Theological Analysis of Christian
Religious Education According to the Book of Kings
Anrian Simamora, Binsar Simanjuntak, Debora Sitohang,
Devisere Nadeak, Ivan Siburian, Andar Gunawan Pasaribu
State
Christian Religious Institute, Tarutung, Indonesia
Email:
anriansimamora@gmail.com, binsarsmj.zhaa11@gmail.com, deraglanz@gmail.com, deviserenadeak08@gmail.com,
andargunawanpsaribu@gmail.com
Abstract
Theology Christian religious education is
a science that studies the Lord God in the principles, concepts, and practices
of education in the context of Christianity. It includes an understanding of
the teachings of Christianity, teaching and learning methodologies that are in
line with Christian values, and the application of theological principles in
students' education and spiritual development. This study uses an analysis
method. The analysis method is a method that explores, observes,
and provides understanding based on existing texts and is supported by books
related to the discussion.
This research aims to find out what Christian Religious Education is like in
the context of the Book of Kings. Christian religious education in the context
of the Book of Kings emphasizes the understanding that God is sovereign in
human life and the importance of practicing the right worship, that is, the
object is right, and the way is right. Obedience brings blessings, while
rebellion brings condemnation.
Keywords: Obedience
and Blessing, Sovereign God
Introduction
Based on the
Bible's information, we know that Christian religious education has essentially
existed since ancient times when humans were created. This can be justified
based on several definitions of PAK, according to the following experts. Martin
Luther said that education is used to provide learning for the members of the
congregation so that they can know their sins and enjoy the word of God. John
Calvin said that education is used to provide teachings for the Church
congregation so that they can live their lives according to the guidance of the
Holy Spirit
The Bible is an
absolute source of knowledge of God's person and relationship with man because
it is God's revelation revealed through the Prophets and Apostles
Research Methods
The
method used by the author is the analysis method. Analysis methods
is a method that
explores, observes, and provides understanding based on existing texts and
supported by discussion-related books.
In other words, the analysis method is "Library Research, which is
reading books and investigating books related to the subject. The method used
by the author is the analysis method.
The analysis method is a method that explores, observes, and provides
understanding based on existing texts and is supported by books related to the
discussion. In other words, the method
of analysis is "Library Research, i.e., reading books, investigating books
related to the
subject of this scientific work."
Discussion and Results
Pak's Theological Analysis in the Book
of Kings
Background of the Book
In
the Jewish scriptures, originally, there was only one book. Then, about the
third century B.C., those who translated the scriptures in the Septuagint
divided it in two. However, it is called III and IV Kings, while the book of
Samuel is called I and II Kings. Furthermore, in the 16th century AD, this book
was given the name I and II Samuel and I and II Kings. The author of the Book
of Kings cannot be known for sure, but according to Jewish tradition (Talmud),
the author was the prophet Jeremiah. However, this opinion has little rebuttal,
which says that according to the account of Jeremiah 43:6-7, Jeremiah was taken
to Egypt after the fall of Jerusalem. The last part of the Book of Kings completely
explains the events in Babylon
This means that
it is estimated that the one who wrote the Book of Kings was one of the people
who was also transported to Babylon. However, even this statement cannot be
absolutely justified. In writing the book, not only must the author witness the
events he writes, but the same is true of writing the book of Genesis. It does
not mean that every event recorded in the book of Genesis shows that Moses was
also present in that event. Therefore, the author of the Book of Kings cannot
be known for sure. But in terms of language and the singularity of the meaning
of I and II Kings, of course, the author is the same person.
Purpose of Writing the Book
This
book tells the history of the Israelites, from the end of the reign of King
David, the prosperous period of Solomon, the division of the kingdom, to the
collapse of the kingdom of the North and Jerusalem in the south to the exile in
Babylon. However, the writing of this book is not only to tell the history of
Israel in a row but also to convey the spiritual truth that as God's people,
people are obliged to obey God's law and only worship God because obedience
will bring blessings while rebellion brings punishment
Curriculum
If you pay
attention, the teaching curriculum in the Book of Kings focuses on the power of
Allah in human life. This means that people understand that God is sovereign,
God is to be obeyed, God is to bless, and God is to bring punishment to every
rebellion.
