My friend has been talking about "ancient paths" recently, and I decided to look up scripture concerning it. I found this scripture about two different paths:
"Because My people hath forgotten Me, they have burnt incense to vanity, and they have caused them to stumble in their ways from the ancient paths, to walk in paths, in a way not cast up." Jer. 18:15
The result of God's own people choosing the wrong "path" results in their land becoming desolate, and a perpetual "hissing", meaning derision, scorn, the sound of others' mocking (v. 16).
Although the two "paths" written in this verse are translated as the same word in English, two different Hebrew words are actually used here.
The "paths" mentioned here first are called "ancient paths". Ancient doesn't just mean "old". It is the Hebrew word, olam, meaning ancient, evermore, everlasting, always, unending future. It is a path that is eternal. It's root meaning includes the idea of something hidden. What created these hidden, everlasting paths, but also allows us to find them? This first use of the word "paths" above is the Hebrew word shavel, which means the train of a robe. It creates an image of the Lord walking ahead, the train of His robe dragging over the ground, creating a worn path through eternity. As we follow that dragging train, or hem of His garment, we are able to walk upon the path which it creates. Though this eternal path is a hidden one, by following the train of His robe, and only by following it, we can find, and remain upon, this eternal path. The prophet Isaiah wrote of his vision of the train of the Lord's robe filling His heavenly temple. In the same manner as His train filled His temple in heaven, the whole earth was filled with His glory. It was there in the temple, at the foot of His robe's train, that Isaiah was cleansed, and received his prophetic calling to a people who refuse to hear, understand, see, or perceive the LORD (Isa. 6:1-9). It is a powerful account, and we can begin to understand the awesomeness of the idea of the train of the Lord's robe creating a path for us to follow. We can follow it right into His holy temple!
The second occurrence of the word "paths" in the above scripture is the Hebrew word nathev, meaning a path trodden with the feet, to tramp, a trodden way. This path is created by men wearing it down with their feet, walking through growth. It is determined and created by men's own will and effort. This path, though, creates stumbling, staggering, and feebleness, as man determines to slog his way through. They "stumble in their ways" in the course of their lives, and in their manner and moral character, according to the Hebrew meaning of the phrase. The root meaning of the phrase also suggests that, unfortunately, others are lead forth, drawn, or guided by God's people onto this kind of path also. These man-made and man-determined paths are described as a "way not cast up". The paths are not raised up, exalted, esteemed, or lifted up, and the whole land falls into desolation, as a result.
The reason given in the verse for why God's people do not follow the path created by the train of His garment, is because they have "forgotten" Him. By meaning of the word, they have ceased to care, have ignored, and mislaid Him from want of attention, and have caused their relationship with Him to wither like a neglected plant. We have not followed after Him in our daily lives, but left His path in order to make our own paths by choosing instead to follow our own will and efforts to achieve what we desire. By describing His people as burning incense to vanity, I think that the Lord is saying that once we leave His paths to establish our own, our worship, even our prayers reflect emptiness, lies, and worthlessness. Who are we praying to, and depending upon, when we have left Him, and gone our own way? The Lord is on the eternal path, and we have long ago left that path behind. Our whole land has been affected by our leaving His paths. It is not about what others have done. It is about the kind of paths that God's own people have chosen to create for themselves.
It's not too late for us to turn around, and get back to the paths that have been created by the train of His robe. No matter how long it has been, when you get back to that everlasting olam path, Jesus will be there just ahead of you, so you will be able to find the train of His robe again. God has made this promise to us:
"He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake."
Psalm 23:3
"I lead in the ways of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment: that I may cause those that love Me to inherit substance (being, existence, to stand out); and I will fill their treasures." Prov. 8:20-21
Our Father creates everlasting paths given for us to follow.
"He Leadeth Me" (from Korea)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0vsjvRStjE
"I See The Lord"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reN-3g-myJM
Isaiah 6:1-8 Vision (Narration)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHb789riuQU&t=141s
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