Proverbs in 31 DaysSample

Proverbs 23:10 tells us, “Do not move an ancient boundary stone.” What does it mean that we are not to remove an “ancient boundary stone” or “landmark”? What were ancient landmarks? Why were they not to be moved? This is addressed twice in Proverbs (also in Proverbs 22:28), but the context of this command goes back to the books of Deuteronomy and Joshua. In the book of Deuteronomy, Moses is giving the Israelites a review of what has taken place so far. He goes over the history of the Israelites, a review of the law, and calls them to obedience as they are about to enter into the Promised Land. In Deuteronomy 19:14, Moses tells them, “Do not move your neighbor’s boundary stone set up by your predecessors in the inheritance you receive in the land the Lord your God is giving you to possess.”

A landmark was a stone pillar or a pile of stones that marked a property line. They told the people how far they could go and were a means to establish order. These boundaries were pretty strict, and a person was considered cursed if they were to move them or go beyond them (Deuteronomy 27:17). In Mosaic Law, removing a boundary marker was a huge violation and was considered theft. A person could slowly move a landmark, which might not be noticeable each individual time, but could make a significant change over time. When the Israelites conquered and divided the land in the book of Joshua, each tribe was given a specific amount of land to be their inheritance that was marked by a landmark (Joshua 13-19). These landmarks were to remain not only for the conquest generation, but for generations to come.

The eternal truth we take away from this command is that we are to maintain honesty in all areas of our lives. However, we are prone to do the opposite. We can make small compromises that seem insignificant in the moment, but could make a significant impact over time. These small compromises can grow into bigger compromises, and lead us to get to a place where we ask the question: “How did I get here?” These small compromises could look like driving over the speed limit, putting soda in a water cup at a restaurant, using sarcasm as a banner to say hurtful things, lying on time cards at work, or submitting someone else’s work in school. There are countless examples of this. We are tempted to make these decisions when we slowly move away from the truth of God’s Word and forget that everything He commands us to do is for our good. As new creations, we are to live our lives above reproach, walking with the utmost integrity in everything we do.