The Bible in Education

“That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; that our daughters may be as cornerstones, polished after the similitude of a palace:” Psalm 144:12.

“True education is more than the pursual of a certain course of study. It means more than a preparation for the life that now is. It has to do with the whole being, and with the whole period of existence possible to man. It is the harmonious development of the physical, the mental, and the spiritual powers. It prepares the student for the joy of service in this world and for the higher joy of wider service in the world to come.” Education, p.13.

My initial thought when I first read the book “The Bible in Education” by A T Jones was that how could this subject be relevant to me as I’ve already been through my schooling? You may wonder the same as you may have already brought up children and the fruition of seeds planted has already come to pass. You may feel that past mistakes cannot be redeemed. I soon realised that the subject was relevant to me as it revealed a subtle aspect of Babylon that I had been drawn into and was still affected by.

We are not educated solely so that we may obtain a good career, it is the preparation for eternal life. But this depends entirely on what kind of education we receive.

I would have been the perfect candidate for home schooling. I disliked school immensely and found school, its activities, the playground and others students daunting. School went against the Jesus inside of me that wanted to be at home with my Mum. It wasn’t within my mother’s capabilities to home school me, in fact, it may not be within the capabilities for many of us. This study is not to charge anyone who sends their children to school, but merely to look at the origins of education today and to learn how to perhaps counteract the influences that will be met there. This study may open your eyes to how another one of God’s ideals has been subtly perverted in the world today and how it fits into the fallen state of Babylon.

Before being sent to school, my mother did something good, she helped me to know God so I could have a source of strength for what I was to meet; “Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee.” Job 22:1. I became acquainted with God at home and we are to acquaint ourselves with God if we want true
knowledge and the source of all wisdom.

Gods original plan of education.

“I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.” Psalms 32:8. “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.” Prov 9: 10. “With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding. With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding.” Job 12:12,13

“For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.” Prov 2:6 If we want to learn then we go to the source of all knowledge – God.

“The system of education established in Eden centered in the family. Adam was ‘the son of God’. And it was from their Father that the children of the Highest received their instruction. Theirs, in the truest sense, was a family school. In the divine plan of education as adapted to man’s condition after the fall, Christ stands as the representative of the Father, the connecting link between God and man; He is the great teacher of mankind and He ordained that men and women should be His representatives. The family was the school, and the parents were the teachers. The education centering in the family was that which prevailed in the days of the patriarchs.” P. 33 Education.

“The Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there He put the man whom He had formed. And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden.” Genesis 2:8,9. “Here, amidst the beautiful scenes of nature untouched by sin, our first parents were to receive their education.” Ed 20.3

“In His interest for His children, our heavenly Father personally directed their education. Often they were visited by His messengers, the holy angels, and from them received counsel and instruction.” Ed 21.1

But by sin man was shut out from God and now the education of the plan of redemption became necessary. God also had a method of education he desired to establish in Israel. We will now look at the Biblical history of education.

“…when brought out of Egypt there were among the Israelites few prepared to be workers together with Him in the training of their children. The parents themselves needed instruction and discipline. Victims of lifelong slavery, they were ignorant, untrained, degraded. They had little knowledge of God and little faith in Him. They were confused by false teaching and corrupted by their long contact with heathenism. God desired to lift them to a higher moral level, and to this end He sought to give them a knowledge of Himself.” Ibid. P. 33.

If society has fallen into such a low state, all the more effort is required to ensure our children are educated as much as possible in the old paths. Let us not criticise any family we see protecting their children even from the influences at church.

“We have far more to fear from within than from without. The hindrances to strength and success are far greater from the church itself than from the world. Unbelievers have a right to expect that those who profess to be keeping the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, will do more than any other class to promote and honor, by their consistent lives, by their godly example and their active influence, the cause which they represent. But how often have the professed advocates of the truth proved the greatest obstacle to its advancement!

