WELCOME TO WORDSERVICE.ORG

Wordservice.org

JESUS ILLUSTRATED AS THE STONE

    Bible Symbolism

Daniel 2:34. You looked until that a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and broke them to pieces. 35. Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.

     Luke 20:9 Then began he to speak to the people this parable; A certain man planted a vineyard, and leased it forth to husbandmen, and went into a far country for a long time. 10 And at the season he sent a servant to the husbandmen, that they should give him of the fruit of the vineyard: but the husbandmen beat him, and sent him away empty. 11 And again he sent another servant: and they beat him also, and entreated him shamefully, and sent him away empty. 12 And again he sent a third: and they wounded him also, and cast him out. 13 Then said the lord of the vineyard, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son: it may be they will reverence him when they see him. 14 But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir: come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours. 15 So they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do unto them? 16 He shall come and destroy these husbandmen, and shall give the vineyard to others. And when they heard it, they said, God forbid. 17 And he beheld them, and said, What is this then that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner? 18 Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. 19 And the chief priests and the scribes the same hour sought to lay hands on him; and they feared the people: for they perceived that he had spoken this parable against them.

      Acts 4:10 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him does this man stand here before you whole. 11 This is the stone which was rejected by you builders, which is become the head of the corner.

      Ephesians 2:19 Now therefore you are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; 20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;

      1 Peter 2:6 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. 7 Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but to them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, 8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.

     Matthew 16:15 He (Jesus) said to them, But whom say you that I am? 16 And Simon Peter answered and said, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17 And Jesus answered and said to him, Blessed are you, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood has not revealed it to you, but my Father which is in heaven. 18 And I say also to you, That you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.  The rock that Jesus is referring to is himself and the manner in which he will build his church. That just like Peter: Individuals will receive direct divine revelation from heaven that Jesus is the Messiah, the son of the living God verses being taught it by men. That is the way in which the world will not prevail in its fight against Gods church.  If people are taught by men that Jesus is the Messiah and the son of the living God apart from any personal divine interaction.  Even though it is true. The gates of hell will prevail that, against mere cultural Christianity lead by religious organizations.

     Isaiah 32: 1 Behold, a king (the Messiah) shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment. 2 And a man (again, the Messiah)  shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land. 3 And the eyes of them that see shall not be dim, and the ears of them that hear shall hearken. 4 The heart also of the rash shall understand knowledge, and the tongue of the stammerers shall be ready to speak plainly.  

     Exodus 17:6 Behold, I will stand before you there upon the rock in Horeb; and you will strike the rock, (Jesus was struck and hung on a cross.) and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.  Same story in Numbers: 20:11 And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also. 12 And the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, Because you believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them. In this version it records how God was seeking an occasion to not allow Moses, as a representative of the first covenant to lead the people into the promised land. That would be done by Yashua who's name transliterated from Hebrew to English is Joshua.  This is why the rock was struck a second time as it symbolized the second covenant that gives the water of life and it was Moses's Yashua that would actually lead the people into the symbolic promised land. Of course all this symbolized the Messiah who name is Yashua. It's he who gives the water of life and leads the people of faith of all nations into the promise of God to inherit not just a little strip of land called Israel, but the entire earth. Matthew 5:5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

© Daniel Martinovich 2002-2017