Jer 6:20 | KingComments | STEP | There is a way to escape all the disaster announced. That is by going to “stand by the ways” and see and ask “for the ancient paths” ( ). The call is first to stand by the ways they are now taking, to see if those are ways by which the LORD is leading them, or if they are their own ways (cf. ). If they are honest, they will say they are their own ways. Then follows the call to ask “for the ancient path” (cf. ; ). These are the paths along which the LORD led the fathers, the paths indicated by the good directions and ancient laws the LORD gave them for their blessing (cf. ). It is about asking the LORD with the heart to make His will known to them. The sincerity of asking for those paths will lead them to start listening to the Holy Scriptures. In it they will discover the will of the LORD concerning the way He wants them to go. What then remains to be done is to walk the discovered way. The result will be that they will find rest for their souls. Going the way of the Lord gives inner rest and joy. This also includes peace, prosperity, security, an ordered life. In the New Testament, we are also constantly called to return to the word of the apostles ( ; ). It is not going back to tradition or the fathers, but to the Word of God. It is about the paths of the fathers insofar as they are in accordance with God’s Word. Whoever follows the Lord in obedience to God’s Word finds rest for his soul ( ). This is what the Lord Jesus says. Those who do so are looked upon with pity by those around them, especially the professing Christians, and called old-fashioned, even narrow-minded. But whoever goes this way finds rest for his soul that all modern ways cannot give. Unfortunately, the reaction of the people is that they are not going down that way. It is a conscious choice. They refuse to go that way. Even when the LORD urgently warns them through His watchmen, which are His prophets, they say they will not listen ( ). They turn a deaf ear to the call of the LORD, Who wants to lead them on the good way to bless them. Then, when the people are so unwilling to listen to the LORD, He speaks to the nations and all the earth that He will punish His people for their rejection of Him ( ). What He brings upon them, they have brought upon themselves, it is “the fruit of their plans”. Here we see once again that the crimes and sins of the people are not whims, but the effects of deliberate inner deliberation. A man is what he thinks. In their thoughts there is no place for God. Therefore, they did not heed God’s words and rejected His law. The LORD wonders if there is any reason to accept from them the frankincense they bring Him ( ). The ingredients for their frankincense as a symbol of their worship are precious because they come from a distant land. But to the LORD it is worthless. If they are so opposed to Him, if their heart is so far from Him, He can do nothing with it. He doesn’t want it at all. A purely outward service is disgusting to Him (cf. ; ; ; ; ). Nor are their burnt offerings and sacrifices pleasing and pleasant to Him. Their worship is not accepted by Him if there is no obedience to Him ( ). Depraved worship will lead to stumbling blocks that the LORD puts in the way of those who come to Him and through which they will perish ( ). In light of the following verses, we can think of an enemy invading the land and depriving them of all freedom. The evil of hypocritical worship is found in families, “fathers and sons together”, and in society, “neighbor and friend”. The LORD does not cause their fall, they do that themselves.

‏ Jeremiah 6:20

The Cause of Judgment

There is a way to escape all the disaster announced. That is by going to “stand by the ways” and see and ask “for the ancient paths” (Jer 6:16). The call is first to stand by the ways they are now taking, to see if those are ways by which the LORD is leading them, or if they are their own ways (cf. Lam 3:40). If they are honest, they will say they are their own ways. Then follows the call to ask “for the ancient path” (cf. Job 8:8 ; Job 22:15; Deu 32:7). These are the paths along which the LORD led the fathers, the paths indicated by the good directions and ancient laws the LORD gave them for their blessing (cf. 2Chr 17:3-4).

It is about asking the LORD with the heart to make His will known to them. The sincerity of asking for those paths will lead them to start listening to the Holy Scriptures. In it they will discover the will of the LORD concerning the way He wants them to go. What then remains to be done is to walk the discovered way. The result will be that they will find rest for their souls. Going the way of the Lord gives inner rest and joy. This also includes peace, prosperity, security, an ordered life.

In the New Testament, we are also constantly called to return to the word of the apostles (2Pet 3:2; Jude 1:17). It is not going back to tradition or the fathers, but to the Word of God. It is about the paths of the fathers insofar as they are in accordance with God’s Word. Whoever follows the Lord in obedience to God’s Word finds rest for his soul (Mt 11:29-30). This is what the Lord Jesus says. Those who do so are looked upon with pity by those around them, especially the professing Christians, and called old-fashioned, even narrow-minded. But whoever goes this way finds rest for his soul that all modern ways cannot give.

Unfortunately, the reaction of the people is that they are not going down that way. It is a conscious choice. They refuse to go that way. Even when the LORD urgently warns them through His watchmen, which are His prophets, they say they will not listen (Jer 6:17). They turn a deaf ear to the call of the LORD, Who wants to lead them on the good way to bless them.

Then, when the people are so unwilling to listen to the LORD, He speaks to the nations and all the earth that He will punish His people for their rejection of Him (Jer 6:18-19). What He brings upon them, they have brought upon themselves, it is “the fruit of their plans”. Here we see once again that the crimes and sins of the people are not whims, but the effects of deliberate inner deliberation. A man is what he thinks. In their thoughts there is no place for God. Therefore, they did not heed God’s words and rejected His law.

The LORD wonders if there is any reason to accept from them the frankincense they bring Him (Jer 6:20). The ingredients for their frankincense as a symbol of their worship are precious because they come from a distant land. But to the LORD it is worthless. If they are so opposed to Him, if their heart is so far from Him, He can do nothing with it. He doesn’t want it at all. A purely outward service is disgusting to Him (cf. Isa 1:11-13; Jer 7:21-23; Hos 6:6; Amos 5:21-27; Mic 6:6-8). Nor are their burnt offerings and sacrifices pleasing and pleasant to Him. Their worship is not accepted by Him if there is no obedience to Him (1Sam 15:22).

Depraved worship will lead to stumbling blocks that the LORD puts in the way of those who come to Him and through which they will perish (Jer 6:21). In light of the following verses, we can think of an enemy invading the land and depriving them of all freedom. The evil of hypocritical worship is found in families, “fathers and sons together”, and in society, “neighbor and friend”. The LORD does not cause their fall, they do that themselves.