Volume 11, Number 1, July-August 2007 The Creator as Teacher by Norman Edwards Everyone who
believes in the Creator of the Universe can have the confidence that He will teach
them individually. That is an awesome promise! But just because God promises to teach, does not undo all of His commands for His people to teach. God also promises to be a father to the fatherless, but that does not mean that human fathers are guiltless if they ignore their job. Parents need to teach their children. Mature brethren need to teach those new in the faith. But
whoever we are, wherever we are, we can also realize that God will teach
us—if we are meek (Pslm 25:9), fear him (Pslm 25:12) and are willing to
listen (Jer 32:33). Like David, we
should ask Him to teach us (Pslm 25:4; 27:11; 86:11; 119:many
verses; 143;10; 144:1). God has made many promises to teach
us in his Word (Deut 4:1, 10; 1Kngs Pslm 94:12 Blessed is the man whom You
instruct, O Lord, And teach out
of Your law, God’s Creation Teaches Us God
does not always teach us in a voice, or in some special occurrence just for
us. He often teaches us from his creation, if we are willing to receive it.
There is much wisdom to be found by working in agriculture, going into the
wild, and otherwise studying these subjects. Who teaches us more than the beasts of
the earth, And makes us wiser than the birds of heaven?’ (Job 35:11 ). Give ear and hear
my voice, Listen and hear my speech. 24 Does the plowman keep plowing all day
to sow? Does he keep turning his soil and breaking the clods? 25 When he has
leveled its surface, Does he not sow the black cummin
And scatter the cummin, Plant the wheat in rows,
The barley in the appointed place, And the spelt in its place? 26 For He
instructs him in right judgment, His God teaches him. 27 For the black cummin is not threshed with a threshing sledge, Nor is a
cartwheel rolled over the cummin; But the black cummin is beaten out with a stick, And the cummin with a rod. 28 Bread flour must be ground;
Therefore he does not thresh it forever, Break it with his cartwheel, Or
crush it with his horsemen. 29 This also comes from the Lord of hosts, Who is wonderful in
counsel and excellent in guidance (Isa 28:23-29) This
writer will have to admit that he does not fully understand the lessons
taught here. But it would be good to know; the overall principle is that God
has made things for certain uses and wisdom is learning how to use them, not
forcing them into some use that does not work. The following principles
should be clear for anyone to follow: Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider
her ways and be wise, Which, having no captain, overseer or ruler, provides
her supplies in the summer, And gathers her food in the harvest (Prv 6:6-8). There are three things which are too
wonderful for me, Yes, four which I do not understand: The way of an eagle in
the air, The way of a serpent on a rock, The way of a ship in the midst of
the sea, And the way of a man with a virgin (Prv 30:18-19). While excitement can be almost indescribable when couples are in love and planning their life together, sometimes they grow weary as life goes on. Nature teaches more: Like a bird that wanders from its nest
Is a man who wanders from his place (Prov 27:8). The Bible account of Solomon’s great wisdom tells how many songs and proverbs he wrote, but also gives his nature studies: Also he spoke of trees, from the cedar
tree of Lebanon even to the hyssop that springs out of the wall; he spoke
also of animals, of birds, of creeping things, and of fish (1Kngs 4:33). When God showed Job how little he knew, He did not pose questions in math, logic or theology. Rather, He asked him about nature (Job 38 & 39). Jesus
used many agricultural analogies in his teachings and parables: the sower
(Matt 13:3-23), the seed growing of itself (Mark 4:26-29), the wheat and the
tares (Matt 13:24-30), the mustard seed (Matt 13:31-32), leaven (Matt
13:33-35), fishing with a net (Matt 13:47-50), weather forecasting (Matt
16:2-3), the good shepherd (John 10:1-21), the lost sheep (Luke 15:3-7), fig
trees (Luke 13:1-9; 21:29-33; Rev 6:13), vineyards (Matt 20:1-16; Matt
21:28-36), and sheep and goats (Matt 25:23-46). Holy Spirit Is a Teacher But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom
the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to
your remembrance all things that I said to you ( John 14:26). These things we also speak, not in words
which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing
spiritual things with spiritual (1Cor But the anointing which you have
received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you;
but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and
is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him (1Jo
2:27). The last verse does not eliminate the many commands for human teachers, but clearly states we are not dependent on any one man. And if men do fail, God is our Teacher! & Download Full Issue in PDF: July-August 2007 Quick PDF (.6 MB) July-August 2007 High-Quality PDF to Print (2 MB) Back to front page
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