PAK Theological Principles in the Book
of Kings
Talking
about the theology of Christian Religious Education in the Book of Kings talks
about the principles that God tells or teaches through His servants, the
Prophets, to His people in terms of the revelation of His power and existence,
how to worship God, as well as the relationship with the survival of the
people, both in the world and in eternity.
The Theology of God's Sovereignty
In the great
Indonesian dictionary, sovereignty has the basis of the word sovereign, which
means power. Meanwhile, the meaning of sovereignty is the highest power over
the government, regions, and so on. From this understanding, we can understand
that sovereignty is the highest power, so if Allah's sovereignty is said, it
means that the highest power belongs to Allah.
Jonathan
Edwards said God's sovereignty is the absolute and independent right to
regulate all beings according to His pleasure. Stephen Tong said that our God
is a sovereign God. God is a God who has sovereignty that cannot be violated or
bargained for by humans. So Allah's sovereignty is that Allah has absolute
supreme power and cannot be influenced by anything, not subject to anything
except His own will or will
If
we look at I Kings chapter 8:14-61, it is clear that King Solomon acknowledged
God's sovereignty in life and the kingdom of David, his father, and himself.
Solomon said that God chose and predestined everything that happened in their
kingdom. Also, in the book of 1 Kings 19:15-18, how God is sovereign over human
life, the prophet Elijah was commanded to anoint Hazael to be king over Aram,
and to anoint Jehu as king over Israel, and to anoint Elisha as a prophet to
succeed Elijah. From this verse, we want to see that God has the absolute right
to regulate and prejudge all human life. Even if we look at the preaching done
by the prophets Elijah and Elisha, it basically declares that God is sovereign
in human life. For this reason, humans must listen to and respect Allah.
Theology of Worship
Debora Nugrahenny
Christimoty said that worship affects theology, and
theology affects worship, and if the understanding of theology is correct, then
worship will also be correct. If worship is not in line with true theology,
then it is not worship that glorifies God. Because true worship is worship centered on God
The Book of Kings tells us that
worshipping a false god is a futility. In Deuteronomy 6:4-9 "Hear, O Israelites: The LORD is our God, the LORD is one!
Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all
your strength. What I command you today should be heeded, and you should teach
it over and over again to your children and talk about it when you sit in your
house, when you are on the way, when you lie down and when you get up. You must
also tie it as a sign on your hand and it must be a symbol on your forehead,
and you must write it on the doorposts of your houses and on your gates."
This verse states that there is no
other god worthy of worship and praise than the God who revealed Himself to
Moses, as well as to the Israelites. This is what the prophets Elijah and
Elisha always said to the Israelites because they had forgotten the true God
and worshipped the false God. In order to prove God's truthfulness, He led and
accompanied Elijah on Mount Carmel to oppose Baal and Asherah and their 850
prophets, who at that time were worshipped by King Ahab and the Israelites. (1
Ki.18:16-19). By lowering fire from the sky to burn all the sacrifices that
have been provided. Baal and Asherah could not do such a thing because they
were not the true God. Only the true God can do that. It happened before the
eyes of King Ahab and the Israelites, with the intention that they would return
to the Lord, but they hardened their hearts and would not repent.
In the book of Kings, we repeatedly see
how the true God defeated the Gentiles who worshipped a false god to prove that
there was no god in power other than God who had revealed Himself to the
Israelites. Therefore, God opposes idolatry committed by humans, and He will
punish those who do it. Its application in life, it is important to worship the
true God in the right way.
