Truth Told

If you travel around Britain and visit any war memorials of WWII, you will frequently see prominently displayed these words , ‘Lest We Forget’.

Another interesting plaque displayed In Germany at Auschwitz Concentration Camp, reads, ‘The one who does not remember history is bound to live through it again’ (George Santayana).

After the children of Israel, led by Joshua, crossed the Jordan River and entered into the Promised Land, God instructed them to commemorate this miraculous crossing by placing memorial stones. These memorial stones were for the purpose of teaching this historical event to future generations so they would be aware and not forget.

Memorials to the Jordan Crossing
When all the people had crossed the Jordan, the LORD said to Joshua, 2 “Now choose twelve men, one from each tribe. 3 Tell them, ‘Take twelve stones from the very place where the priests are standing in the middle of the Jordan. Carry them out and pile them up at the place where you will camp tonight.’ ”
4 So Joshua called together the twelve men he had chosen—one from each of the tribes of Israel. 5 He told them, “Go into the middle of the Jordan, in front of the Ark of the LORD your God. Each of you must pick up one stone and carry it out on your shoulder—twelve stones in all, one for each of the twelve tribes of Israel. 6 We will use these stones to build a memorial. In the future your children will ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ 7 Then you can tell them, ‘They remind us that the Jordan River stopped flowing when the Ark of the LORD’s Covenant went across.’ These stones will stand as a memorial among the people of Israel forever.”

Joshua 4:1-7 (NLT)

God continues to say similar things to us today from His Living Word (the Bible). Both in the Old Testament and New Testament we find scriptures stating the need to be familiar with history. Examples are:

Psalm 107 is all about remembering and it ends this way… verse 43 Those who are wise will take all this to heart; they will see in our history the faithful love of the LORD.

Psalm 107:43

Lessons from Israel’s Idolatry
I don’t want you to forget, dear brothers and sisters, about our ancestors in the wilderness long ago. All of them were guided by a cloud that moved ahead of them, and all of them walked through the sea on dry ground. 2 In the cloud and in the sea, all of them were baptized as followers of Moses. 3 All of them ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all of them drank the same spiritual water. For they drank from the spiritual rock that traveled with them, and that rock was Christ. 5 Yet God was not pleased with most of them, and their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.
6 These things happened as a warning to us, so that we would not crave evil things as they did.

1 Corinthians 10:1-6 (NLT)

One way that God uses history is to warn us, “lest we forget“. God also uses history in order for us to come to know Him better and become familiar with how He acts, or reacts. History is so vital to our knowledge base ,which, with the Holy Spirit’s guidance, informs our various requirements for having God influenced wisdom.

I love reading history (I guess I’m a little weird in that regard :-)) I have been noticing in my reading what seems to be tactical manipulation of historical facts so as to change the existing narrative into a more desired story. I’ve noticed that in some instances the victors over a population, seem to eventually work on an erasure of a people’s history. It appears that the purpose for changing history is done to capture the minds and hearts of people with a different narrative than the actual recorded historical facts. If a new ruler trying to take control of a people can remove or alter history to fit a narrative of preference, then maybe wisdom and knowledge of the past can’t block some of the new ruler’s objectives. Recently, I’ve read where for whatever reason, writers or speakers have claimed the holocaust instigated by German Nazis in the mid 1900’s, never actually happened. Another recent instance of an attempt at rewriting of history has been some fairly prominent people developing a fictional narrative suggesting that the Twin Trade Tower disaster was an inside job of the United States government and had nothing to do with radical Islamists.

A regular review and understanding of actual and trustworthy recorded history is extremely vital and important! For followers of Jesus, we are so fortunate that God has protected the development of, and safe retention of, our Holy Bible. We have an unchangeable standard to rely upon.

First and foremost, we read the Bible, which is active and alive, in order to have a living, breathing, dynamic relationship with God. While at the same time we must also read the Bible with an eye towards learning accurate history, particularly concerning God’s people. Look at what God said to Joshua…

Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. 9 This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

Joshua 1:8–9 (NLT)

So What?

I suggest, we need to know God’s history, including His history in the way He has interacted in our lives. One way we can do this, is by journaling. I have retained various forms of journals for the past 33 years, since 1988. My journals bring to me various personal benefits, such as, information concerning how God has worked in my life in the past. Re-reading the recorded history from my personal journals also brings encouragement and builds up my faith knowing He can do it again!

How about you, are you diligently seeking God through annals of history, His and yours? Do you keep a personal journal on a regular basis that develops a record of what God has been saying or doing in your life?