It’s good to have a robust appreciation for what a deep value the Heavenly Father places on education. A well-educated child is a glory to Him and brings luster to the Kingdom. A casually or randomly educated child diminishes that glory. Scripture describes numerous famous well-educated individuals whom we would do well to emulate.
Speaking of the craftsman Bezalel, Moses writes, “And He has filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding and in KNOWLEDGE and in all craftsmanship” (Exodus 35:31 NASB, emphasis added). The Jewish commentary in the Chumash mentions that Bezalel, son of Uri, was only 13 years old and had ALREADY attained all of this ability by that age. Skill implies DAILY repetition, development, maturation in the ability through concerted, sustained, continuous, disciplined mental effort. This is not just a matter of knowing Scripture. This knowledge and ability is in the area of GENERAL EDUCATION.
Moses himself acquired all of the knowledge with which noble youths in Pharaoh’s house were educated. Again, this was GENERAL EDUCATION. The Heavenly Father used this education to give Moses access and competent knowledge of Pharaoh’s court when he came back as an adult to lead the Hebrews out into freedom. Moses’ mother did such a good job educating him as a little boy that he never forgot it when he was sent away forever, as a young child. Daniel’s mother, too. Daniel was abducted from under her influence while he was yet a youth, but already he knew all of the known knowledge of that day. And he wasn’t the only one. Daniel 1:4 mentions certain young Jewish men who were showing aptitude (NASB uses the word intelligence) for EVERY KIND of learning. Verse 17 adds that “God gave them knowledge and intelligence in every branch of literature and wisdom” (NASB). These youths were mentally qualified to serve. The Heavenly Father gave them knowledge and understanding of ALL kinds of LITERATURE and learning. This was not just Scripture that they knew (crucial though that is); this is GENERAL KNOWLEDGE about everything in the universe.
The Apostle Paul was meticulously educated by the Pharisees—not just in Scripture, but with a GENERAL EDUCATION. The Heavenly Father used the high degree of education Paul obtained (both by being a Roman citizen and a Pharisee) to make him well able to persuade brilliant Greek intellectuals on Mars Hill. The Father didn’t use the resident bum; He used the highest educated man alive in Christendom at that time.
Yeshua (Jesus) turned the heads of Rabbis by age 12. He had developed mental muscle and abilities in logic and persuasion through the DAILY training He received at the hand of Mary his mother and (presumably) Joseph His earthly father. This was not hit or miss. On top of memorizing all five books of the Torah, He knew how to wield Scripture for specific spiritual purposes. He had developed mental acumen which the divine Spirit was then able to anoint.
The Creator anoints the educated youth--and chooses Daniel to run a secular kingdom. He chooses and anoints the SKILLED Bezalel to do the master craftsmanship for the Tabernacle. The Father didn’t use the non-skilled youth of that day, but the one who had developed great abilities. His practice is to anoint the work of the farmer, the writer, the builderf--but He doesn’t plant the seeds for him, write the words for him, hammer the joints for him.
There is no sacred/secular distinction with the God of the universe. After all, He created it with all of its governing principles. Mathematical equations are possible because of the way He designed these numeric relationships. He intends for us to uncover and study them. Education is all His idea or He wouldn’t have made it necessary for man to grow from a baby to an adult.
To have a thought that “We will only do a little bit of education because we are focusing on the Bible” is foreign to the Heavenly Father’s mandate to take DOMINION over the earth. The more a person understands about all of life, the more he is able to INFLUENCE it. Isaac Newton was a deep believer AND a deep scientist. Nearly all missionaries were mentally WELL educated, and exerted a phenomenal influence—not just spiritually but also practically—over the foreign cultures to which they were sent.
Get a burr in your side and grit in your resolve to FULLY educate your children as far and wide as is humanly possible, under any and all circumstances. You are a steward over all of their potential. Knowledge of the potential implies that it should be DEVELOPED.
