Doomed to Repeat

 

I thought of this comic while reading Stephen Kotkin's biography on Joseph Stalin. Kotkin starts by giving a big-picture overview of the history of Russian politics and how centuries of events unfolded to make the perfect situation for the brutal, murderous dictator to rise to power. There are sections about conflicts between Russia and Ukraine. People agitating the Populus, pitting one side against the other flaming unrest with the government. Inept leaders, led by corrupt powers. Food shortages, supply chain issues, and unnecessary and endless wars. Does it seem like you've heard this story somewhere before? It was interesting to read that Stalin went to seminary to become a priest and left a Marxist. I guess some things never change. Marxists like to rewrite history because some things never change, ensuring people don't see the playbook.

 Solomon summed it up quite nicely in Ecclesiastes 1:9-18, "The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us." It's part of the vanity of life in a sin-cursed world to see people repeat the same mistakes repeatedly and be powerless to do anything about it other than pray and mourn for the future. It's not just nations. Individuals make the same mistakes over and again. Generations of people follow in a long line of sinners who commit the same sins expecting different results. So many people have a story like, "Yes, drugs and alcohol destroyed my parents life, was the cause of me growing up impoverished, but it's made me so sad, it drove me to drinking." Same old song, just a different verse.

But I'm not without hope because the cycle will be broken one day. It won't be by hypervigilant postmillennialists winning the culture for Jesus, but Christ's return will break it. One of these days, Jesus will set all the things Adam broke right. He will rule and reign, and the nations will be subject to Him. Here is one bit of history that won't be repeated. Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, came into this world to save sinners. He was crucified and died on the cross. Jesus' dead body was laid in a tomb, and after three days and three nights, He rose from the dead. The Lamb of God died as a substitute that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life. The living Lord Jesus is a Saviour you can trust (1 Peter 1:3-5).