Matthew chapter 24
Today we are walking in: Lead Me In Your Truth: Part 2- The Ancient Paths
Exodus 3:18
And they shall hearken to thy voice: and thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto him, The LORD God of the Hebrews hath met with us: and now let us go, we beseech thee, three days' journey into the wilderness, H4057 that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.
Today we look to the word-WILDERNESS- H4057 midbar --wilderness, pasture, uninhabited land
The Torah testifies.......................................
Genesis 16:7
And the angel of the LORD found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, H4057 by the fountain in the way to Shur.
Exodus 4:27
And the LORD said to Aaron, Go into the wilderness H4057 to meet Moses. And he went, and met him in the mount of God, and kissed him.
Numbers 14:33
And your children shall wander in the wilderness H4057 forty years, and bear your whoredoms, until your carcases be wasted in the wilderness. H4057
Deuteronomy 1:31
And in the wilderness, H4057 where thou hast seen how that the LORD thy God bare thee, as a man doth bear his son, in all the way that ye went, until ye came into this place.
The prophets proclaim..................
Isaiah 42:11
Let the wilderness H4057 and the cities thereof lift up their voice, the villages that Kedar doth inhabit: let the inhabitants of the rock sing, let them shout from the top of the mountains.
Isaiah 43:19
Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, H4057 and rivers in the desert.
Jeremiah 9:12
Who is the wise man, that may understand this? and who is he to whom the mouth of the LORD hath spoken, that he may declare it, for what the land perisheth and is burned up like a wilderness, H4057 that none passeth through?
Ezekiel 20:13
But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness: H4057 they walked not in my statutes, and they despised my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; and my sabbaths they greatly polluted: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them in the wilderness, H4057 to consume them.
The Writings bear witness.............
Joshua 1:4
From the wilderness H4057 and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast.
2Chronicles 1:3
So Solomon, and all the congregation with him, went to the high place that was at Gibeon; for there was the tabernacle of the congregation of God, which Moses the servant of the LORD had made in the wilderness. H4057
Nehemiah 9:19
Yet thou in thy manifold mercies forsookest them not in the wilderness: H4057 the pillar of the cloud departed not from them by day, to lead them in the way; neither the pillar of fire by night, to shew them light, and the way wherein they should go.
Psalm 65:12
They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness: H4057 and the little hills rejoice on every side.
Psalm 78:15
He clave the rocks in the wilderness, H4057 and gave them drink as out of the great depths.
Lead Me In Your Truth: Part 2 – The Ancient Paths
Searching for Truth is a major issue these days. But how can we know what is Truth?
How can we know what is error or deception?
How can we discern Truth from lies, what is true from what is fake or false?
And, does Truth change over time? Does Truth change from century to century? Does Truth evolve, like societies, cultures, and customs evolve?
The answer to all these questions is found in the Bible, the written Word of Yah.
According to the Bible, Truth has its origin in Yah. Truth is unchanging and absolute. But best of all, Truth is available to us. When we have the Truth, we can avoid deception.
Discerning Truth From Error
This is Part 2 in our series entitled, Lead Me in Your Truth. In this series, we have been looking at the questions, “What is truth? How can we find truth?”
As we saw in Part 1, we are living in a time when there is a great need for discerning truth from error. Very few have the discernment for what is actually Truth, and is a safe-guard against deception and lies!
In Part 1, we saw that deception describes much of what happens today. All around us we can see the ‘fruits’ of deception — turmoil, disorder, and grief.
Yahusha Messiah [the Hebrew name for ] warned that deception will be a dominant feature of the End-Time Days: “Beware that no one deceive you! … many shall be deceived!” (Matthew 24:4-5).
In Part 1, we also discussed what is the doorway into deception, and the two steps we can take that are as safeguards against deception.
In order to fully understand what is now presented here in Part 2, it is essential to read Part 1 first, because it covers some required basics.
Here in Part 2 we continue to further explore this prayer to Yah: “Lead me in Your Truth!” as we seek to find ‘What is Truth’.
Finding Yah’s Truth ranks far above all other claims on Truth. Yah’s Truth is authentic and indisputable, because His Truth is the origin of all Truth, and is founded in the nature and character of the Creator of all things.
