Entering Into God’s Presence
Knowing God Through His Roles & Titles (NOUNS)

God Our Teacher (Sphere of Education)

To Study and Ponder

• It is very clear throughout scripture that God’s desire is to teach us His ways, so that we can walk with Him. In Job 36:22 we are told God is all-powerful. Who is a teacher like him? The various words used for ‘teach’ mean to instruct, train, disciple, give understanding, explain, to hold a discourse with a person in order to instruct them ... way beyond lecturing or commanding!

• There are two main Hebrew verbs which describe the teaching action of God:
  - #3384 (yarah; used 80 times, 24 with God as the one doing the teaching): Exodus 4:12,15, 15:4,25;

  Judges 13:8; 1Kings 8:36; 2Chronicles 6:27; Job 30:19, 34:32, 38:6; Psalm 25:8,12, 32:8, 45:4, 64:7,

  86:11; 119:33,102; Isaiah 2:3, 28:9,26; Hosea 6:3, 10:12; Micah 4:2
  - #3925 (lamad; used 86 total times, 23 with God as the one doing the teaching): Judges 3:2;

  2Samuel 22:35 (See more verses in DJH Meditation)

• In the OT the word torah often translated “law” is best understood as “teaching.” It has more
  to do with the classroom than with the court room, with the role of a teacher than that of a judge. Thus the ten commandments are not just a random list of do’s and don’ts but a teaching unpacking the implications of love in your vertical relationship with God (1-4) and your horizontal relationships with other humans (5-10), taking a basic truth from the concrete to the abstract, unpacking it’s fullest implications.

• As a model teacher, God is a question-asker. Question-asking is good for it develops implicational thinking and cultivates a love for learning. Even if the culture and traditions around us discourage question-asking we must be imitators of God. God asks 75 questions in the book of Job. Jesus asks 315 questions in the four Gospels.

• God instructed people in wisdom and also gave people gifts of skillful(wise) teaching:
  - But you desire honesty from the womb, teaching me wisdom even there. Psa 51:6
  - Isaiah describes the farmer taught skills by God who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in

  wisdom. (Isa 28:24-29)
  - the Lord has given both him and Oholiab..., the ability to teach their skills to others. Exo 35:34
  - Moses (Deu 4:14, Aaron (Lev.10:11), and Ezra(7:11,25) were told to teach the law; the prophet

  Zechariah taught king Uzziah to fear God (2Ch 26:3)

  • -  He leads the humble in doing right, teaching them his way. The Lord leads with unfailing love and

    faithfulness all who keep his covenant and obey his demands. Psalm 25:9-10

  • -  This is what the Lord says—your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who

    teaches you what is good for you and leads you along the paths you should follow.” Isaiah 48:17

• God taught all generations and involved parents in the teaching process.

  - You have taught children and infants to tell of your strength,.. Psalm 8:1
  - O God, you have taught me from my earliest childhood, and I constantly tell others about the wonderful things you do. Psalm 71:16
  - I will teach all your children, and they will enjoy great peace. Isaiah 54:13

  • -  Repeat them [God’s commands] again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Deu 6:7

  • -  He commanded our ancestors to teach them [God’s instructions] to their children, so the next

    generation might know them—even the children not yet born—and they in turn will teach their own children. So each generation should set its hope anew on God, not forgetting his glorious miracles and obeying his commands. Psalm 78:5-7 (also v.1-4)

• The Psalmists record many prayers that God would teach them. Teach me how to live, O Lord. Lead me along the right path, for my enemies are waiting for me. Psa 27:11 (also Psa 86:11; 119:33,64,68,124-5; 143:10)

• In the Gospels we encounter Jesus as the Teacher. More than 60 times we are told that Jesus taught or is a teacher. In Luke 19:47-8 we read that he taught in the temple every day with people hanging on his words. He taught on the side of a road, at the temple, in houses, on a mountain, in a boat, in synagogues and out in fields. He used teaching methods that helped people understand God’s ways, yet knew that it took revelation for his listeners to grasp what he was saying.(Mat 16:17)

• Jesus taught truth, using the phrase “I tell you the truth” over 60 times in the Gospels.(NLT). John writes that “the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” (Joh 1:17 NIV) and even Pharisees acknowledged “[You] truly teach the way of God.”(Mar 12:14b). He taught with wisdom and understanding that caused astonishment (Mat 13:54, 22:33). He taught with authority and with power confirming that the words that flowed from him came from God (Mar 1:22,27), even saying that if men obeyed his teaching they would be set free. (Joh 8:31-32)

• Jesus said “My teaching is not my own.” (Joh 7:16) He did not come to impress anyone but to do what the Father told him and to say what the Father said. He was not teaching because he was good at it, to make money, or to free the Jews from the Romans; he taught to make known the heart, ways and purposes of God. This has implications for us. Does our teaching come from the heart of God or from our own knowledge and ideas? Is our goal to make known the One we love, or to be seen as a skillful teacher?

