bush Burn Up?

Answer: One day while watching sheep, a man named Moses saw a bush on fire that would not burn up. The bush didn’t turn into ashes because God was present, doing a miracle to get Moses’ attention.

When Moses saw the bush and heard God’s voice, he was ready to listen. God used the burning bush to help Moses see that God had the power to do what he said he would do – rescue the people of Israel from slavery in Egypt.

Key verses: Suddenly the Angel of the Lord appeared to [Moses] as a flame of fire in a bush. Moses saw that the bush was on fire. But it didn’t burn up. So he went over to see why. Then God called out to him, “Moses! Moses!” “Who is it?” Moses asked. (Exodus 3:2-4)

Related verses: Exodus 3: 1-4: 18

Related questions: How did God choose Moses? Did God know that Moses would be afraid to go? Was Jesus in the burning bush? How did Moses make his shepherd rod into a snake?

Why Did The Israelites Who Left Egypt Have To Wander In The Wilderness Until They Died?

Answer: Through Moses, God led the Israelites right to the Promised Land, the land he had promised to Abraham. (This is also the land that Jacob and his sons left when they went to live with Joseph in Egypt.) Moses had sent twelve spies into Canaan to see what the land and the Canaanites were like.

Ten spies reported that the Canaanites were giants that the Israelites shouldn’t try to fight. But Joshua and Caleb, who knew God would help them, said, “Let us go up at once and possess it! For we are well able to conquer it!” (Numbers 13:30).

Unfortunately, the people listened to the report of the ten and refused to obey God and march into the land. Those Israelites never saw the Promised Land because they didn’t have faith to do what God wanted them to do; they wandered in the wilderness for forty years.

Key verses: “The spies were in the land for 40 days. Thus, you must wander in the wilderness for 40 years. You will wander a year for each day. You will bear the burden of your sins. I will teach you what it means to reject me. I, the Lord, have spoken. Every one of you who has tumed against me shall die here in this wilderness.” (Numbers 14:34-35)

Related verses: Numbers 13:1-14:45

Related questions: Why did the Israelites listen to the ten unbelieving spies instead of to Joshua and Caleb? Why did Joshua only send two spies into the Promised Land instead of twelve?

Why did the Israelites believe they could go into the Promised Land the second time when they didn’t believe the first time?

Why Did Joseph’s Brothers Sell Him?

Answer: Joseph had ten older brothers (and one younger brother, Benjamin). Joseph’s older brothers didn’t like him because Joseph was their father’s favorite son. (Joseph was Jacob’s favorite because Joseph was born when Jacob was an old man.)

They were jealous of him. Joseph’s father even gave him a special gift – a beautiful coat. Joseph also made his brothers angry because he would tell his father about some of the bad things they would do, and he would tell his older brothers about his dreams in which the brothers bowed down before him.

Eventually, the brothers became so upset with Joseph that they decided to kill him. But one brother, Reuben, talked the others into putting Joseph into a well instead of killing him.

He planned to set Joseph free later. But while Reuben was gone, the other brothers sold him to some foreign traders as a slave.

Key Verses: “Here comes that master dreamer,” they said. “Come on. Let’s kill him and toss him into a well. We can tell Father that a wild animal has eaten him. Then we’ll see what will become of all his dreams!” (Genesis 37:19-20)

Related verses: Genesis 37: 12-36

Related questions: Why did Joseph’s dad give him a new coat? Why did Jacob love Joseph the best?

Why Didn’t Joseph Go Back Home?

Answer: Joseph may have wanted to go back home (certainly he missed his father, mother, and little brother), but he couldn’t- first because he was a slave, then because he was in prison, and finally because he was in government service.

He also was a long way from home, and transportation was different from today; Joseph couldn’t just hop on a bus or train and go home. Also, Joseph may have been afraid of facing his brothers again; remember, they had wanted to kill him and then had sold him into slavery.

It’s good that Joseph stayed in Egypt because God used him in his powerful position in the government to save his family (and thousands of others) from starvation.

And eventually, God brought the whole family back together again in Egypt with Joseph – all part of God’s plan to bring Jesus to earth.

