Ancient Boundaries For Our Lives Today
Proverbs 22:28
Do not remove the ancient landmark
Which your fathers have set.
(NKJV)
1. Introduction
• “Bloody Angle - A Virginia Civil War Battle Field
• May 12, 1864 the fighting was so fierce that an oak tree 22 inches in diameter was cut down just by musket fire
• A 12 by 15 foot section held 150 dead
• “Rank after rank was riddled by shot and shell and bayonet thrusts, and finally sank, a mass of torn and mutilated corpses”
• On this bloody breastworks was erected a stone pillar now weather worn to remember this horrid scene.
2. Ancient Biblical Landmarks
a. Jacob - Gen. 31:52
b. Joshua - Joshua 4:20-24
• Marked the boundary of countries, the ethnic tribes of Israel and personal property.
• If a person removed these boundary markers it was equivalent of stealing
• It was within the owners boundaries that he was able to make a living .
• Removal of that landmark was like removing from the owner his ability to make a living.
3. Boundary Markers Today
• Sea, lakes and rivers are bounded by the shore or bank
• Animal world marks it’s territory with it’s scent.
• When approaching the nests of our feathered friends we are soon let known that we are intruding from their hissing and flapping of their wings,
• Fences divide our property lines,
• Offices have their cubicles,
• Highways have their speed limits
• Bills have a due date.
• Time limits are set for work and classroom.
- More or less, we honour all of these set boundaries.
- Our personal relationship with our creator that we want to ignore the ancient landmarks.
- Israel through the Old Testament, ignored and removed the ancient landmarks of Jehovah’s limits and directions
- 2 Chron. 7:14-20
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
15 Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer [that is made] in this place.
16 For now have I chosen and sanctified this house, that my name may be there for ever: and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.
17 And as for thee, if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, and do according to all that I have commanded thee, and shalt observe my statutes and my judgments;
18 Then will I stablish the throne of thy kingdom, according as I have covenanted with David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man [to be] ruler in Israel.
19 But if ye turn away, and forsake my statutes and my commandments, which I have set before you, and shall go and serve other gods, and worship them;
20 Then will I pluck them up by the roots out of my land which I have given them; and this house, which I have sanctified for my name, will I cast out of my sight, and will make it [to be] a proverb and a byword among all nations.
(KJV)
2 Kings 17:13-23
Yet the LORD testified against Israel, and against Judah, by all the prophets, [and by] all the seers, saying, Turn ye from your evil ways, and keep my commandments [and] my statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by my servants the prophets.
14 Notwithstanding they would not hear, but hardened their necks, like to the neck of their fathers, that did not believe in the LORD their God.
15 And they rejected his statutes, and his covenant that he made with their fathers, and his testimonies which he testified against them; and they followed vanity, and became vain, and went after the heathen that [were] round about them, [concerning] whom the LORD had charged them, that they should not do like them.
16 And they left all the commandments of the LORD their God, and made them molten images, [even] two calves, and made a grove, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served Baal.
17 And they caused their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire, and used divination and enchantments, and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.
18 Therefore the LORD was very angry with Israel, and removed them out of his sight: there was none left but the tribe of Judah only.
19 Also Judah kept not the commandments of the LORD their God, but walked in the statutes of Israel which they made.
20 And the LORD rejected all the seed of Israel, and afflicted them, and delivered them into the hand of spoilers, until he had cast them out of his sight.
21 For he rent Israel from the house of David; and they made Jeroboam the son of Nebat king: and Jeroboam drave Israel from following the LORD, and made them sin a great sin.
22 For the children of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did; they departed not from them;
23 Until the LORD removed Israel out of his sight, as he had said by all his servants the prophets. So was Israel carried away out of their own land to Assyria unto this day.
(KJV)
4. How to Take Spiritual Survey Of Our Lives Today
1, Is Jesus Christ my anointed Lord?
1 John 5:1
Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.
(KJV)
2. Am I obedient to the word of God?
1 John 2:3-5
And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
(KJV)
3. Am I developing Christ’s righteousness?
1 John 2:28-29
And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.
29 If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.
(KJV)
4. What is my attitude toward sin?
1 John 3:6-9
Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.
7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
(KJV)
5. How is my love for my brothers?
1 John 3:14-18
We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not [his] brother abideth in death.
15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.
16 Hereby perceive we the love [of God], because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down [our] lives for the brethren.
17 But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels [of compassion] from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
(KJV)
6. Which is greater the love of the world or my love for Christ?
1 John 5:4-5
For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, [even] our faith.
5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
(KJV)
5. Conclusion
• At our “Bloody Angle”, a cross was set up on the breastworks of our lives and here sin was defeated.
• It’s this ancient boundary marker that remind us how we should thus live, enabling us to have spiritual victory
• Ignoring or disregarding this marker puts us on a downward slippery slope that is tantamount to spiritual defeat.
