Ask For The Old Paths

Jeremiah 6:16

The Old Testament is filled with many lessons for the Christians.... It was written for our learning - Ro 15:4 “For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” It was written for our admonition - 1 Co 10:11 “Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come.” One such lesson is that found in the days of Jeremiah during a time of religious and social turmoil. The nation of Israel was being pulled in many directions. The Lord wanted to offer them rest for their souls - Jer 6:16 “Thus says the LORD: "Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. But they said, 'We will not walk in it.'”

Using the imagery of travelers who have lost their way, the Lord calls for them to ask for the old paths. The Lord makes His plea, “Stand in the ways and see” - Jer 6:16. There is not just one path. There are many directions one might follow. “Ask for the old paths” - Jer 6:16. The ‘old way’ is often the best way. Such is certainly the case here. “Where the good way is” - Jer 6:16. Not all paths lead to the ‘good way’. In this case, the old paths led back to the Law of Moses - Jer 7:22-24 “For in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, I did not speak to your fathers or command them concerning burnt offerings and sacrifices. But this command I gave them: 'Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people. And walk in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you.' But they did not obey or incline their ear, but walked in their own counsels and the stubbornness of their evil hearts, and went backward and not forward.”

Jesus makes a similar plea. To strive to enter the right path - Lk 13:24 ‘"Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.” With a gate that is narrow, and not easily entered; where there is only one way to the Father - Jn 14:6 “Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”; Ac 4:12 “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."’ For there are other, broad, ways that one might follow - Mt 7:13 ‘"Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.” A way that many follow. A way that leads to destruction. Yet the way Jesus offers is a ‘good way’. One that likewise offers rest for our souls - Mt 11:28 “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” In this case, the way leads back to the words of Jesus - Mt 11:29 “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

The words of Jesus are relatively “old” by today’s standards. What happened to Israel appears to be the case with many today. As described in Jer 18:15 “But my people have forgotten me; they make offerings to false gods; they made them stumble in their ways, in the ancient roads, and to walk into side roads, not the highway,”, they had stumbled from the ancient paths, to walk in other pathways. Why? Because they had forgotten God, “But my people have forgotten me” - Jer 18:15. Though God had revealed Himself and His will long before He had established a “highway” for them to follow, instead, they had turned into many of the side “pathways”.

God’s people face similar dangers today. Jesus established a “highway” for us to follow by His words, doctrine, commandments (‘learn from Me’) - Mt 11:29 “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Communicated through His apostles - Mt 28:20 “teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."’ Aided by the Holy Spirit - Jn 16:12-13 ‘"I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.” Which the early disciples were careful to follow - Ac 2:42 “And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” Which the Christians were commanded to follow - 2 Th 2:15 “So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter.”; 3:6 “Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us.” Yet there are man made “pathways” that would lead us astray. Such as the doctrines of men. We will examine this in the continuation of this lesson.

Two Great Evils - Cont.

Jeremiah 2:12-13

“Be appalled, O heavens, at this; be shocked, be utterly desolate, declares the LORD, for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.”

We will continue this lesson by asking some questions that apply to our Christian life and if neglected can lead us into evil also.

Dare we forget our God? Who through Jesus and His Spirit offers to us in this life:

1) A fountain springing up into everlasting life? - Jn 4:14 “The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."’

2) Rivers of living water flowing from our hearts? - Jn 7:38 “Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'"

Who through Jesus and His Spirit promises to us after this life:

1) To lead us to living fountains of water? - Re 7:17 “For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."

2) A pure river of water of life, proceeding from the throne of God? - Re 22:1 “Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb.”

-- We face a very real possibility of departing from the living God! - He 3:12-14 “Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called "today," that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.”

Forsaking our fountain of living water occurs when we substitute with it “broken cisterns” that promise but do not deliver.

Consider what Judah had done, hewing cisterns that hold no water. Israel had her broken cisterns; false gods like Baal and false prophets who spoke in the name of Baal - Jer 2:8 “The priests did not say, 'Where is the LORD?' Those who handle the law did not know me; the shepherds transgressed against me; the prophets prophesied by Baal and went after things that do not profit.” Israel had a false sense of prosperity, of which God forewarned - Deu 8:11-17 ‘"Take care lest you forget the LORD your God by not keeping his commandments and his rules and his statutes, which I command you today, lest, when you have eaten and are full and have built good houses and live in them, and when your herds and flocks multiply and your silver and gold is multiplied and all that you have is multiplied, then your heart be lifted up, and you forget the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, who led you through the great and terrifying wilderness, with its fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty ground where there was no water, who brought you water out of the flinty rock, who fed you in the wilderness with manna that your fathers did not know, that he might humble you and test you, to do you good in the end. Beware lest you say in your heart, 'My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.'”; Jer 2:6 “They did not say, 'Where is the LORD who brought us up from the land of Egypt, who led us in the wilderness, in a land of deserts and pits, in a land of drought and deep darkness, in a land that none passes through, where no man dwells?'” -- Israel foolishly left God for what were poor substitutes!

