The Plumb Line

The Oxford Concise Dictionary defines a plumb as:

1. A weight, usually of lead, suspended at the end of a line and used to determine water depth or verticality.

2. The perpendicular position of a freely suspended plumb line (esp. in out of plumb, off plumb).

3. Vertical or perpendicular.

A plumb line is used in the building and construction sector to establish a true perpendicular, or true vertical, straight line for accurate measurements. The other way a plumb line can be used is in water to check the depth of the sea bed. In the sailing ship days seamen used a heavy weight on a rope which had a knot tied every six feet (1 fathom). This was tossed overboard and every fathom was counted until the weight hit bottom. It was used obviously when they were close to land and unsure of the water depth.

When I was a younger man my wife and I used to do some home renovations. Wallpaper was very much in fashion. I used a plumb line to start off my first sheet of wallpaper. It is surprising how much a seemingly straight wall was off plumb in the corners of adjoining walls. Without the plumb line to guide me the wallpaper would often end up slightly crooked.

Are you aware that a plumb line is mentioned in the Holy Scriptures? The reference can be found in the Old Testament Book of Amos.

Amos 7:4-8:

"(4) Thus the Lord God showed me: Behold, the Lord God called for conflict by fire, and it consumed the great deep and devoured the territory.

(5) Then I said:"O Lord God, cease, I pray! Oh, that Jacob may stand, for he is small!"

(6) So the Lord relented concerning this. "This also shall not be," said the Lord God.

(7) Thus He showed me: Behold, the Lord stood on a wall made with a plumb line, with a plumb line in His hand.

(8) And the Lord said to me, "Amos, what do you see?" And I said, "A plumb line." Then the Lord said:"Behold, I am setting a plumb line In the midst of My people Israel; I will not pass by them anymore."

In verse 7 Amos sees a vision of the LORD holding a plumb line in His hand. The LORD is standing on a wall made with a plumb line. The wall would have been straight and true, because a plumb line was used for accuracy. Note what the LORD said to Amos, "Amos, what do you see?" And I said, "A plumb line." Then the Lord said:"Behold, I am setting a plumb line In the midst of My people Israel; I will not pass by them anymore."

The time had come for judgement on the Northern Kingdom of Israel. The plumb line of God's righteousness would be the measuring line for righteousness. King Jeroboam was an exceedingly wicked king who set up a false system of idol worship in the Northern Kingdom of Israel. He turned the people's hearts away from the LORD.

In the Northern Kingdom every person's actions, deeds and words would be measured against the plumb line of God's righteousness. Let's now look at verse 9. "The high places of Isaac shall be desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste. I will rise with the sword against the house of Jeroboam." The Assyrian nation later carried out that judgement.

What sort of lessons can we learn from Amos chapter 7? Has the righteousness of God changed in our time? The Holy Scriptures are the plumb line of God's righteousness for all generations. You will either rise or fall when measured against God's words. To be truly righteous is to be right with God; with no debt of sin hanging over you.

 Let's look at the words of the apostle Paul in Romans 1:16-18:

"(16) For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.

(17) For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith."

(18) For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness."

King Jeroboam set up a system of false worship deliberately suppressing the truth of the true system of worshipping God at Jerusalem. He brought upon himself the wrath of God. "The high places of Isaac shall be desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste."I will rise with the sword against the house of Jeroboam."

Note in verse 16 above that the righteousness of God is revealed in the gospel of Christ. If we want to be righteous we need to obey the gospel of Christ.

2 Thessalonians 1:6-9:

"(6) Since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you,

(7) and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels,

(8) in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

(9) These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power."

There are many voices in the world today which "...suppress the truth in unrighteousness." You need to weigh up what you hear in the light of God's words. God will never guide you into untruth! The Holy Spirit Himself will guide you into the truths in the Holy Scriptures.

Let's consider the words of the Lord Jesus to His disciples in the Upper Room on the night of His betrayal by Judas Iscariot. John 14:26, "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you." Let the Holy Spirit be your guide. Let the Holy Scriptures act like a plumb line in your life.

Otherwise, the same type of judgement that fell on the Northern Kingdom of Israel will be your lot. "These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power." A truly dreadful eternal destiny!

I sincerely hope that all who read this blog post are true Christians. If you are just a nominal Christian then you need a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. It's easy to say that Jesus is our Lord. Can you personally say that Jesus is my Lord?

Jon Peasey

Biblical Perspectives blog www.jon-peasey.blogspot.com

Ebooks author page https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/JRPeasey

[All Scriptures quoted are from the New King James version; unless otherwise noted. Words enclosed in [ ] are inserted for clarity. Words in bold type emphasise a point. You may notice some verses are quoted with ... at the beginning, ending or elsewhere in a verse. Only the relevant part or parts of the verse, that relate directly to the current subject matter is quoted.]

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