Why History is a Teacher

Paul said we can learn from history. Romans 15: 4, "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning..." Why is it that the things of the past can help guide us in the present?

Solomon said, "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" (Eccl. 1: 9). What appears to be "new" is actually the "old" returning in a new dress. It may seem new but in principle it is like what has happened previously.

There is no doubt we CAN learn from the past. But the big question is, "WILL WE?" Someone has said that what we learn from the past is that we won't learn anything at all. It seems that way when we keep making the same mistakes time after time.