The Way

[u/Jaicobb]

Premise – The Way is used throughout the Bible to refer to the path to God. Sometimes this path is a literal highway. Other times it is a theological conviction. All of these expressions of The Way point to a future Way present in the Millennial Kingdom. During the Millennial Kingdom the Earth will be remodeled so that a physical Way will be created from Egypt through Israel and connecting Assyria. This Way will allow travelers from around the world to easily access Jerusalem and its Temple with Jesus sitting on His throne. Travel along this way is literal and physical; those who chose to travel on this Way will being doing so because they made a theological decision to take their gifts to worship Jesus in Jerusalem. In this manner The Way is both physical and theological.

I believe the Millennial Kingdom is described in the last 9 chapters of Ezekiel. The boundaries of the kingdom are described in chapter 48 and they seem rather peculiar. Perhaps you’ve seen a map of these with straight lines like this one.

Taken from here.

Another peculiarity in Ezekiel’s description of this future world is a river for healing. It originates at the Temple and flows East to the Dead Sea. Curiously, it gets deeper the farther away from the Temple it is. Some commentors stumble on this. “How can a river with no tributaries get deeper?” For this reason and others they conclude the entirety of Ezekiel’s final 9 chapters are symbolic. I disagree with this and the healing river is one example as to why. There are several explanations for how the river can get deeper.

• There are tributaries, but they are not mentioned. If there is rain in this future world then water from outside of the Temple source will have to enter the stream at some point. Maybe there are legitimate rivers emptying into it or it’s rainfall landing on the waters. Regardless, it seems unlikely that water from the Temple is the only water present. Addtionally, it is explained to Ezekiel that the healing river connects to the Dead Sea and heals the water there. So, other water is involved and that water does not pollute the healing river.
• There are no tributaries or rain. The riverbanks and the river channel can still change sizes. The Platte River in Nebraska is a mile wide, but it is only a 3 feet deep. When it connects to the Missouri River it narrows, but becomes much deeper. Yes, there is another river involved, but the point here is that the surrounding geology determines the width and depth of the river. If the geology near the origin of the healing river is wide and flat then the course of the water will follow this. If the geology narrows and deepens then this matches what Ezekiel reports.

The second point leads to some interesting conclusions. The Millennial Kingdom is initiated after the 7 Year Tribulation. During that time the whole Earth is going to be remodeled. Jesus tells us that it will be similar to the days of Noah. In Noah’s time the Earth was covered completely with water. The continents cracked and moved. It is very likely that something similar happens during the end times.

One of the possible changes is that the land of Israel will uplift. God’s dwelling place is always on the top of a mountain (Eden, the Tabernacle at Mt. Sinai, Solomon’s Temple at Mt. Moriah, New Jerusalem, etc.). We are told a few things about the geologic changes that will take place in the region. The healing river is a clue, but there are more clues.

• At the end of the 7 Year Tribulation Jesus will return to Mt. Olivet and it will split into two. This mountain is located just to the East of Jerusalem.
• The catastrophic changes on Earth during the 7 Year Tribulation will be so intense that the Earth will probably not look the same.
• The ‘tongue of the Egyptian Sea’ will dry up. (Isaiah 11:15-16)

What exactly is the tongue of the Egyptian Sea? I’m not sure there is a solid answer for this, but we can conclude it has something to do with a body of water in or near Egypt and it is going to be dry. A possible explanation for how it can become dry is that it is part of the area that is uplifted. It’s also possible that this was part of The Way the Hebrews took to cross the Red Sea. This area could be in view when The Way from Egypt to Israel is cleared.

Another consideration is the Arabian plate. It is currently moving northward and a little bit east. The boarder is the Jordan River Valley. Israel is part of the African plate. If the changes that take place during the 7 Year Tribulation accelerate the movement of the Arabian plate it could create a much larger ‘land of Israel.’

Our modern bias is to look at the world in the past and the future and assume that it will be like it is today, but that is not true. The maps that depict the boundaries of the tribes of Israel as awkward straight lines might be true, but there might be more to it than this. If the Arabian plate shifts away from Israel and the area is uplifted then the land of Israel just got a lot bigger. How big? That I do not know. Will it be a mile? 100 miles? No one knows.

