Day 294, Year 1

Learning From History to Improving Yourself

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous.” (Matthew 23:29 NASB)

A significant portion of the Bible is regarded as historical records. The way we see these recorded histories is influential. In the past, the Pharisees, etc., went to build the tombs of the prophets, etc., because they read history with a wrong perspective, and so Jesus condemned them. Today, I will discuss one false and one correct way of viewing history.

The Pharisees, etc., mistakenly used building and adorning the tombs of the prophets and the righteous to replace obedience to the words of the prophets. This action of the Pharisees, etc., was an outward gesture that called for the commemoration of the prophets of old, which couldn’t substitute for listening to their words. They liked to do something to reminisce about the good old days, according to their preference. Yet, they didn’t make an effort to cultivate or prepare a heart that promptly obeyed God for their better future. By mistakenly remembering their historic figures, they missed the living words of God. So, they failed to recognize that John the Baptist and Jesus were the prophets sent by God. 

Contrarily, correctly studying God’s Word will help us listen to His Word and understand His present work, thereby correcting our mistakes. A correct view of history is the key to delving into historical records and drawing lessons to help us improve. A certain Chinese historian proposed the idea of “taking history as a mirror,” which means using past events and figures as references and reminders for people in the present. Furthermore, some believe that those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past. Thus, we must understand history to lead a better future. 

For example, readers can ponder: Why did most people in the Old Testament not listen to the prophets? What issues or hindrances caused them to reject the prophetic messages? And why were they unwilling to solve the problems that hindered them from obeying the prophets’ words? From this perspective, our efforts are surely not made to commemorate any predecessors but to tackle the challenge of not following God’s Word. Moreover, after understanding the prophets’ words, we should then learn to discern the words of God’s messengers in the present. While we may not have encountered a prophet recently, we can still feel what Jesus said to us through a person, a page, a quote, and so on, and think about how to obey and align with Him by taking corresponding actions.

Reflection questions:

1) What kind of mindset do you have when viewing the past events and figures? Is there anything you need to improve?

2) Do you find it feasible to learn from history and improve yourself? If not, what is the problem, and how would you resolve it?