Key verse: “Yes, it was God who sent me here, not you! And he has made me a counselor to Pharaoh. I am the manager of this entire nation, ruler of all the land of Egypt.” (Genesis 45:8)

Related verses: Genesis 41:41-57; 45:4-9

Related question: When Joseph’s brothers came back to Egypt to live with him, why did they think he was still mad at them?

Why Was Abraham Willing To Kill His Own Son?

Answer: One day God told Abraham to take his son, Isaac, up into the mountains and offer him as a sacrifice. Abraham took the trip and was willing to kill his own son because he knew that he had to obey God.

Isaac was a miracle child, a special gift from God, and Abraham loved him very much. It was very difficult for Abraham to take Isaac and prepare him to be killed.

But Abraham loved and obeyed God; he had faith and expected a miracle. Abraham believed that God could and would raise Isaac from the dead.

This request from God was a test of Abraham’s faith. Abraham believed that God’s plan wouldn’t be stopped. The good news, of course, is that Abraham didn’t have to kill Isaac – God provided an animal to be sacrificed instead. Many years later, God sacrificed his own Son, Jesus, for us.

Key verse: [Abraham] believed that if Isaac died God would bring him back to life. That is just about what happened. As far as Abraham knew, Isaac was doomed to death. But he came back again, alive! (Hebrews 11:19)

Related verses: Genesis 22:1-19; Hebrews 11:17-19

Related questions: If Abraham sacrificing his son was

like God sacrificing Jesus, then why didn’t God stop the people just before they killed Jesus? Why was it important for Abraham to have a son?

Why Did Jacob Trick His Dad?

Answer: Isaac had two sons, Jacob and Esau. Jacob tricked his father because he wanted the inheritance that should have gone to his brother. Jacob was selfish and greedy.

Also, he was his mom’s favorite child, and when his mother told him how to trick his father, he went along and did what she said.

Although Jacob received the inheritance, his actions broke up the family and caused everyone a lot of grief.

Key verses: Rebekah: “Now do exactly as I tell you. Go out to the flocks and bring me two young goats. I will prepare your father’s favorite dish from them.

Then take it to your father. After he has enjoyed it he will bless you before his death, instead of Esau” (Genesis 27:8-10)

Related verses: Genesis 27:1-40

Related questions: Why did Jacob and Esau both want to be the leader? What’s a birthright?

Why Did God Put A Rainbow In The Sky?

Answer: After the rains stopped, the flood waters went down, and Noah, his family, and the animals left the ark, God promised that he would never again send a flood to destroy the earth.

Then God put a rainbow in the clouds as a sign of this promise. Whenever we see a rainbow, it reminds us of the Flood, the reason for it, and God’s promise never to flood the earth again.

Key verses: “I will never again send another flood to destroy the earth. And I seal my promise with this sign. I have placed my rainbow in the clouds.

It is a sign of my promise until the end of time, to you and to all the earth.” (Genesis 9:11-13)

Related verses: Genesis 9:12-17

Related questions: Did it ever rain before the Flood? Why did God give Noah a rainbow?

Note to parents: God gives us symbols and images to remind us of his love and promises. The cross, for example, reminds us of Christ’s death for us. The empty tomb reminds us of his power over sin and death. His throne in heaven reminds us of his authority

Why Did God Choose Abraham To Go To The Promised Land Instead Of Someone Else?

Answer: God chose Abraham (called Abram at first) to go to the Promised Land (which would later be called Israel) and to become the father of a great nation.

Abraham was chosen, not because he was especially good, but simply because God wanted him- the Bible doesn’t give us God’s reasons.

God doesn’t always tell us why he does what he does. God knows everything and can do anything he wants. God knew that Abraham would obey.

Key verses: God had told Abram, “Leave your own country behind you, and your own people. Go to the land I will guide you to. If you do, I will cause you to become the father of a great nation. I will bless you and make your name famous. You will be a blessing to many others.” (Genesis 12:1-2)

Related verses: Genesis 12:1-3; Hebrews 11:8-10

Related questions: Why did God tell Abraham to go away from his home? Did God choose Abraham because he was the best person in the world?