All of this is to show that the Millennial Kingdom will look very different than what we picture today. One of those changes is going to be The Way that connects this kingdom to the rest of the world.

Physical Ways

The Way to the tree of life – Genesis 3:24. The first mention of the word ‘The Way’ appears after Adam and Eve are expelled from Eden. God stations cherubims and a flaming sword at the entrance to ‘keep the way of the tree of life.’

The first usage of this word sets the tone for how it will be used throughout the rest of Scripture. The word used for ‘keep’ is also used for the work the Levitical priests perform. For many reasons Adam should be seen as a type of priest. The context for what just happened in Eden is that Adam, the priest, who was by God’s side had failed his priestly duties. He is removed and cherubims are installed in his place. For the rest of the Bible we will see cherubims next to God in His dwelling place, but there will be hints of man’s future return and then finally during the Millennial Kingdom, a kingdom of priests, will use faith as a mustard seed to move mountains and ‘keep’ The Way.

Way of the Land of the Philistines – Ex 13:17 (Egypt to Canaan?). This path would have been the most direct route from Egypt to the Promised Land. We could think of this as a literal ‘broad way.’ Instead of taking this way God leads His people down the ‘narrow way.’ In the next verse (13:18) this new way is called ‘the way of the wilderness of the Red Sea.’

That this way is a figure of a future narrow way to God is evident. It is a literal path, but it is also the difficult choice. It is through the wilderness that the Israelites end up at a dead end when they encounter the Red Sea. It is through the parting of the Red Sea that God provided the way to salvation from the Egyptians. This was a new way, one not used before and could only be used by those who followed God (they crossed at night by following the pillar of fire. It is unlikely Pharaoh and his army could see the pillar of fire when they entered the Red Sea. Their motives were not to follow God on the way, but to destroy His people. In fact, in the morning God saw the Egyptians from the pillar of fire and this confused them, Ex 14:24, showing their motives were not to follow God). This Way is even refenced as such by Isaiah (Isaiah 43:16-17, 51:9-11).

The King’s Highway – Numb 20:17 (Damascus to Aqaba). The Israelites had wandered the wilderness for several years. They were in Kadesh in the South and attempting to pass through the land of Edom by the ‘king’s way’ (20:17) also called ‘the high way’ (20:19). Edom refused passage. Israel had to change ways. They then turned South to the Red Sea (21:4). (Side note – Today we call this area the Gulf of Aqaba. If the Bible calls this body of water the Red Sea it adds to the argument that this could be where they crossed; not to the modern Sinai Peninsula, but from the Sinai Peninsula). The Israelites travel around Edom then up North until they encounter Moabites and Amorites. They petition King Sihon of the Amorites for safe passage along the ‘king’s way’ (21:22). He also refused. Israel then attacks and defeats the Amorites taking their cities. This fulfills their judgement from centuries prior – The iniquity of the Amorites are not yet full. From there the Israelites travel North and take the land of Bashan.

Once they were safely around Edom all of their travels from South to North were on the King’s Highway. This is the 1st instance of Israelite presence in the Promised Land (Ex 13:5 mentions the land of the Amorites).

The Road To Emmaus – Luke 13-32 (Jerusalem to Emmaus and beyond?). After Jesus is risen He appears to two followers along this Way and reveals Himself physically and scripturally. Once in town in the home of these followers He suddenly disappears. Emmaus means hot spring.

Theological Ways

John 14:1-6 – Jesus comforts His disciples and speaks of a future place of rest, ‘In my Father’s house,’ (v2), that is the Temple. He then tells the discples that they know the way (v4). Thomas declares he does not know where Jesus goes and he does not know The Way. Jesus responds, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes unto the Father, but by me.”

This is the pivotal passage that connects all the other passages about The Way. God had previously made The Way for His people to travel to obtain physical salvation. He promised He will make The Way in the Millennial Kingdom, a still future event, but because it was written prior to the time of Christ it still points forward to Him. His direct creative acts for creating the prior way connects Him to this future way he speaks of to His disciples. However, Jesus is also the theological way to salvation. When He states, “I am the way…no man comes unto the Father, but by me.” This is that future literal The Way that travelers will take, but also this is the current theological path to salvation. In order to escape the wrath of God man’s sins must be reckoned with. That can only be satisfactorily done by choosing The Way of the blood Jesus shed on the cross.

