Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations. Ask your father, and he will show you; your elders, and they will tell you. (Deuteronomy 32:7)
In this verse God encouraged the people to look to those who came before, and in a sense, to consult ancient history for wisdom. In short, by looking back they could better understand what they need to do going forward. Seeing that the context of this statement is errant behavior, it would seem the lesson He intended for them to learn is what happens when people go their own way. To observe this, one has to go no further than the beginning and see what happened in the garden. Serving more or less as a priest, Adam failed in his mission to be obedient, and furthermore, to lead others in proper worship. As a result he and his wife were exiled from the Garden, albeit, with the promise that redemption would come through the Seed of the Woman.
Unfortunately, that lesson did not take hold with Israel because they repeated the cycle of failure. Chosen to be a light to the nations that surrounded them, instead they turned to the gods of the nations and profaned His Name before others. As a result, they too were exiled from “the garden” and, until recently in historical terms, have wandered through the nations. In short, they did not learn from the lessons of history and all that those of “many generations” could have taught them. Yet in spite of their transgressions, God has not left them or any who call on His Name without hope for, at the end of days, His people will be redeemed and restored.
We live in a day when many do not give much thought to the wisdom of those who came before nor consider the lessons the past has to teach us. Yet Scripture make it clear we are mistaken to think this way; there is much to learn from the past. In fact, through Isaiah He says, “Remember the former things of old, for I am God … declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done” (Isaiah 46:9-10). To be clear, this verse says that God has already told us the future by telling us what happened in the beginning. As Solomon said, “That which is has already been, and what is to be has already been” (Ecclesiastes 3:15).
So then, it behooves us to learn from the past — from our past, in fact — to better understand what to do, and what not to do, today and tomorrow. Moreover, we are to have confidence that the One who led those who came before us is with us, and is leading us, today. Though we have failed often, nevertheless, He will redeem those who call upon the Name of the LORD and gather them unto Himself. As it is written, “Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the LORD upholds him with His hand” (Psalm 37:24).
Blessings and Shalom,
Bill
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