The unbelief indulged, the doubts expressed, the darkness cherished, encourage the presence of evil angels, and open the way for the accomplishment of Satan’s devices.“ 1SM 122 (1887).

“When the Word of God held its proper place in home and school, Israel was prosperous, and worldly nations said of them, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’ Then we read that they would ‘forget the things’ of God, and fail to ‘teach their children’ the Word. These untaught children mingled among the heathen and learned their works, and they served their idols, which were a snare unto them… Thus were they defiled with their own works, and went a whoring with their own inventions… And He gave them into the hands of the heathen; and they that hated them ruled over them… Many times did He deliver them.” Ps 106:35-43.

“The history of modern Israel may be written in the same language as ancient Israel, substituting only modern terms and phrases to impress more vividly the comparisons.” Christian Education by E A Sutherland p. 19-20.

Let’s examine the history of Biblical education in ancient times. The Levites were educators: “The educational work which the Levites received for their peculiar duties, would tend to make them the teachers of the others, the transcribers and interpreters of the law, the chroniclers of the times in which they lived. (Thus they became to the Israelites what ministers and teachers are to the people now, and this teaching and training the people in morality and religion was no doubt one of the chief reasons why they were set apart by God from the people, and yet among the people.)” Smiths Bible Dictionary.

When Gods plan of education was not carried into effect he provided other means. “God provided other agencies as an aid to parents in the world of education. The name Prophet was not only given to those who received direct inspiration, but also to those who not so directly inspired, were divinely called to instruct the people in the works and ways of God. For the training of such a class of teachers, Samuel, by the Lord’s direction, established the schools of the prophets.” P. 46 Education. “The pupils of these schools sustained themselves by their own labor in tilling the soil or in some mechanical employment.” P. 61 Christian Education.

In these schools the following subjects were taught; 1. Wisdom 2. Knowledge 3.Science 4.Manual labor 5.Music 6.Poetry 7.Temperance 8.Morals 9.Law 10.History 11.Reading 12.Writing 13.Numbers.

Daniel

“At the first siege of Jerusalem, 607 BC, Daniel was not over eighteen years of age; about the age of the prince Zedekiah, who afterward ruled in Jerusalem. Daniel had a godly mother who knew of the prophecy concerning the destruction of their city. She repeated to her son the words of God, that some day Hebrew children must stand in the heathen court at Babylon. Carefully did this mother teach her son to read the parchment scrolls of the prophets. The history of Israel was studied; the story of Nadab and Abihu was told and retold. The effect of strong drink was impressed upon the mind. The laws of his own being were studied. He knew that excess in eating and drinking would so dull the mind that the voice of God could not be heard. This education was not gained in the schools of the time, for they had departed from the plan of God; but holy mothers, living close to the everlasting Father, led their children by precept and example, by word and song, to form characters that would stand the test… It was the age when most of the young men in the capital of Judah were wild and reckless… God chose from their midst certain ones whom He could trust in a foreign land…. Now can be seen the results of the home training. They had not been educated in the schools of Jerusalem, much less in those in Babylon. On examination, these four passed as ‘skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science….’ God had fulfilled his promise in these children of the home school.” pgs. 22-33 Daniel the Prophet – S Haskell.

“Daniel and his three companions were ‘skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science.’ This education was acquired in the college, or the school of the prophets, in Jerusalem.” The Bible in Education – p. 83. AT Jones.

“The third feature of Daniel’s education is that he understood science. But where did Daniel or his teachers find any formulated science? Solomon lived and taught four hundred years before Daniel’s school days. Solomon ‘was wiser than all men.’ And what Solomon knew was not kept to himself, locked up in his own understanding; but he taught it to the people. It was so plain and simple that common people could understand it. Solomon thoroughly understood what is now called botany, zoology, ornithology, entomology, ichthyology, and meteorology. Solomon knew more of all these sciences than any man today knows of any one of them. And he taught them to all the people; for he spake of them all. “ The Bible in Education A T Jones. p. 100-102.