As we begin Part 2 of this series, let us again be reminded of this one important Truth:
“The Creator of the universe [Yah Elohim — The Most High Yah] is the only Righteous, Living, Eternal, All-Mighty Yah, Who is gracious, loving, and merciful, and unlimited in His abilities, and is infinitely superior to all human wisdom and reasoning.”
From The Beginning
According to the Bible, Truth is unchanging, absolute, and is available to those who seek for it.
The Bible gives guidelines for finding Truth — Truth that was established centuries ago, from the beginning:
Thus says Yah [the Hebrew name for the Most High]: Stand by the ways, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and you shall find rest for your souls….(Jeremiah 6:16a)
This verse urges us to seek, look, and ask for ‘the Ancient Paths‘, ask where the ‘Good Way’ is, and walk in it!
When we begin to walk in (that is, live according to) the Ancient Paths, which is the Good Way, then we shall find rest for our souls; a peace beyond our understanding that settles us because at last, we have found what we have been looking for — Truth.
We are to look for, ask for, and walk in the Ancient Paths.
But what are the Ancient Paths?
They are the teachings, the statutes, and the judgments [The Torah — Yah’s written instructions] that Yah spoke many, many years ago, from the beginning, through His servant, Moses:
Remember the law [the Torah] of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments. (Malachi 4:4).
Thus says Yah [the Most High] of hosts, the Yah of Israel,… This thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your Yah, and you shall be my people: and walk in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you. (Jeremiah 7:23)
Remember the former things of old: For I am Yah [Yah – the Most High] — there is no other. I am Yah, and there is none like Me — declaring the end from the beginning, from ancient time, what is yet to come, saying, “My purpose will stand, and I will accomplish all that I please.” (Isaiah 46:9-10)
Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever. (Psalms 119:160)
The Torah of Yah [the Most High] is perfect, converting the soul… (Psalms 19:7a).
The heaven and the earth shall pass away, but My Words shall not pass away. (Luke 21:33)
For I am Yah [the Most High], I change not…. (Malachi 3:6a)
If we will look carefully at these verses, we can see that, from the beginning, Yah Elohim [the Most High Yah] taught and instructed His ways, His truth, from ancient time!
Yah’s teachings and commandments are the Ancient Paths that we are to walk in.
In other words, they are what is known as The Torah, and they are the Words that are eternal, and shall not pass away!
The teachings, statutes, and judgments of Moses, known as “The Torah”, are the first five books of the Bible.
Because the Hebrew word ‘Torah’ means Yah’s set of teachings, instructions, and guidelines, the word ‘Torah’ can also mean ALL of the Scriptures [the Bible]. But the most exact reference for Torah is that it refers to the first five books of the Bible – Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy. (The Hebrew word ‘Torah’ is often translated as the English word law.)
The apostle Paul ‘delighted’ in Yah’s Torah, just as King David loved and delighted in Yah’s Torah (Romans 7:22; Psalms 119:77; Psalms 119:97).
It is in the Torah where we find Yah’s TRUTH, which is eternal and unchanging, just as He is eternal and unchanging!
Standard for The Truth
How can we know that these ‘Ancient Paths’ reveal the unchanging and eternal Truth?
The Scriptures tell us in many places that the ‘Ancient Paths’ [the Torah] is where we find Truth:
Yah, Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and Your law [Torah] is the truth. (Psalms 119:142)
You are near, O Yah [Most High]; and all Your commandments are truth. (Psalms 119:151)
O Yah … Your Word is true from the beginning: and every one of Your righteous judgments endures for ever. (Psalms 119:160)
And Yah [the Most High] passed by before him, and proclaimed, Yah [the Most High], Yah Elohim [The Most High Yah], merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth. (Exodus 34:6)
He [Yah] is the Rock, His work is perfect: for all His ways are judgment [just]: a Yah of truth and without iniquity, just and right is He. (Deuteronomy 32:4)
All the paths of Yah [the Most High] are mercy and truth unto such as keep His covenant and His testimonies. (Psalms 25:10)
Yahusha Messiah [] prayed for His disciples, saying to Yah, His Father,… “Set them apart in Your truth – Your Word is truth.” (John 17:17)
As we look carefully at these Scriptures, we can see that from the beginning, our Creator gave us the Standard for Righteousness and for Truth.
