Jeremiah 6:16

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. STAND YE IN THE WAYS, SEE, ASK FOR THE OLD PATHS - Image from travelers who have lost their road, stopping and inquiring which is the right way on which they once had been, but from which their have wandered. OLD PATHS. Idolatry and apostasy are the modern way; the worship of God the old way. Evil is not coeval with good, but a modern degeneracy from good. The forsaking of God is not, in a true sense, a "way cast up" at all (; , "See if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." The law of God given through Moses is the old path-th...

The Prophet teaches us here that the fault of the people could not be extenuated as though they had sinned through ignorance; for they had been warned more than necessary by God. The same sentiment is found in Isaiah, “This is your rest; but they would not hear.” (Isaiah 28:12.) But our Prophet more at large condemns the Jews; for God had commanded them to _stand in the ways, _to _look _and to _inquire respecting all the old paths. He _uses a similitude: and we ought not to doubt respecting the _way, _since it has been shewn to us by the mouth of God. But the impiety of the people is exposed and reproved, because they did not so much as open their eyes, when God shewed them the way and allowed them a free choice: for he introduces God here, not strictly as one who commands, but as one who shews so much indulgence, that the people were free to choose the way they approved and thought bes...

9-17 When the Lord arises to take vengeance, no sinners of any age or rank, or of either sex escape. They were set upon the world, and wholly carried away by the love of it. If we judge of this sin by God's word, we find multitudes in every station and rank given up to it. Those are to be reckoned our worst and most dangerous enemies, who flatter us in a sinful way. Oh that men would be wise for their souls! Ask for the old paths; the way of godliness and righteousness has always been the way God has owned and blessed. Ask for the old paths set forth by the written word of God. When you have found the good way, go on in it, you will find abundant recompence at your journey's end. But if men will not obey the voice of God and flee to his appointed Refuge, it will plainly appear at the day of judgment, that they are ruined because they reject God's word....

Verse Jeremiah 6:16. _THUS SAITH THE LORD, STAND YE IN THE WAYS, AND SEE_] Let us observe the metaphor. A _traveller_ is going to a particular city; he comes to a place where the road divides into several paths, he is afraid of going astray; he stops short, - endeavours to find out the right path: he cannot fix his choice. At last he sees another traveller; he inquires of him, gets proper directions - proceeds on his journey - arrives at the desired place - and _reposes_ after his fatigue. There is an excellent sermon on these words in the works of our first poet, _Geoffrey Chaucer_; it is among the Canterbury Tales, and is called _Chaucer's Tale_. The text, I find, was read by him as it appears in my old MS. Bible: - _Standith upon weies and seeth, and asketh of the olde_ _pathes; What is the good weie? and goth in it, and gee schul_ fynden refreschin...

The sense is: God’s prophet has declared that a great national calamity is at hand. “Make inquiries; stand in the ways; ask the passers by. Your country was once prosperous and blessed. Try to learn what were the paths trodden in those days which led your ancestors to happiness. Choose them, and walk earnestly therein, and find thereby rest for your souls.” The Christian fathers often contrast Christ the one goodway with the old tracks, many in number and narrow to walk in, which are the Law and the prophets....

EXPOSITION A prophecy, in five stanzas or strophes, vividly describing the judgment and its causes, and enforcing the necessity of repentance. JEREMIAH 6:1 Arrival of a hostile army from the north, and summons to flee from the doomed city. JEREMIAH 6:1 O YE CHILDREN OF BENJAMIN. The political rank of Jerusalem, as the capital of the kingdom of Judah, makes it difficult to realize that Jerusalem was not locally a city of Judah at all. It belonged, strictly speaking, to the tribe of Benjamin, a tribe whose insignificance, in comparison with Judah, seems to have led to the adoption of a form of expression not literally accurate (see Psa 128:1-6 :68). The true state of the ease is evident from an examination of the two par

THUS SAITH THE LORD, STAND YE IN THE WAYS, AND SEE,.... These are the words of the Lord to the people, whom he would have judge for themselves, and not be blindly led by the false prophets and priests; directing them to do what men should, when they are in a place where two or more ways meet, and know not which way to take; they should make a short stop, and look to the way mark or way post, which points whither each path leads, and so accordingly proceed. Now, in religious things, the Scriptures are the way mark to direct us which way we should take: if the inquiry is about the way of salvation, look up to these, which are able to make a man wise unto salvation; these show unto men that the way of salvation is not works of righteousness done by them, but Christ only: if the question is about any doctrine whatever, search the Scriptures, examine them, they are profitable for doctrine; th...

CHAPTER 6 _ 1. The call to the children of Benjamin (Jeremiah 6:1) _ 2. Corruption and the deserved judgment (Jeremiah 6:9) 3. The prophet addressed (Jeremiah 6:27) Jeremiah 6:1. The children of Benjamin are exhorted to flee for safety on account of the evil from the north. There were probably among the Benjamites God-fearing men. Those who heeded the call fled and escaped. It is a warning message which follows: “Be thou instructed, O Jerusalem, let my soul depart from thee; lest I make thee desolate, a land not inhabited.” But they heeded it not....

Jeremiah 6:16. OBEDIENCE MORE THAN SACRIFICE. Yahweh vainly bade the people stand at the parting of the ways (Hebrew, by the ways), and seek the ancient road to prosperity, that they may find repose for themselves. The watchmen-prophets have called in vain. Yahweh's teaching (law, not necessarily written) has been rejected. For these moral faults far-fetched offerings and many sacrifices do not atone; Yahweh will make the people stumble to their ruin. Jeremiah 6:16. saith should be said. This verse must not be taken in the spiritual sense of Matthew 11:29; the good is material well-being, the rest security, and your souls is no more than a reflexive pronoun here....

STAND YE, &C.. gracious appeal to avoid the threatened calamity, as in Jeremiah 2:2. OLD PATHS. Compare Jeremiah 18:15. GOOD. right. FIND REST. Compare Matthew 11:29; Matthew 11:30. where. like invitation and promise is given to those who will "learn". Following likewise on. preceding threatening of judgment. Compare Deuteronomy 28:65. YOUR SOULS. yourselves (emphatic). Hebrew. _nephesh._...