Chapter 6—The Schools of the Prophets
“They sat down at Thy feet; everyone shall receive of Thy words.”
Wherever in Israel God’s plan of education was carried into ef-
fect, its results testified of its Author. But in very many households
the training appointed by Heaven, and the characters thus developed,
were alike rare. God’s plan was but partially and imperfectly fulfilled.
By unbelief and by disregard of the Lord’s directions, the Israelites
surrounded themselves with temptations that few had power to resist.
At their settlement in Canaan “they did not destroy the nations, con-
cerning whom the Lord commanded them: but were mingled among
the heathen, and learned their works. And they served their idols:
which were a snare unto them.” Their heart was not right with God,
“neither were they steadfast in His covenant. But He, being full of
compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many
a time turned He His anger away.... For He remembered that they were
but flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again.”
Psalm
106:34-36
;
78:37-39
. Fathers and mothers in Israel became indifferent
to their obligation to God, indifferent to their obligation to their chil-
dren. Through unfaithfulness in the home, and idolatrous influences
without, many of the Hebrew youth received an education differing
widely from that which God had planned for them. They learned the
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ways of the heathen.
To meet this growing evil, God provided other agencies as an aid to
parents in the work of education. From the earliest times, prophets had
been recognized as teachers divinely appointed. In the highest sense
the prophet was one who spoke by direct inspiration, communicating
to the people the messages he had received from God. But the name
was given also to those who, though not so directly inspired, were
divinely called to instruct the people in the works and ways of God.
For the training of such a class of teachers, Samuel, by the Lord’s
direction, established the schools of the prophets.
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