Isaiah 28:16 says
Therefore thus says the Lord Jehovah: Indeed I lay a stone in Zion as a foundation, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone as a foundation firmly established; He who believes will not hasten away.
and in 1 Pet 2:6, 7 we read
For it is contained in scripture “Behold, I lay in Zion a cornerstone, chosen and precious; and he who believes on Him shall by no means be put to shame.” To you therefore who believe is the preciousness; but to the unbelieving, “The stone which the builders rejected, this has become the head of the corner,”
In message 10 of the Isaiah crystallization study I was very much impressed with Christ as the living stone, foundation stone, cornerstone, and the topstone constituting us with His stone nature to make His believers living stones for God’s building.
He is also a stumbling stone to the unbelieving religionists and a smiting stone to the nations. Christ will eventually be a stone for reigning. In Daniel chapter 2 Christ is the stone cut out without hands, this stone will become a great mountain and fill the whole earth.
Christ is The Stone – the all-inclusive stone given to us by God to be everything to us. The Bible reveals Christ as a stone for His believers in so many aspects, among which are:
- To His believers, Christ is a stone for “salvation”.
# Isa 26:4 Trust in Jehovah forever and ever, for in Jah Jehovah we have an eternal rock.
# Acts 2:21 And it shall be that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. - To His believers Christ is a stone for “regeneration”.
# 1 Pet. 1:23 Having been regenerated not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible, through the living and abiding word of God. - To His believers Christ is a stone, a rock for “drinking”.
# 1 Cor. 10:4 And all drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank of a spiritual rock which followed them, and the rock was Christ. - To His believers Christ is a stone for “transformation”.
# Matt. 16:18 And I also say to you that you are Peter (meaning stone),… – Peter’s name change from Simon meant that he would be transformed from clay to stone for God’s building. - To His believers Christ is a stone for “God’s building”.
# 1 Pet 2:5 You yourselves also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house into a holy priesthood…
Christ as the cornerstone is the unique salvation to sinners, and it is in His unique name under heaven, a name despised and rejected but honored and exalted by God, that sinners must be saved not only form sin but also to participate in God’s building.
Call on the stone: He is the tried and trustworthy One! He is the One who has passed every test as the tested stone. As we come to Him He will make us living stones for God’s dwelling place. As the cornerstone we will be joined together in Him for God’s building. Eventually we will be the increase of the stone, becoming a great mountain to fill the earth. Hallelujah. [guest post, bro. Moh]
