In Winston Churchill’s 1948 address to the British House of Commons, he declared, “Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” He borrowed this sentiment from George Santayana’s The Life of Reason, penned in 1905, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
Other than the birth, life, death, and second coming of Jesus, one magnanimous event surpasses all others throughout the pages of both Old and New Testaments. Can you guess which one?
The Exodus story of Moses leading the Israelites out of Egypt and to the Promised Land powerfully initiates a historical pattern for salvation. It is one of redemption, protection, provision, and the fulfillment of promise. God graciously and mercifully reminded His people time and time again that HE brought them out of Egypt; HE broke their yoke of slavery and allowed them to live in freedom; HE stayed with them and sustained them on their journey. He wanted them to be His people so He could be their God.
However, the Bible’s pages are filled with accounts of those who did not remember the lessons of that past event. They forgot the holiness of God and His desire for them to be holy. When times got hard, they forgot His willingness and ability to deliver them. They grumbled and complained when they didn’t get their way. Like Adam and Eve in the beginning, they gave in to the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. Cain was competitive and killed his brother. Lot was selfish and took the best land. Sarah laughed when she was told she would have a baby. Judah was impulsive with Tamar. And Joseph was arrogant before he was humbled. Many suffered severe consequences or wandered in circles instead of staying on the straight path laid out by God.
The Exodus story opens with a haunting reminder we would all do well to remember. “Eventually, a new king came to power in Egypt who knew nothing about Joseph or what he had done.” (Exodus 1:8 NLT) If that new king knew nothing of Joseph, he most likely knew very little of the Almighty God who had done spectacular wonders on behalf of the people he was about to enslave. That makes me wonder how set apart the Israelites were in Egyptian culture. Had they forgotten God’s deliverance and His words to their ancestors: “You have seen what I did to the Egyptians. You know how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the peoples on earth; for all the earth belongs to me. And you will be my kingdom of priests, my holy nation.” (Genesis 12:2-3NLT)
Have we forgotten how God rescued us from sin and brought us into a land freely flowing with milk and honey? Do we remember the complex journey that most powerfully proved His love, grace, mercy, and kindness to us? Have we forgotten that God is with us and lives within us?
Egypt has been on my mind for many months. When one topic keeps hanging in the corner of my mind, I know God wants to show me something. After talking it over with Him, I believe He’s showing me that our journeys can often resemble the one Moses led so long ago. We might travel I’ve Got This Highway for the first few hundred miles, but several wrong turns led us to Trouble Turnpike. After circling and recircling Moaning Mountain, we landed in the slow lane of Defeat Drive. Yet just as things seemed hopeless, the sun finally began to shine on Humility Highway. That gently propelled us onto Peaceful Parkway and delivered us into the Land of Freedom.
No doubt, I’ll be writing off and on about the breadcrumbs that led the Israelites out of Egypt. It was a progressive journey meant to be shared from generation to generation. You may have realized, like I have, that the greater your suffering, the greater your deliverance. The greater your deliverance, the greater your praise. The greater your praise, the greater the opportunities for others to believe. God fulfilled His promise to us, so let’s remember to tell of His wonderful deeds.
“Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done. Sing to him; yes, sing his praises. Tell everyone about his wonderful deeds. Exult in his holy name; rejoice, you who worship the Lord. Search for the Lord and for his strength; continually seek him. Remember the wonders he has performed, his miracles, and the rulings he has given, you children of his servant Abraham, you descendants of Jacob, his chosen ones.” (Psalm 105:1-6 NLT)
