What Is a Plumb Line In the Bible?
He leads me …
A plumb line, also called a plummet, is a cord with a non-magnetic weight attached to one end. When the cord is held and the weight is not restricted or affected by wind, the line will always be vertical. Until spirit levels became popular, anyone involved in construction work used plumb lines to keep their work straight. A plumb line assures that all work like walls, fences and pillars can be made vertical so that they will not be be crooked.
Because an unrestricted plumb line is always vertical, the Lord has used it as an illustration in Scripture. In Isaiah 28 the Lord takes the role of a builder and says -
‘Look! I am placing a foundation stone in Jerusalem, a firm and tested stone.
It is a precious cornerstone that is safe to build on. Whoever believes need never be shaken.
I will test you with the measuring line of justice and the plumb line of righteousness.
Since your refuge is made of lies, a hailstorm will knock it down.
Since it is made of deception, a flood will sweep it away.’ (Isaiah 28:16-17 NLT).
This is a promise that the Lord is building an unshakeable kingdom, with the foundation stone being symbolic of Jesus. Jesus Christ is the ‘precious cornerstone’ (see Mark 12:10; Acts 4:11; Romans 9:33; 1 Peter 2:6). In building His kingdom, the Lord will make sure that it is perfect in every way - ‘I will test you with the measuring line of justice and the plumb line of righteousness’ (Isaiah 28:17 NLT). As a result, we can be assured that there will be no crookedness (sin) in the God’s kingdom.
What does God mean when He says that, ‘I will test you with the measuring line of justice and the plumb line of righteousness’? Let us look at Amos 7:7–8 NLT) where Amos describes a vision that he saw.
‘I saw the Lord standing beside a wall that had been built using a plumb line. He was using a plumb line to see if it was still straight. And the Lord said to me, “Amos, what do you see?” I answered, “A plumb line.” And the Lord replied, “I will test my people with this plumb line. I will no longer ignore all their sins.”’
What sort of sins was the Lord talking about? Amos 8:4-6 (NLT) tells us –
‘Listen to this, you who rob the poor and trample down the needy!
You can’t wait for the Sabbath day to be over and the religious festivals to end so you can get back to cheating the helpless.
You measure out grain with dishonest measures and cheat the buyer with dishonest scales.
And you mix the grain you sell with chaff swept from the floor.
Then you enslave poor people for one piece of silver or a pair of sandals.’
The Lord was setting His standard, and it was not open to negotiation. God showed that He does not change to suit what people want to do (Numbers 23:19). God’s moral law is the plumb line against which we determine right and wrong (John 17:17). Just as a plumb line is not affected by the opinions or the feelings of the worker, God’s standards are not affected by the opinions of man either. Wise people are those whose lives are upright according to God’s plumb line rather than trying to satisfy their own desires.[1]
As Christians, we cannot ignore the plumb line as irrelevant simply because it is found in the Old Testament. The image of a plumb line is just as important for us today where similar issues and attitudes still exist. Accepting God’s plumb line also helps us to see where we should make adjustments in our lives so that we live according to God’s standards.[2] So, how does our plumb line compare to God’s?
God’s plumb line shows us how to live in a good relationship with both Him and our neighbours (Luke 10:27). The same plumb line also addresses injustice. Isaiah 1:17 tells us to -
‘Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows.’ (NLT)
Psalm 82:3 says something similar as it tells us to -
‘Give justice to the poor and the orphan; uphold the rights of the oppressed and the destitute.’ (NLT)
We see from these verses that injustice is actually a form of bondage and oppression.[3]
There is a very practical caution. Anyone involved in construction work knows that when a wall falls over, it always falls the same way that it has been leaning. Christians can learn from this. We may think that an occasional alcoholic drink, or a few games on the pokie machines is okay, but if these actions lead to an addiction there could be serious consequences.
Christians can be like walls. They will always fall in the direction that they have been leaning too. As with all structures, a serious fault often comes from poor foundations. This applies to Christians whose foundation is Jesus Christ too. If the relationship is unstable it will not be hard for the Christian to waver between what the Bible says, and what they want to do. Praise God for His plumb line and His grace.[4]
There is something else that we should consider. When we look at moral issues, it is easy to look to those people that we associate with and do what they do – especially if they are people who we like. We all want to be affirmed and to feel part of a team or group. So much so that surveys have been done that show that employees regard affirmation as being more important than the money that they earn. So maybe a few ‘little’ compromises need to be made to be accepted. Surely that is okay – right? It is not that hard and it does not require much thought, only loyalty to a person, or a group like a political party, or organisation.
Although this is an easy option it is not the way to live. God has given us abilities and standards to help us make the right moral decisions for life – whether it is small or big.
This is why it is important to live according to the plumb line of Scripture. It is often not easy. We could be on opposite sides of issues with friends and close family. Are we strong enough to stand by what we believe according to Scripture, while still retaining respect for the other people?
The plumb line – God’s Word –stands apart as a standard to live by. It is over to us whether we accept it or reject it.[5]
Dear Reader – If you have found some value in this blog, please feel free to send a copy on to your family and friends. Kind regards, John
[1] What is a plumb line in the Bible? Got Questions Ministries;
https://www.gotquestions.org/plumb-line-Bible.html
[2] What Is a Plumb Line in the Bible and What Does it Mean for Christians? Rev. Kyle Norman, Crosswalk.com;
[3] Commentary: Biblical ‘plumb line’ remains a relevant allegory, Laurene Keane, Daily Pilot, LA Times;
https://www.latimes.com/socal/daily-pilot/tn-dpt-me-0724-commentary2-20160718-story.html
[4] The Plumbline, Pastor Ricky Kurth, Berean Bible Society;
https://www.bereanbiblesociety.org/the-plumbline/
[5] Consider: Following the Plumb Line of God’s Word, Joseph Hamrick, Herald-Banner, Texas;
