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ELISHA AND THE SCHOOL OF PROPHETS

Main Text

2 Tm 2:1 You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 And the things you have heard me say in the

presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.

Daily Bread

Monday - 2 Kings 6:1

Education and institution

Tuesday - 2 Kings 6:3

Education and Function

Wednesday - 2 Kings 9.1

Education and training

Thursday - 2 Kings 6:6

Education andencouragement

Friday - 2 Kings 4:36,37

Education and Experience

Saturday - 2 Kings 5:26

Education and example

KeywordSchool of Prophets. Its an

educational Institutionwhich main goal was to

pass on moral and spiritualvalues that God had given

to Israel through hisWORD.

2 Kings 6:1-7 The company of

the prophets said to Elisha,

Look, the place where we

meet with you is too small for

us. 2 Let us go to the Jordan,

where each of us can get a

pole; and let us build a place

there for us to meet. And he

said, Go. 3 Then one of them

said, Wont you please come

with your servants?I will,

Elisha replied. 4 And he went

with them. They went to the

Jordan and began to cut down

trees. 5 As one of them was

cutting down a tree, the iron axhead fell into the water. Oh no,

my lord! he cried out. It was

borrowed!6 The man of God

asked, Where did it fall? When

he showed him the place, Elisha

cut a stick and threw it there,

and made the iron float. 7 Lift it

out, he said. Then the man

reached out his hand and took

it.

Introduction

At various times, we see the expression 'sons of the prophets'quoted in

the book of Kings. The sons or disciples of prophets as were called, they

lived in Bethel, Jericho and Gilgal (2 Kings 2.3,5,7,15; 4.38). The context of

these passages leaves no doubts that this expression could be understoodas synonym to School of prophets.

This fact serves as an example to show that religious or formal education

received a special emphasis in the ancient Israel. Let's point out that this

school didn't have the purpose to teach on how to predict or prophesy,

for this is a divine attribution. Nevertheless, it was a living testimony that

in some past far behind there was a concern, to pass on the cultural and

spiritual inheritance to the next generation. Therefore, let's study in this

lesson about these Schools under four perspectives.

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I - THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THIS INSTITUTION

1. Notion of Organization and form!

The text in 2 kings 6.1 shows us that this school had an infrastructure. The

prophets lived in community, then they needed some facilities not only to

live, but where they could be taught. 'Look, the place where we meet with

you is too small for us. 2 Let us go to the Jordan, where each of us can get apole; and let us build a place there for us to meet'.

The infrastructure, in this passage, became too small and a bigger place was

required. To provide a quality education, it's needed an adequate place. We

can't teach before establish it.

2. Notion of Organism and function!

The company of the prophets was under supervision, so, it had a spiritual

leader that would mentor them. Scholars believe that these schools of

prophets emerged with Samuel (1 Sm 10.5,10; 19.20) and later, they werebuilt up with Elijah and Elisha. In 2 Kings 6.1, we verify that the disciples of

the prophets were under Elishas leadership and from him they looked for

guidance. Elisha wasn't only a man with supernatural gifts enabled to predict

on what the future held in that time, or to perform great miracles, but he

was also a prophet that had a pedagogic mission.

II THE OBJECTIVES OF THESE SCHOOLS

1 Training

The text in 2 Kings 2.15,16 shows us that as part of

the training, the prophets had to work under a

supervision of some leader, obtaining permission for

each task. In other opportunities, these sons o

prophets, when already trained, could act by their

own responsibility on certain duties (1 Kings 20:35).

At Church, the discipleship occurs when the one

who was taught, shares with others what haslearned.

2 - Encouragement

What is it? Its to inspire with courage or confidence.

To stimulate someone by approval or help, giving

the support needed.

Scholars say that Elisha didnt limit his ministry by

being only a wandering preacher and neither to

miracles performances. He was charged as the

School of prophets principal. He was the one toprovide instruction and encouragement to the

students.

The context of 1 and 2 Kings leaves no doubts that

Elijah and Elisha were very concerned on handling

on to the next generation what they had learned

from the Lord. However, in these Schools, the

students were encouraged to seek a better

comprehension of Gods Word. There is no bigger

objective to a professor than to inspire its pupils toseek excellence in the teachings!

Practical TruthThe school of prophets

had the purpose to

report the moral and

spiritual values that God

had given to Israel

through his Word

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Following Elijah's ministry, we see that God's Word was part of those schools content and from

him, Elisha received this inheritance. When Elijah was on Mount Zion, he complained that the

Israelites had rejected God's covenant, torn down his altars, and put his prophets to death with

the sword (1 Kings 19.10).

The Word of God, particularly in the book of Deuteronomy clearly specified the inspiring principles

and commandments that governed the Covenant between Jehovah and his people. The Word of

God was and is this covenant. Like Elijah, Elisha was already familiar with the implications of the

divine pact. It was God's word he taught to his disciples. It's the word of God we have also to teach

today.

The company of Prophets followed Hebrews idealism concerning on education. There was a

relation between the professor and the student among the community they lived. The education

also happened in its oral way and the example was one of the adopted forms in this process of

learning. You cannot deny that Elisha taught others by his lifestyle example. There are so many

reports in the bible about Elisha's miracles in which you can realize that the learning process

occurred through the observation of his actions!

Gehazi, Elisha's servant, knew that his master was an example of honesty. In the New testament,

Jesus Christ put himself as the greater example to be followed and Paul put himself as a model to

be imitated (Mt 9.9; 1 Co 11.1)

Notes

III - THE SCHOOLS CURRICULUM

1Scripture

2Experience

Elijah and Elisha were very experienced men and shared

with others what they had learned from God (2 Kings

2.15; 19-22; 4.1-7. 42-44), Nevertheless, in the biblical

context, the experiences are never above the divine

revelation left to us in its writings. The Word of God it's

what judges the experiences and not otherwise. Elijah,

for example, affirmed that his experiences had the Word

of God as their foundation (1 Kings 18:36)

The young guys must have the humility to learn from

those who are more experienced and, in other hand,

those that are more experienced must not despise theknowledge and wisdom of the younger. The learning

process happens through an interaction and of course,

experience does make part of this process.

IV - THE PROPHET SCHOOL METHODOLOGY

1- Teaching through lifestyle example

ACTIVITYDISCUSSION

What Happened?

INTERPRETATION

What does it mean?

APPLICATION

How can we use it?

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Elisha didn't leave anything written. What we know of him it's through biblechroniclers. But this fact doesn't mean that the prophet didn't use the Word of God in

his devotional life and also as an instrument of instruction at the Schools. The way

Elisha judged the behavior of the Kings, approving or rebuking them, leaves no doubt

that he used the written Word of God to teach the disciples. Elisha measured Ahabs

iniquity through Jehoshaphat's piety. Ahab was a bad ruler because didn't walk on the

path of God's commandment, while Jehoshaphat was honored for having an opposite

or different attitude.

ebdinenglish@hotmail.com

2Teaching through the Word of God

Come study Gods Word!

CONCLUSION

Through Elishas ministry we observe that these schools

were dedicated to the formal education. But there, it

was taught the Word of God. This fact has a great

relevance to us because it demonstrates what was the

main concern of the prophet in sharing the right

knowledge about the truly God.

The times and cultures are changing daily, and we know

today the significance of a secular education.Unfortunately, this is the only education way for so many

people. We cannot neglect it, but we cannot lose the

sight of the dimension of the divine revelation

knowled e, that is found in the bible!