I recently finished a biography of Jonathan Edwards and I learned not only about a man but I also learned quite a bit about the time the man lived in. I'm not sure who told me this but I have found it to be true, biography is a great way to learn history. As I read about Edwards' life one of the things that was consistent throughout his life was his Biblical worldview on history and the happenings of his own time. Edwards lived in pre-Revolutionary America and so was well acquainted with French and Indian battles with Britain and was not far from the English civil war of the seventeenth century. All of the battles and changes in the political and economic landscapes he saw as God working out his sovereign plan. He was not without bias but was so convinced of his positions that he never wavered from his Biblical worldview. Defeats for his side were seen as God's judgment or reproof; victories were God's blessing and all glory was given back to Him. This is motivating in itself for me to see all that is happening around through the lens of God's sovereign and good plan for his creation. But it made me want to look back throughout history to see the fingerprints of God's past out workings of his plan.
I am starting this endeavor where I have left off. Edwards was born October 5, 1703 and died March 1758. I mean to pick up just after that time with the biography of John Adams. From here I intend to stagger my biographies and work my way up to as close to present day as I can and try and gain an understanding of America and see if I cannot search out the sovereign hand of the Lord in our own brief history. I would also encourage anyone reading this to be acquainted with history for several reasons. 1) It gives you insight into who you are. We are all shaped by our culture and our culture was shaped by those who came before us. So if Christians want to impact the culture we would do well to understand it as best we can. 2) History helps us to see God's personal involvement in human lives. Seeing great men and women of the past encounter the Lord inspires and motivates us to seek after the Lord if only to know him half as well. And in political history we can see him "turn the heart of the Kings wherever he will" for his purposes. 3) It is immensely entertaining and interesting and makes us smarter. Who doesn't want to be smarter? 4) Finally I think it gives God great glory and pleasure when his people steward well the knowledge and information he has supplied for us. We have more at our disposal than any other time with books, and podcasts and blogs and college courses. We are without excuse when we live in ignorance. Plus to see God throughout the ages, what a privilege.
To get started find something in history you are interested in. Men there were many wars, start with some great battle and work out from there, World War 2 is a great place to start. Ladies, I;m sure the European royalty will be of endless intrigue. It was like a 24/7 soap opera. Start with eighteenth century Europe and lead up to the French Revolution; plenty of scandal during that time period. Or for more sanctified history, find a biography on a great saint of the past. Edwards, Luther, Calvin, Spurgeon, Muller, Taylor, Moody, Graham, one of the puritans, Whitefield, any of those men's wives, just pick one and you will be greatly blessed. What is the worst that happens; you find you don't like that person or that time and you move on. But don't neglect to at least try. That you may regret.
No comments:
Post a Comment