Yah, Who is the Yah of Truth, has declared:
“The Torah is the truth!“
“My Commandments are truth!“
Our Creator, Yah Elohim [the Most High Yah], gave us His commandments and teachings, His Torah, as the Standard for TRUTH. It is in the Torah where we find the seeds of Truth, the understanding of Truth, and the Truth of the ‘Ancient Paths’.
“Our Creator, Yah, did not leave The Standard – the Criteria – for Truth to man’s invention or imagination! Yah gave us the Torah as the solid and permanent Reference Point for Truth!“
The Torah is written. . .
for our instruction,
for our well-being, and
for our understanding of what Truth is,
so that we can walk in it and thus, have peace of mind and soul.
Yah’s completely Truth-FULL Torah is a written revelation of the heavenly Father’s ‘Good Way’. It is His instructions and guidelines for everyone. People all around the world have found comfort and guidance in it because all people can relate to it. It is simple enough for a child to understand, and yet profound enough for the scholar.
Yah, Who is unlimited in His abilities, gave us the Standard for Truth, from the beginning!
Disinformation Equals No Effect
Unfortunately, many have been given disinformation about what the Scriptures teach regarding the Torah. Many have received twisted explanations of the Scriptures, making Yah’s Word of ‘no effect’ in their lives. There are many today who need a ‘renewing of the mind’ regarding the Torah! Many need to read Yah’s Word for themselves, and reject preconceived, man-made ideas about Yah’s Word.
Each one of us must read the Bible without adding words to it or taking words away from it!
To fully understand Yah’s Word, we must accept ALL the written Scriptures as being valid, necessary, and relevant to our lives (Psalms 119:160). As Yah’s Word says, it is true “from the beginning“!
Yah Elohim [the Most High Yah] has made it very clear that He and His Word are inseparable and unchanging! Yah does not change, and neither does His Word. And the teachings of His Son, Yahusha Messiah [], and the entire New Testament writings, are based on the writings within the Torah.
The Torah is without blemish, undefiled, upright, and truthful; and anyone who will “taste” [that is, DO] Yah’s Word, will know that the Torah, as all the Scriptures, are for our instruction in righteousness, and are to be embraced and obeyed.
The Torah is the bedrock, the foundation of the Ancient Paths.
It is in the Ancient Paths where we find Truth!
Arrogant Humans
But human beings are fickle. We are subject to wandering affections and attachments. We have multiple fluctuations of ideas and emotions and motives. And without a Standard for Truth, without following the Reference Point for Truth, then every one will foolishly and arrogantly do what is right in his own eyes.
The result of such folly is confusion, disorder, and wickedness:
And Yah [Yah] saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. (Genesis 6:5)
But they hearkened not [to Yah’s voice], nor inclined their ear [to walk according to Yah’s instructions], but walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward. (Jeremiah 7:24)
This evil people, which refuse to hear My words, which walk in the imagination of their heart, and walk after other Yahs, to serve them, and to worship them, shall even be as this girdle, which is good for nothing. (Jeremiah 13:10)
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? (Jeremiah 17:9)
These Scriptures teach us that man’s heart is deceitful. We cannot trust our own heart in matters of Truth, because the wickedness of man’s heart is great. We need a Standard outside of ourselves — a Standard outside human counsels and imaginations, a Standard that is unchanging and absolute.
The Standard for Truth is too important an issue to be left up to the whims and fancies of human beings!
Without a Standard for Truth, any so-called ‘progress’ is delusional.
Without a Standard for Truth, people quickly slide into the darkness of Satan’s tricks and deception. Satan is capable of disguising himself, masquerading as an ‘angel of light’, attempting to ‘enlighten’ or ‘illuminate’ us with his deceptive, destructive, and wicked lies (2Corinthians 11:14; Ephesians 4:14).
Without a Standard for Truth, people depart from the Living Yah. Then, oppression and falsehood multiplies, justice is turned backward, and curses abound! The prophet Isaiah tells us that when people depart from Yah’s Standard for Truth, then “truth is fallen in the street!“ (Isaiah 59:12-14).
So what do we DO to know and understand Truth?
How We Come to Know and Understand Truth
To know and understand Truth, we must first recognize and accept the written Scriptures [the Bible] as Yah’s absolute, unchanging, enduring-forever, Word!
Father Yah has declared to us “the End from the Beginning“. Therefore to truly understand His Word, we must embrace the written Scriptures, including The Torah, from the beginning!
