What was taught in the schools of the prophets? To know this is important, not only for its own sake; but because, when we know this, we know what should be taught in the Lord's schools always. These things are in the Bible. They were written for our learning. And being in the book of Daniel, they are written especially for our instruction and admonition, "upon whom the ends of the world are come." (1 Corinthians 10:11)
In this article we shall have space only to discover and enumerate these studies. What each subject involved will be studied afterward. Daniel and his three companions were "skillful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science." (Daniel 1:4)
This education, we have found, was acquired in the college, or school of the prophets, in Jerusalem. This statement, therefore, certifies that wisdom, knowledge, and science were taught in those schools.
Another thing that was taught there was music. This we know from the fact that the first time that we meet any of the students of such a school, they have "a psaltery, and a tabret, and a pipe, and a harp, before them;" (1 Samuel 10:5) and they were playing with such spirit and such power in the Spirit that the man who then personally met them was drawn to God and converted. Thus all the circumstances show that this was trained, harmonious music, played by the students of this school. And this is plain evidence that music was taught in the schools of the prophets.
Another thing that was taught there was work, or "manual training," as it would be called today. This we know from the record of these schools in the time of Elisha: "And the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, Behold now, the place where we dwell with you is too strait for us. Let us go, we pray you, unto Jordan, and take thence every man a beam, and let us make us a place there, where we may dwell. And he answered, Go. And one said, Be content, I pray, and go with your servants. And he answered, I will go. So he went with them. And when they came to Jordan, they cut down wood." (2 Kings 6:1-4)
This shows that in those schools, work was taught and the love of it; because when the school-building became too small for the attendance, the students themselves suggested that they themselves should build the new and larger house that was needed. There was no thought of hiring other people to do the work, nor of letting it by contract. No; they themselves said, "Let us go, ... and let us make us a place." (2 Kings 6:2)
And they were also so in love with work that they would borrow tools with which to work; for when one of the axes flew off the handle and into the river, as one of the students was chopping, he exclaimed to Elisha, "Alas, master! for it was borrowed." (2 Kings 6:5)
More than this, even the principal of the school--Elisha--went with them to the work, and joined with them in the work; for he was among those who were chopping on the bank of the river when the ax flew into the water. All this shows, as plainly as needs to be shown, that work and the love of it, real industry, was taught in the schools of the prophets--the Lord's schools of ancient time.
Another thing that was taught there was temperance--healthful living. This is shown by the fact that Daniel and his companions refused the king's dainties and royal food, and the wine which he drank, and asked for a simple fare, a vegetarian diet. (Daniel 1:5,12-16) That they were taught this in the school of the prophets which they attended, is plain from the fact that this was a thoroughly grounded principle with them, and that in that school they had been educated.
And that such was the diet in the schools of the prophets is taught by the fact that in that school, in the time of Elisha, even when "there was a dearth in the land," (2 Kings 4:38) Elisha, giving directions to prepare food, said, "Set on the great pot, and seethe pottage." (2 Kings 4:38)
And in following this direction, "one went out into the field to gather herbs." (2 Kings 4:39)
When herbs were gathered in response to the ordinary direction to prepare food, and this when "there was a dearth in the land," surely this is strong evidence that a vegetarian diet was the regular diet in the school. This is confirmed by the further recorded fact that: "There came a man from Baal-shalisha, and brought the man of God bread of the first-fruits, twenty loaves of barley, and full ears of corn in the husk thereof. And he [Elisha] said, Give unto the people, that they may eat." (2 Kings 4:39)
Here was a man bringing a present of provisions to the principal of the school, and he brought only food from the vegetable kingdom. All this is evidence that a vegetarian diet was the diet of the students and teachers in the schools of the prophets; that this temperate way of living was a part of the instruction; and that temperance was so inculcated as to become a living principle in the lives of the students.
Another thing taught there was law--statutes, justice, and judgment. This was directly commanded to be taught: "Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the Lord my God commanded me, that you should do so in the land whither you go to possess it. Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people. ... What nation is there so great, that has statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day? Only take heed to yourself, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life: but teach them your sons, and your sons' sons." (Deuteronomy 4:5-6,8-9) "Justice, justice, shall you follow." (Deuteronomy 16:20,margin)
Another thing taught there, and this "specially," was morals; for after urging upon them the obligation to teach carefully and diligently the statutes and judgments of the Lord, he commanded them to teach to their sons and their sons' sons, "specially," the ten commandments which they heard, said he, "The day that you stood before the Lord your God in Horeb, when the Lord said unto me, Gather me the people together, and I will make them hear my words, that they may learn to fear me all the days that they shall live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children. ... And the Lord spoke unto you out of the midst of the fire: you heard the voice of the words, but saw no similitude; only you heard a voice. And He declared unto you His covenant, which He commanded you to perform, even ten commandments; and He wrote them upon two tables of stone." (Deuteronomy 4:10,12-13)
Another thing taught there was history: "When your son asks you in time to come, saying, What mean the testimonies, and the statutes, and the judgments, which the Lord our God has commanded you? Then you shall say unto your son, We were Pharaoh's bondmen in Egypt; and the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand. And the Lord showed signs and wonders, great and sore, upon Egypt, upon Pharaoh, and upon all his household, before our eyes." (Deuteronomy 6:20-22)
This study was not confined to the history of the deliverance from Egypt; it embraced all as it was given in the sacred writings. We know that this history was one of the studies of Daniel; for the form of government, having three presidents, one of whom was chief, which was introduced by Daniel as prime minister in the days of Darius the Mede, was adopted literally from the records of Israel as to the government of David.
Yet another thing taught there was poetry. This was an essential accompaniment of the teaching of music, and the songs of worship of which their music was composed. With all this, of course, reading and writing were taught.
We find, then, that the course of study in the school of the prophets embraced at least the following studies:
1. Wisdom,
2. Knowledge,
3. Science,
4. Manual labor,
5. Music,
6. Poetry,
7. Temperance,
8. Morals,
9. Law,
10. History,
11. Reading,
12. Writing.
All these things are written in the Bible for us. They center and are emphasized in the book of Daniel specially for the last days. We are now in the last days. These things are specially for us. The instruction given, the course of study in the schools of the prophets, is instruction for the Lord's schools for all time. This is the instruction that belongs today in every school that makes any pretensions of being a Christian school.
In this study, all that we have attempted is to find what things were taught in the schools of the prophets. We have not studied each particular subject to know what was embrace in the teaching of that thing. It will now be worth while to study each one of these studies that was taught in the Lord's schools. It is evident, from the simple list of studies, that the field was not by any means a narrow one. And when we shall study each particular subject, this will be yet more apparent.--Advent Review, February 8, 1898.