TO CHEW ON: "Behold, God is exalted by His power;
Who teaches like Him?
Who has assigned Him His way,
Or who has said, 'You have done wrong?'" Job 36:23
Though I continue to find Elihu's pompous, I-have-all-the-answers attitude grating, he does make some wise observations. One of them is that God teaches. As we look through the Bible at a sampling of verses about God teaching, we see that His instructions come not only through difficulties but in other settings as well.
He teaches us how to do our work.
- He promises to teach Moses how to do his special assignment of leading the Israelites out of Egypt (Exodus 4:15).
- He also gives lessons in more everyday tasks like how and when to plant and harvest certain crops (Isaiah 28:26-29) and how to choose the right way that will lead to profit (Isaiah 48:17).
He teaches about the future (Daniel 8:19).
God's school is lifelong learning that begins in childhood (Isaiah 54:13), carries on into youth, and the old psalmist begs God to continue to teach him into his "old and grayheaded" years (Psalm 71:17-18).
God teaches:
- Through signs and wonders like the Israelites experienced in the wilderness (Deuteronomy 4:36).
- Through His word - Psalm 119:26, 66, 135.
- Through His Spirit - 1 Corinthians 2:12.
- And, Elihu would insist, through the events of our lives, good and bad (Job 36:22,23).
The best students have a teachable spirit.
- God teaches the ones who fear the Lord, according to David (Psalm 25:12).
- However if there is sin in our lives, we may need to repent in order to again hear God's voice (Psalm 32:1-5; 8-9).
God's teaching is for everyone.
- It's for the Jews: Isaiah sees the "Day of the Lord" when Israel will willingly go to God's house to be taught in His ways and how to walk in His paths (Isaiah 2:3).
- But it's for other nationalities too. Micah prophesies a day when the desire to sit under God's instruction will pull in citizens of many nations (Micah 4:2).
Let's open ourselves to the favour and blessing of God's instruction (Psalm 94:10-12; 119:135). For we ignore it at our peril (Jeremiah 32:33,36).
PRAYER:
Dear God, please develop in me a teachable spirit and keen ears to hear Your instructions. May it truly be lifelong learning. Amen.
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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
