Proverbs 22:28 Wise Words #4
Moving ancient boundary stones was not only a ‘no-no’ to the people but a sin to God. It represented trying to take something you had no right to.
Earlier I said that we probably wouldn’t have any ‘stand-alone’ verses in the Wise Words section. Apparently, I was wrong. Not the first time and certainly not the last time. But God loves me anyway.
These Wise Word were spoken by Solomon earlier in this book of Proverbs. Many of the Wise Words were, but I was listening to the Spirit this morning as I was getting ready to sit and have my time with God. He is NOT relegated to ANY specific time, place, or circumstances when it comes to talking with us. My ‘instruction time’ was in the shower. I trust that He will bring back to my mind the things He considers important and let the rest of it fade away.
When considering the boundary stones it brought to mind the importance of rules and respect (the respect part was something He added just now). The stones represented the division of the land in the beginning. Each man was given an inheritance that he passed on to his children and their children, and so on. We all understand that. But what they also represent are the rules that were laid down. By moving the stones, whoever did it was saying they were ‘above the rules’. They were disrespecting not only their neighbor but their father too. They wanted something more. Greed and lust found a place in their hearts.
This made me think of God’s rules. He set down rules at the very beginning of creation. Man (Eve first) kept moving them, and therefore disrespecting God. From the first sin, DEATH was the penalty for it. Adam and Eve didn’t make a ritual sacrifice (that we know of) to atone for their sins. God took the life of some animal to fashion clothes for them. Their attempt to cover themselves wasn’t working. And the covering they originally had (clothed in the Spirit) was now absent. From the moment God made the first ‘sacrifice’ it was established that the sacrifice cleaned the way for man to speak with God. Not as Adam had originally done but as a child who is working hard to earn back the trust of a parent whom he had disappointed.
God didn’t desire death. It wasn’t His decision to write this rule on man’s heart. It was a necessity for forgiveness. Could God have changed the ‘rules’? Probably, but then we would not be able to trust HIS words. He made boundaries and He stuck with them.
During the time of Moses, God gave specific instructions as to how these things were to take place. Rules about what was required, who could participate, and the attitude in which it was to be offered. (There is certainly a LOT more than this established by His Law but this is where I want to focus today.) If ANY of these elements were altered, the sacrifice did NO good. The sins were not forgiven. By following HIS rules, the people showed their respect for the Lord.
We know, from the fact that God promised a Messiah, that the sacrifices were not really enough. They were a sufficient patch to the broken relationship but they didn’t repair it and make it new. THAT was accomplished by Jesus’ sacrifice. We demonstrate that we recognize God’s love and authority when we reach out and take the gift of Jesus’ sacrifice in our place. When we accept Him as our Lord and Savior. NO OTHER WAY EXISTS TO RESTORE OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM. When anyone tries to come to Him through other means, they are disrespecting Him. They are telling Him that THEY are ‘above the law’ and too good for the requirements He set out. They are “moving the boundary stones” with such actions.
GOD set these stones and they WILL NOT BE MOVED FOR ANYONE. There is no such thing as “good enough” to get into Heaven without following GOD’S plan. No ‘work arounds’. No ‘special circumstances’. No ‘loop holes’. NO ‘better plans’. If there had been, don’t you think God would have taken it?!? It’s GOD’S way or NO way.
And THANK GOD He made a Way!!! Without that Way we would be forever separated from Him. The part of us that was created by HIM for fellowship would be forever empty. We would be searching in vain for something we could never have.
Those boundaries are still in place. God won’t move them and neither can we. The ONLY way to fellowship with Him is through His Son, Jesus. Show Him the respect He is due for the price He paid on OUR behalf.
Father God THANK YOU with ALL my heart for making a way for me to sit in Your lap and listen. I don’t always sit still long enough to get the FULL depth of what You are trying to teach me. THANK YOU that You don’t leave it there, with me only getting a part of the ‘story’. THANK YOU for ‘holding our place’ until I’m ready to sit still again and listen. THANK YOU that I don’t have to be absolutely still to hear Your voice. You talk to me EVERYWHERE and through some of the strangest things.
THANK YOU for Your PERMANENT boundaries. Without them I would have NO certainty of where I stand with You. With them comes security. I can trust YOU to keep Your word, therefore, I am safe when I’m within Your boundaries. And I am welcome. The ‘door’ is NEVER shut in the face of Your children. It closes behind me once I’m ‘inside’ for my safety. I DON’T want to wander out again.
I know, I ‘push against’ Your boundaries at times but I am NEVER put out. I am YOURS FOREVER Father! THANK YOU Jesus for loving me enough to make a way for me to enter God’s boundaries. THANK YOU Holy Spirit for always being ready with the lessons I need each day of my new life. I look forward to MANY more before I lay this body down and get the GREATEST ‘crash course’ ever; when I see Jesus face to face and ALL my questions are answered.
