Book of Exodus Quiz: The Tabernacle and the Golden Calf

1. What was the Ark of the Covenant made of, and what were its dimensions?

1. A single piece of pure gold — shaped and beaten by skilled craftsmen to exact divine specifications
2. Acacia wood overlaid with gold — 2.5 cubits long, 1.5 cubits wide and 1.5 cubits high
3. Bronze on the outside, pure gold inside — 2 cubits long, 1 cubit wide and 1 cubit high
4. Cedar overlaid with gold — 3 cubits long, 2 wide and 2 high

2. What was the 'atonement cover' (mercy seat) and what sat on top of it?

1. A carved stone platform where the high priest would stand during the Day of Atonement ceremony
2. A cloth of blue, purple and scarlet yarn stretched over the ark on special occasions
3. A golden bowl of incense that burned continuously before the ark in the Most Holy Place
4. A pure gold lid for the ark, with two golden cherubim facing each other — God would speak from between them

3. What was the table of the bread of the Presence used for?

1. It held the incense offering that burned before the LORD continually
2. The elders of Israel gathered around it to hear the law read each Sabbath
3. The high priest ate his consecrated meal on it every morning before beginning the day's service
4. Twelve loaves of bread were placed on it — one for each tribe — and renewed every Sabbath; the old loaves were eaten by Aaron and his sons

4. The golden lampstand (menorah) had how many branches and lamps?

1. Five branches and five lamps — representing the five books of Moses
2. One central lamp on top with six additional lamps hanging from chains around it
3. Seven branches — a central shaft with three pairs of branches extending from it, making seven lamps in total
4. Twelve lamps on four branches — representing the twelve tribes on four sides

5. What two sections did the curtain (veil) of the tabernacle divide?

1. The Holy Place from the Most Holy Place (Holy of Holies)
2. The men's section from the women's section of the tabernacle court
3. The outer court from the inner court
4. The priests' quarters from the public worship area

6. What was the burnt offering altar (bronze altar) in the outer court made of, and what was burnt on it?

1. Acacia wood overlaid with bronze, and burnt offerings, sin offerings and peace offerings were sacrificed on it
2. Bronze cast as a single piece, and only the first-born animals of the flock were burnt on it
3. Granite stone, and it burned with the fire of the LORD that never went out
4. Pure gold, and only grain offerings and incense were burnt on it

7. Who did God specifically name and fill with his Spirit to be the chief craftsman of the tabernacle?

1. Aaron's son Ithamar, who had trained as a sculptor in Egypt
2. Bezalel son of Uri, from the tribe of Judah — filled with the Spirit of God in skill, ability and knowledge
3. Hiram of Tyre, the skilled craftsman who would later build Solomon's temple
4. Moses himself — God gave him the skills he needed to oversee every aspect of the construction

8. What did Aaron make while Moses was on the mountain for forty days, and what did the people say about it?

1. Aaron built an altar to YHWH and led the people in sacrificial worship, but without Moses's authorisation
2. Aaron fashioned a bronze serpent on a pole as a symbol of God's protecting power over the wilderness
3. Aaron made a carved image of the pillar of fire as a reminder of God's leading — but it became an idol
4. Aaron made a golden calf from the people's gold earrings; the people said 'These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt'

9. When God told Moses what was happening and threatened to destroy Israel, how did Moses respond?

1. Moses agreed that God was right and immediately began descending to lead the punishment
2. Moses asked God to spare the innocent children and only judge those who had actually worshipped the calf
3. Moses fell silent, knowing he could not intercede for such a terrible sin
4. Moses interceded, asking God to relent — reminding him of his promises to Abraham, Isaac and Israel, and his reputation among the nations

10. What did Moses do when he came down and saw the golden calf and the dancing?

1. He broke the tablets of stone, burned and ground the calf to powder, scattered it on water, and made the Israelites drink it
2. He called down fire from heaven that consumed the golden calf, leaving the people unharmed
3. He commanded Aaron to be punished immediately as the one responsible for the idolatry
4. He fell on his face and wept, then called the people to repentance over three days