Are we hewing broken cisterns today...? We can be guilty of going after false gods today - Ep 5:5 “For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.”; Co 3:5 “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.” Such as materialism and immorality, which is a form of idolatry. We can be guilty of heeding false prophets (teachers) - 2 Pe 2:1-3 “But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.” False teachers who have lead us into denominationalism or sectarianism contrary to Jesus' prayer and the unity of the Spirit - Jn 17:20-21 ‘"I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.”; Ep 4:3-6 “eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit--just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call-- one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” Others who offer false hopes: e.g., new agers, false religions, get rich quick schemers. We can be guilty of a false sense of prosperity - Re 3:17-18 “For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see.” We can be guilty of believing we are spiritually secure when in reality we are in grave danger of falling - 1 Co 10:12 “Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.” -- We can be guilty of leaving God for a poor substitute of true religion!

Adam Clarke, in his commentary, describes the two evils committed by Israel this way... “First, they forsook God, the Fountain of life, light, prosperity, and happiness.” “Secondly, they hewed out broken cisterns; they joined themselves to idols, from whom they could receive neither temporal nor spiritual good! Their conduct was the excess of folly and blindness.”

How much more would it be an excess of folly and blindness for us today.... To forsake God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, by neglecting our devotion and obedience to the Word of God! To spend more time drinking from “broken cisterns” (teachings and traditions of men), than from the fountain of living water (the living Word of God). May the unfortunate example of Judah serve as a warning as to where we get our “water”, and may we ever be open to the wonderful invitation extended at the end of the book of Revelation:

“And the Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let him who hears say, ‘Come!’ And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.” (Re 22:17)

Are you drinking from “the water of life”, or from “broken cisterns that can hold no water”...?

Two Great Evils

Jeremiah 2:13

About 600 years before Christ, the nation of Judah was facing difficult times.... The northern kingdom of Israel was history, taken into Assyrian captivity. Manasseh and his son Amnon, very wicked kings, had led the nation into idolatry. Young Josiah, son and grandson of such kings, struggled to do what was right. In the thirteenth year of Josiah's reign, God called a young priest to be His prophet.... His name was Jeremiah - Jer 1:1-2 "The words of Jeremiah, the son of Hilkiah, one of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, to whom the word of the LORD came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign.", 4-5 "Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations."' A young man himself (about 20), he was hesitant to speak - Jer 1:6 "Then I said, "Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth."' God did not accept his youth as an excuse - Jer 1:7-8 "But the LORD said to me, "Do not say, 'I am only a youth'; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the LORD."' In his first assignment as God's prophet, Jeremiah was sent with a message to Jerusalem, recalling their past faithfulness - Jer 2:1-3 "The word of the LORD came to me, saying, "Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem, Thus says the LORD, "I remember the devotion of your youth, your love as a bride, how you followed me in the wilderness, in a land not sown. Israel was holy to the LORD, the firstfruits of his harvest. All who ate of it incurred guilt; disaster came upon them, declares the LORD."' Jeremiah was sent with a message to the house of Jacob and all the families of the house of Israel, bemoaning their apostasy into idolatry - Jer 2:4-11 "Hear the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all the clans of the house of Israel. Thus says the LORD: "What wrong did your fathers find in me that they went far from me, and went after worthlessness, and became worthless? They did not say, 'Where is the LORD who brought us up from the land of Egypt, who led us in the wilderness, in a land of deserts and pits, in a land of drought and deep darkness, in a land that none passes through, where no man dwells?' And I brought you into a plentiful land to enjoy its fruits and its good things. But when you came in, you defiled my land and made my heritage an abomination. The priests did not say, 'Where is the LORD?' Those who handle the law did not know me; the shepherds transgressed against me; the prophets prophesied by Baal and went after things that do not profit. "Therefore I still contend with you, declares the LORD, and with your children's children I will contend. For cross to the coasts of Cyprus and see, or send to Kedar and examine with care; see if there has been such a thing. Has a nation changed its gods, even though they are no gods? But my people have changed their glory for that which does not profit." Calling for the heavens to look on in astonishment and great fear, as God accused His people of committing two great evils... - Jer 2:12-13 "Be appalled, O heavens, at this; be shocked, be utterly desolate, declares the LORD, for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water."

