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Should we forget the past or remember it? This is a troubling question. On the surface, it would seem that Isaiah has contradicted itself.
For instance, in Isaiah 43:18 it says…
“Do not call to mind the former things, Or ponder things of the past.
Isaiah 43:18 NASB
However, the verses right before this read…
Thus says the LORD, Who makes a way through the sea And a path through the mighty waters, 17 Who brings forth the chariot and the horse, The army and the mighty man (They will lie down together and not rise again; They have been quenched and extinguished like a wick)
Isaiah 43:16-17 NASB
Verses 16 and 17 are recounting the events of the escape from Egypt when God allowed Moses to part the Red Sea. Immediately after these verses, we read that we should not call to mind former things or things of the past. So, how do we reconcile this passage?
I can answer this one way by appealing to the sweep of Scripture which reminds us to remember the Lord’s faithfulness and our growth, but not to dwell on our defeats. The Lord Himself has cast them as far as the East is from the West.
Another way to answer this, however, in the Biblical context, is to look at the very next verse.Isaiah 43:19 NASB “Behold, I will do something new, Now it will spring forth; Will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, Rivers in the desert.
The Lord has been faithful, and that is important. But, He is a mysterious God who works His plan in ways that baffle the human mind. The key word in verse 19 is “new.” This has been God’s plan from the beginning. Through Jesus, we will have new bodies, new names, and live in a new Heaven and Earth. So, when we fix our eyes on THAT, we naturally tend to forget everything in the past. The new work God has in mind will be consistent with His past faithfulness, but should not cause us to look back.
The practical aspect of this is to fix our eyes forward while we navigate according to our experiences. We know God is faithful and we know we are prone to sin. But, we fix our eyes forward on Salvation and continue to grow in Him. It is an unbelievable privilege.