Wednesday, July 3, 2013

July 4, 2013

"Do not move an ancient boundary stone set up by your ancestors."   Proverbs 22:28
 
One of the greatest days in the history of the Jewish nation was when they crossed the Jordan and finally entered the Promised Land. There were battles yet to be waged in order to drive the pagans out so they could worship and serve Jehovah in peace. This was to be a land of peace and rest. Once the enemies were conquered they would finally have the chance to worship their God with prosperity and peace. Finally, the promise made to Abraham would be fulfilled.
 
When they finally settled in the land they were given land and God set up boundaries for each tribe and those stones were marked by boundary stones. And since the land was sacred so were those boundaries considered  sacred as well. It was sinful and illegal to move a boundary stone.
 
To move a boundary was to steal property from your neighbor, and worse, it was deliberate defiance of God. It was tantamount to saying you knew better than God about what should be yours and what should belong to your neighbor.

For those boundaries there was no time limitations on how long those boundaries and boundary stone markers should remain they were not to be moved. God said so!

Boundaries give a sense of significance. The land within these boundary stones belonged to my father and now it belongs to me! Some day it will belong to my son! I belong to this land and it belongs to me!

Boundaries give a sense of sovereignty. I am in charge of what goes on within the boundaries of this piece of ground!

Boundaries give a sense of security. I am safe within the boundary stones that mark this as my property!

That gives you some background on the concept of boundary stones. They were very important to Jewish social and civil culture!

Don't move those stones!