There was a sad but ancient custom among the ungodly criminals of olden times of going into the fields, out where no one could see them, and moving the boundary marker of the neighbor’s land so as to increase one’s own possession. When Solomon wrote the proverbs, he was familiar with this unrighteous act and gave the warning to Remove not the old landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless” (Proverbs 23:10). This one command as given as that of humanity from man to man as to how neighbors should treat one another. Provided, hwever, in that statement is a valuable lesson for all mankind today.
Just as in ancient times, as well as today, there are boundary markings, giving the dimensions of a plot of land, God has provided boundary markings when it comes to His divine will and way. God’s will is as old as God Himself, and as it has been and is unchanging in God He expects it to remain that way among His creation as well. Contrary, though, to the will of God is the will of carnal man. And in the absence of a physical presence of God among this world, man has allowed his will in most, if not all, areas to supersede the will of God. The result of this is Protestant denominationalism and other world religions, atheism, agnosticism, organic evolution, theistic evolution, immorality, and even much of this even within the body of Christ itself. How is it that amidst a creation able to know God and his will that there can be such a large separation, for the most part, between God and man? Those old landmarks no longer are respected as proper boundaries, thus man has removed them.
There is a very famous “Christian” author (whose name will not be included so that no more attention will be drawn to him than is necessary) who has made the statement that for most of his life he viewed the Bible as a blueprint, but now in his latter years has come to view it as a love letter instead. That appears to be a sentimental statement from a weary soldier of the cross. However, rather it is a statement rejecting the obvious design for the lives of man that God has provided through His word. Is the thought that the scriptures are a book whose theme is love rejected? NO! The clear stipulations, though, which God has provided as a means of regulating man’s decisions and lifestyles cannot be ignored.
Three different places scattered throughout the Bible give the same warning as it relates to God’s revealed and written will for man:
Deuteronomy 4:2 – “Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you.”
Proverbs 30:6 – “Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.”
Revelation 22:18-19 – “For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.”
In these three passages is a very strong, united urge for each individual throughout each generation to give respect to the scriptures as to what they are: the all inspired, plenary, and inerrant word of God (II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:3). And in such that boils down in its simplest form to one decree: “REMOVE NOT THE OLD LANDMARKS.”
Is any man smarter than God? Is any group of men smarter than God? Obviously the answer to these two questions is no. God by His divine nature is omniscient, or all-knowing (Psalm 147:5). Therefore because He is all-knowing, there is nothing in knowledge that He lacks. Man, however, is not all-knowing. Then comparatively it is concluded that man is not smarter than God, thus any work which God has produced cannot logically be altered by man, or else it automatically becomes imperfect.
There is one thing that absolutely irritates most people, and that is when others do not respect their property. This world is full of lazy con-artists who, unwilling to earn an honest day’s pay for an honest day’s work, prey upon the property of others, taking what is another’s and making it theirs’. Just as much as we desire for other’s to respect the boundaries of our land and the possessions which we have obtained, God has one request. His request is to take what He has provided for the eternal benefit of all mankind and leave it alone. The Bible is a beautiful combination of sixty-six works, written by some forty men, over a period of some 1,600 years. It is perfect just the way it is. As one who dearly loves and respects the Bible as the complete word of God, I too have but one request: “REMOVE NOT THE OLD LANDMARKS.”
-Andy Brewer