Ask for the ancient paths

The ‘olam’ (ancient) paths lead to ‘olam’ (everlasting) life. So let us fix our eyes on Jesus and walk in these ancient paths

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I do like to mull over a few thoughts for the blog for a week or two to try and get some sort sense of order. However my submission date has jumped out as a bandit on a simple soul. Remembering back to my short teaching career, I would try to prepare a short spiel about a topic but just stringing together a couple of sentences would seem to take the evening. 

Anyway, last night as we were meeting together as MCF church, someone spoke a short exhortation which featured these words: ‘..Ask for the ancient paths..’  Some readers may recognise these words as from the prophet Jeremiah. We read in Jeremiah (6:16): “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.”

What are these ancient paths, this good way? Is there a clue in the final clause, ‘and find rest for your souls’? Matthew’s gospel (11:28-29) records Jesus saying these words: “Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 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. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” This open-handed invitation is made to all; saint and sinner, simple and sophisticated. Is this invitation the answer to our question? Could it be that the ancient paths lead us to Jesus? 

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Perhaps we can learn a little more about the word translated ‘ancient’. In the Strong’s dictionary the Hebrew word is transliterated as ‘olam’ and has various meanings: Concealed, eternity, frequentatively, always. Most of the English bible translations use ‘ancient’ or occasionally ‘old’, but in a german translation that I sometimes read, it uses ‘Vorzeit- literally ‘before time’. Before time, takes us back to the biblical beginning, maybe the words at the opening of John’s gospel are appropriate: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it… And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 

Yes, Jesus the Word, as part of the God-head, created those ancient paths. According to Proverbs chapter 3, they are paths of peace, those who find them and walk in them will grow in wisdom and God’s favour. But Jesus also demonstrated how to walk in these ancient paths, even the ultimate path to the cross. The paths are not easy, as Jesus cried out in agonising prayer in the garden of Gethsemane: ‘not my will but yours be done’. However, the ‘olam’ (ancient) paths lead to ‘olam’ (everlasting) life. So let us fix our eyes on Jesus and walk in these ancient paths.

Author: Richard Windridge

May God bless and enrich your life

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