SPECIAL TOPIC: THE PATH, THE WAY

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE PATH, THE WAY

A godly life in the OT was viewed as a clear, straight, unobstructed path, road, animal trail. There are numerous allusions to this imagery in the OT (i.e., Ps. 16:11; 25:4; 26:12; 27:11; 86:11; 119:35,105; 139:24; Isa. 40:14). God's way is not hidden from His people but is clearly revealed (i.e., Mosaic Covenant, cf. Ps. 119:105; Prov. 6:23). Our daily task is to walk in it (i.e., not veering to the right or left, cf. Deut. 5:32; 17:11,20; 28:14; 31:29; Prov. 4:27) and bring honor to Him.

SPECIAL TOPIC: COVENANT

SPECIAL TOPIC: KEEP

"The Way" was the early designation for believers (cf. Acts 19:9,23; 22:4; 24:14,22 and possibly Acts 18:25,26). It has an OT background, speaking of lifestyle faith (cf. Ps. 1:1; 16:11; 119:105; 139:24; Prov. 4:10-19). Jesus uses this concept in Matt. 7:14 and uses the title for Himself in John 14:6. Christianity is a personal encounter followed by a daily relationship (i.e., "walk," cf. Eph. 4:1,17; 5:2,15 and a similar image "in the same steps" in 2 Cor. 12:18).

The imagery of a path, a road, a track, a way (BDB 73) is used several times in

Isaiah (cf. Isa. 2:3; 3:12; 26:7,8; 30:11; 33:8; 40:18; 41:3)
prominently in Proverbs (cf. Prov. 1:19; 2:8,13,15,19,20; 3:6; 4:14,18; 5:6; 8:20; 9:15; 10:17; 12:28; 15:10,19,24; 17:23; 22:25)

It is imagery of a lifestyle faith that obeyed and walked (cf. Exod. 16:4; Isa. 30:20; 42:24; Jer. 9:12; 26:4; 32:23; 44:10,23; Zech 7:12) in God's teachings (i.e., Ps. 139:24).