WAEC Christian Religious Knowledge 2010 Past Questions & Answers

According to Genesis 1, the separation of day from night first happened on Day 1 when God created light and separated it from darkness. On Day 4, God made the sun, moon and stars mainly to give light upon the earth and to serve as signs for seasons, days, and years. Although they rule the day and night, the initial act of separating day from night was already done, making it the correct exception in this context.

Common mistake: Students often choose option D because drying the flood is clearly from the story of Noah, but they miss the subtle detail that the separation of day and night was first established on Day 1, not Day 4.

This question comes from the creation account in Genesis chapter 2. The Bible describes a river flowing out of Eden which then separated into four headwaters. According to Genesis $2:11-14$, these four rivers were the Pishon, the Gihon, the Tigris, and the Euphrates, making Pishon the correct answer from the options provided.

Common mistake: Students might mistakenly choose the River Nile because it is a very famous river in the Bible, especially in the story of Moses in Egypt, even though it is not mentioned in the Genesis creation account of Eden.

The correct answer is Zipporah. The Bible records in Exodus chapter 2 that after Moses fled from Egypt, he went to the land of Midian. While there, he helped the daughters of Jethro, the priest of Midian, and ended up marrying one of them, whose name was Zipporah.

Common mistake: Students might confuse Zipporah with other famous women from the Old Testament like Deborah, who was also a prominent leader (a Judge) during the time before the kings.

According to Genesis chapter 37, Jacob sent Joseph from their home in the valley of Hebron to find his brothers in Shechem. When Joseph arrived in Shechem, a man informed him that his brothers had moved on to Dothan. It was in Dothan that Joseph finally found them, and where they conspired against him and sold him into slavery, setting in motion the events that demonstrate God's divine providence.

Common mistake: Students often mistakenly choose Hebron because that is where Joseph's journey began when his father, Jacob, sent him to find his brothers.

The Bible provides a clear record of Joshua's age at the time of his death at the end of the book of Joshua. The scripture in Joshua 24:29 states, 'After these things, Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died at the age of one hundred and ten.' This verse directly confirms that 110 years is the correct age.

Common mistake: Students often make mistakes on this type of question by simply not remembering the specific age stated in the Bible, leading them to guess one of the incorrect numerical options.

According to 1 Samuel 15, God, through the prophet Samuel, commanded King Saul to utterly destroy the Amalekites. This was a divine judgment for what the Amalekites did to the Israelites many years before, when they ambushed them on their way out of Egypt. Option B correctly identifies this historical reason for the command, which was meant to be a test of Saul's obedience.

Common mistake: Students might mistakenly choose option A because worshipping false gods was a common reason for God's judgment, but the Bible gives a specific historical reason for this particular command against the Amalekites.

The first king of Israel, Saul, lost his throne because he was irresponsible and disobedient to God's specific instructions. In 1 Samuel 15, God commanded him to completely destroy the Amalekites, but Saul disobeyed by sparing their king and the best of their livestock. This act of disobedience was a form of irresponsibility which showed he was not fit to be king, leading God to reject him.

Common mistake: Many students might choose option C, 'lost the support of Yahweh,' because while it is true, it describes the result of his actions rather than the root cause, which was his disobedience and irresponsibility.

This story is about King David's sin with Bathsheba, Uriah's wife, which happened during his reign. Uriah was a dedicated soldier who believed it was wrong to enjoy the comfort of his home and wife while the Ark of God and his fellow soldiers were camping in the open fields for battle. This was seen as a military vow or a patriotic duty during wartime. By refusing to go home, Uriah showed his loyalty to his nation and his comrades, even when it meant disobeying the king's personal command.

Common mistake: Students might choose option D, thinking Uriah was suspicious of the king's motives, but the Bible presents Uriah as a loyal and honourable soldier who was completely unaware of David's sin with his wife.

The correct answer is C. This event is recorded in 2 Samuel chapter 3. After Abner, the commander of Saul's army, had a disagreement with Saul's son Ishbosheth, he decided to transfer his allegiance to David. When Abner sent messengers to David, David agreed to make a pact but insisted on one condition: 'You shall not see my face unless you first bring Michal, Saul's daughter, when you come to see me.' Restoring his first wife was a key political move for David to strengthen his claim to the throne.

Common mistake: Students might mistakenly choose option B because Abner did promise to bring all of Israel over to David, but this was his own offer, not the specific condition David demanded from him first.

In the biblical account in 1 Kings 3, when God offered Solomon anything he desired, Solomon did not ask for personal benefits like wealth or a long life. Instead, he humbly asked for an 'understanding mind' or a 'discerning heart' so he could govern God's people justly and distinguish between right and wrong. God was very pleased with this selfless request and granted him not only unparalleled wisdom but also the riches and honour he did not ask for.

Common mistake: Students often mistakenly choose 'Great wealth and riches' because King Solomon is famously known for his wealth, but this was given to him as an additional gift, not what he originally requested.