By Reverend Mike Scott, Pastor of Juniper Chapel Church, Vanceboro
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
As Jeremiah pens these words the nation of Judah is in crisis. Shortly after the death of King Solomon the nation of Israel divides into the Northern Kingdom of Israel and the Southern Kingdom of Judah. Both kingdoms eventually turn their backs on Almighty God as they begin to both worship and sacrifice to idols. The Northern Kingdom of Israel is utterly demolished by the Assyrians, and now the Southern Kingdom of Judah is on the brink of being carried away into Babylonian Captivity. In this time of national crisis God speaks through Jeremiah to call His people back to a day and time in which they were faithful to Him. Jehovah God calls that day the old paths and describes it as the good way, but His pleadings fall on deaf ears as the nation responds we will not walk therein.
In our world today both America and the church are in crisis. We live in the twenty-first century, have seen men land on the moon and possess the world-wide-web whereby we have access to any and all information we desire. Beyond this, if something happens on the other side of the world, we can see it taking place in real time. We live in a modern, sophisticated society which has for the most part forsaken God in favor of wealth, pleasure and entertainment. The church likewise has become cold, static and unconcerned over lost souls going to hell on a daily basis.
Christ Jesus describes the modern-day church when He says I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou were cold or hot…Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked (Revelation 3:15, 17). As the Almighty through Jeremiah called Judah back to the old paths, He is likewise calling both America and the church back to a time in which they walked in the good way. As we consider this way that has long ago been forgotten, we need to remember there was a time when there was a difference between right and wrong, worship was more than just a ritual and the things of God were respected.
First of all, there was a time in which there was a difference between right and wrong, but in our modern day it appears as though anything goes. The mantra of society is “if it feels good, do it,” and the mindset of most people is “go along and get along.” But God still has standards, and He expects people to live by them. The prophet Isaiah declares woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight…Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him (Isaiah 5:20-21, 23)!
In God’s eyes, right is right, and wrong is wrong, which means there is to be no blurring of the two. Babies being born is right; babies being killed in their mother’s womb is wrong! When the Supreme Court recently overturned Roe v Wade, people immediately took to the streets in protest. Angry mobs marched on the houses of the Supreme Court justices who voted to abolish this hellish practice, and the life of one justice was even threatened. Liberal politicians vow to pass legislation reinstating a woman’s right to choose, and the speech they used to make this pledge is hateful, demeaning, and vengeful.
Sexual activity between a husband and a wife is right; all other sexual activity is deemed to be wrong (sinful). God created humans to be sexual beings, and He designed an outlet for it to be expressed. Sex between a husband and wife is a beautiful and meaningful expression of love, but we live in a society in which men and women “shacking-up” is the norm, so called gay marriages are accepted and homosexual activity is encouraged. Many of our larger, mainstream denominations are actually ordaining practicing homosexuals and placing them the pulpits of their churches. God calls us back to the old paths, where is the good way, but like the people of Jeremiah’s day we refuse to walk therein.
Secondly, there was a time in which worship was more than just a ritual. As Jesus encounters the Samaritan woman by the well, He tells her the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth (John 4:23-24). The word worship comes from the Old English “worth-ship,” which means the one being worshipped is worthy of such adoration. Worship is not a spectator’s sport. Baseball, football, basketball, and other such activities are spectator sports in that those who attend these games simply sit in the stands and watch what is taking place on the playing field. They don’t participate in the activity; instead, they merely watch. Many come to church with the same mindset as they sit in a pew and observe that which takes place in front of them. They bow their heads in reverence as someone else prays, and they listen as the choir sings and the preacher preaches, but they refuse to get involved in the worship experience. True worship begins deep in the human soul and wells up inside like a mighty, rushing stream. It expresses itself in praise and adoration to the One who is truly worthy, for great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised (Psalm 48:1). All of this means worship is to have an impact upon the worshipper.
When we come to church God is always present. King Solomon built the Temple in Jerusalem, and as he offered a dedication prayer it is said that when he made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burn offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the Lord filled the house (2 Chronicles 7:1). God’s shekinah glory was so great that the priests could not enter into the house of the Lord (2 Chronicles 7:2). It should be our prayer that when we come to church the power of God will manifest itself in such a way that God’s people become excited, backsliders are reclaimed, the lost are saved and a Holy Ghost REVIVAL breaks out.
Third of all, there was a time when the things of God were respected. The third commandment says thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain (Exodus 20:7), but in our world today the only way some people use the name of God is as the brunt of their jokes or as a means of profanity. God is holy, high and lifted up; therefore, He is to be worshipped, adored and magnified rather than defied and ridiculed.
The fact of the matter is most people live as though there is no God. This world is a place in which they live, work, raise a family and seek pleasure; therefore, as far as they are concerned it is to be embraced. They don’t think about God, and they certainly don’t envision a time in which they will stand before Him; but the prophet Amos cries out prepare to meet thy God (Amos 4:12). There is coming a time in which all will stand before their Creator and be called upon to give an account as to how they have lived in this present world, but in that day many are going to appear before Him in their sin and shame to find themselves condemned for their wasted lives.
Not only do people live as though there is no God, but they likewise live as though there is no Bible. These individuals want to be free to do as they please; therefore, they refuse to acknowledge that God’s Word has any authority whatsoever over their lives. But the truth of the matter is God through Holy Scripture has declared that which is acceptable as well as that which is inappropriate, and He expects people to live by its standards. The Bible is one of God’s most precious gifts to humanity for it expresses His mind, His will and His perfect plan. The Bible is powerful in that the prophet Jeremiah likens it unto a hammer that breaketh the rocks in pieces (Jeremiah 23:29); it is food for the soul in that the Psalmist declares how sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth (Psalm 119:103); it is our defensive weapon against the wiles of the devil in that the apostle Paul calls upon us to take…the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (Ephesians 6:17); it is insightful in that Paul likewise says it is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart (Hebrews 4:12); and it is written with a purpose in that the apostle John says these things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God: that ye may know that ye have eternal life and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God (1 John 5:13).
Beyond living as though there is no God and no Bible, many live as though there is neither a Heaven nor a hell. These individuals for the most part believe life ends at the grave, which means they fail to comprehend the scope of eternity. The human body in which our soul is housed came from the dust of the Earth and will one day return to dust, but that immortal soul God created us to be will live on forever. A million years from now, a billion years from now, a trillion years from now all will continue to exist in either Heaven or hell. There is a Heaven to gain and a hell to shun; therefore, it is necessary in this present life to prepare for the next. But many are so involved in their day-to-day routine that they simply neglect the soul and are thereby racing headlong into a Christless eternity. People can deny the truth of Heaven’s happiness and hell’s horrors all they want, but there is coming a day in which all will be judged and find themselves heading for one place of the other.
In conclusion, Jeremiah calls upon the people of his day to ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and the same admonition goes out to America and the church today. There was a time in which there was a difference between right and wrong; and there was a time in which worship was more than a ritual; and there was a time in which the things of God were respected; and we need to get back to that time! We may be a highly educated people living in a modern, sophisticated world, but God is calling us to hear His voice and heed His Word. He has been rejected, ignored and disrespected to the point He is ready to move in judgment; therefore, both America and the church need to walk in the way He has laid out for them to take.
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