“He did not give learned and high sounding discourses on these subjects; he spake of the things themselves. Likewise also the beasts, the birds, the creeping things, and the fishes were studied and discoursed upon as they were alive and before his eyes.” The Bible in Education p. 102.

Solomon did not dissect rats as I did in high school or as we see of human bodies in universities. He didn’t pull flowers or insects to pieces, he studied them as they were in living form. No greater mistake can be made than the mistake that has been made in separating the fear of the Lord – religion – from science.

Jesus

“The childhood and youth of Jesus were spent in a little mountain village. Through the Holy Spirit the mother of Jesus received wisdom to co-operate with the heavenly agencies in the development of this child.” Desire of Ages p. 67

“From the earliest times the faithful in Israel had given much care to the education of the youth. The Lord had directed that even from babyhood the children should be taught of His goodness and His greatness, especially as revealed in His law, and shown in the history of Israel. Song and prayer and lessons from the Scriptures were to be adapted to the opening mind. Fathers and mothers were to instruct their children that the law of God is an expression of His character, and that as they received the principles of the law into the heart, the image of God was traced on mind and soul.” Desire of Ages p. 69.

The mother had a large part to play in Education. “Every child may gain knowledge as Jesus did.” DA p. 70. “He was not exempt from temptation. Jesus was placed where his character would be tested.” DA p. 71. By the time Jesus was 12, He knew his mission.

Moses

Moses was also taught in the home school until he was twelve years old. Another source of the present system of worldly education today came from Egypt. After Moses was educated in Egypt and fled to the plains of Midian in Arabia, it took another forty years to break the yoke of Egypt’s education system and to understand the true science of education so they might have a place in Canaan. Christ is calling men away from the Egyptian system of education. “Moses had been learning much that he must unlearn. The influences that had surrounded him in Egypt– the dissipation on every hand, the refinement, the subtlety, and the mysticism of a false religion, the splendor of idolatrous worship, the solemn grandeur of architecture and sculpture–all had left deep impressions upon his developing mind and had molded, to some extent, his habits and character. Time, change of surroundings, and communion with God could remove these impressions.” {CC 86.3}

“It was not the teachings of the schools of Egypt that enabled Moses to triumph over all his enemies, but an ever-abiding faith, an unflinching faith, a faith that did not fail under the most trying circumstances.” {CC 83.3}

Enoch

Enoch would labour among the worldly people before the flood but then he would withdraw from society for certain periods.

“In the midst of a life of active labor, Enoch steadfastly maintained his communion with God. The greater and more pressing his labours, the more constant and earnest were his prayers. He continued to exclude himself, at certain periods, from all society. After remaining for a time among the people, labouring to benefit them by instruction and example, he would withdraw, to spend a season in solitude, hungering and thirsting for that divine knowledge which God alone can impart. Communing thus with God, Enoch came more and more to reflect the divine image. His face was radiant with a holy light, even the light that shineth in the face of Jesus. As he came forth from these divine communings, even the ungodly beheld with awe the impress of heaven upon his countenance.” PP 86.4

There are some unbalanced ideas about how we should totally exclude ourselves from all worldly society and that we can not associate with anyone who we think is at all worldly. We need to be among worldly society to be a witness and at the same time have periods away from that kind of society not to be influenced by it. The other extreme is Lot and his wife who were living right in the midst of Sodom – we don’t want that either. Nor do we want to hide our light under a bushel.

The origin of Education in the world today

“When Christianity began in the world, the Word of God was its educational book. However, there was a time in the world which claimed it to be education; and not only education, but the only education in any true sense” The Bible in Education – AT Jones p. 9.

The whole theory of Greek education, both in science and philosophy, was “doubt” a profound and consistent scepticism. The principal ideal of that philosophy is expressed in the word doubt. The history of philosophy is but the history of doubt.” The Bible in Education – AT Jones P. 15.

There were three educational centers in the world at the time. Corinth – the vanity fair of the Roman Empire. Ephesus – “the most magnificent cities of Asia” Athens – the mother of the worlds’ education.

