Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.
Jeremiah 6:16
God, in telling us to ask for the old path, implies that this path is a way forgotten and unpopular, it is the road less traveled. Jeremiah 6:16 was not written to gentiles, but Jews, meaning that many, even among those who profess to be Christians miss this way because of its seeming archaic characteristic. Jesus said “I am the way the truth and the life” John 14:6. God has given us Christ and He is the path to find rest for our souls, for as many as will learn of Him, Matthew 11:28-30. He invites us to partake of Him to find life. However, Jesus also said that the way to eternal life is a narrow way and that few find it. This means it takes diligent seeking and as Jeremiah 6:16 beckons, asking, to find it. This meditation will break down this command from the Lord, so that with understanding, we may be among those who seek this path to rest and life.
It begins with a “Thus says the Lord“, which means it is a command to those who have decided to call God “Lord”, who will live under the authority of God’s word. This ancient path is for those pilgrims who will do nothing and not move until they are sure God is on the move with them too. Since the beginning of time, God had wanted to fellowship with man in the cool of the evening, this is where these pilgrims wait to hear the Word of the Lord for direction, refreshing, and rest, in the secret place where the hustle and bustle of the day are set aside.
The next phrase says “Stand ye in the way and see“. To stand means to take a position towards something. The call is not just to stand, but to see. When God called Jeremiah, the first thing he tested was his sight, Jeremiah 1:11-17. Jesus said the light of the body is the eye. If the eye is single, the whole body is full of light, Matthew 6:22-23. When there is a lack of sight, which is knowledge and understanding, people perish. This is why Paul asked us to pray for the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in Ephesians 1:15-19. We cannot walk unless we see. We see through the Word of the Lord. The attitude of these pilgrims is that they pause and wait for the light. If there is no light on a matter, they wait on their God, not light their own fire, Isaiah 50:10-11.
The next command is to “Ask for the old path, where is the good path“. Since these people can now see, they can know that the path most people thread on is not a good path. At this point, they begin to pray and ask. The problem with humanity today is that we often look for our purpose by looking inward and not asking the manufacturer. To know the purpose of a car, for example, you do not ask the car but look for the manual which is always provided. Failure to do this has created many who do what is right in their own eyes, leading many, even Christians astray. God said in Psalm 32:8 “I will instruct thee in the way that you shall go. I will guide you with my eye”. He also said that it is His glory to conceal a thing and only those who are kings will find it. There is a good path in every decision we have to make in life, but only those who pause and seek after it will find it.
The last part of this command is to “Walk therein“. It is not enough to know what the Will of the Lord is for us, we need to decide to walk in it. James said that the one who hears the command of the Lord and does it is wise. However, the one who doesn’t is blind. This wisdom of obedience is what will allow us to continue in this ancient path and find rest for our souls.
Isaiah 11:1-5 speaking prophetically of Jesus said He will not judge after the sight of his eyes or the hearing of his ears but will make a righteous judgment. To do this, He needed the impartation of the Spirit of the Lord in Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel and might, Knowledge, and the Fear of the Lord. Being His body, this same impartation fell on us, but we need to choose to yield to the influence of the Holy Spirit that as He learned obedience which lead to His glorification, we will partake of the same.
Prayer for today: Lord Jesus I pray for a fresh impartation of the Spirit of the Lord on me today that as I move around I will not walk like mere men, according to the sight or my eyes or ears. Lord open my eyes to see as a learned and my ears to hear as a learned that I may not be rebellious to command you give me. Incline my soul unto your command and help me not to be afraid to seek and walk in the ancient way, even if I am the last person in that path.
0 Comments