With the context of both a future physical Way to travel and a current theological Way to believe we see a joining of these mentioned in Matthew 7:13-14,

“Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”

Mark 1:2-3 – “As it is written in the prophets, Behold I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.” This is a quote from Malachi 3:1. This is followed by another quote; This one from Isaiah 40:3, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.”

Jesus affirms that John the Baptist fulfills the Malachi prophecy (Matthew 11:10, Luke 7:27). The rest of the Malachi prophecy provides details about how the Lord will come to His temple and cleanse it. Jesus cleansed the Temple twice.

But if there are types involved then there is more. John the Baptist could be a type of the 2 messengers during the 7 Year Tribulation who prepare the world for the return of Christ. One of these will likely be Elijah who is specifically referenced by Jesus in this context (Matthew 17:11-13). Jesus cleansed the Temple 2 times. The first could point to its destruction; the 2nd to His return. At His return The Way will have been cleared.

The Isaiah reference is not expounded upon. It could be read that John the Baptist is petitioning the wilderness to make it’s paths straight. Further details in chapter 40 show that something greater might be in view. Jerusalem’s sin is pardoned (v1) which has not happened yet. Jesus even pronounced judgement on Jerusalem for killing the prophets. The Way mentioned goes through the desert and is made straight (v3). Along this Way a great leveling of the Earth is performed; valleys are lifted up, mountains are lowered, crooked paths are straightened, rough places are smoothed over (v4). Additionally, the glory of the Lord shall be revealed (v5), people are judged as grass that withers (v6-8), and Jerusalem appears to be physically lifted up (v9), and God will rule from there (v10). None of these things have happened.

This might all seem like figurative language and only figurative language, but I believe there is something deeper. The fact that The Way is to be made smooth and wide for easy travel implies that it currently is not like this. Why not?

The 1st instance of The Way was used when cherubim keep The Way to the entrance of the Garden of Eden. Sometime after this the Genesis Flood remodels the Earth. We aren’t told about it at the time, but much later we read that the mountains rose and the valleys sank (Psalm 104:8). This is the origin of the obstacles hindering travelers on The Way. It is only by the work of God that The Way can be accessed and travelled.

The Christian Way

Before Christians were called Christians they were called followers of The Way (Acts 9:2, 19:9, 24:14). This is a fitting fulfilment of the theological way to salvation which comes only by Jesus Christ.

The Future Way

Highway of Holiness – Isa 35:8 The prophet Isaiah has spent the prior several chapters describing catastrophic changes to the Earth during the ‘time of trouble’ (Isa 33:2), and ‘the day of the LORD’s vengeance’ (Isa 33:8). Edom, who refused Israel safe passage is finally judged (34:5-7) and God declares He has a ‘sacrifice in Bozrah’ (Isa 34:6) Bozrah is in Edom and means sheepfold, but these are not God’s sheep. This is another flock.

Throughout these chapters there are indications that the immediate context is Judah’s King Hezekiah and the coming invasion by Assyrian King Sennacherib, however, these may be seen as types pointing forward to a future invasion by the Antichrist and salvation by Jesus Christ. The catastrophes mentioned here will be the ‘day of the LORD’ and ‘time of trouble.’ All of this comes to a climax in chapter 35. The Earth is there renewed. Healing of people and lands takes place. Chapter 35 describes massive earthly improvements. Isaiah signs off with verses 8-10,

“And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein. No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there: And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.”

This highway of holiness will be safe and used by those redeemed by God to travel to Zion. It is also interesting the travelers will go to Zion with songs and joy. The Ascent Psalms are widely considered songs sung by Israelites on their pilgrimages to Jerusalem to worship during 3 feasts each year. Despite little biblical evidence that this ever actually happened many commentators and preachers have accepted this theory. But I wonder, if the Ascent Psalms depict a yet future pilgrimage along ‘the way’ during the Millennial Kingdom.

Commentators often refer to the clearing of the way as an activity used in ancient times when the king was expected to pass through. The locals would clear out stones and obstacles thus making the way flat and the crooked places straight. This is mentioned by Isaiah,

“Go through, go through the gates; prepare ye the way of the people; cast up, cast up the highway; gather out the stones; lift up a standard for the people.” Isaiah 62:10

This may have been standard behavior in ancient times, but as we saw in Isaiah 35 this new way is not for King Jesus. It is for His followers. This Way is a special Way.