Yah’s written Word is The Standard for Truth that is outside human reasoning and imagination. When we honestly and objectively examine the Bible, as many have done, there is no question that ALL the Scriptures are given by inspiration of Yah (2 Timothy 3:16).
Over and over, the Bible proves to be a unique and transforming revelation from Yah! It is a writing like no other! Millions have been changed for the better, simply because they have read and followed the teachings in the Bible.
Yah has declared in many different verses, that He is the Yah of Truth and His written Word is Truth! When we accept Yah’s written Word as it is — the Truth — then we can be led according to His Truth, and we can walk in the ‘Ancient Paths‘. (1 Peter 1:23)
Yes, there are portions of Father’s Word that are hard to understand, but, because we are finally walking with Him, following the Pathway of Truth, then we will have His abundant peace within our soul.
“The Bible is The Standard of that which is straightforward – that which is true! Anything that departs from the Bible is false! Whether it departs by little or much is relatively unimportant. Some of the subtlest deceptions are those that appear to differ only a little from the Bible!” — Derek Prince
“Yah’s truth is not obtained cheaply. It demands much time given to prayer and study of the Scriptures, followed by practical application in our daily lives. Searching for Yah’s truth must take priority over the many forms of cheap entertainment offered by our secular culture. Searching for Yah’s truth is a lifetime commitment.” — Derek Prince
Let us next consider the characteristics that reveal what kind of Yah Yah claims to be, based on the Scriptures we have presented thus far:
He wants things to be well with us.
He wants us to find rest for our souls.
He is merciful, gracious, and longsuffering.
He is abundant in goodness and truth.
He is the Yah of truth.
His ways are full of mercy and truth.
All His ways are ways of justice and righteousness.
He is a Yah without iniquity [no evil wrongdoing].
He is the Yah of love and peace.
We can see that the characteristics of the Yah of Truth are completely admirable, trustworthy, attractive, and respectable. And Yah Elohim loves us intensely! He wants to support us, and be a Father to each one of us! He wants only the best for us!
Finally, we see that the prophet Daniel reveals a major clue to finding and understanding truth:
As it is written in the law [Torah] of Moses, all this evil is come upon us: yet made we not our prayer before Yah Elohim [the Most High our Yah], that we might turn from our iniquities, and [that we might] understand Your truth. (Daniel 9:13)
Daniel’s clue is something the children of Israel, as a whole, would not do:
. . . they did not pray unto Yah Elohim [the Most High our Yah];
. . . they did not turn from their iniquities, in order to understand Truth.
Prayer — this is the major clue!
It is talking to Yah [the Most High Yah of the Bible],
opening up to Him,
asking Him to show us His Truth,
and lead us according to His Truth,
asking Him to help us turn from our iniquities,
asking Him to save us.
Then, we will begin to understand what Truth is!
Yah has revealed what is needed for knowing Him and being close to Him — it is turning our heart to Him, asking Him to help us and show us His Truth.
These are the steps, as we see in Psalm 25, that are essential to beginning to understand and truly know solid, definite Truth:
4) Show me Your ways, O Yah [Most High]; teach me Your paths.
5) Lead me in Your truth, and teach me: for You are the Yah of my salvation; on You do I wait all the day.
6) Remember, O Yah [Most High], Your tender mercies and Your lovingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old.
7) Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to Your mercy, remember me for Your goodness’ sake, O Yah [Most High]. (Psalms 25:4-7)
Sincerely talking to Yah, asking Him, Yah Elohim [the Most High Yah of the Bible], for His help, is the vital step to finding and understanding Truth!
Asking Him to “Lead me in Your truth” is fundamental to begin to know TRUTH.
And, as we shall see in Part 3 of this series, talking to Yah in the name of His Son, Yahusha Messiah [] is a vital part in talking to Yah!
Conclusion
Our Creator, Who is unlimited in His abilities, gave us His commandments [His Torah], as The Standard for TRUTH. Yah did not leave The Standard for Truth to man’s invention or imagination!
Yah gave the Torah as the solid and permanent Reference Point for Truth!
When we receive Yah’s written Word as it is — The Truth — then we can be led according to His Truth, and thereby avoid deception!
It is in the Torah where we find the seeds of Truth, the understanding of Truth, and the Truth of the ‘Ancient Paths’.
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