Forsaking their God, the fountain of living waters:

1) "living water" was used to denote springs, fountains, running streams

2) As opposed to stale and stagnant water

Hewing for themselves broken cisterns that can hold no water:

1) Cisterns were tanks for rain water, hewn (cut) out of stone

2) At best, they could only offer stagnant water

3) Broken with cracks, they could not even retain water

Could we be guilty of similar evils today? To God's dismay and our own peril, very much so! To see how, let's examine closer the "Two Great Evils" spoken of in Jer 2:13.

Forsaking the fountain of living waters Israel forsook her fountain. God was Israel's fountain of living waters. Who delivered her from Egyptian bondage - Jer 2:6. Who led her through the wilderness wanderings - Jer 2:6. Who brought her into the land of milk and honey - Jer 2:7. Israel forgot her God. Beginning with her own priests and rulers - Jer 2:8. From one generation to the next - Jer 2:9. Unlike other nations that were true to their gods - Jer 2:10-11a -- Israel had changed their Glory (God) into that which did not profit! - Jer 2:11b

Dare we forsake our fountain...? We have our fountain of living waters. Of which Jesus promised during His ministry:

1) To the Samaritan woman - Jn 4:13-14 "Jesus said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty forever. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."'

2) To all who believe in Him - Jn 7:37-39 "On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'" Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified."

Of which Jesus later revealed to the apostle John:

1) Regarding our state between death and the resurrection - Re 7:13-17 "Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, "Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?" I said to him, "Sir, you know." And he said to me, "These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. "Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."'

2) Regarding our eternal destiny in the New Jerusalem - Re 22:1 "Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb."

Could we be guilty of similar evils today? To God's dismay and our own peril, very much so! To see how, let's examine closer the "Two Great Evils" spoken of in Jer 2:13. In that there are more lessons and questions to ask ourselves from our primary text of Jeremiah 2:13. We will continue looking into these in our next lesson.

The Stability Of Your Times – Cont.

Isaiah 33:5-6

But what is the key to this treasure of wisdom, knowledge and salvation from the Lord which is “the stability of your times”? In our text (Isa 33:6) we find the key to this stability. It is “the fear of the Lord.” Note the NIV: “the fear of the LORD is the key to this treasure”. As noted elsewhere, the fear of the Lord is essential. To having wisdom and knowledge:
1) It is “the beginning of knowledge” - Pro 1:7 “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.”
2) It is “the beginning of wisdom” - Pro 9:10 “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.”
To receiving salvation:
1) It is necessary to be accepted by God - Ac 10:34-35 “So Peter opened his mouth and said: "Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.”
2) The message of salvation is given to those who have it - Ac 13:26 ‘"Brothers, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, to us has been sent the message of this salvation.”
3) It is necessary for spiritual growth - Ph 2:12 “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,”

Why is the fear of the Lord necessary? “...by the fear of the Lord one departs from evil” - Pro 16:6 “By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the LORD one turns away from evil.” A reverence for God and His righteous judgments is an effective motivation. By departing from evil, we turn to God! “In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence...a place of refuge” - Pro 14:26 “In the fear of the LORD one has strong confidence, and his children will have a refuge.” When we turn to God, the fear of the Lord becomes a source of great blessings! Such as wisdom, knowledge, salvation, confidence, refuge; indeed “the fear of the Lord is a fountain of life”! - Pro 14:27 “The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, that one may turn away from the snares of death.”

The essence of our study is this.... Those who lack stability in troubled times do so because they lack the wisdom, knowledge, and salvation of the Lord. They lack these things because they do not have the fear of the Lord! A proper fear of the Lord would prompt them to turn from evil and turn to God.... Where they would find His knowledge, wisdom, and salvation. Which in turn would provide “The Stability Of Your Times”!
With such stability, we can rightly say along with the writer to the Hebrews:
“The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” (He 13:6)
Won’t you let the Lord provide you with the stability you need for these troubled times?

God has not promised, But God has promised,
Skies always blue Strength for the day,
Flower-strewn pathways, Rest for the labor,
All our lives through; Light for the way;

God has not promised, Yes, God has promised,
Sun without rain, Grace for the trials,
Joy without sorrow, Help from above,
Peace without pain. Unfailing sympathy, undying love.
-- Annie Johnson Flint