The Apostle Paul spent eighteen months planting Christianity in Corinth and then wrote “After that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe” 1 Cor 1:21.

“That which was accepted by the world as education was the means of their not knowing God” The Bible in Education – AT Jones P. 10.

“In Ephesus Paul established a Christian school which continued for 2 years. Many of the Gentiles became Christians.
Athens was the third of these great centres of the world’s education. That city was wholly given to idolatry, for it was full of idols of gold, silver and stone graven by art and man’s device expressing their ideas of God; and the time of this ignorance God endured but now calls every man to repent. The education of Athens culminated in art; that art was idolatry; and that idolatry was but the manifestation of ignorance. The world’s education, Greek education, at that time, was only ignorance. We see apostasy with the bringing in of ignorance creeping into the church. When the apostasy gained ascendancy under the Christian name, the original Greek philosophy and science – Greek ignorance – in the professed Christian church, we see the apostles had warned of this. They saw the consequences that must result from the seeds of apostasy being planted — the beginnings of which were apparent, even in their day…

“Many recommended the study of philosophy and acquaintance with the Greek and Roman literature. It led teachers of it to involve in philosophic obscurity many parts of our religion, which were in themselves plain, and easy to be understood. It recommended to Christians various rites to nourish superstition, something we see religiously observed even today. Finally, it alienated the minds of many in the following centuries from Christianity itself. The result of all this is expressed in one word – the Papacy. To professed Protestantism today, the Bible is not held in any true sense as an educational book. The science of the unbelieving world, the philosophy and literature of ancient Greece and Rome, have a far larger place than has the Bible. The highest course in university is the classical.” The Bible in Education – AT Jones P. 13.

“The church of Rome, since its rejuvenation is literally alive with determined, enthusiastic, zealous solders who know nothing but to live, to be spent, and to die for the church. She values that eternal principle and makes use of it ‘Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.’ Let me teach a child until he is twelve years old, say the Catholics, and he will always remain a Catholic.” Studies in Christian Education, E A Sutherland p. 13.

“The order of Jesuits found its special mission in combating the Reformation. As the most effective means of arresting the progress of Protestantism, it aimed at controlling education. ‘It developed an immense educational activity in Protestant countries’, ‘and earned for its schools a great reputation…’ More than any other agency it stayed the progress of the Reformation, and it succeeded in winning back territory already conquered by Protestantism…” (Painter, p. 166) Studies in Christian Education E A Sutherland p. 9.

1844

God tried to prepare the Protestant churches prior to 1844 to give the warning of the Three Angels Messages in Revelation 14. “When the truth for these last days came to the world in the proclamation of the first, second, and third angel’s messages, we were shown that in the education of our children a different order of things must be brought in:” T Vol 6 p. 126.

There were many schools advocating reform prior to 1844, but some were influenced by the Papacy. “The curriculum of education in many universities was chosen for them. The courses were arbitrary and were suited to the needs of the Papacy. The Lord, in order to prepare workers for the Midnight Cry, inspired the reformers to attack the course of study that held the students mind on the dim and musty past. God was endeavouring to arouse the popular churches to accept Christian education. This meant a reform in the location of their schools. A few years prior to 1844, many educational reformers were influenced to establish schools away from the city and on the farm. The Methodists, as early as 1735, under the direction of the Wesleys and Whitefield attempted to carry out God’s idea of education in Georgia.” Studies in Christian Education E A Sutherland p. 45.

It’s not always wrong to go to university; the Waldensian youth went to university. Today we need to find jobs and a course of study is not entirely wrong. “It was not uncommon for the Waldensian youth, after having completed all the education they could gain in their native land, to go to one of the universities in the surrounding countries. In these institutions of higher education, their purpose was two-fold. Not only were they able to extend their field of study but they quietly and with great care opened the truth to the other students as they showed an interest. Converts to the true faith were won, and from these centers of education, they took the seeds of truth back to their native lands. At times the principles of truth were found permeating the entire school, but try as they might, the papal leaders were unable to trace the teaching to its source.” Wylie, The History of Protestantism, vol. 1, pp. 29, 30.

