“Remove not the ancient landmark which thy fathers have set.” I’ve read that lots of times but this morning the verse speaks to me. In the past I’ve read the verse and thought about the landmarks that divided property. Of course it would be wrong for a person to arbitrarily move the property line, stealing land from his neighbor. In the OT we are instructed not to muzzle the ox that treads out the corn and that has a very simple and obvious meaning. In the NT Paul takes that verse about the ox and applies it to taking care of your pastor. This morning as I lay in bed praying for wisdom to be the mom of seven children ages 14-24, it seemed the Holy Spirit applied the verse for me in another way. As churches and families we have ancient landmarks–lines we have drawn for our members to live within. The lines were put there because someone thought and prayed and studied and drew a helpful line. The lines vary a little from church to church and from family to family. The personal experiences of our ancestors were factors in the lines drawn. I have heard it said that every 50 years you have to start a new church because the old one has lost its original lines. The generations move the lines ever so slightly and continuously. Yet the scriptures tell us “remove not the ancient landmark that thy fathers have set.”
You remember the children of Jonadab. They were to live in tents as nomads and drink no wine. God used the obedience of this family to the lines drawn by their forefather as a lesson to the Israelites. This family was keeping their ancient landmarks even when it was not convenient. The man of God had brought them into the house of God to offer them wine to drink (all a part of the lesson God was teaching). They refused even though it made them appear odd, out of step with their day– and what good reason was there for it? Jonadab had simply told them “that you may live long in the land….” Did this make a lot of sense to all of them? Yet they kept the lines intact.
In our family we have some out of the ordinary lines drawn as well. We don’t pierce anything on our body. This is from the grandparents and we honor them. Some of us have at times been tempted to pierce our ears but we realize it would disappoint the grands and we would no longer be able to say don’t make piercings on your body if we pierce something. We have other such unusual lines as I am sure your family does.
It seems each generation pushes the lines farther. Early in the twentieth century one of our family members was said to have been humiliated because as she stepped into a boat a young man saw her ankle. You should visit one of our family reunions this summer! You’ll see a lot more than an ankle! It seems that once we begin to move the landmarks we don’t know where to stop and each generation moves them farther.
“Remove not the ancient landmark which thy fathers have set.”
One Response
This was a really good post. I do not have any particular landmarks that were passed down to me from my family….but Matt and I have taken many principles form the bible….which in a sense are being passed down to us from the Lord… and applied them to our family….passing them down to our children.
It is a blessing that your children have parents that have set Godly lines of protection. You all have done a great job!!!! Your family is such a good testimony and example.