Ask for the Ancient Paths - Jer. 6:16

Thus says the LORD,
"Stand by the ways and see and ask for the (AF)ancient paths,
Where the good way is, and walk in it;
And (AG)you will find rest for your souls.
But they said, 'We will not walk in it.'


Though many look to untried courses which they consider to be a progressive way to seek a solution yet God tells us that real wisdom is found in ancient ways.

What are the “ancient paths” that we should seek?

They are found in God’s commandments Ex 20


V. 17) “You shall not covet…” Would this not solve our economic crisis which has arisen from the consumer credit collapse? (Rom. 7:7; Eph. 5:3-5)


V. 16) “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” Would this not improve our affairs on every level? Our national governance, our business dealings, our family relationships, our religious teaching and every other matter would be improved through the telling of truth. (Eph. 4:25; Col. 3:9; 1 John 2:21)


V. 15) “You shall not steal.” Everything you buy would be much less expensive if stealing was not so prevalent and everyone simply paid for what they receive. Unless you are one of those who steals, then your prices would go up as rightly they should. (Eph. 4:28)


V. 14) “You shall not commit adultery.” Our families would be an unbreakable strength, as once they were in this nation, if husbands and wives would obey this command. In some ways the pendulum is swinging back but not rapidly enough. (Matt. 5:28-29; Gal. 5:18-20)


V. 13) “You shall not murder.” Violence and murder is destroying lives. On one hand criminals are murdering our citizens many of whom are innocent, law abiding people and our society is weakened. On the other hand our society practices murder of unborn children and calls it a “right” of privacy and a “choice” for the woman. (Matt. 15:19; Gal. 5:20-21; 1 Pet. 4:15; 1 John 3:15; Rev. 21:8)


V. 12) “Honor your father and your mother…” This commandment would unify our society with regard to generational conflict. Parents would receive the respect and care which is their due and children would be more highly valued because of the blessing which they would bring. There would be no need for children to rebel against parents who exercised the love and nurturing which is found in godly homes. (Matt. 15:4-6; 23:9; Eph 6:2-4; Col. 3:20-21)


Vv. 8-11) “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.” This is the one specific commandment which was not repeated in the New Testament but the principle of setting aside the day of worship and rest each week is one that made our nation stronger. It anchored our values in transcendent things and led us to reach great heights. The achievements of previous generations of the godward thinking American people is unparalleled in the history of the world. Their religious and moral underpinnings were founded in part in the regular observance of public worship. (Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:1-2; Rev. 1:9-10)


v. 7) “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain…” Freedom of speech has been one of the greatest blessings ever bestowed upon a nation, however, the abuse of this freedom has resulted in the degradation of our society as a whole. It is not that some have chosen to curse God, or to use His name as a curse, such insolence has always been found in human society, but it is the applauding audience which such vile speech receives in our present culture. Unbelief is a choice which some in every generation have made, but the highhanded hushing of voices of faith and trust in God just so that irreverent, skeptical and seditious speech may be amplified is neither fair nor beneficial for the fabric of our nation’s citizens. (Rom. 12:14; Jas. 3:9-10; Rev. 22:3)


Vv. 4-6) “You shall not make for yourself an idol…” Whether religious, political, cultural or personal, undue devotion to persons or things has led to many ills in our nation. This commandment rightly follows the first commandment which defines for us the proper object of man’s whole devotion. ( Acts 15:20, 29; 19:26; 1 Cor. 8:1-5; 2 Cor. 6:16; Gal. 4:8; 1 Thess. 1:9; 1 Jon 5:21; Rev. 9:20)


Vv. 2-3) “I am the LORD your God…You shall have no other gods before Me.” The LORD God who created heaven and earth rightly deserves our worship and the full devotion of our hearts. He does not force us to give Him this but He blesses abundantly those who freely give Him their first love. When our nation recognized this fact we were blessed of Him and became the greatest nation on earth. When we turned our hearts away from this ancient path we began our rapid descent into national degradation and dissolution. The facts speak for themselves. (Matt. 22:36-40; Matt. 7:12; 19:19; Gal. 5:14)



As a nation we have turned a deaf ear to God and eagerly sought every spiritualist or visionary proponent of CHANGE and yet they have failed to deliver. It is precisely like what the prophet Isaiah wrote about Israel in Isaiah 8:19-20:

19When they say to you, "Consult the mediums and the spiritists who whisper and mutter," should not a people consult their God? Should they consult the dead on behalf of the living? 20To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn.

We must turn back to the ancient paths to truly progress as a nation. The course for our bright future is a backward course by turning back to the Bible and back to our national love for the one true God. The path to greatness has always been right before our eyes EVEN ON OUR VERY CURRENCY

IN GOD WE TRUST

but the question remains,

WILL WE AS A NATION TAKE THE RIGHT PATH?

MLF