Romans 15:4 states, “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.”
This year we have an high school senior. There are several others who are graduating from milestone to another; they are graduating from either kindergarten or sixth grade, for this we are thankful and grateful. We are surprised that our children are growing up so fast, from children toward adulthood! Some can remember when these young people were held in arms. This is history! How we love this kind of history!
There is history that we do not always like. These had to take courses in history and had to memorize dates, times, and events. When was the Magna Carter? When did the Columbus sail the ocean blue? When was the Spanish Armada destroyed? What year did World War One begin? What year did the Civil War begin? What year did World War Two begin and end? What year did the Vietnam conflict begin? Why did we have to learn all this stuff?
There is also spiritual history. Do you remember or know the date of your baptism? Do you know when the church was established? Do you know when the church in Jones County began? Do you know when the church in Gray was established? You might even ask, “What difference does all this make?” There are other important times and events that are important to the history of the church. Still, what difference does this make?
Why do we have to study secular history? We are supposed to learn what caused those events to take place. What were the reasons for those important dates and events to take place? What the political climate was like to cause people to make the decisions that they made that caused those events to be important? That is the key to knowing history.
The same is true in spiritual history. What were people thinking to cause them to leave the Scriptures to follow their own ideas? How was Acts 20:17- 35 fulfilled? How did the prophecy of 1 Timothy 4:1-3 become a reality? Peter said, “And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction” (2 Peter 3:15-16). Why do people then and even today “wrest” the scriptures? The word “wrest” means “twist.” History is the key to know why people do this. History is the key to know what has been done. The Wise Preacher wrote, “The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9).
We must know history! If we do not know history we are destined to repeat it! Men have been lead away from God. We must be knowledgeable of the facts or we too can be lead away from God! We must know what God’s Word says! We must know how men have gone astray. History is important.
As these young people go on to new adventures in their lives, let us help them to stay faithful to God. Only by their remaining faithful will they receive the crown of life (Revelation 2:10). “Because thou has kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth” (Revelation 3:10). This being so let us always learn from history and never give up!
Love, Keith
