Respecting Your Neighbor's Landmark

[Mr. M]

Deuteronomy 19:14 You shall not remove your neighbor’s landmark, which the men of old have set,

in your inheritance which you will inherit in the land that the Lord your God is giving you to possess.

********************************************************************************

People often think of the Lord's Covenant with Israel as a Promised Land they would continue to possess

as long as they were faithful to His Law. 

However, the content of that Law is heavily directed towards maintaining the sanctity of every family's

inheritance in the land.

From the year of release, to the inheritance of the daughters of Zelophehad, the Law maintained the

continuity of that inheritance.

It was David, who was promised His Throne to be forever that the inheritance was also spoken of in

perpetuity. To fail to see this truth in the Law is to fail to apply God's Word to the inheritance of the saints.

***********************************************************

Psalm 37:18 The Lord knows the days of the upright,
And their inheritance shall be forever

***********************************************************

The apostle Paul summaries the Law as defining love for our neighbor.

Romans 13:

8 Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. 

9 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” 

“You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment,

are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 

10 Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

How often I see people quote that the Law is summed up with “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 

And yet, the tenth verse specifies "doing no harm", and the Law addresses the many ways that harm is done.

This begins with having a mutual respect for one another's inheritance.

************************************************************

Deuteronomy 27:17 ‘Cursed is the one who moves his neighbor’s landmark.’

“And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’

************************************************************

How are the saints to show that respect for boundaries, if the borders are not set,

and the landmarks are not identified? Every inheritance is unique, and sealed by the Spirit.

Ephesians 1:

13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation;

in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 

14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, 

to the praise of His glory.

***************************************************************

Proverbs 22:28 Do not remove the ancient landmark which your fathers have set.

***************************************************************

Edited April 11, 2024 by Mr. M

[Mr. M]

The most obvious stumbling block for the Church in protecting

the inheritance of all is with people holding positions of authority

failing to lead the flock into their portion.

1 Kings 21:

1 And it came to pass after these things that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard

which was in Jezreel, next to the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. 

2 So Ahab spoke to Naboth, saying, “Give me your vineyard, that I may have it

for a vegetable garden, because it is near, next to my house; and for it

I will give you a vineyard better than it. Or, if it seems good to you,

I will give you its worth in money.”

3 But Naboth said to Ahab, “The Lord forbid that I should

give the inheritance of my fathers to you!”

You can continue reading if interested in Jezebel's wicked solution.

This issue extends to the elders, and senior members of a church.

Ezekiel 34:

17 ‘And as for you, O My flock, thus says the Lord God: “Behold,

I shall judge between sheep and sheep, between rams and goats. 

18 Is it too little for you to have eaten up the good pasture, that

you must tread down with your feet the residue of your pasture—

and to have drunk of the clear waters, that you must foul the residue with your feet? 

19 And as for My flock, they eat what you have trampled with your feet,

and they drink what you have fouled with your feet.”

20 ‘Therefore thus says the Lord God to them: “Behold,

I Myself will judge between the fat and the lean sheep. 

21 Because you have pushed with side and shoulder,

butted all the weak ones with your horns,

and scattered them abroad, 

22 therefore I will save My flock, and they shall no longer

be a prey; and I will judge between sheep and sheep. 

23 I will establish one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them—

My servant David. He shall feed them and be their shepherd. 

24 And I, the Lord, will be their God, and My servant

David a prince among them; I, the Lord, have spoken.

All of Ezekiel 34, Jeremiah 23, and Zechariah 11 must be mandatory

reading for every mature saint to grasp the importance of respecting

boundaries, avoiding stumbling blocks and protecting every inheritance.

[Mr. M]

If you haven't realized already, the thread "The Inheritance"

was begun earlier this week as a preamble.

The two threads will continue to merge.

 

[Neighbor]

Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest? “Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Luke 12:22-34).

[Neighbor]

Boundaries, borders, etc.; all the stuff mankind fights and dies over will pass away. Best to be very careful, and very wary of what one places their hope and security upon. It is not going  to be a line drawn in the shifting sand, nor a surveyor's mark.  

My Lord seems to suggest it is best  to leave all such concerns behind and follow Him. Kind of hard to take that absolutely  literally, but I believe He intended it to be very literal,-  least for some.

It's all going to burn- "Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea.  Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.  And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God iswith men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.  And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

 

[Michael37]

9 hours ago, Mr. M said:

Deuteronomy 19:14 You shall not remove your neighbor’s landmark, which the men of old have set,

in your inheritance which you will inherit in the land that the Lord your God is giving you to possess.

In context, preceding verses speak about cities of refuge, and succeeding verses about dealing with false witnesses.

Together they instruct about fair treatment, something still relevant in both material and spiritual realities.

[Mr. M]

31 minutes ago, Michael37 said:

In context, preceding verses speak about cities of refuge, and succeeding verses about dealing with false witnesses.

Together they instruct about fair treatment, something still relevant in both material and spiritual realities.

Hence, we only understand the statement that "love thy neighbor fulfills the Law"

when you know the Law, and the Father's heart and expectations.

The relationship between brethren beloved elevates us from there to:

1 John 3:16 By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us.

And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 

Life in Christ began in Truth when I ceased to have a life, just an assignment. 

 

Edited April 12, 2024 by Mr. M

[Michael37]

15 minutes ago, Mr. M said:

Life in Christ began in Truth when I ceased to have a life, just an assignment. 

And here we are . . .

[Mr. M]

3 minutes ago, Michael37 said:

And here we are . . .

And you are only at the introduction to the OP...

[Michael37]

1 minute ago, Mr. M said:

And you are only at the introduction to the OP...

Bring it on . . .!