I know that whatever God does, it endures forever; nothing can be added to it nor can anything be taken from it, for God does it so that men will fear and worship Him [with awe-filled reverence, knowing that He is God]. That which is has already been, and that which will be has already been, for God seeks what has passed by [so that history repeats itself].
(Ecclesiastes 3:14-15 AMP)
One of my favorite things to study with my kids is history. I love learning about people, places, and events that happened in the past. I love gaining a better understanding of how our past shaped – and shapes – the world we live in. I understand history as a story – HIStory – the story of God from Creation until 2024 as he’s interacted with us. I feel sorry for everyone who views history as a dry list of dates and names and places. When I read about or watch a video about history, the people who have influenced our world today come alive.
And I believe that there is much to learn from history. The writer of Ecclesiastes told us that, “What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun.” (Ecclesiastes 1:9 ESV) The Apostle Paul told us, “For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope and overflow with confidence in His promises.” (Romans 15:4 AMP) Human nature hasn’t changed all that much since the Fall, so we can certainly learn from those who have gone before us. In 1905 – before the World Wars and all the chaos of the Twentieth Century, Philosopher and author George Santayana warned us that “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” If we don’t know our past, we are more likely to repeat the same mistakes, even if in different forms. Mark Twain said it this way: “History never repeats itself, but it does often rhyme.” Knowledge of our history matters.
But so does God’s guidance into our future.
No matter how much history we know, we need to use that knowledge to make wise choices for our future. God tells us that “I know the plans and thoughts that I have for you,’ says the Lord, ‘plans for peace and well-being and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11 AMP). Although we often read this verse as a reassurance of God’s good presence and plans – and they are! – we won’t see the fullness of God’s perfect plans for us unless we are intentionally seeking God’s guidance and direction. The writer of Proverbs repeatedly urges us to seek wisdom. “Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding. Cherish her, and she will exalt you; embrace her, and she will honor you.” (Proverbs 4:7-8 NIV) We are told that wisdom is valuable. “Great and priceless treasure is in the house of the [consistently] righteous one [who seeks godly instruction and grows in wisdom], but trouble is in the income of the wicked one [who rejects the laws of God].” (Proverbs 15:6 AMP) God wants us to seek him for wisdom as to how to understand and move in the future. We need to be like the men of Issachar, who knew what the nation of Israel should choose. “Of the tribe of Issachar, men who understood the times, with knowledge of what Israel should do…” (1 Chronicles 12:32 AMP) Then we can move with confidence into the future, knowing what God has called us to do.
Today, let us not only learn and remember our past so we may learn from it, but let us also seek God for our future so we understand the times and have God’s knowledge of what we should do.
God,
Thank you for your Word and Spirit that leads us into all Truth. Thank you for all that we can learn from the past, and for your guidance for the future. Help us to be like the men of Issachar, who understood the times and knew what to do. Help us to continually seek you for wisdom, guidance, and hope. We ask this in Jesus’s name, AMEN.