ancient paths

This is what the LORD says:
"Stand at the crossroads and look;
ask for the ancient paths,
ask where the good way is,
and walk in it,
and you will find rest for your souls."
Jeremiah 6:16

Reading through the scriptures, paths are a recurring theme.

Literal paths like those of Abraham...
"By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going." Hebrews 11:8 ( I love that verse and have been wanting to get to use it in a blog entry)

Paths of law and of obedience...
"Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths. The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem." Isaiah 2:3

or again......
"I run in the path of your commands, for you have set me heart free." Psalm 119:32

But...... obedience is not the only path we can choose.....

"See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. For I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess. But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess. This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob." Deuteronomy 30:15-20

The history of Israel is one of straying from those ancient paths....... and of God's sending the prophets to point out their errors and to try to guide them back..... and of their disobedience eventually leading to another path.... a literal path into exile. Their paths of disobedience are also a reminder for us.... "These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come." 1 Corinthians 10:11

Yet woven throughout the history of Israel, is also the path of God's working to bring redemption for his people. Even in the doom and gloom of the prophets, there are also the beautiful passages pointing to Christ.

Eventually we come to the gospels which are full of paths....... the path of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem where Jesus would be born........ many paths of Jesus leading, and the disciples and others following........ paths that culminated in Jesus' path to the cross....... a pathway of suffering, of obedience to His Father, and of love for his children.

Ancient paths........
also the paths of promise and of blessing......

"You have made known to me the paths of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence."
Acts 2:28

Show me your ways, O LORD,
teach me your paths;
guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my Savior,
and my hope is in you all day long.
Psalm 25:4,5