BIBLE QUIZ

Dear Boys and Girls,

When you receive this issue of the Banner of Truth, the gardens will be planted for some weeks, and you will be watching to see the results of your work (or the work of others) and whether there will be a good crop. So many things can cause our gardens to do poorly, such as bugs and birds, rabbits and other animals, weeds, poor soil, too much rain, etc. You can probably add to the list some that I don’t know.

In the Bible we are also told about sowing seed, planting gardens, and about weeds and animals which spoil the plants. I am sure that you can point out some of these texts. The purpose of the Lord is not to tell us how to take care of our gardens, but He uses it to show us about His work among men and the needs of our souls. The Lord Jesus once spoke a parable about a sower who went out to sow seed. The seed was good seed, but it fell in different places, so that the results were quite different.

The other evening we were at the school to see the different projects which the boys and girls had been working on during the past months. One of the projects was four flower pots, showing the four kinds of soil which the Lord Jesus spoke about in His parable. There was a pot with hard ground and seeds lying on the surface, with a bird perched on the side of the pot; there was a pot with stony ground which had but a few blades of grass growing in it; there was a pot with better soil, but more weeds than grass were growing in this one; and there was a pot with good soil and lush green grass growing in it. Each pot had with it the text taken from the parable to show its meaning. How well it displayed the parable for all to see.

The Lord Jesus told us that the seed is the Word of God. But who is the sower? Who sows that seed? It is the Lord Jesus Himself in the first place, but then also all those who bring the Word of God to the hearers. It is also brought to you. Oh, ask the Lord to make your hearts that good ground where the Word of God takes deep root and brings forth fruit in your hearts to His honor! A poet wrote a little prayer about this. It was:

Garret J. Moerdyk serves as elder in the Netherlands Reformed Congregation of Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Father of mercies, we have need
Of Thy preparing grace;
Let the same hand that gives the seed
Provide a fruitful place.

The first letters of the answers will spell out eight words found in the parable of the sower, as it is given us in Luke 8.

? Joel spoke, saying, “The pomegranate tree, the palm tree also, and the______tree, even all the trees of the field, are withered.”

? The Lord Jesus said, “Behold the fig tree, and all the trees; when they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that ______is now nigh at hand.”

? Samuel told the people about the king they would have: “He will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your______.”

? In explaining the parable of the sower, the Lord Jesus said, “The seed is the______of God.”

? As the children of Israel journeyed, they came to a place called______, where were twelve wells of water and seventy palm trees.

? Moses’ mother made an ark of bulrushes, put Moses in it, and laid it in the flags by the ______’s brink.

? In the parable of the tares of the field, the Lord Jesus said, “The field is the______.”

? It happened on a Sabbath day that Jesus’ disciples were an hungered, and began to pluck the______of corn.

? The Lord said to Jonah, “Thou hast had pity on the gourd,…which came up in a ______, and perished in a______.”

? The Lord said to Adam, “Thorns also and ______shall it bring forth to thee.”

? Absalom rode upon a mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great ______, and his head caught hold of the ______.

? The Lord Jesus said to Nathanael, “Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast ______the fig tree, I saw thee.”

? On the third day Cod said, “Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb-yielding seed, and the fruit______yielding fruit after his kind.

? Cain was a ______. of the ground.

? Rahab hid the spies with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in______upon the roof of her house.

? Pharaoh dreamed a second time; and behold, seven ears of corn came up upon one______, rank and good.

? The children of Israel complained to Moses, saying, “We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leaks, and the______.”

? When the angel came to Gideon, he was threshing______by the winepress to hide it from the Midianites.

? After the flood Noah began to be an ______, and he planted a vineyard.

? King Ahaz sacrificed and burnt ______in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree.

? In the seven plenteous years Joseph gathered corn as the ______of the sea, very much.

? Zacchaeus climbed up into a ______tree to see Jesus.

? Cod promised Noah that “while the ______remaineth, seedtime and harvest,… shall not cease.”

? We read, “The woman saw that the tree (the forbidden tree) was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the______.”

? The enemy who sowed the tares in the field is the_______

Your answers should be sent to:

Garret j. Moerdyk

5211 Woodmont Drive

Kalamazoo, Michigan 49001.

