65 must examine these facts through the lens of God’s Word, authored by the Sacred Historian who orchestrates all things. Only from Scripture can we know that there is no endless repetition or random sequence of events; rather, history is eschatological — advancing toward a prescribed and glorious conclusion: “So shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it” (Isa. 55:11). Given the role of Christ in completing this mission, the Incarnation remains the singular event of the cosmos; it was the end of ancient history — its fulfillment now is the template for all events thereafter. This biblical fact must structure our historical understanding as we piece together the experiences of the past. Out of obedience to Christ, we must strive to situate even the seemingly trivial occurrences happening in the “City of Man” within the cosmic backdrop of the “City of God.” This is the only way for history to have objective meaning and lasting moral significance. Richard Tison is an Assistant Professor of History at Cedarville. He earned his Ph.D. in intellectual history/history of science from the University of Oklahoma.
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