Jeremiah 6:16

‘“Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, ‘Where is the good way?’
and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.”’
(Jeremiah 6:16)

One truth about life, which is clear from this statement (but obvious anyway) is that there are many ‘“ways”’ or ‘“paths”’ that we could follow. It’s true of life in general, but this verse is focused on the spiritual in particular (although of course our spiritual walk is connected to everything else in our lives anyway) – true even if we lack any spiritual awareness, a form of the ‘senseless… darkened’(Romans 1:21ff.) heart that’s sadly common today. Historically, however, the main problem has been following a ‘lie’(Romans 1:25) of more obviously ‘spiritual’ flavour, in a world ‘full of’(Acts 17:16) many such alternatives to choose from, like the false god ‘“Baal and… other gods”’(Jeremiah 7:9) that were attractive to the people of Jeremiah’s time. Some today, even in religious authority, might suggest that any path we find appealing is a ‘“‘good way’”’, all leading essentially to the same destination. God, through Jeremiah here, warns against such ideas, such as a ‘“prophet… saying, ‘Peace, peace!’ when there is no peace”’(Jeremiah 6:13-14), i.e. proclaiming ‘“lying words”’(Jeremiah 7:4ff.) about accepting false ways with dire outcomes. Jeremiah, alongside other true ‘holy men of God… moved by the Holy Spirit’(2 Peter 1:21), can provide us with clear direction, if we’re blessed with at least some spiritual awareness that there might be an ‘“‘UNKNOWN GOD’”’(Acts 17:23ff.) out there who’s the true ‘“‘way’”’…

First we’re to ‘“Stand… see, and ask”’, i.e. give ourselves the time and space to look, actively enquire, listen, then ponder. As God said through Jeremiah on another occasion, ‘“You shall… find me, when you search for me with all your heart”’(Jeremiah 29:13). It might help to imagine a crossroads, as some translations interpret ‘“the ways”’ in this study verse, perhaps also imagining some signposts pointing in various directions, ourselves standing and pondering the different ‘“paths”’ on offer.

Jesus said ‘“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me”’(John 14:6, cf. Acts 4:12 & 1 Timothy 2:5). He also said: ‘“I am the door. If anyone enters in by me, he will be saved”’(John 10:9), and similarly: ‘“Enter in by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter in by it… the gate is narrow… that leads to life… Beware of false prophets…”’(Matthew 7:13-15). As with God’s message through Jeremiah, Jesus taught that all of these alternative signposts point down a ‘“broad”’ multi-lane highway to ‘“destruction”’, with only one narrow way leading to eternal ‘“resurrection… life”’(John 11:25ff.) – a truth confirmed later by the ultimate ‘“sign”’(John 2:18ff.) of His own resurrection!

Although Jesus came after Jeremiah, in fact theirs is the same map/message, which God repeatedly ‘“announced by the mouth of… His prophets”’(Acts 3:18ff. cf. 10:40-43) from the very beginning – the same consistent signage from of ‘“old”’, which we find throughout the Bible’s storyline. That’s why, after His resurrection, Jesus could explain to His disciples everything in the Old Testament ‘from Moses and… all the prophets… concerning Himself’(Luke 24:27), and earlier in His ministry had said, ‘“Don’t think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I didn’t come to destroy, but to fulfil”’(Matthew 5:17ff.).

Jesus’ statement reflects something further we should note about these ‘“old paths”’ and the ‘“‘good way’”’. We’re not simply to understand the signs, read the map, and anticipate entering the ‘Holy City’(Revelation 21:2ff.) at our journey’s end – assuming we actually decide on this narrow way, rejecting the highway to ‘“Babylon”’(Revelation 18:2ff.). No, we’re also to ‘“walk in”’ the path ‘set before us’(Hebrews 12:1), even run! Again as Jesus said, ‘“My sheep hear my voice… and they follow me”’(John 10:27). Then, amazingly, we’ll find Him tangibly ‘“with”’(Matthew 28:20) us, as we travel on, in the form of His Holy ‘Spirit’(Romans 8:9), helping us to ‘follow His steps’(1 Peter 2:21) and ‘walk just like He walked’(1 John 2:6), ‘in love’(Ephesians 5:2, cf. 4:1-2) etc. That’s the practical expression of this ‘fulfilment of the law’(Romans 13:10, cf. Galatians 5:14 & Matthew 22:35-40) revealed in the New Testament, ‘the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus’(Romans 8:2ff., cf. Jeremiah 31:33).

Finally, we should note the ‘“rest for… souls”’ promised here too, just as Jesus confirmed later: ‘“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you will find rest for your souls”’(Matthew 11:29), starting now, then experienced fully in eternity – if we follow the sign…

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