Mike Courts purchased two books and sent them to me, The Book That Made Your World and This Book Changed Everything, both by Vishal Mangalwadi.  I’m more than half-way through the first book and am thrilled by the research, clear logic and superb writing by Vishal in establishing how the Bible created the soul of western civilization.   It is a potent testimony to why it is critical that we accurately understand history.  Furthermore, it gives a warning shout to what is happening today by liberals and radicals engaged in a concerted effort to revise and rewrite history to their own liking and agenda so as to undermine our nation’s constitution and way of governance founded on Biblical principles.   ​

Meditation
Ezra 4:19,20--I issued an order and a search was made, and it was found that this city has a long history of revolt against kings and has been a place of rebellion and sedition.  Jerusalem has had powerful kings ruling over the whole of Trans-Euphrates, and taxes, tribute and duty were paid to them. (NIV)
 
The word history, used in both Ezra 4:15 and 4:19, is translated by the combination of three Hebrew words, yôm, min, and ālam which when combined mean long history. The people who inhabited Israel during Judah’s time of exile, were not happy with the resettling of Jews and their rebuilding Jerusalem.  Therefore they sent a letter to King Artaxerxes from the “region west of the Euphrates River” (4:11), warning him of Jerusalem’s history of sedition hoping that he would issue a cease and desist order.  The king decreed that a search be conducted and, after hearing the city’s history, ordered that the rebuilding should stop until he issued a further decree.  It was a discouraging blow to the Jews that fortunately was overturned later by King Darius (6:8-12).

I cite this passage to show that even those who resist God understand the value of understanding history and to their credit at least were honest in applying it.  If we don’t know our true past or the role of the Bible in shaping who we are today and teach it to our children, we are doomed to fall to the ideology of those who reshape education and define values.  It would seem that very few people invest the time to truly research and understand history as Mr. Mangalwadi does.  Ironically, his book is dedicated to the “Honourable Arun Shourie, member of Parliament and Former Minister to the Government of India for his criticisms of the Bible which prompted Mangalwadi’s search for truth and the writing of his book.  

If history matters, clearly understanding history really matters!  Jesus rebuked the religious leaders of his day for not knowing and for not correctly understanding Scripture (Matthew 21:42, Mark 12:24) as it related historically to Him and to God’s plan.  Our challenge is to know God’s Word and to understand it’s power yesterday and relevance today.  If we fail in this we lose the ability to shape tomorrow.  May we say with the Psalmist, “I consider days of old, years long past” (Psalm 77:5).  The Apostle Paul advised, “For whatever was written in the past was written for our instruction, so that we may have hope through endurance and through the encouragement from the Scriptures” (Romans 15:4).
 
Inspiration
The people are the ultimate guardians of their own liberty. History, by apprising them of the past, will enable them to judge of the future. It will avail them of the experience of other times and other nations; it will qualify them as judges of the actions and designs of men.—Thomas Jefferson
 
©2020 Daniel York ARR.  Reveration is the weekly devotional ministry of First Cause.  If you would like to receive these devotionals go to www.firstcause.org and click on the “Click here to receive weekly devotionals” box.  Unlimited permission to copy this devotional without altering text or profiteering is allowed subject to inclusion of this copyright notice.      
 
Ecclesiastes 12:10-The Teacher sought to find delightful sayings and to accurately write words of truth.  (Holman CSB)

I heard a story on the radio recently of a policeman who was searching a man. As he went through his pockets he discovered several bags full of illegal drugs. Before he could say anything, the man gave him an exasperated look and said, “These aren’t my pants!” ​

​Meditation
Revelation 3:2—Be alert and strengthen what remains, which is about to die, for I have not found your works complete before My God.
 

​Several years ago I walked with Dad along the Hudson River where as a cadet I used to run the two mile run.  While walking I prayed for the salvation of my A3 company mates.  As we were praying the Lord prompted me with the thought, “Why don’t you recruit a Christian from each of the other 35 companies to do the same thing you are doing.”  Unfortunately, instead of going home and recruiting others to pray, I procrastinated.  But the Lord is faithful and about a year later I had occasion to visit with Craig, a classmate in Virginia.  He invited several of our classmates over for a mini-reunion.  While we were together, I shared with them the concept of weekly prayer for our company mates.  Craig got excited and said he would join me and pray for B4. That was the encouragement I needed to get moving in sharing this prayer opportunity with others.  