The answers to the quiz of last month are:

“Being Seen Of Them Forty Days”

—Acts 1:3

Believing —John 20:27

Evening — Luke 24:29

Israel —Acts 1:6

Nations —Matthew 28:19

Gardener —John 20:15

Stone —Acts 4:11

Eunuch —Acts 8:34

Ends — Isaiah 52:10

Name —Acts 3:6

Opened —Acts 7:56

Five —1 Corinthians 15:6

Tiberius —John 21:1

Him —Revelation 1:7

Even —Acts 10:41

Me —1 Corinthians 15:8

Flesh —1 Timothy 3:16

Opened — Luke 24:32

Raised —Acts 2:32

Third —John 21:17

You —Matthew 26:11

Days —Acts 13:31

Alway —Matthew 28:20

Yesterday —Hebrews 13:8

Soldiers —Matthew 28:12-15

And again we will try to answer some letters:

Darla Rus

Your letter will be first this time, Darla. Did you have a good trip to Des Moines? How far is that from Rock Valley? In the Bible we read how the Jews also went up to their capital city. Do you know the purpose of making that trip?

jenny Boesterd

We have a rather big yard, Jenny, but do not have a farm. I suppose the baby rabbits have grown a lot already. What are you making in 4-H Sewing? Perhaps you start out with simple things and advance to the more difficult. I read in the Bible of a woman who made a coat, but also a man who made one. Do you know who they might be?

Jacqueline Velthove

It was nice to hear from you, Jacqueline. I saw your grandmother when I was in Norwich last month. Be sure to give her our greetings, but also your parents. Do you live in the vicinity of Norwich?

Nelly Stam

Did you have a nice birthday celebration, Nelly? Another birthday is another year older. In Psalm 90 we find that Moses prayed, “So teach us to number our days!’ Each day is a wonder, and each day is another step along our path of life. We hope that you may have many more.

Answers have been the following:

Joel Arnoldussen (3)

Jonas Arnoldussen (3)

Nicole Arnoldussen (3)

Bernie Bakker

Billie Jo Bakker

Trish Bakker

Carrie Bazen

Amy Beeke (2)

Billy Beeke (2)

David Beeke (2)

Lori Beeke (2)

Lorraine Blom

Jenny Boesterd

Michelle Boesterd

Jeremy Boot

Stephen Bos

Melanie Bos

Stephanie Bos

Jackie DenDekker

Neil DenDekker

Arien Den Hoed

Bruce Den Hoed

Glen Den Hoed

Susan Den Hoed

Tim Den Hoed

received from

Kevin De Visser Leah De Visser Trent De Visser Andy De Vries Brian De Vries Fred De Vries Stephen De Vries Rachel Engelsma (2) Geoff Erkelens (3) Karen Erkelens (3) Susanna Erkelens (3) Remco Funcke Daniel Herfst David Herfst Jason Herfst Kevin Herfst Wieska Hoedeman Carrie Hoogendoorn Kent Hoogendoorn Kevin Hoogendoorn Peter Hoogendoorn Katie Hoogerheide Robert J.Hults, Jr. Debbie Kanis Kathleen Kanis

Ken Kanis

Jody Kegel

Stephanie Kegel

Jeffrey Knibbe

Karla Joy Knibbe

Kevin Knibbe

Nora Knibbe

Ryan Knibbe

Hugo Kranendonk

Jim Kranendonk

Joanna Kranendonk

Mary Kranendonk

Ronald Kranendonk

Susan Kranendonk

Cindy Kreft

Derek Kreft

June Krygsman

Joan Lamain

Kristy Lamain

Sara Lamain

Gregory S. Lubbers

Pam Lubbers

Steve Lubbers

Ed Maljaars

Judy Maljaars

Nancy Maljaars

Rick Maljaars

Tom Maljaars

Wendy Maljaars

Nicole Renee Meeuwse

Nathan Meeuwse

Alyce Nieuwenhuis

Rob Nieuwenhuis

Melanie Osmun

Craig Phillips

Wendy Phillips

John Polderman

Kevin Post

Vicki Post

Heidi Remijn

Sonya Remijn

Jennifer Sue Rose

Julie Rozeboom

Gaylon Rozeboom

Darla Rus

Pam Schelling

Rebekah Schelling

Renita L. Schelling

Eric L Schipper

Kristina Schipper

Matthew Schipper (2)

