This post begins with one of my favorite verses:

Mattithyahu (Matthew) 11:28-30
Come unto me, all ye who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

One thing we have learned in setting out our third edition, revision one, is that so many passages in the New Testament have as the origin concepts and words from the Old Testament. 

When we look at this verse, we se that the culmination of this verse is found in two concepts: 1) that should you take the yoke of MASHIACH upon you, you will learn from him and 2) you shall find rest for your souls.

Is it possible to find a source for this notion of rest for the soul?  Sure.  We needn’t look farther than the Cepher Yirmeyahu (Jeremiah).

Yirmeyahu (Jeremiah) 6:16-17
Thus says YAHUAH: Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the ancient 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. 17 Also I set watchmen over you, saying: Hearken to the sound of the shofar. But they said, We will not hearken.

We have this teaching here that we should stand in the ways and ask for the ancient paths.  Let’s take a look at a little Ivriyt (Hebrew) here and see what we get.

Standing in the ways finds the word derek – or to be more exact (דרכים) derekiym. The word derek (דֶּרֶךְ) (Strong’s HH1870) is typically interpreted as a road (as trodden); figuratively a course of life or mode of action, and most commonly as a way.

Yahuchanon (John) 14:6
YAHUSHA said unto him, I am the Way [derek], the Truth [emet], and the Life [Chayiym]: no man comes unto the Father, but by me.

Let’s explore this a little more if we can and see if there is further support for what is being said here:

Tehilliym (Psalms) 119:1

BLESSED are the undefiled in the Way [derek], who walk in the Torah of YAHUAH.

Tehilliym (Psalms) 119:142
Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and your Torah is the Truth [emet].

Devariym (Deuteronomy) 32:46-47
And he said unto them, Set your hearts on all the words which I testify among you this day, which ye shall command את eth-your children to guard to do, את eth-all the words of this Torah. 47 For it is not a vain thing for you; because it is your life [chayiym]: and through this thing ye shall prolong your days in the land, whither ye go over את eth-the Yardan to possess.

We can see that the instruction of YAHUAH in Yirmeyahu (Jeremiah) is to stand in the ways, and see, and ask for the ancient paths; ask where the good way is, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls.

Our proposition here is that the ways are the ways of the Torah; the ancient paths are as well – it is the good way, and should you walk in it, you will find rest for your souls. That same passage goes on to speak to those who ignore this passage:

Yirmeyahu (Jeremiah) 6:18-19
Therefore hear, ye nations, and know, את eth-O assembly, what is among them. 19 Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened to my words, nor to my Torah, but rejected it.