Theology
of Obedience
In Hebrew, the word obedience is
written with (shama) which means to listen earnestly,
to open one's ears, to carry out practical actions.[1] Thus, it can be said that
obedience is the willingness to listen and do what is heard. If it means
obeying Allah, it means obeying and doing what Allah says. In the Book of Kings,
we can see the emphasis on teaching directed at obedience to God's
commandments.
Obedience to the Lord God Brings
Blessings
Allah's promise to his people in
Deuteronomy 7:9-10 "Therefore you must know that
the LORD your God is the God of faithfulness, who holds his covenant and his
faithful love to those who love him and keep his commandments, even to
thousands of descendants, but to every one of those who hate him, he takes vengeance
by destroying that man. He does not delay those who hate Him. He immediately
took revenge on the man."
God is faithful to every word He says, and
He blesses every one of His people who walk according to His rules. We can see
in David's life how God expresses His participation to David because David
always walks in God's Law, except in the case of Uriah's wife. King Solomon was
also greatly blessed by the Lord God before He deviated from God's rule. God
also revealed his participation to King Hezekiah in his reign, as well as to King
Jehoshaphat and the kings who walked according to God's destiny.
The application of this third point is
that in the process of education, it is necessary to give awards or gifts to
obedient people. Thus, more and more people will be willing to obey.
Rebellion Against the Lord God Brings
Judgment
In I Kings
6:12-13, God spoke to Solomon, blessings when he lived within God's statutes
and regulations, and judgment when he deviated from God's ways and regulations.
But in reality, Solomon strayed from God's way, and He preferred to follow his
wives in the worship of another god.1 Kings 11:1-13. Because of Solomon's
deviation, God punished him by causing division in the kingdom of Israel. Chapter
11:11, but in verse 12, God says that because of David, God will continue to
maintain the kingdom of David. The punishment that God spoke to Solomon came
soon after Solomon's death, which his son Rehoboam led violently, which
resulted in ten tribes of Israel rebelling. They appointed another king for
them. That king was Jeroboam. Jehoram had a strong ambition to lead the ten
tribes of Israel. Because of his ambition, he caused the Israelites to
deteriorate spiritually. Jehoram realized that the Israelites commonly carried
out a religious activity, where they had to go to Jerusalem to worship. If this
was allowed to continue, then gradually, the ten tribes would be affected by
Rehoboam's government in Jerusalem. To avoid this, Jehoram built two new places
of worship for the Israelites, namely in Bethel and in Dan. And in both places
he placed an image of a calf (12:33-34), which further encouraged the
Israelites to worship idols. Although God had warned Jehoram through a servant
of God, Jeroboam did not heed the rebuke. He continued to commit transgressions
by appointing priests who were not of the tribe of Levi, and he established his
own days of celebration. (2 Chr. 11:13). The more time went on, the more
Jeroboam fell into sin, and all the people were dragged along. About Him wrote
Jeroboam, the son of Nebat who had caused the Israelites to sin. (1 Ki 22:53; 2
Ki 3:3).
And
if you pay attention, every king who ruled northern Israel, starting with
Jeroboam and then on, were kings who deviated from the rules that God
commanded, yet God repeatedly rebuked and warned through his prophet, with the
intention that they would repent. And in the end, because he did not want to
repent, God punished the nation by allowing the nation to be exiled to Assyria
around 721 B.C.
In
the course of Judah's reign, there were evil kings, but not all kings. There
were still good kings who followed the rules and worshipped God, including Asa
and, Jehoshaphat, Hezekiah, but in the end, this kingdom deviated from God's
rules and was punished by being exiled to Babylon around 587 B.C. However, it
is different from the Northern Kingdom, which did not return from Assyria.
Meanwhile, the remnant of the people of Judah still returned to Jerusalem from
the exile land in Babylon.
In
its application to PAK Learning, it is necessary to punish or discipline people
who are disobedient or rebellious to uphold truth and justice in order to give
birth to an obedient generation.
