In biblical times, hedges were commonly used as protective barriers around vineyards, fields, and properties. These hedges were often constructed from thorny plants, serving both as a physical boundary and a deterrent to animals and intruders. The imagery of hedges is frequently employed in Scripture to convey themes of protection, separation, and divine judgment.

Biblical References and Symbolism

1. Protection and Security: Hedges symbolize God's protection over His people. In the book of Job, Satan acknowledges the protective hedge God has placed around Job, his household, and all his possessions: "Have You not placed a hedge on every side around him and his household and all that he owns?" (Job 1:10). This hedge signifies divine safeguarding against harm and evil.

2. Divine Judgment and Removal of Protection: Conversely, the removal of a hedge is depicted as a form of divine judgment, exposing the people to danger and destruction. In Isaiah 5:5, God declares His intention to remove the hedge from His vineyard, symbolizing Israel, due to their unfaithfulness: "Now I will tell you what I am about to do to My vineyard: I will take away its hedge, and it will be consumed; I will break down its wall, and it will be trampled."

3. Separation and Distinction: Hedges also serve as a metaphor for separation and distinction. In the parable of the vineyard in Matthew 21:33, Jesus describes a landowner who "planted a vineyard, put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it, and built a watchtower." The wall or hedge around the vineyard signifies the separation of God's chosen people from the surrounding nations, highlighting their unique identity and calling.

4. Thorns as a Symbol of Sin and Consequence: The use of thorns in constructing hedges carries additional symbolic weight. Thorns are often associated with sin, curse, and the consequences of disobedience. In Genesis 3:18, after the fall of man, God declares that the ground will produce "thorns and thistles" as a result of Adam's sin. Thus, a hedge of thorns can represent the barriers and challenges that arise from living in a fallen world.

5. Spiritual Application: The concept of hedges extends to spiritual life, where believers are encouraged to maintain spiritual boundaries to protect their faith and integrity. Proverbs 15:19 states, "The way of the sluggard is like a hedge of thorns, but the path of the upright is a highway." This verse contrasts the obstacles faced by the lazy with the clear path of the righteous, emphasizing the importance of diligence and moral fortitude.

Cultural and Historical Context

In ancient Near Eastern agriculture, hedges were practical and necessary. Thorny plants such as acacia, hawthorn, and bramble were commonly used due to their dense and impenetrable nature. These natural barriers were effective in keeping out wild animals and preventing theft, thus preserving the fruits of labor.

Conclusion

The biblical use of hedges, particularly those made of thorns, is rich with meaning and application. They serve as powerful symbols of God's protection, the consequences of sin, and the need for spiritual vigilance. Through these vivid images, Scripture communicates profound truths about the relationship between God and His people, the reality of divine judgment, and the call to live a life set apart for His purposes.Micah 7:4
The best of them is as a brier: the most upright is sharper than a thorn hedge: the day of your watchmen and your visitation comes; now shall be their perplexity.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

On the Words of the Gospel, Luke xiv. 16, "A Certain Man Made a ...
... Often were they sent, often did they call men, to come at ... to the supper by which
we may be made fat within. ... Let them be drawn away from the hedges, let them be ...
/.../sermons on selected lessons of the new testament/sermon lxii on the words.htm

The Hedge of Thorns and the Plain Way
... He is often on the verge of some good and great thing ... comes this joy, that your way
shall be made plain ... came there by no trespass or breaking of hedges; that you ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/spurgeon/sermons on proverbs/the hedge of thorns and.htm

The Broken Fence
... Fields are often surrounded with wooden palings which soon decay, or with hedges
which may very easily have gaps made in them; but this was a stone ...
//christianbookshelf.org/spurgeon/sermons on proverbs/the broken fence.htm

A Revival Sermon
... Plough up your headlands; root up your hedges; break up ... I believe that the Church
has often been plagued and ... God has favoured her she has not made a proper use ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 6 1860/a revival sermon.htm

Letter clxxiii. (AD 416. )
... You will say, indeed, that here they made a mistake ... I hear that you have remarked
and often quote the ... servants, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel ...
/.../augustine/the confessions and letters of st/letter clxxiii a d 416.htm

The First Commandment
... The sheep run to the hedges for shelter, and they lose ... in my house of prayer.' Isaiah
56:7. God often displays the ... they die, and shall wear a crown made of the ...
/.../watson/the ten commandments/2 1 the first commandment.htm

Repentance unto Life
... I have often thought it was a very beautiful instance ... go ye out into the highways
and hedges, and compel ... I was a struggling captive, but I am now made willing. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 1 1855/repentance unto life.htm

Everybody's Sermon
... field, there was nothing but blackness"bare hedges and leafless ... beasts of the field,
"Behold, I have made a feast ... Have you not been smitten as often as your ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 4 1858/everybodys sermon.htm

"Thou Shall Keep Him in Perfect Peace, Whose Mind is Stayed on ...
... this only is worthy to be made sure; nothing ... Present dispensations often shake men,
and drive them to ... therefore he compasseth you about with hedges of thorns ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/sermon xiii thou shall keep.htm

The Wicked Husbandmen.
... Great criminals are often blind to their own interests: their ... in the midst of it,
and also made a winepress ... Why hast thou then broken down her hedges, so that ...
/.../arnot/the parables of our lord/xi the wicked husbandmen.htm

What is a hedge of protection? | GotQuestions.org

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