Let’s do a quick Bible study on Teaching to lay a foundation for our understanding of Biblical Worldview Eduction. Then we will come back to breaking down the definition of Education from the Noah Webster dictionary. You will understand why I believe that the Lord had me name teaching business: Teaching His Story & the Art of Biblical Learning. I hope that you will join me.

When you search for “Teach” at biblegateway.com, you will see 235 options in the NKJV. This may seem ridiculously overwhelming, but we will narrow that down. I am using the NKJV because it always capitalizes all references to God thereby reducing confusion. I want to know when pronouns are referring directly to Him.

We immediately see that the Lord is teaching Moses in Exodus 4:12 and Exodus 4:15; then Moses is teaching the people in Exodus 18:20 and several other scriptures in Exodus, Leviticus and in Deuteronomy 4:1:

“Now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the judgments which I teach(3925) you to observe, that you may live, and go in and possess the land which the Lord God of your fathers is giving you.”

The Hebrew word for “teach” in this scripture is 3925, lamad which, from the NKJV Keyword Study Bible it is defined as:

“Primitive route; (properly to goad)…  instruct, learn, skillful, teach (ing), (+ un-) train (-ed).

“A verb meaning to learn; to study, to teach, to be taught, to be learned. The verb describes learning war, training for war, the lack of training (Isaiah 2:4; Micah 4:3), or the acquisition of instruction (Isaiah 29:24). God’s people were warned not to learn the ways of the nations, that is, to acquire their corrupt and false practices and standards (Jeremiah 10:2), but to learn the ways of God instead (Jeremiah 12:16). The verb is sometimes used with an infinitive following it suggesting the meaning to learn to do something. Israel was not to learn to do the abominations of surrounding nations (Deuteronomy 18:9); It describes metaphorically the actions of Jehoahaz against his countryman as he tore them as a lion would with tear its prey (Ezekiel 19:3).”

“In the intensive or factitive form, the root takes on the meaning of imparting learning (i.e. teaching). The verb simply means to teach (2 Chronicles 17: 7, 9), or to teach people or things; the Lord taught His people (Jeremiah 31:34) His decrees and laws (Deuteronomy 4:1). The participle of this form often means teacher (Psalm 119:99).”

“The passive forms of this verb mean to be teachable or to be knowledgeable or well trained by the Lord (Jeremiah 31:18) or people (Isaiah 29:13).”

This gives us a peek into the heart of God and His Ways. As teachers, we are to seek God to learn from Him before we teach others. To skip this step is to be presumptuous at best and at worst deserving of a millstone around our neck to be cast into the sea. (O God, we need Your help desperately…) But as a culture we have lost this blessing, heritage and habit of learning and teaching.

What fascinates me is that later in this same chapter we see the Hebrew word for learn is teach(3925) in verse Deuteronomy 4:5:

“…especially concerning the day you stood before the Lord your God in Horeb, when the Lord said to me, ‘Gather the people to Me, and I will let them hear My words, that they may learn(3925) to fear Me all the days they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children.’”

So I see a pattern here, that God teaches Moses and then Moses teaches the people to learn. Then the parents teach their children.

We see that in Deuteronomy 4:9-10 NKJV:

“9 Only take heed to yourself, and diligently keep yourself, lest you forget the things your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. And teach them to your children and your grandchildren, 10 especially concerning the day you stood before the Lord your God in Horeb, when the Lord said to me, ‘Gather the people to Me, and I will let them hear My words, that they may learn to fear Me all the days they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children.’”

God teaches parents by His Word, then we teach our children:

teach them to your children and your grandchildren (v. 9)

that they may teach their children. (v. 10)

And yet everything in our culture tells parents that they are not qualified, that they are to give their children to the “experts”. These experts may not know know God, nor fear Him. So the system is all wrong. But this is our culture. Some call this the “Zeitgeist” of our time. Zeitgeist is the “general intellectual, moral climate of an era” (dictionary.com). Let’s not be defeated before we begin. Let’s have the Faith in God that:

“… if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”   ~ 2 Chronicles 7:14 NKJV

Teaching is an endeavor inherent to Christianity yet generally abdicated from the Zeitgeist of our culture. To recover from our anti-Christ philosophies and methodologies, we must first repent, yes. But let’s seek Him and believe that He IS a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him as He promises in Hebrews 11:6:

“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”

Let’s focus on restoring, reforming, and redeeming our culture as God gives us revelation and strategy. Let’s honor Christ as the King of our nations and seek His Word, His Will and His Way as our new paradigm for our present intellectual, moral, cultural climate of today. Yes, He is Lord of the Zeitgeist.

Now, I would like to hear from you. What is your Biblical Vision for Teaching? Want to join these weekly discussions?

Sign up for Teaching His Story Community here.

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A2S2C2 Executive Appointments

… He shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States, whose Appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by Law: but the Congress may by Law vest the Appointment of such inferior Officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the Courts of Law, or in the Heads of Departments. The President shall have Power to fill up all Vacancies that may happen during the Recess of the Senate, by granting Commissions which shall expire at the End of their next Session. ~ A2S2C2

Hamilton explained, “It will be the office of the president to nominate, and, with the advice and consent of the Senate, to appoint. There will, of course, be no exertion of choice on the part of the Senate. They may defeat one choice of the Executive, and oblige him to make another; but they cannot choose – they can only ratify or reject the choice of the President.”(1)

He clarified, “ Though it might… be to that the executive might occasionally influence some individuals in the Senate, yet the supposition that he would in general purchase the integrity of the whole body would be forced and improbable… The necessity of its co-operation in the business of appointments will be a considerable and salutary restraint upon the conduct of that magistrate.”(2)

Governor Morris added, “As the president was to nominate, there would be a responsibility; and as the Senate was to concur, there would be security.”(3)

Madison “observed that he was not anxious that 2/3 should be necessary, to disagree to a nomination… He was content to… let a majority reject.”(4)

Father, let the Spirit of the Lord rest on our president and representatives: the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord. Let them delight in the fear of the Lord.”  in Jesus’ Name, Amen.  ~ Isaiah 11:2-3 NIV

1. Federalist 66
2. Federalist 76
3. Madison p. 529
4. Madison p. 302