Proverbs 22:28, “Do not remove the ancient landmark which your fathers have set.”
The importance of the landmark in Bible times can be traced back to the time when God set the boundaries for the children of Israel as they entered into the promised land. But I want to apply this verse to the change from the “good ole days” when nearly everyone knew there was a God, and there were boundaries of integrity, honesty and morality.
How would you like to go back in time one-hundred years? My parents would have gone to church in a horse and buggy. Even when I was child, my mom cooked on a big, cast iron, wood burning stove, and we heated our house with a warm-morning stove in the living room with vents in the ceiling to heat the upstairs…but we never felt any of that heat upstairs, in fact many cold winter mornings we found frost on the window sill. We chopped wood and carried water from a well. We bathed once a week in a metal tub in the kitchen, and walked about fifty yards to the little house behind the house (We had four rooms and a path!) One room school houses, dirt roads, it all seems so primitive now. Our society has come a long way! And for much of this modern technology we are very glad, I for one, would not like to go back!
I know we don't want to live in the past, but when the Bible was in the heart of the people, things were different. It would be good to get back to the old paths, the ancient landmarks.
But now I feel like an antique, I guess, since I’m an octogenarian I am an antique. But in this day of "Marketing the Church," "Postmodernism," "Neopaganism," a watered down Gospel to meet the "felt needs" of people, with the "Willow Creek" model, the "Saddleback" model, the "Emerging Church" model, I just don't seem to fit this new paradigm. When will this modern culture learn that the best model is the "Jesus" model. Matthew 16:18: "On this Rock (speaking of Himself) I will build My church…" The truth is, if we just get out of the way He will build His church!
2 Thessalonians 2:15, "Therefore, brethren, stand fast (continue, establish, persevere, stand firm) and hold the traditions (precepts, teachings) which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle." Philippians 4:1: "Stand fast in the Lord." 1 Corinthians 16:13, "Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong."
