Landmarks

Proverbs 23:10 (KJV) Remove not the old landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless:

Before I spiritualize this and make an application, take a moment to consider what has gone before.  When Israel came into the promised land, it was divided up by tribes.  Within the tribes, it was divided up again and you ended up with people who were given land that was supposed to be theirs forever.  I believe the concept was that you could not sell it permanently, that, for instance, in the year of jubilee it would return to its original owners.

So the old landmarks were significant in saying who each family was, and how they fit into the nation of Israel.  They were not taken lightly.  They weren’t just some marks on the ground.  They were significant fixtures meant to be permanent.  They were the place which you begin to measure other things from.

Now let’s spiritualize just a little bit.  We have certain landmarks that are supposed to be permanent in our lives.  These are the rocks of truth that God gives us in His word.  They are not to be discarded or changed.  They are the starting point of everything else.

It’s easy to mistake landmarks with cultural points of reference.  In worship some people think that the hymns are the only spiritual music.  I confess I come close to that, but I don’t think I’m quite that closed minded.  But we have a scripture reference to psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.  It covers a lot of ground.

So?  Make sure that the basis of your decisions and your values are rooted in scripture not in culture.  Culture changes.  Traditions change.  Truth is a landmark that does not vary.