11. What excuse did Aaron give Moses for the golden calf when Moses confronted him?

1. 'I meant it as a symbol only — a reminder of God's power, not an idol to be worshipped'
2. 'I told them to take off their gold earrings and throw them into the fire, and out came this calf'
3. 'Moses, you know this people — they are prone to evil. I was powerless to stop them once they decided'
4. 'The people forced me — they threatened to stone me if I did not make them a god to follow'

12. Which tribe rallied to Moses's side after the golden calf incident, and what did they do?

1. The elders of all twelve tribes gathered and publicly renounced the golden calf before the whole congregation
2. The firstborn sons of every tribe came to Moses and volunteered to guard the tabernacle as a sign of repentance
3. The tribe of Judah gathered and helped Moses destroy all the remaining idols in the camp
4. The tribe of Levi gathered to Moses and went through the camp killing those who had continued in idolatry — about 3,000 died

13. In his second intercession after the golden calf, Moses made an extraordinary offer. What was it?

1. 'Please forgive their sin — but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written'
2. 'Take all my years from me and add them to the lives of those who must die — let me die in their place'
3. He offered to lead Israel back to Egypt as slaves if God would spare their lives
4. He offered to remain on Sinai permanently as God's servant if God would spare the people

14. What did God proclaim about himself when he passed before Moses and revealed his character (Exodus 34:6-7)?

1. 'I am the Holy One of Israel — beside me there is no other god; I will not share my glory with any idol'
2. 'I am the LORD who does not change — I am the same yesterday and today and forever'
3. 'I am the LORD your Redeemer — I delivered you from Egypt and I will deliver you from every enemy'
4. 'The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands'

15. What offering system funded the building of the tabernacle?

1. A half-shekel tax collected once from every man over twenty years of age
2. A mandatory tithe of ten percent collected from every household in Israel
3. A voluntary offering — everyone whose heart moved them brought gold, silver, bronze, yarn, linen, animal skins, acacia wood and oils
4. Tribute collected from the Egyptians who had given Israel goods when they left Egypt

16. How was the priests' consecration ceremony conducted when Aaron and his sons were set apart?

1. Aaron was anointed alone first, then his sons were anointed seven days later to mark their junior status
2. God himself appeared and clothed the priests with light as the sign of their consecration
3. Moses washed them, dressed them in priestly garments, anointed them with oil, sacrificed consecration offerings, and the ceremony lasted seven days
4. They fasted forty days, then were anointed with oil and dressed in the priestly garments on the fortieth day

17. What were the Urim and Thummim, and where were they kept?

1. A lamp and a bronze mirror kept in the Most Holy Place for the Day of Atonement ceremony
2. Objects of discernment kept in the high priest's breastpiece — used to determine God's will in specific decisions
3. Sacred scrolls containing God's law, kept in the ark of the covenant beneath the atonement cover
4. Two precious stones mounted on the high priest's shoulders as a sign of his authority to intercede for Israel

18. What was inscribed on the gold plate (the sacred emblem) that was attached to the high priest's turban?

1. 'God Almighty, Maker of Heaven and Earth' — the full divine title used in priestly worship
2. 'Holy to the LORD' — so Aaron would bear the guilt of the Israelites' sacred offerings
3. 'I am the LORD your God' — reminding the priest of his accountability before God
4. 'The LORD is King' — proclaiming God's sovereignty over Israel

19. How did Moses know the tabernacle was complete and fully acceptable to God?

1. Fire fell from heaven and consumed the first sacrifice offered on the new altar of burnt offering
2. God spoke from the Most Holy Place and said 'I have accepted your work — this is my dwelling place'
3. The cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle so that Moses could not enter it
4. The morning after its completion, there was no dew on the ground around the tabernacle — a sign of God's favour

20. How did the cloud and fire guide Israel's movements from the tabernacle onward?

1. God spoke through Moses each morning, and Moses reported God's instruction about direction and distance to the leaders
2. The cloud was consulted by the priests each morning — if it turned north, south, east or west, Israel marched that direction
3. The pillar of fire moved ahead of the camp each night and stopped where Israel was to make their next camp
4. When the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle, Israel set out; when it settled, Israel camped — it was over the tabernacle at night as fire