Teach me that I might teach

When I think of ministers and preachers, I don’t really think of teachers, but so very often they are indeed involved in that. Teaching is something that keeps knowledge in the hands of the people and allows people to grow strong in God. As well teaching allows new knowledge or new ideas to be examined and to see if these are in synch with God’s word. Never ever be afraid to attend lectures at a secular college because of what it might teach you about various controversial issues. The point is to absorb and prescribe those issues and filter out what is not in teaching the bible, that is what does not agree with God’s word. The reason God had officials teach the Law in 2 Chronicles 17:7-9 is because they were the ones most versed in that Law, as were the priests. Much as in various colleges Physics is taught by people versed or becoming versed in that topic, and German literature teachers are taught by those who have some knowledge and experience with that topic. I know that my best teachers were experts in their field or else had a wide range of experiences that were attesting to the fact that they could claim to have knowledge and were getting a degree that agreed with that statement. The worst teachers I have ever had were those who had no knowledge of their subject, because they were drafted to teach English History from having taught Typing. God provided His people with a means to gain knowledge of His Word, and He made sure this Word was spread, as in Nehemiah 8:7-8. It could be said that all of the Old Testament was to teach all of God’s people Who God is and what He expects of us. For example, in Leviticus 11:44-47, the LORD speaks and tells them to follow His ways, to make themselves (consecrate) holy because He is. Does that mean perfect? No, and the Old Testament as well as the New Testament stress that God’s people can indeed come back to Him time and time again by just asking for forgiveness. (I John 1) All they have to do is follow Him, and obey His commandments. That means following the footsteps of our prime example, Jesus. After all, all teaching has its focal point in Jesus, whose teaching in Luke 4:6-21 demonstrated that He indeed was the fulfillment of prophecy in Isaiah, lending credibility to His claim to being the Son of God. And what I love most about teachers and preachers is that they give us standards from God’s Word that I can search and verify as truth. This has always been so between God and His people. For instance, Moses and the elders in Deuteronomy 27:1-26 gave God’s people commandments that had been given by God to them. They thereby instructed the people how to proceed according to the commandments and standards God set out. In this way Moses and the elders taught and led God’s people in how to conduct themselves in accordance with God’s Word. In Deuteronomy 31:19, the people were lead to sing, the song intended to tell the people where they came from and what God intended for them, much as I am led in song to know God deeper through songs in that I can see God’s Word and encouragement. God gives me a history and a way to conduct myself and preachers and teachers instruct me in these facets in accordance to His Word.