“Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein” (Jeremiah 6: 16 KJV).
When I think about the “old paths,” I think about the “good old days.” The days in which I grew up did not have all the problems, frustrations and unrest that we have today. But, I am thinking of days that society will never return to.
But, the “old paths” refer to religion, and we can return to them. Israel, to whom Jeremiah is speaking, had left the old path of obedience to God’s Word and was now walking in sinful idolatry.
They were to stand in the way, compare both ways and then ask for the old paths, which were the good ways, where they would find rest and peace for their souls. But, they refused to go back.
Our religion also has some old paths that we can and should return to. I’ve been in church all my life, and I have seen the church leave biblical Christianity for contemporary Christianity. I’ve seen the church go from the sacred worship of God to the secular worship of the world. I’ve seen it go from edifying the saints to entertaining the saints. I’ve seen it go from having humble and holy men of God filled with the Spirit behind the pulpit to having proud, arrogant, unholy and worldly men and women who do not know the Spirit behind the pulpit.
People are leaving the church in droves to find God. If a Christian is going to obey God, there are some church activities in which they cannot participate. Religion was originally the work of God, but Satan has gained control through its members, and it is now his base of operation, with the mission of deception.
Because so much of organized religion is a money-making business and not operated according to God’s methods, fulfilling His mission and giving out His message, there is no hope they will return to the “old paths.”
But, for the small remnant that desire the church to return to the “old paths” when the church was holy, souls were getting saved and the church operated according to the Bible and had an influence in society, there is hope.
Returning to the Bible (KJV) as our only source of faith and practice is returning to the “old paths.” Praying for and having a real God-sent revival will bring us back to the old paths and back to God.