Hedged In by God

by Buddy Maynard
(Panama City, Florida)

Psalms 80:12-19 Why hast thou then broken down her hedges, so that all they which pass by the way do pluck her? The boar out of the wood doth waste it, and the wild beast of the field doth devour it. Return, we beseech thee, O God of hosts: look down from heaven, and behold, and visit this vine; And the vineyard which thy right hand hath planted, and the branch that thou madest strong for thyself. It is burned with fire, it is cut down: they perish at the rebuke of thy countenance. Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand, upon the son of man whom thou madest strong for thyself. So will not we go back from thee: quicken us, and we will call upon thy name. Turn us again, O LORD God of hosts, cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.

Psalms 89:40-46 Thou hast broken down all his hedges; thou hast brought his strong holds to ruin. All that pass by the way spoil him: he is a reproach to his neighbours. Thou hast set up the right hand of his adversaries; thou hast made all his enemies to rejoice. Thou hast also turned the edge of his sword, and hast not made him to stand in the battle. Thou hast made his glory to cease, and cast his throne down to the ground. The days of his youth hast thou shortened: thou hast covered him with shame. Selah. How long, LORD? wilt thou hide thyself for ever? shall thy wrath burn like fire?

Mark 12:1 And he began to speak unto them by parables. A certain man planted a vineyard, and set an hedge about it, and digged a place for the winefat, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country.

Job 1:10 Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.

Job 3:23 Why is light given to a man whose way is hid, and whom God hath hedged in?

Lamentations 3:7 He hath hedged me about, that I cannot get out: he hath made my chain heavy.

Hedge – 9 times in your Bible….hedged = 3 times, hedges = 6 times

Hedged In -----

1. Hedge of Salvation Delivers our Pardon

John 10:1-13 ---Jesus said that there is only one way into the sheepfold…and whoever comes up another way is a thief and a robber…the hedge is not the way to Jesus…the door is…He is the door – John 10:9

2. Hedge of Separation Determines our Protection

Isaiah 5:5 And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down:
Ecclesiastes 10:8 He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.

3. Hedge of Scripture Delights the Prudent

2 Timothy 3:12-17 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

Psalms 40:8 I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.

Psalms 119:77 Let thy tender mercies come unto me, that I may live: for thy law is my delight.
Psalms 119:174 I have longed for thy salvation, O LORD; and thy law is my delight.

4. Hedge of Safety/Soldier Defends our Position/People of God

Ezekiel 13:5 Ye have not gone up into the gaps, neither made up the hedge for the house of Israel to stand in the battle in the day of the LORD.

Ezekiel 22:30 And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.

Acts 20:26-29 Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.

5. Hedge of Souls Demands our Passion

Luke 14:23 And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. ----the lost are attracted to what they see on the outside, and want to know what is on the inside, so they get stuck in the hedge, and it is our job to go out into the highways and hedges and compel them to come in.

6. Hedge of Suffering Deepens our Power

Job 3:23 Why is light given to a man whose way is hid, and whom God hath hedged in?
Lamentations 3:7 He hath hedged me about, that I cannot get out: he hath made my chain heavy.
Job 23:10 But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.

7. Hedge of Service Demonstrates our Priorities/Hedge of Servanthood Destroys our Pride

1 Chronicles 4:23 These were the potters, and those that dwelt among plants and hedges: there they dwelt with the king for his work.

8. Hedge of the Slothful Destroys our Path

Proverbs 15:19 The way of the slothful man is as an hedge of thorns: but the way of the righteous is made plain.