Those ancient paths

October 13, 2016

Jeremiah 6:16-21

Yesterday, we looked into verse 16 and the answer to moving from fear and unrest, to rest for our souls, and today we will look at how to find those ancient paths, where the good ways are and how to walk in them.  Jeremiah whose title was the weeping Prophet because the leaders, the people, and the nation of Judea would not listen to the message the Lord had given him.  Now God is telling us by the pen of Jeremiah that He set watchmen over them.  These men were the prophets, and their words were like the ram’s horn to warn of pending trouble, but the people did not have ears to hear or eyes to see, they put faith in little gods, like their leaders, the military, and the culture.

I believe it is important to see and learn from the Scriptures about what a Holy God does when His people who are called by His name will not obey His instructions and His commandments.  “Therefore hear O nations, and know O congregation, what will happen to them.  Hear, O earth; behold, I am bringing disaster upon this people, the fruit of their devices because they have not paid attention to my words; and as for my law, they have rejected it.”  Now their disaster was the Babylonians, but what about those who go by the title of Christian, who have said in their hearts, “We will not pay attention” for that is the ancient path, and it is not relevant to our day or our culture.

It is interesting that they tried to buy God’s favor by burning offering, but God was telling them it is not your religious acts, but your obedience that I seek.  I’m not sure that all the rebellious acts of the people of Judea comes close to what is happening in many buildings called churches by our culture, but they have not noticed God has withdrawn from them.  It is as if we do not believe the written Word of God who changes not, have you not read Judgment would begin at the threshold of His Church.  If we who follow Christ will be judged, what awaits unbelievers who pay no heed to the gospel of Jesus Christ?

“Therefore thus says the Lord: ‘Behold, I will lay before this people stumbling blocks against which they shall stumble; fathers and sons together, neighbor and friend shall perish.”  1 Corinthians 1:22-23, came into my mind as I read Jeremiah 6:21, “For the Jews ask for signs, and the Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles.”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice