The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, and majestic in his radiant splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Isaiah 28:16-17,
"See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who relies on it will never be stricken with panic. I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the plumb line; hail will sweep away your refuge, the lie, and water will overflow your hiding place."
The rulers of the people of Jerusalem placed their trust in something other than the Lord, "We have entered into a covenant with death, with the realm of the dead we have made an agreement." Verse 15. Here is what they looked to for "when the overwhelming scourge sweeps by."
The problem is, of course, when we put our trust in anything but the Lord, we will only find ourselves swept away by "the overwhelming scourge." We need to embrace the tested and precious cornerstone that God lays in Zion.
Paul speaks of this stone in Romans 9:33, "See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, and the one who believes in him will never be put to shame." This stone is Jesus Christ.
Peter speaks of this stone of God in 1 Peter 2:4-8 where he quotes both Isaiah 8:14 and Isaiah 28:16, "As you come to him [the Lord: Jesus Christ], the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For in Scripture it says: 'See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.' Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, 'The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone' and, 'A stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.' They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for."
The object of our faith, what it is we trust in, is all important when we find ourselves before God as our judge, who knows everything we have ever said, thought or done. If we have Jesus Christ as the object of our faith, when the horror of God's judgment comes, Jesus will be our advocate - he has already paid for our sins.
If we trust in Mohammed, Joseph Smith, the federal government (with its "social safety net"), the Pope, the church we attend, some pastor or teacher, our spouse, a friend, a hero, technology, our own capabilities and performance, we will be very, very disappointed.
Jesus Christ, God's precious stone, is the one we are to trust in. He alone can be our ultimate refuge when the storms of adversity come our way.
The rulers of the people of Jerusalem placed their trust in something other than the Lord, "We have entered into a covenant with death, with the realm of the dead we have made an agreement." Verse 15. Here is what they looked to for "when the overwhelming scourge sweeps by."
The problem is, of course, when we put our trust in anything but the Lord, we will only find ourselves swept away by "the overwhelming scourge." We need to embrace the tested and precious cornerstone that God lays in Zion.
Paul speaks of this stone in Romans 9:33, "See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, and the one who believes in him will never be put to shame." This stone is Jesus Christ.
Peter speaks of this stone of God in 1 Peter 2:4-8 where he quotes both Isaiah 8:14 and Isaiah 28:16, "As you come to him [the Lord: Jesus Christ], the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For in Scripture it says: 'See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.' Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, 'The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone' and, 'A stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.' They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for."
The object of our faith, what it is we trust in, is all important when we find ourselves before God as our judge, who knows everything we have ever said, thought or done. If we have Jesus Christ as the object of our faith, when the horror of God's judgment comes, Jesus will be our advocate - he has already paid for our sins.
If we trust in Mohammed, Joseph Smith, the federal government (with its "social safety net"), the Pope, the church we attend, some pastor or teacher, our spouse, a friend, a hero, technology, our own capabilities and performance, we will be very, very disappointed.
Jesus Christ, God's precious stone, is the one we are to trust in. He alone can be our ultimate refuge when the storms of adversity come our way.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
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