Teaching is a powerful tool that God has used to transform lives over the years. Teachers are usually God’s instrument in stabilizing and reviving his church right from the days of the scripture and any church that will be revived and stabilized in our days cannot do without this ministry. Let us take a scriptural survey.
The Teaching that Stopped the Lions: 2 Kings 17:24-28
Then the king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Ava, Hamath, and from Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel; and they took possession of Samaria and dwelt in its cities. And it was so, at the beginning of their dwelling there, that they did not fear the Lord; therefore the Lord sent lions among them, which killed some of them. So they spoke to the king of Assyria, saying, "The nations whom you have removed and placed in the cities of Samaria do not know the rituals of the God of the land; therefore He has sent lions among them, and indeed, they are killing them because they do not know the rituals of the God of the land.'' Then the king of Assyria commanded, saying, "Send there one of the priests whom you brought from there; let him go and dwell there, and let him teach them the rituals of the God of the land.'' Then one of the priests whom they had carried away from Samaria came and dwelt in Bethel, and taught them how they should fear the Lord.
While Israel went on exile, another set of people were brought into their land. This people did not know how to worship the Lord because they do not know what he requires. God therefore sent lions which began to destroy them. There is usually a requirement in worshipping the Lord. It is not enough to have a desire or to do it just any how. When these requirements are not met, lions will tear. There will be disharmony and disunity. There will be physical and spiritual death. Instead of gathering, the church may be scattering.
The solution was in Verse 27. A Priest was sent to live there, and teach the people what the God of the land requires and obviously, there was respite. The teaching ministry brings the divine requirement to the heart of the people and saves the flock from several problems.
The Teaching that Brought Revival: Neh 8:-9
Ezra was a wonderful teacher of the word. His credentials as a teacher were inspiring. He was one that devoted himself to the study and observance of the law of the Lord and to teaching it. He put studying and observing or doing, before teaching.
For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel.
(Ezra 7:10-11).
He therefore became a “learned man in the matters concerning the law of God.” Another version says he was an expert. His teaching skill and anointing were seen in Nehemiah 8. The people were attentive (Vs 6), and he had some Levites by his side who helped people to understand the word. They gave the word a sense – made it clear, giving the meaning so people could understand.
This teaching administration of Ezra brought revival. We see this result in Verse 9-19. There was conviction, there was joy (Vs 12), people were hungry and thirsty for more (13) and there was readiness to act on the word (14-17).
Teaching that Sustained a Kingdom. 2 Chronicle 17:7-11
In the third year of his reign he sent officials to teach in the towns of Judah. They were accompanied by Levites who carried with them the book of the law. The result was fantastic. Verse 10 says
“The fear of the Lord fell on all the kingdom of the lands surrounding Judah so that they did not make war against Jeoshaphat.”
Jeoshaphat rather became more powerful and rich while nations brought gifts and tributes to him.
The Teaching that Brought Miracle
Jesus was the greatest teacher of all times. He is the Rabbi, the TEACHER. As soon as he started his ministry, Mark 1:22 says
“The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as teacher of the law.”
His teaching was authoritative, powerful and fruitful. A woman after listening to him exclaimed, "Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts which nursed you!'' When he expounded the scripture to some disciples on the road to Emmaus without them recognizing him after his resurrection, they said in Luke 24:32:
Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the scripture to us?
Tying it up
We need teachers.
Teaching is a gift that God has blessed the church with. It is for you to identify whether you possess it. Eph 4:11; 1 Cor 12:28; Acts 13:1-2. They are scarce in the church. We need them greatly at a time like this.
The teachers are to brace themselves up like Ezra.
They are to study the word, do it and teach it. This was the example of Ezra and of Jesus:
The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach. Act 1:1. (also see 1 Tim 4:16)
Teachers are to move to the realm of anointing where their word burns like the teaching of Jesus, packed with authority and power to produce faith which in turn produces miracles.
We must all be ready to learn
Teaching is useless when student are unwilling to learn. Jesus called us to learn from him in Matt 11:29. When we refuse to learn troubles come. In 2 Chron 15:3,5 the scripture says
For a long time Israel was without the true God, without a priest to teach and without the law… in those days it was not safe to travel about, for all the inhabitants of the lands were in great turmoil.
In the earlier passage of 2 Kings 17, we saw lion tearing the people apart. When teaching was put in place in the days of Jeoshaphat, we saw the revival that broke out and the blessing that came upon Israel and their king.
Do we want answer to our questions? Do we want transformation that will make us Christ like? Do we want a genuine revival that will wake us from our slumber and launch us to the realm of breakthrough physically and spiritually, then let’s embrace the Bible teaching ministry? No longer joke with Sunday School, Bible study, discipleship, and all the teaching avenue we have.
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