“The youth of today may bear a weighty testimony in favor of true temperance. These principles, cherished, would fit young men who are rooted and grounded in the Scriptures, to enter worldly universities, and while taking a course of study, disseminate the truths of the gospel, and at the end of their course, come forth unsullied. There were consecrated youth among the Waldenses who entered worldly universities, and, while gaining their education, scattered the seeds of the Reformation. The papal authorities could not, by the most careful inquiries, find out who had introduced the so-called heresy; and yet the work had been accomplished, bearing fruit in the conversion of many who became leaders in the cause of Protestantism.” Story of Daniel the Prophet p. 30. – Haskell.

However, today many universities’ courses require so much time be given for large amounts of study which can often leave little time for Bible study. “And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.” Ecclesiastes 12:5.

Over the relation that the Word of God should sustain toward other subjects in the school curriculum, has been waged the war of educators for ages. The story of this contest between the two forces over the position of God’s Word in the education of the young can be read in Bible history in Judges 2:17-19.

Degrees

“The granting of degrees, prizes, honors, is borrowed from the papal system of education. “In our institutions of learning there was to be exerted an influence that would counteract the influence of the world, and give no encouragement to the indulgence in appetite, in selfish gratification, pride, ambition, love of dress and display, love of praise and flattery, strife for high rewards and honors as a recompense for good scholarship. All this was to be discouraged in our schools. It will be impossible to avoid these things and yet send them to the public school.” R& H Jan 9 1894.

Before 1844, God was endeavouring to do all for Protestant denominations. The education reform prior to the Midnight Cry proved a failure. Who can tell how much weight this failure had in reducing the Protestantism churches to the condition called “Babylon”? “Degrees develop class distinction, aristocracy and imperialism.” In heaven will be the true graduation which we should be aiming for.” Studies in Christian Education E A Sutherland p. 29.

“When E A Sutherland came to Battle Creek he opposed the system of granting degrees and all that went with it, (the cap and gown) the graduation, the show, the pride, because he knew that it was part of the papal system, which was then current in the USA. He called it ‘making an image to the beast.’ When Battle Creek College was moved to Berrien springs in 1901, God’s messenger warned, get out of Battle Creek. In 1902, the Battle Creek Sanitarium was destroyed by fire.” Christian Education D C Stewart p. 13.

They then began their work in order to begin a Christian school, which was not accepted by the leadership of the Seventh Day Adventist church at the time.

There is an award we should strive for however: Revelation 2:10. “10Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.”

Examples are given in the book by E A Sutherland where “The giving of prizes as rewards for scholarship was discarded,” students completed their courses but did not attend the ceremonies for the granting of their degrees.

Psychology

“There are three great root sciences – mental, moral and physical science. Through a microscope a mind can study intricate things in the natural world. Through a telescope, the mind can study the planets. But how can a mind investigate the mind? Isn’t this what we see in the world today with Psychology? It’s physically impossible.” The Bible in Education AT Jones pg. 109.

“With the mind we investigate other things, but in order to investigate and to know the mind itself we must have another mind. But the individual mind can find back of itself another Mind. That Mind is the original and ultimate mind; as such is the source of all knowledge and all true science. Who would find knowledge, the true science of the mind, let him ask of Him who is the source of the mind.” The Bible in Education AT Jones P. 111.

Conclusion

“Above all other books, the Word of God must be our study, the great Text-book, the basis of all education; and our children are to be educated in the truths found therein, irrespective of previous habits and customs. In doing this, teachers and students will find the hidden treasure, the daily life.” T Vol 6 p. 131-132

“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Prov 22:6. If we have not been trained correctly in childhood and regret our upbringing, we need not feel this way as this is why we now go to church, to re-learn in hospital –the church.
AMEN

Ariadne