God is undoubtedly active in history

For the Christian community, history is the stage on which the drama of redemption is displayed. At the beginning is the fall; at the end is the last judgment. In between, the most crucial event is the entry of the eternal God into time as a man, Jesus Christ, the Word incarnate. From the perspective of the New Testament, the incarnation is the culmination of the history of salvation sketched in the Old Testament (Gal. 4:4; Heb. 1:1–2). The incarnation has hallowed history and initiated a history of salvation that embraces not only Israel but the entire world (Matt. 28:18–20; Mark 16:15–16).

From the Christian perspective, God is undoubtedly active in history, working all things according to the counsel of His will (Eph. 1:11). Tom Wells says, “When we study history we are studying the activity of God.” [“Tom Wells, “Why We Study Church History,” Banner of Truth, no. 191 (1979): 1.] And it is right and proper to study history for that reason alone. God does not want His works to be forgotten, but “hath made his wonderful works to be remembered” (Ps. 111:4). Though it is impossible to trace God’s footsteps across the sands of time in detail, it is blasphemous to deny that He is at work. His work may often be hidden, but it is biblical to confess that He is providentially guiding history for the glory of His name and the good of His people. The study of history can also highlight the judgments of God, who “is angry with the wicked every day” (Ps. 7:11). John Calvin (1509–1564) said, “Thus it becomes the faithful to be employed in reflecting on the histories of all times, that they may always form their judgment from the Scripture, of the various destructions which, privately and publicly, have befallen the ungodly.”[“John Calvin, Commentaries (repr., Grand Rapids: Baker, 2003), on Gen. 18:18.]

Excerpt From
Why Should I Be Interested in Church History?
Joel R. Beeke and Michael A.G. Haykin