"Do not move an ancient boundary stone or encroach on the fields of the fatherless...." (Proverbs 23:10, NIV)
"Do not remove a boundary marker" (CEV); "Do not remove the ancient landmark" (Amplified); "Do not cheat your neighbor by moving the ancient boundary markers" (NLT).
There are many "spiritual" interpretations of this text, but some times such interpretations just take people from the "real world."
I once read that it was a practice in ancient times to move a person's boundary stone a little at a time so that, over time, they could steal much of a person's property (any application to modern geopolitics is up to you). Our text is a reminder of a couple of things in Biblical Theology about which modern liberal religionists try to deceive the unthinking. First, private property is a Biblical principle. Communism mostly, then socialism, then perverted other various political philosophies advocate the moral superiority of common property, translated in more historically recent terms, "state owned." The only difference between "state owned" and private property is who owns the property. The assumption of the "left" is always that the "state" (which is they themselves) is the most prevailing moral authority in a given society. "The state" knows best, is the most fair, morally superior to any other, will redistribute wealth fairly. And the inevitable will follow; it will punish people for making too much money and award people who don't.
I cannot tell you how many gullible "christians" I have met over the years who believe that communism/socialism is the best "if worked right." How do you "work right" that which is opposed to the Word of God?!? There is a stupid (sorry) assumption that there are hidden in every people group an inherently righteous people. If we would just elect them, let them run things, everybody would have work, all human needs would be met, everyone would be content. The intent of such philosophy is to eliminate Jesus Christ and His Kingdom. The command in our text is, "Do not remove the ancient landmark." It is a sin to take what belongs to one and give it to another. If it belongs to me, I am the one accountable to our Lord Jesus Christ for what I do with it, not some "state."
Second, I give you a teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ. "Then he ordered, 'Take the money from this servant (who did nothing with what he was given) and give it to the one with the ten bags of silver' (not the one with 4). To those who use well what they are given even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away." (From Matthew 25).
Father, in Jesus' Name, forgive me if I have ever removed an, "ancient landmark." Holy Spirit help me to always do something with what I have. Amen.
"Do not remove a boundary marker" (CEV); "Do not remove the ancient landmark" (Amplified); "Do not cheat your neighbor by moving the ancient boundary markers" (NLT).
There are many "spiritual" interpretations of this text, but some times such interpretations just take people from the "real world."
I once read that it was a practice in ancient times to move a person's boundary stone a little at a time so that, over time, they could steal much of a person's property (any application to modern geopolitics is up to you). Our text is a reminder of a couple of things in Biblical Theology about which modern liberal religionists try to deceive the unthinking. First, private property is a Biblical principle. Communism mostly, then socialism, then perverted other various political philosophies advocate the moral superiority of common property, translated in more historically recent terms, "state owned." The only difference between "state owned" and private property is who owns the property. The assumption of the "left" is always that the "state" (which is they themselves) is the most prevailing moral authority in a given society. "The state" knows best, is the most fair, morally superior to any other, will redistribute wealth fairly. And the inevitable will follow; it will punish people for making too much money and award people who don't.
I cannot tell you how many gullible "christians" I have met over the years who believe that communism/socialism is the best "if worked right." How do you "work right" that which is opposed to the Word of God?!? There is a stupid (sorry) assumption that there are hidden in every people group an inherently righteous people. If we would just elect them, let them run things, everybody would have work, all human needs would be met, everyone would be content. The intent of such philosophy is to eliminate Jesus Christ and His Kingdom. The command in our text is, "Do not remove the ancient landmark." It is a sin to take what belongs to one and give it to another. If it belongs to me, I am the one accountable to our Lord Jesus Christ for what I do with it, not some "state."
Second, I give you a teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ. "Then he ordered, 'Take the money from this servant (who did nothing with what he was given) and give it to the one with the ten bags of silver' (not the one with 4). To those who use well what they are given even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away." (From Matthew 25).
Father, in Jesus' Name, forgive me if I have ever removed an, "ancient landmark." Holy Spirit help me to always do something with what I have. Amen.
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When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
