“Thus says the LORD, “Stand by the roads and look; ask for the ancient paths, Where the good way is; then walk in it, And you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it!’ 17“I have set watchmen (prophets) over you, Saying, ‘Listen and pay attention to the [warning] sound of the trumpet!’ But they said, ‘We will not listen.” Jerimiah 6:16-17 AMP

Standing at the door of judgement, God cries out to His people to return to the pathway of blessing. The people of God had forsaken the way of righteousness and wallowed in the ways of the foreigner. Not only were the people rejecting the Ways of the Lord, the prophets and priests should have been the watchman over the people were condoning the behavior of the people instead of warning them of the impending judgement! 

“For from the least of them even to the greatest of them, everyone is greedy for [unfair] gain; And from the prophet even to the priest Everyone deals deceitfully. 14“They have treated superficially the [bloody] broken wound of My people, Saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ When there is no peace.15“Were they ashamed because they had committed disgusting and vile things? No, they were not at all ashamed; They did not even know how to blush [at their idolatry]. Therefore, they will fall among those who fall; At the time that I punish them They will be overthrown,” says the LORD.” Jerimiah 6: 13-15 AMP

WOW! Can we say that this is a perfect description of the world today? We see supposed “churches” embracing the ways of Satan and veiling them in the lie of acceptance! It is this picture of the day that God cries out to them, “…look for the ancient paths where the good way is; then walk in it.” The way of the Lord had been lost and they knew not the One who called them. The ones who should have been crying out in the streets became part of the problem. They wouldn’t even give God a hearing of His warning!

“To whom shall I (Jeremiah) speak and give warning That they may hear? Behold, their ears are closed [absolutely deaf to God] And they cannot listen. Behold, the word of the LORD has become a reprimand and an object of scorn to them; They have no delight in it.” Jerimiah 6:10 AMP

What a sad place to be, totally deaf to the voice of God! Yet, God continues to try and reach them before He is forced to deal with the problem. I many ways we were in the same place before we came to Christ! Fist raised and mouth bragging against the One who grace it all for our lives! The Apostle Paul reminded the church. At Corinth of their beginning! Filled with sin, debauchery, and sexual immorality, the saving power of His grace brought them to a place of freedom!

“And such were some of you [before you believed]. But you were washed [by the atoning sacrifice of Christ], you were sanctified [set apart for God, and made holy], you were justified [declared free of guilt] in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the [Holy] Spirit of our God [the source of the believer’s new life and changed behavior].” 1 Corinthians 6:12 AMP

Our opening verse calls us to pause before we travel the way of sin. The picture is of a traveler on a road who must decide upon which route will bring them safely to the end of their journey! We are in the same position. This journey of life is filled with may “forks in the road.” God is calling us to consider carefully the end of the path that we choose! We read in the book of Job a similar call,

““Inquire, please, of past generations, And consider and apply yourself to the things searched out by their fathers.” Job 8:8 AMP

We only need but look to the past to see the devastation wrought by abandoning the ways of the Lord! Whole civilizations were wiped out, not because of the anger of God but the result of their sin! I am reminded of the verse given by the Holy Spirit to the Apostle Paul;

“Now these things happened to them as an example and warning [to us]; they were written for our instruction [to admonish and equip us], upon whom the ends of the ages have come.” 1 Corinthians 10:11AMP

Let me encourage you today to seek out the way of the Lord for its path will bring peace and prosperity in the midst of a sinful generation! Have a blessed day, Pastor Ken