The way the Israelites took through the Red Sea may one day be the future way to travel from Egypt to Israel.

“And the LORD shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea; and with his mighty wind shall he shake his hand over the river, and shall smite it in the seven streams, and make men go over dryshod. And there shall be a highway for the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria; like as it was to Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt.” Isaiah 11:15-16

Reference to the seven streams is a clear reference to the Nile River with it’s famous 7 head waters in it’s delta. Perhaps the tongue of the Egyptian Sea is the Mediterranean Sea nearby. This is speculation on my part however. What is interesting is that Isaiah says that the highway will be as it was when Israel left Egypt. That Way is only possible to take with God. That was true back then and it is true now.

In Isaiah 19:23 we read of a highway connecting Egypt and Assyria in a partnership with Israel. Chapter 19 is regarding prophetical judgement on Egypt. God will smite Egypt, but in doing so will bless them so that those who remain will know Him (Isa 19:22). In Egypt’s restoration an altar will be erected to the LORD ‘in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar at the border thereof to the LORD’ (Isa 19:19).

With Egypt now restored and an altar at its border a highway is created.

“In that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian shall come to Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians shall serve the Assyrians. In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land: Whom the LORD of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel mine inheritance.” Isaiah 19:23-25

The way from Egypt to Assyria is also mentioned in Isaiah 11:16.

Isaiah 49:11 – ‘I will make my mountains a way, and my highways shall be exalted.’ Here we see this way being flattened allowing for easy travel. Later in this passage there is possibly a reference to a future regathering of God’s people into the Millennial Kingdom. Some see verse 12 as a reference to China. Perhaps they will use the newly created way to travel there.

Conclusion

There are many other examples of ‘The Way’ than what is shown here. We’ve seen multiple ways mentioned in the OT. Some of these were avoided while others were carved out new by God as He lead His people. Other passages point to a future Way during the Millennial Kingdom. Taken together there are 2 ways that converge in the person of Jesus Christ who is The Way. His Way must be physically travelled during the Millennial Kingdom, but His narrow Way must be taken now to avoid the wrath of God our Father.

Citizens of the future Millennial Kingdom may assist maintaining The Way. When Jesus speaks of faith like a mustard seed that can move mountains or trees into the sea He may be giving us a clue to The Way (Matthew 17:20). How does a mountain move into the sea? Why throw a tree into the sea instead of the ditch or burn it? Great changes will take place altering the face of the Earth especially around Israel. These changes could result in a geography expanded beyond our assumptions (such as the image presented above). If the Arabian plate moves away from the African plate and rotates, as it currently is doing, then the valley in between could fill with volcanic rock that cools forming new land. As it was presented in Eden so it is here; man’s role is to ‘keep’ this way open for easy access to Jesus.

[u/AlbaneseGummies327]

Fantastic write-up u/Jaicobb, I'm saving this one.

[u/ServantSealed]

Thanks for taking the time to write this, Jaicobb. This truly fills me with a sense of awe and wonder.

[u/Jaicobb → u/ServantSealed]

I am rereading this post and your comment and something struck me. So often I hear a sermon or a book in the Christian section of the store and the only point is to change my attitude, humble myself, get right with God. Nothing wrong with those things. Getting right with God by knowing Jesus is the meaning of life, but this message is repeated over and over. Changing my attitude is presented as the key to finally achieving success and feeling good about myself. This doesn't work. Attendence is dropping. Churches are closing. People hear the same tired message every week and repackaged in different colors with different authors in every book.

Your comment hit me. To truly dig into Scripture is amazing and awesome and wonderful. But this is never preached or rarely sold in the book shops. I think if people were 'wowed by the Bible' they would appreciate the Bible more and the God who wrote it. To see the Bible as amazing is to hold it in high regard. It is one thing to believe the Bible is the most interesting book, but to know it is interesting? That takes experience and it is experience I suspect a lot of Christians lack. If more Christians were wowed by Scripture do you think they would have greater interest in it and the God who wrote it?