Teaching God’s Word

“And his heart was lifted up in the ways of the LORD: moreover he took away the high places and groves out of Judah. Also in the third year of his reign he sent to his princes, even to Benhail, and to Obadiah, and to Zechariah, and to Nethaneel, and to Michaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah. And with them he sent Levites, even Shemaiah, and Nethaniah, and Zebadiah, and Asahel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehonathan, and Adonijah, and Tobijah, and Tobadonijah, Levites; and with them Elishama and Jehoram, priests. And they taught in Judah, and had the book of the law of the LORD with them, and went about throughout all the cities of Judah, and taught the people.” II Chronicles 17:6-9

When Jehoshaphat became the king of the southern kingdom of Judah, he decided that he wanted to follow God wholeheartedly and that he wanted his subjects to do so as well. In the third year of his reign, he gathered some of his most powerful leaders and gave them the task of teaching the people the law of God. He also enlisted a group of Levites to go with them. These teams were to travel throughout all of the cities of Judah teaching God’s commandments to the people. As a result, there was a resurgence of obedience to God’s law throughout the kingdom. The success of Jehoshaphat’s method is a great example for Christians today. Most people in our society are aware that the Bible exists, but they are largely ignorant of what it says. If we want to see people obeying God’s Word, we must be constantly and consistently teaching its message to the people around us.