Michelle Schipper (2)

Johanna Scholten (2)

Margaret Scholten (2)

Estella Schouten (2)

Philip Schouten (2)

Susanna Slingerland

Stephen Sporte

Joel Stam

Nelly Stam

Kevin Stubbe

Steven Stubbe

Rachael Timmer

Deb Van Bernden

Sally Van Bernden

Andre VandeBruinhorst

Lida VandeBruinhorst

Mary VandeBruinhorst

Leona VandenBrink

Louise VandenBrink

? Vanden Hoek

Jon VandenToorn

Jaclyn VandenToorn

Kim VandenToorn

Lisa VandenToorn

Marsha VandenToorn

Michael VandenToorn

Tammy VandenToorn

Rebekah VanderBoon

Benjamin VanderMeulen (2)

Dave VanderMeulen

Fran VanderMeulen

Bob VanderZand

Rodney VanderZand

Laurens Van Pegee

Dawn Van Seters

Trina Van Tol

Joel Van Veldhuizen

Kristi Van Veldhuizen

Rebecca Van Veldhuizen

Robert Lee Van Veldhuizen

Phyllis Van Veldhuizen

Sheila Van Veldhuizen

Janelle Van Voorst

Larissa Lynn Van Voorst

Rachel Van Voorst

Corinna Van Wingerden

Marlene Van Wingerden

Edward Van Wyk

Laura Van Wyk (2)

John Wesdyk

Karen Wesdyk

Chad Wielhouwer

Eric Wielhouwer

Lean Wielhouwer

Edward Ymker

Jody Ann Ymker

Kevin Ymker

Remco Funcke

You certainly get your exercise every day, Remco. I am sure there are some days when the weather is not ideal for delivering papers, but it has to be done. News travels much faster and very differently than it did in Bible times. Can you think of an example of news travelling as told us in the Bible?

Estella Schouten

I see that there are two letters from you, Estella. This happens occasionally, but is no real problem. We too are often reminded of Anita when we see your answers arrive, since she too answered for quite a number of years. It is and will remain an empty place.

Derek Kreft

Have you slept in your tree-house, Derek? In the quiz this month there are some questions about certain trees, but nothing is said in the Bible about tree-houses. However, I do read about cutting down trees to make a house. Do you know where that is mentioned?

Laurens Van Pagee

We want to welcome you to the Bible quiz, Laurens. It is really nice to hear from you. Yes, I knew your father when he was a little boy and was living here. Be sure to give him our greetings and also your grandparents. Do write again.

Leah De Visser

It is always nice to look forward to a trip to your grandparents, Leah. Some boys and girls are privileged to have their grandparents for many years, while others must lose them very early. Can you think of children in the Bible that are mentioned with their grandparents?

Becky Schelling

It is also nice to hear from you, Rebekah. Who is your teacher this year? There are many things to learn, but the most important lessons are those which the Bible teaches us. Do you know what the apostle Paul wrote about the Bible to his young friend Timothy?

Philip Schouten

How far does Remco live from your house, Philip? It seems that you are able to get together several times a year, which is nice. Good friends are a blessing. In the Bible we also read of good friends, but it also mentions some wrong friends. Can you think of any?

Michelle Boesterd

You must have quite a few rabbits around your place, Michelle. Do they also get into your garden sometime? Are you keeping quite busy during the summer vacation? It probably seems good not to have to go to school for a while.

Cindy Kreft

We hope you didn’t get too wet at Sealand when the whale fell back into the water. Cindy, we are reminded of the words of James, how that every kind of beast and of things in the sea hath been tamed of mankind. But he then mentions one thing which no man can tame. Do you know what it is?

Jonas Arnoldussen

Jonas, your letter is the last one this time. What are you doing during the summer months? Although you may put aside your school books, we hope that there is still one book that may be your daily companion. The psalmist spoke of it as a light upon his path.

Many thanks, boys and girls, for your replies to the quiz. It should be such a wonder to us that the Lord still grants us the use of His Word and the benefit of His servants, so that we might have a church publication. May we together seek His blessing upon it.

