In the third year of his reign he sent his officials, Ben-hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah; and with them the Levites, Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tobadonijah; and with these Levites, the priests Elishama and Jehoram. And they taught in Judah, having the Book of the Law of the Lord with them. They went about through all the cities of Judah and taught among the people.
— 2 Chronicles 17:7-9
Although Jehoshaphat was far from perfect – he made a marriage alliance with the wicked Ahab – he “walked in the earlier ways of his father David.” He built fortified cities and set judges throughout the land, warning them to dispense justice in the fear of the Lord. In his latter years he won a major battle over three enemy kingdoms who joined forces against him. This opposing force was so massive it took the Hebrews three full days to carry away all the spoils.
One of his most insightful decisions was made very early in his reign when he directed various officials and Levites to go into all the cities of Judah in order to teach them the Book of the Law. He knew the health of his kingdom depended upon obedience to God. His constituency needed to understand the commandments of God in order to know how to think and conduct themselves accordingly. A proper, biblical education would help bring success. Immediately after he implemented this plan, “the fear of the Lord fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were around Judah, and they made no war against Jehoshaphat” (2 Chronicles 17:10). Truly, God’s ways are so much higher than man’s.
Today, one reason the enemy has been so successful in inserting a secular worldview into the overall culture is that he was able to insert it into the church, who was supposed to be standing as the spiritual vanguard. According to George Barna,
- Although 7 out of 10 Americans consider themselves to be Christian, just 6% actually possess a biblical worldview.
- Just one-fifth of those attending evangelical Protestant churches (21%) have a biblical worldview, as compared to one-sixth of those attending charismatic or Pentecostal churches (16%). The study finds even smaller proportions in mainline Protestant (8%) or Catholic (1%) churches.
- The number of American adults holding a biblical worldview has declined by 50% over the past quarter century.
- Regarding the youngest adult generation, the numbers are even more startling. A mere 2% of those 18 to 29 years old possess a biblical worldview.
What has been the devil’s most effective tool to accomplish this hellish feat? The public school system where some 95% of children are sent to be indoctrinated in secularism and pluralism. While beginning subtly over the previous fifty years, the agenda has turned unapologetically anti-Christian in the last ten years. In Illinois, there is a massive push to infiltrate teacher training programs with all sorts of anti-biblical teachings and make licensing contingent on the promotion of those teachings.
Christian parents are quickly coming to the proverbial point of “fish or cut bait” when it comes to the education of their children. Over the years I have heard so many Christians lament, “Surely now they will pull their children out!” Don’t hold your breath. If Barna’s statistics are accurate, most “Christian” parents don’t see what is wrong with what is being taught. Shallow excuses and justifications meant to salve any guilt will not save their children from the onslaught of the secular worldview that has totally taken over our government schools. As one Bible teacher put it, “We can’t send our children to Rome to be educated and then be surprised when they turn out like Romans.” This is the power of education.
As Christian parents, the most important thing you can do is what you are presently doing: teach your child at home, focusing on the person of Jesus Christ and His teachings. You do not want your child to become a part of the 98% of young adults who do not have a biblical worldview. Jehoshaphat pinned his future success on the priority of a Christian education. So should we.
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