• Two primary words are used in the Gospels to address Jesus as teacher (DJH meditation):-
  - the Greek noun didaskalos (#1320) meaning “teacher” is used 47 times with reference to Jesus:

  Matthew 8:19, 9:11, 10:24,25, 12:38, 17:24, 19:16, 22:16,24,36, 26:18; Mark 4:38, 5:35, 9:17,38, 10:17,20,35, 12:14,19,32, 13:1, 14:14; Luke 3:12, 6:40a,40b, 7:40, 8:49, 9:38, 10:25, 11:45, 12:13, 18:18, 19:39, 20:21,28,39, 21:7, 22:11, John 1:38, 3:2,10, 8:4, 11:28, 13:13,14, 20:16

  - the Greek transliteration of the Hebrew honorific title: rabbi (#4461 – used 17 times) and
  its variant rabbouni (#4462 – used 2 times): Matthew 23:7a,7b,8, 26:25,49; Mark 9:5, 10:51, 11:21, 14:45; John 1:38,49, 3:2,26, 4:31, 6:25, 9:2, 11:8, 20:16

• The Spirit is also involved in the ministry of teaching. Jesus says that “the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you” (John 14:26), and promises when believers are brought to trial, “the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what needs to be said” (Luke 12:12)

  • -  John says the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true—it is not a lie. So just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ. (1Joh 2:27; see also 1Th 4:8; 1Ti 4:1).

  • -  Paul describes being taught by the Holy Spirit in 1 Corinthians 2:11-12

  • -  The Spirit led Philip to a man who was reading Isaiah 53 and didn’t understand it - Philip was able

    to bring understanding of Jesus. (Read the whole story Acts 8:26-39!)

• God’s teaching is transformational. To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (Joh 8:31-32)

• God longs for us to be teachable, lovingly using both difficult circumstances and the consequences of disobedience to teach us.

  • -  He humbled you by letting you go hungry and then feeding you with manna ...He did it to teach you that people do not live by bread alone; rather, we live by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. Deu 8:3

  • -  These are the nations that the Lord left in the land to test those Israelites who had not experienced the wars of Canaan. He did this to teach warfare to generations of Israelites who had no experience in battle. Jud 3:1-2

  • -  My suffering was good for me, for it taught me to pay attention to your decrees. Psalm 119:71

  • -  Isaiah speaks of a future time when Though the Lord gave you adversity for food and suffering for drink, he will still be with you to teach you. You will see your teacher with your own eyes. Isaiah 30:20

  • -  God says about Israel: This is the nation whose people will not obey the Lord their God and who refuse to be taught. ... For the Lord has rejected and forsaken this generation that has provoked

    his fury. Jeremiah 7:28,29

  • -  The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.

    Do not be like a senseless horse or mule that needs a bit and bridle to keep it under control.” Psalm 32:8

  • -  Instruct the wise, and they will be even wiser. Teach the righteous, and they will learn even more. Pro 9:8

  • -  Also 2 Chronicles 6:24-27, Psalm 94:8-12

• As teachers we walk in the footsteps of Jesus, obeying His commission to Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. (Matt.28:20). In all we teach, whether how to tie up shoes, or to read and write, our goal should be to make known God and his ways.

  • -  Paul talks about teaching as one of the gifts given to the body of believers saying If you are a teacher, teach well. (Romans 12:7) and explains, So we tell others about Christ, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all the wisdom God has given us. We want to present them to God, perfect in their relationship to Christ. Colossians 1:28

  • -  The writer to the Hebrews indicates that mature believers ought to be teaching others. (5:12)

  • -  James points to the sober responsibility given to teachers saying, we who teach will be judged more strictly. (3:1)

Meditation/Memory:
Lower Grades: God is all-powerful. Who is a teacher like him? Job 36:22 (NLT)

The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.” Psalm 32:8 (NLT)

Middle Grades: Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” John 8:31-32 (NLT)

Teach me your ways, O Lord, that I may live according to your truth! Grant me purity of heart, so that I may honor you. Psalm 86:11 (NLT)

Upper Grades: I believe in your commands; now teach me good judgment and knowledge. I used to wander off until you disciplined me; but now I closely follow your word. You are good and do only good; teach me your decrees. Psalm 119:65-8 (NLT)

I am telling you these things now while I am still with you. But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you. John 14:25,26 (NLT)