History Matters!

From Psalm 77

The writer is anguishing due to great troubles all around him…

3-4, I remembered God, and was troubled; I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah.  You hold my eyelids open; I am so troubled that I cannot speak.

He goes into history and is reminded of God’s care…

10-12, And I said, “This is my anguish; but I will remember the years of the right hand of the Most High.”  I will remember the works of the Lord; Surely I will remember Your wonders of old.  I will also meditate on all Your work, and talk of Your deeds.

Seeking help, He turned to a study of history…

5, I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times.

History reminded him that God had done great things in days past…

14, You are the God who does wonders; You have declared Your strength among the peoples.

Then a history lesson from 500 years earlier came to mind (the crossing of the Red Sea where God opened a roadway and then buried the Egyptian army in the collapsing waters)…

15, You have with Your arm redeemed Your people, The sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah.
16, The waters saw You, O God; The waters saw You, they were afraid; The depths also trembled.
17, The clouds poured out water; The skies sent out a sound; Your arrows also flashed about.
18, The voice of Your thunder was in the whirlwind; The lightnings lit up the world; The earth trembled and shook.
19, Your way was in the sea, Your path in the great waters, and Your footsteps were not known.
20, You led Your people like a flock By the hand of Moses and Aaron.
(This is NOT how Cecil B. DeMille portrayed that event in the movie, The Ten Commandments.)

Not all history was pleasant to men nor pleasing to God, yet it is kept – these from Psalm 78:

31, The wrath of God came against them, and slew the stoutest of them, and struck down the choice men of Israel.
32, In spite of this they still sinned, and did not believe in His wondrous works.
33, Therefore their days He consumed in futility, and their years in fear.

While this history was not good, it was important enough for God to keep a record as a reminder and a lesson for future generations.  God even kept more negatives from the nation’s history…

59, When God heard this, He was furious, and greatly abhorred Israel,
60, So that He forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent He had placed among men,
61, And delivered His strength into captivity, and His glory into the enemy’s hand.
62, He also gave His people over to the sword, and was furious with His inheritance.

But also from history:  hope!

34, When He slew them, then they sought Him; and they returned and sought earnestly for God.
35, Then they remembered that God was their rock, and the Most High God their Redeemer.

History, both the good and the bad, is incredibly important for today and for tomorrow.