O then, my beloved brethren, come unto the Lord, the Holy One. Remember that his paths are righteous. Behold, the way for man is narrow, but it lieth in a straight course before him, and the keeper of the gate is the Holy One of Israel; and he employeth no servant there; and there is none other way save it be by the gate; for he cannot be deceived, for the Lord God is his name.
I'm not sure why Jacob wants us to remember that the Lord's paths are righteous. It seems obvious, and it also doesn't seem to change anything if you think of the definition of "righteous" as morally upright--a standard set by the Lord himself. I can't really separate righteousness from the Lord, so to say "remember the Lord because he is righteous" feels no different to me than "remember the Lord because he is the Lord," or "remember to be righteous because that's the only way to be righteous." I'm probably missing something.
Maybe what I'm missing has to do with remembering that the Lord's paths are righteous. I don't know why paths is plural when way, it, and gate are all singular. Maybe I'm looking beyond the mark. Maybe it's just a reminder to be righteous and to remember on our own to be righteous. Can't a prophet tell us that without being scrutinized?
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Maybe sometimes we start doubting that the path that we are on--the one that the Lord set us on is right. Maybe we have forgotten the original confirmation or feeling that got us going and the world is screaming at us to turn around. Or maybe something else.
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