>> The Old Testament ..history repeats itself

   The Old Testament of the Holy Bible is very relevant and an important read today, because in it’s Historical Periods,  it gives theknowledge of God’s Plan from the beginning, and the characteristics of God pertaining to those who rebel as well as to those who are faithful . 

   Further it shows that no matter how sinful society becomes, there is always a remnant,  those who are faithful or willing to repent .

 

God’s promises are nearly always given as   ”  IF ( you will do something)  THEN ( I will do this) “……      He  often says    ” If they will xxxxxx……..then I will xxxxx...”

 

    History repeats itself because much of mankind  has gained no wisdom from what has happened in the past.        Ezra, 1,000 years after Moses, knew both the importance of history and about the remnant as he prayed in Jerusalem.        As a result, the people realized what God had done in the past and they repented .

 

   Because the some of the attitudes of God are  love, kindness, goodness, and gentleness,  the blessings ( ‘ then’ )  of the Old Testament are important principles of the history of God’s dealings with His people.   But, without connecting it to His conditions ( ‘ if ‘ ), the message becomes useless.

 

    To whom did Jesus say “ ask  anything in my name and you shall have it ”    ….the  multitudes ????? 

   No,  He said that to the disciples !    

He had already determined the Eleven Disciples had already met the  ‘ if ‘ part of His promises,  “ if you love me, (then) you will obey me ”  because they did what He taught them to do.

 

   The Old Testament is a collection of many old testaments…  including covenants God made with His people,  Each of which, at the time it was made, could have resulted in everlasting blessings.  But each was broken by the people  causing God to later try something different with a remnant group of people.

 

   Just as the responsibility rested on Ezra to teach the people then, so now it rests on today’s teachers and preachers to do the same,

for it is written “My people perish for a lack of knowledge”  Hos  4:6

                   and  knowledge is the breath of revival.                          Without breathe,  life ceases…                  Without  knowledge and wisdom,  revival is short lived

 

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