​Guards stopped us at the entrance to Forward Operating Base (FOB) Ho Chunk and checked our IDs before allowing my Command Sergeant Major (CSM) and me to walk unarmed into the camp where several units were assigned.   As we inspected the premises we saw unmade beds and gear strewn haphazardly inside tents. Soldiers walked by us out of uniform.  At one point I ducked inside a tent and noticed several unsecured weapons.  I grabbed an M16 and slung it on my shoulder.  As we continued observing, warning sirens sounded and a quick response force rushed by us to meet a notional threat.  I wondered what soldier was running around trying to find what happened to his M16!  The captain in charge of the FOB (known as the mayor) approached us and spoke to us for several minutes.  Amazingly he completely missed the fact that I was carrying a rifle—not something generals do.  

​There is an insightful television program called Undercover Boss.  Each episode, the owner or CEO of a company is disguised and then works for several days with different employees with differing responsibilities.  Often the boss is inept at the tasks the employee is to teach him which puts pressure on him to do better.  As he works with each selected person he also finds out what life is like in their shoes.  Some are struggling financially or dealing with challenges that make life difficult. 

​Four of us were enjoying an informal time of fellowship when the topic came up of how we identify with Christ around others.  One of the men pulled out his cell phone and showed how it had an icon of Christ as his background photo.  Ron said he had also had a picture representing Christ on his phone.  He pulled it out to show us, but all we could see was icons of missed calls that blocked the picture underneath.

​Do you ever wonder what the point is for reading books of the Bible that primarily contain prophecies of God’s impending judgment against certain people and nations?  Jonah, Nahum and Zephaniah all prophesied against the Assyrian empire.  When Nahum predicted the impending destruction of the capital city, Nineveh, Assur-bani-pal was its evil king. Nineveh was full of bloodshed, deceit, plundering and constant warring against others (3:1).

​Cassidy sent out an email to her boss.  The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for Grok Inc. cited several recent incidents that occurred and accused Konrad, a coworker and fellow executive, of harassing her and generally acting like a jerk.  The boss was surprised because he had worked with Konrad for years and had never before received complaints like this about him or observed him to act in a way that was disrespectful to others.  So he asked his CFO to call him.  When she did, he questioned her as to what exactly Konrad had done.  In the course of the conversation the boss realized that Cassidy was making several bad assumptions about her coworker.  It especially galled him that she had not discussed her concerns with Konrad before sending him the negative report.*  

​She was a wealthy woman of the best kind— thoughtful and generous.  She noticed a man of God in need and she fed him.  As he often frequented her town, she talked her husband into building a home addition so the man would have his own room furnished to meet his needs. Grateful for her kindness, the godly man asked her what he could do for her.  She declined his offer.  So he asked his helper what could be done for her.  He noticed that her husband was old and she had no children.  So he called her to his room and as she stood in the doorway told her she would have a son the following spring.   She asked him not to lie to her, but sure enough she gave birth to a boy.  Years later the woman’s son became ill and died.  His mother immediately traveled to Mount Carmel where she found Elisha, fell on the ground and grabbed his feet.

​How fantastic would it be if we could read minds?  Imagine if you could see the exact thoughts running through the brains of your family, neighbors, coworkers and even enemies!  Perhaps it would not be such a great thing.  It might be convicting, maddening, or massively discouraging.  I propose that our behavior would be the main element that triggered people’s thoughts towards us and this would certainly heighten our awareness of consequences.   

​When I read newspaper and internet stories and listen to the radio and television one word leaps to mind--scheming!   Republicans accuse the President and the Democratic-controlled Congress of trying to impose socialism.  Democrats accuse Republicans of fear mongering and not caring about the American people.  Special interest groups accuse Supreme Court justices for not holding to the Constitution. Radio talk hosts accuse the media of sensationalism and distortion.   There is no happiness and unity is as easy to find as a unicorn.  Perhaps we would do well to pause and to consider the nature of man.

​I just finished reading the best book I ever read concerning Biblical principles on giving wisely.  The author is Jonathan Martin and the title of his book is Giving Wisely?  You can find and purchase it from www.amazon.com.   

​Have you ever had a period in life where you felt like an idiot and wish you could crawl in a hole and hide?  I think I’m just emerging from the hole.