With love,

Your friend,

“Uncle Garret”

WHICH WAY DO YOU RUN?

Two elders went to visit a young woman who desired to join church. After hearing how a change took place, one said, “Well, were you a sinner before this change took place?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Are you a sinner now?”

“Yes, sir. I think I am a greater sinner than ever.”

“Then what is the difference?” he inquired.

She thought for a moment, then said, “Then I was a sinner who ran into sin, now I am a sinner who runs from it.”

“Flee also youthful lusts” (2 Tim. 2:22).

Which way do you run?

THE STREETLAYER AND REV. SPURGEON

Once I read a true story about the well known English preacher, Rev. Spurgeon, which I wish to relate to you.

About 1875 the street where Rev. Spurgeon lived had to be redone. At that time everything was not done in such a great hurry as now. On a certain day a streetlayer was busy laying the new pavement right in front of the house of the minister. He was a cheerful man who often was singing while at work. But it was too bad that he had such rude manners. When something went wrong or if he hurt his hand, he cursed and swore as passionately as he had sung. Naturally, the minister heard this too, and it was a great offence and grief to him. What must he do? He did not expect many results if he warned him, much less if he would forbid him to curse.

Going straight to the man, greeting him in a friendly manner, Spurgeon introduced himself. He praised him for his good work and cheerful singing but rebuked him for his cursing. “It shall be of no use to ask you to stop cursing, because you would not be willing or able to stop it. But, may I ask you something: Do you ever pray?”

“Pray? No, that would never work for me,” replied the streetlayer, “because you cannot pray and curse at the same time.”

“Now you must listen,” answered Spurgeon. “I shall give you three pounds in English money, if you will promise me that you will never pray in your whole life.”

Three pounds was a lot of money in those days. “And if you will promise not to curse anymore, I will give you another two pounds, but I think you will not dare to risk that. Thus, understand this, you may never pray! As soon as you pray, you must promise me that you will give me back the three pounds.”

This working man, being surprised, thought this over a few moments. He said, “Now, that is quickly and easily earned; I will promise you.” That morning he still sang somewhat, but not as loudly as before, and soon Rev. Spurgeon did not hear him curse anymore.

At twelve o’clock he went home for dinner. Usually he came home singing or whistling, but not this time. It resounded in his ears: “Never pray, never pray!” He had lost his former peace of mind.

Our streetlayer had a sincere, godly wife, and three children. His two boys were eight and six, and his little girl, three years old.

When they all sat together at the table, Mother would say: “First pray together children,” and one after the other would pray a little prayer. Then they would all eat together. Father never prayed. The little girl had said only the day before, “Mommy, Daddy never prays with us; you must also teach Daddy a little prayer.” This he could not accept, and had become angry and said to the little girl, “Say, you little rascal, why do you trouble yourself about me?” At the same time he had given her a hard slap.

The next day Father came home for dinner and sat at the table. However, the chair of the little girl was empty. “Where is Mary?” he asked.

“She is in bed,” Mother replied. “She had such a severe headache this morning that I had the doctor come.”

“And what did he say?” he asked. She replied, “He does not know yet whether it is meningitis or a brain concussion; he did ask whether she had a hard fall and had bumped her head. She must stay in bed and lie quietly with a wet cloth on her head.”

The father did not answer. But he was thinking about what had happened the day before when he had given her such a hard slap. Would he become the murderer of his own child? Did he hit her too hard? And why? Because his child prayed and she wanted her Daddy to pray, too! Again he thought of the incident with the minister: “Never pray, never pray!”

He did not say anything about this incident that morning, but it was as if those three pounds began to burn in his pocket. It became real Judas money, with which he had sold his soul. Arising from the table, feeling very depressed he went to the bed of his little daughter.

Good morning, dear, how are you? Do you have a headache? Get better quickly,” he said.

The child looked at him with large sweet eyes. She nodded a few times, and then said, “Hello, Daddy,” which nearly broke his heart! Daddy went to work, but he could hardly work. “Your fault, your fault,” hammered in his ears! “Never pray; never pray!”

