In Psalm 118 we see how Christ as the stone which the builders have rejected has become the head of the corner, even the chief cornerstone (Psa. 118:22). The thanksgiving of God’s elect for God’s goodness and the everlasting lovingkindness are both leading to Christ as the cornerstone for God’s building.
The cornerstone is the most important stone in the building, because it joins the whole building together – “In whom all the building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord” (Eph. 2:21).
Hallelujah for Christ as the all-inclusive stone, the cornerstone which fits us all in God’s temple, His dwelling place!
Christ is the chief cornerstone
The Jewish leaders were supposed to be “the builders” to build the house of God, but they rejected Christ to the extent that they crucified Him. But Christ became – through His death and resurrection – the head of the corner, the chief cornerstone, for God’s building.
In Isaiah 28:16 Christ is the foundation stone, in Zech. 4:7 Christ is the topstone, and in Psalm 118:22 Christ is the cornerstone.
The most important one is the cornerstone – it joins the building together, the two walls, and causes it to stand. In His resurrection Christ has joined us together to be His Body – He has made us one!
Today we the Gentile believers can be one and can have sweet fellowship in Christ and because of Christ as the cornerstone who joins us together in God’s building!
We are being built together as a dwelling place of God in spirit – it is in our spirit that Christ as the Spirit today unifies us, unites us, mingles us, joins us, knits us, blends us, and builds us up in God’s building.
We need to see the importance and the preciousness of Christ as the cornerstone, and we need to exercise our spirit to be fully joined to Him as the building One, the knitting One, the joining One.
Believe on Christ as the cornerstone
1 Pet. 2:6 says, Behold, I lay in Zion a cornerstone, chosen and precious; and he who believes on Him shall by no means be put to shame. Christ is this precious and chosen cornerstone who, in His resurrection, was laid in Zion for God’s building.
Today we need to “believe on Him” – not just “in Him”, but “on Him”, taking Christ as the base, a standing. Christ as the cornerstone is a strong base, a strong standing, in our faith – and we are not put to shame! Let us trust in Christ, the trustworthy cornerstone, and believe on Him as the strong base and steadfast cornerstone for our faith!
As the cornerstone Christ is the joining factor between the Jews and the Gentiles; He joins two people, two cultures, and two economies.
He is the joining factor, the blending factor, and the building factor of all the races, peoples, cultures, and even of God’s two economies! We should put our trust in no one else and in nothing else – only Christ as the cornerstone can build us up with the other believers for God’s building, the corporate expression of God!
As the foundation He is spreading horizontally; as the cornerstone He extends vertically, and as the topstone He caps everything! Christ is all-inclusive in God’s building, filling all and in all, and we have a place in Him!
Christ as the cornerstone makes us living stones
As we believe on Christ and as we enjoy Him as the cornerstone we are being saved (Acts 4:11-12) and made living stones for the building up of God’s spiritual house (see Matt. 16:16-18; John 1:42; 1 Pet. 2:2-6).
Christ as the cornerstone is now transforming us (Rom. 12:2a; 2 Cor. 3:18) to build us up into the dwelling place of God (see Eph. 2:19-22) for the carrying out of God’s eternal economy for His good pleasure (Eph. 1:9; 3:9-11)!
Hallelujah for Christ as the cornerstone! He as the all-inclusive stone in God’s building is saving us, transforming us, building us up, and He is accomplishing God’s hearts desire!
Thank You Lord for becoming the head of the corner, the cornerstone, for the building of God! We believe on You and we put our trust in You that we may never be shaken, moved, or taken out of God’s building. Lord, build us up into God’s spiritual house as the living stones! Continue in Your process of transforming us into Your image! Gain Your dwelling place, Your building, the fulfillment of Your heart’s desire!
References and Further Reading
- Sharing inspired from, Life-study of the Psalms, and, The Conclusion of the New Testament (see msgs. 59, 336, and 383), as quoted in the Holy Word for Morning Revival on the Crystallization-Study of Psalms (2), week 19.
- Verses and footnotes: Eph. 2:20, footnote 3, Matt. 21:42, footnote 1;
- Hymns on this topic:
# Thou art the Stone tried by many, / Precious to God, dear to us, / Thou art so sure and trustworthy, / Thy strength is so marvelous.
# Jesus is getting us together, / Come and see the saints in one accord. / His love is knitting us together, / To the stature of the fullness of the Lord.
# The chief Cornerstone Thou art, Lord, / Jewish builders did despise; / God by resurrection placed Thee, / Thou art precious in His eyes. - Picture source: Psalm 118:22, Christ is the Cornerstone.
