What kind of event could so change the trajectory of civilization that more advances would occur in just one hundred years after it than in the previous six thousand?
For the six thousand years of recorded history before this event, the basic elements of life for mankind did not essentially change. Food was gathered the same way, shelter was built the same way, and the pace of travel was limited to that of a horse. Before this event, the food needed to sustain the population required 90% of the people to be engaged in food production. Now it only takes about 5%. The speed of travel went from the speed of a horse to that of jets and rockets. What was it that became such a tipping point for civilization?
The American Revolution.
Understanding how this revolution became the point around which the nations would make such radical changes is crucial for understanding the times we are in and the direction we are going. The basic answer to how this political revolution sparked revolution in virtually all of life can be summed up in one word—freedom.
Freedom, and the unraveling of the centralized governments that had dominated the earth throughout recorded history, released this power of advancement. It did this by releasing a power of initiative, creativity, and innovation like the world had never experienced before.
There had been many revolutions before the American Revolution. They all proclaimed freedom for the people. So, what was different about this one that ignited and sustained such dramatic and revolutionary change? Understanding this is the purpose of these briefs, and one of the most interesting and important studies we can make today. Understanding the impact of freedom is crucial if this liberty is to be protected and preserved.
There is another, even more important reason for studying our history. The first commandment God gave that included a promise was “Honor your father and mother, so that it may be well with you, and that you may live long on the earth” (see Ephesians 6:2). This promise is that it will go well and we would have longevity. As we begin to honor our forefathers and mothers by studying their history, we will receive both knowledge and wisdom that will ensure it will continue to go well for us.
We are also warned that “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (see James 4:6, I Peter 5:5 NKJV). What could be more devastating than God’s resistance, or more valuable than His favor? As one friend said, “One moment of the favor of God is worth a lifetime of effort.” To neglect such a treasure as our history is to be supremely arrogant and foolish, opening the door for many calamities that could easily be avoided.
It is a well-proven truth that those who have not had the experience of building wealth will not have the wisdom to keep it. Wealth is not just money or natural resources—it is also our national heritage. Each generation receives what the previous one built. Therefore, we did not have the experience of building it, so how will we keep it? We can by having the humility to learn from those who did build it by studying them.
History taught well is not just the boring “dates and dead people” it is often reduced to by many. Rather, it is like digging in a gold mine and discovering the mother lode. We can receive an impartation by studying history. We have a picture of this in II Kings 13. A dead man was thrown into a grave next to the Prophet Elisha. As this dead man touched the bones of the prophet, he came back to life. Great life can come to us as well by just touching the bones of the great and anointed ones who went before us. We do this spiritually by reading their stories and honoring them by seeking their wisdom.
We may now look back at those who opened the door to this age as being primitive compared to today, but they had the faith to do something no one had done before and a wisdom that has proven to transcend their own times. Not only do we have God’s promise of well-being and longevity if we honor those who went before us, but we would be the greatest of fools to not take advantage of it so as to not have to “reinvent the wheel” with each new generation.
What could be more dishonoring of our fathers and mothers than forgetting them? It is for this reason that this proverb is true: “Those who do not remember history are doomed to repeat it.” Tragically, this folly has resulted in many generations making the same mistakes of the previous ones, and by this having their well-being and time on earth cut short. With just a little humility to honor our fathers and mothers, this tragic cycle can end.
We must consider that if we neglect this great promise from God, the reverse will be true—it will not go well with us, and we will not last long on the earth. The passing of many previously great nations and cultures proves this. Virtually every crisis we are now facing was addressed by our forefathers and mothers. Sometimes it took their entire lifetime to acquire the wisdom about how to deal with the crises, which we can read and absorb in just a few hours. How foolish would we be to neglect what they left for us? If we had honored them better by seeking their wisdom, it would be going much better for us now.
So, let us now repent of this terrible folly of not honoring our fathers and mothers by seeking to know and hear them. This is not a boring or laborious task. One of the most interesting and inspiring things we can do is study history.
A purpose of these Heritage Briefs is so that in just a few minutes, one can start to experience how remarkable and interesting our fathers and mothers were—and how fascinating our heritage is. They were, in fact, some of the best and most interesting people to have sojourned on this earth, and they are certainly worthy of honor.
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But what do we mean by the American Revolution? Do we mean the American war? The Revolution was effected before the war commenced. The Revolution was in the minds and hearts of the people; a change in their religious sentiments, of their duties and obligations…This radical change in the principles, opinions, sentiments, and affections of the people was the real American Revolution. –John Adams, Second President of The United States.
© 2020 by Rick Joyner. All rights reserved.
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