Neighbor Groups: Elevate EducationSample

Education Brings Clarity 

A few thousand years ago—we’re talking Old Testament times—there lived a woman named Huldah. If her name doesn’t ring any bells, don’t worry. There are more than 31,000 verses in the Bible, and her name appears in only two of them. But when you read her story and dig a little deeper, Huldah starts to make an impression.

Let’s set the stage. Josiah, a descendant of King David, was king of Judah. Many of the kings who came before. Josiah were corrupt, but Josiah made the decision to follow God. He tore down the idols that had been built in Judah and got to work restoring the temple in Jerusalem.

While work was being done on the temple, a priest found the Book of the Law—what most historians believe to be Deuteronomy. This book was taken to Josiah and read to him. After hearing it, Josiah tore his clothes—because that’s how people in his culture responded when they were overcome with grief. 

In that moment, Josiah realized his people had massively fallen short of God’s standard for centuries. He also needed wise counsel to determine his next steps. So he consulted the prophetess Huldah.

According to Jewish tradition, Huldah conducted an academy in the city and was prominent enough to have gates at the southern entrance of the temple named after her. For Josiah to consult her, she would have needed to be educated, wise, and accustomed to speaking the Word of God to people in positions of power.

When Huldah was shown the Book of the Law, she knew it immediately. It was the Word of God, and God revealed to her what the future held—punishment for the people of Judah, but peace for Josiah.

Through Huldah’s story, we see that discernment often goes hand in hand with education. Josiah and the priests were all followers of God, but they needed someone educated to verify that the Book of the Law was God’s Word. 

Huldah was able to fill that role because she had spent time and effort familiarizing herself with God’s Word. She was able to discern what was true, and she was able to point others toward that truth in the process.

The same is true for us today. Education brings clarity. It allows a person to see reality for what it is and to speak that truth to the people around them.

We also see something else that’s pretty obvious, but often overlooked. Huldah is a woman. In Jewish culture, educating women was not a priority. The boys went to school to study the Torah; the girls stayed home. 

Yet, in the Kingdom of God, women are empowered, educated, and key to advancing the gospel. You see even more of this displayed in the life of Jesus as He protected women, taught women, had His ministry funded by women, and empowered women. 

So, if a person—man or woman—takes the time to learn more about God and His Word, that education might very well lead a person to life change. And it might also give them the understanding they need to guide others toward the truth of God—like Huldah.

Pray: God, thank You for giving us wisdom when we ask for it. Grant me wisdom, discernment, and knowledge today so that I can speak truth to others. In Jesus’ name, amen. 

Challenge: Think about some ways in which your education has brought you clarity. How can you continue to seek out opportunities that benefit you and others?