His fellow workers noticed his unusual manner. They asked him what was the matter. He told them about the serious sickness of his little daughter. They all felt sorry for him. “Would you believe,” one of them said, “this street-layer is not nearly as hard as he looks. He has a mouth as sharp as a razor blade, and curses like a dragon, but when it comes right down to it, his heart is as soft as wax.”

And see… he was put to the test. When he came home at six o’clock, his child was worse. The girl was lying in her little bed, delirious from fever. Mother was sitting at her bedside and was holding her warm hand.

They went and sat by the table, and the youngest child prayed, “Lord, bless this food, and wilt Thou please make Mary better?”

Especially the last part of this little prayer cut through the heart of this streetlayer. “Lord, wilt Thou make Mary better,” continually repeated itself in his heart, while a voice within attacked him, saying “That is praying and that you do not do; and you may not either. Think about your three pounds.”

He arose from the table and went to his little daughter again. He saw the painful twitches in her face; oh, how the child was suffering!

“Oh, Lord…” “No,” echoed in his heart, “Not for you; not for you.”

He went to the rear of a little barn and tried to putter around, but it was of no use; continually, it came back in his mind, “Never pray; never pray!” He went into the house. He tried to read the newspaper and smoke his pipe. But he cannot read, and he does not smoke.

It is clearly evident that the Spirit of God was working in him, directly opposing the spirit of Satan. He went to bed, and when his wife came to bed, he asked her, “How is Mary? Have you also prayed for the recovery of Mary?”

Silence reigned. His wife could not believe her ears! “What do you mean?” And then he told her everything—all that was weighing upon his heart as lead. What further happened that night we are unable to express, for that is a secret between the Lord, the street-layer, and his wife.

The following day he went to work, but first went up the steps of the parsonage of Rev. Spurgeon to return the three pounds.

Naturally Rev. Spurgeon understood, asked for his address, and went to the home where little Mary was seriously sick. He prayed and supplicated earnestly with the whole family unto the Lord for the recovery of little Mary, and salvation for them all.

By the grace of God Mary fully recovered. But she never had to say again: “Mommy! Mustn’t Daddy also pray?”

PENTECOST

When the blessed day of Pentecost

Was fully come, the Holy Ghost

Descended from above,

Sent by the Father and the Son,

To bring immortal blessings down,

And shed abroad God’s love.

Suddenly a rushing wind they hear;

And fiery cloven tongues appear;

And sat on every one;

Cloven, perhaps, to be a sign

That God no longer would confine

His word to Jews alone.

Oh, Thou Almighty Paraclete,

Thou shedd’st Thy heavenly influence yet,

Thou visitest sinners still;

The breath of life, Thy quickening flame,

Thy power, Thy Godhead, still the same,

We own, because we feel.

—Joseph Hart

INTERCESSION

One evening Martin Luther was very discouraged. His enemies were many and powerful. He was as Elijah, who cried out waveringly: “And I, even I, only am left; and they seek my life, to take it away” (I Kings 19:10).

Martin Luther went out of the city to walk in the realm of nature to be alone with his thoughts and to meditate. After having walked a short distance, he passed a lonely hut. The small windows were open because of the warm weather. Luther could hear someone in the hut talk very clearly. Suddenly he heard the words of a prayer: “Oh Lord, spare Thy faithful servant, Martin Luther, from wavering and giving up on account of the fear of man. Grant him grace to preach Thy word in its fulness.” Before he knew it, the Reformer was lying on his knees to pray with the man in the hut.

Without entering the hut, he continued his walk, thanking the Lord for the great blessing that a man in a hut was praying for him not to lose courage. Oh, what a great benefit was shown to him a great sinner who was wavering and doubting!

Luther often related this incident, confessing that the prayer of this plain man in a hut was a means in the hands of the Lord to strengthen his faith. The Lord has already taken care from eternity that His faithful servants will be comforted and strengthened.

THE FIRM ROCK

An Irish lad who had been very wicked was converted during a revival in Ireland. Some time after he was asked if he was not afraid of returning to his old ways. “Oh, sir,” said he, “I do tremble on the Rock sometimes, but then I know that the Rock doesn’t tremble under me!”

“That Rock was Christ” (1 Cor. 10:4).

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