History is sometimes said to be “His story”; the story of God acting in and through time. But is also said to be the accounts of man throughout time. With these two ideas in mind, I believe that the study of history is one of the best uses of our mind (perhaps you can sense a bit of a bias coming from a history teacher!). As we study history, we learn what it is to be human – who we are as a race.
John Calvin, in his Institutes, says of man: ”We must now speak of the creation of man: not only because among all God’s works here is the noblest and most remarkable example of his justice; wisdom, and goodness; but because, as we said at the beginning, we cannot have a clear and complete knowledge of God unless it is accompanied by a corresponding knowledge of ourselves” (1.xv.1). Humanity, the apex of God’s creation, demonstrates God’s justice, wisdom, and goodness. The more we study the history of man, the more we come in contact with examples of these God-characteristics (of course, in history we encounter fallen man so these characteristics are severely marred and blurred by sin) And as Calvin explains, the more we know ourselves the more we are able to know God.
