Ancient Landmarks
Today’s Verse:
Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set. ~Proverbs 22:28
Solomon used many colorful everyday objects to drive home important principles for his son, Rehoboam, and for every reader of Proverbs. All of us identify well with object illustrations that help us better understand principles of life. Solomon uses the idea of a landmark twice in Proverbs to drive home the idea of not relinquishing ownership or control in a vital area of life.
We see the basic CONCEPT.
A landmark was a property right. All land was an inheritance given by God to the Jews. They were to keep the land within the family and pass it down from generation to generation. A landmark was also a protected right. Every land owner used rocks to outline their respective boundary line. No one was to move or interfere with a property owner’s protected land rights. “Thou shalt not remove thy neighbour’s landmark, which they of old time have set in thine inheritance, which thou shalt inherit in the land that the Lord thy God giveth thee to possess it,” Deut. 19:14. God took very seriously the protection of land rights and establishment of landmarks! On one hand, you were not supposed to move someone’s landmarks to take advantage of them. On the other hand, you were not supposed to allow someone else to move YOUR landmarks.
We see a binding COMMAND.
Solomon is issuing a binding command. Keep the boundary lines where they have been set. Don’t take advantage of your neighbor by moving their landmark. The precept contained in Proverbs is that landmarks or rocks that clearly establish boundary lines doctrinally, morally, ethically, and relationally are not to be removed. The landmarks have been set for us from our spiritual forefathers. We are to protect and guard these landmarks. We are to instruct our children and new believers on what these landmarks are and how we are to protect them. We must remember there is no monetary amount or other form of remuneration that can adequately be given for a spiritual landmark.
We see the Biblical CONVICTION.
In application, there are spiritual landmarks we must not remove. We must not remove the landmark of salvation by grace through faith in Christ alone. We must not remove the landmark of eternal security. We must not remove the landmark of the inspiration, inerrancy, infallibility, and preservation of God’s holy Word. We must not remove the landmark of doctrinal soundness. We must not remove the landmark of the local church as the pillar and ground of truth or that it is the house of the living God. We must not remove the landmark of soulwinning and evangelism for reaching the world for Christ with the gospel. The landmark for our faith was set for us through the Scriptures once delivered to the saints. We are to contend for the faith and not allow what we have been taught to be removed. We must be careful that the landmark for godly and separated living is not removed.
Do you know where the boundary lines for your spiritual life have been placed? Do you know where the rocks that identify your doctrine and duty have been placed down? Diligently guard your landmarks, and make sure they are never moved!
Have a faithful God Morning!