Theology of Service
In the
Indonesian dictionary, devotion means the act of serving or serving from the
basis of the word 'Abdi,' which means servant or servant. Based on this
understanding, it can be said that service is a service that is carried out
voluntarily, without any element of coercion. Andri Anto said that service is
not slavery because slavery is always accompanied by coercion and will lead to
rebellion
The Theological Method of Christian
Religious Education in the Book of Kings
In
teaching and education, of course, it should not be separated from the method
that will be used in delivering the teaching material because one of the causes
of the success of education lies in the teaching method used. In the context of
the Book of Kings, there are the following teaching methods:
1. Conventional
Method/Lecture
As
the name implies, the delivery of learning in this method is carried out by way
of lectures or orally. We can find this in the ministry of the prophets Elijah
and Elisha to the Israelites.
2. Mind
Mapping
Mind
Mapping is a learning method by applying a sequential way of thinking to a
problem, and how it can happen to the solution. Teaching through the Mind
Mapping method is presented in the form of a scheme that has a causal
relationship and affects each other
3. Method
Debate
Debate
is a learning method that pits arguments between two or more parties, either
individuals or groups. The arguments that are carried out discuss the solution
of a problem and give a decision on the problem. In the Book of kings, the
prophet Elijah argued with the prophets of Baal in terms of proving which God
was right.
4. Experiment/Practice
Method
The
experimental method is a teaching method using action in the form of practice.
With this method, students are able to see and experience the learning process
firsthand. Elijah directly practiced the worship that God allowed by giving the
right offering to the right object.
5. Discussion
Methods
The discussion method is
a learning method that confronts students with a problem. The main
purpose of this method is to solve problems, answer questions, understand
students' concerns, and make decisions. In the Book of Kings, the prophets
often discuss the true truth of God for the Israelites.
6. Learning
Elements
Learning, of course, will contain
elements such as teaching materials, students, and teachers. Hardi Budiyana also said: "The elements of learning, namely
teachers – students – materials, are a complex multidimensional system. Each of
these dimensions needs to be developed to make learning effective.
1. Teaching
Materials
What is the teaching material in the book of Kings is that
God is sovereign in human life and history, God must be obeyed with pure
worship focusing on God Himself, obedience to God will bring blessings (1 Kings
2:3-4), while rebellion will bring condemnation. ( 1 Kings 9:4-7).
2. Learners/students
In the Book of Kings, the students who are being taught are
all the people of Israel, including the king and the priest, both in the south
and in the north.
3. Teachers/Educators
As for those who become teachers in the learning carried out
in the context of the Book of Kings, they are the prophets, namely the prophets
Elijah and Elisha and all the wise men. Where these two teachers received a
call and a dispatch and participation from the Lord God. So that the Israelites
would know the true God and serve God in the right way.
7. Learning
Media
The learning
media used in religious learning in the contest of the Book of Kings are the
flour of the widow that is not exhausted, the rainwater that falls after the
prophet Elijah spoke, the fire that descends from heaven that burns the
offerings prepared by Elijah before king Ahab and the priest of the god Baal,
the oil of a widow that does not stop flowing until all the vessels are
full, Embossed axes floating in the
river.
8. Learning
Vision
The vision of learning in the Book of Kings is
The one that is won by obedience.
9. Learning
Mission
The mission of
learning in the Book of Kings is to show God's miraculous power and inclusion
to all people, both Israelites and non-Israelites, with His muzak. God's
blessing is revealed to those who obey God's word, and judgment is revealed to
those who disobey God.
Conclusion
After
being analyzed, the theology of Christian religious
education in the Book of Kings has the following teaching material: God is
sovereign in the life and history of human life, it is important to worship the
true God in the right way, obedience to Allah brings blessings, while rebellion
against God brings condemnation. In addition, it is necessary to remember that
Allah is faithful and merciful.
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Anrian
Simamora, Binsar Simanjuntak, Debora Sitohang, Devisere Nadeak, Ivan
Siburian, Andar Gunawan Pasaribu (2024) |
|
First publication right: Advances in Social Humanities Research |
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