Jesus: cornerstone

“The Cornerstone” (1886-1894) 

by James Tissot (1836-1902)

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Psalm 118:15-29

TO CHEW ON: “The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone.” Psalm 118:22

Psalm 118 was a hymn for the Feast of Tabernacles called a Hallel. The procession of the king, priests and people carried palm branches and sang this song as they approached the temple. In the first part of the psalm the king recalls his victories. In the second (our reading today), the procession moves from the temple gateway to the altar.

Maybe it was the sight of the impressive temple building that brought up the cornerstone imagery. The verses we are focusing on talk about this most important stone  (“It could have been a large stone over a doorway like a lintel; a keystone holding up an arch; or a cornerstone at the base of perpendicular walls” – Quest Study Bible, p. 837). The builders in the psalm neglect to put it in, or reject it. The psalmist leaves unstated what will happen to that unfortunate building, but we can imagine!

In our reading in Zechariah a few days ago, we noted that the cornerstone was one of the metaphors used for Messiah (Zechariah 10:4). Here  Jesus quotes the reference to the cornerstone from Psalm 118 as a reference to Himself (Matthew 21:42).  He says that just like the king’s subjects kill the king's son, in the story He has just told, the scribes and Pharisees are rejecting Him and by doing that turning their backs on the foundation or cornerstone of God’s plan of salvation.

In the Easter season just past, as we remembered how Jesus was rejected by the people of His time and crucified, we may have been tempted to look with haughtiness on them, thinking we would never do that if He were with us in person now. But I wonder, sometimes, if we don’t do just that in subtle ways, as we try to twist the gospel  into a more socially acceptable message for the people of our time – people who don’t like to be told that God has set an objective standard of right and wrong, that on our own we can’t attain that standard, and that God sent Jesus to die and rise again so we can be reconciled to Him. He (His incarnation, death and resurrection) is still and will always remain the chief cornerstone and foundation of God’s plan.

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, thank You for coming to earth to fulfill God’s plan to reconcile us to Himself. Help me, as Your child, to make You the cornerstone of my life. Amen


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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Remember—and thank!

Building a booth for the Feast of Tabernacles

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Psalm 118:1-14

TO CHEW ON: "Oh give thanks to the Lord for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever."  Psalm 118:1

You have no doubt noticed how the pain and stress of past torments and troubles fades with time. When I look back on events of ten, fifteen years ago, they have a rosy glow about them. Even the hard times feel like "the good old days."

That phenomenon seems to be in evidence in this psalm. The writer recalls dangers, times of distress, being surrounded by enemies, attacked as if by "bees," manhandled and pushed. Yet the main memory is of God coming to the rescue.

Psalm 118 was part of the Feast of Tabernacles celebration. The Feast of Tabernacles was a main feast of the Jewish year, taking place in our October, five days after the Feast of Atonement. One of its main purposes was to keep alive the memory of how God helped and preserved Israel during her sojourn in the wilderness.

On the first day of that eight-day feast each person helped gather twigs of willow, palm, myrtle or bulrushes to build temporary huts or booths. These booths reminded them of God's protection, preservation, and shelter from heat and storm during their wilderness wanderings. Everyone from children to servants joined in the celebration.

On the eighth and final day of the feast Israel's high priest led a procession of priests and thousands of worshipers. They descended from the Temple Mount to the Pool of Siloam. There the priest filled a pitcher with water, then the procession took another route back to the temple. The priest poured the water on the altar in a ceremony to invoke God's blessing of the "early rains," of October and November, ensuring a spring crop.

As the water was being poured out the temple music (Hallel) began. Psalm 118 was part of the Hallel (Psalm 113-118). Israel's memories of trouble and God coming to their rescue—setting them "in a broad place," being on their side, quenching enemies "like a fire of thorns," being their strength, song and salvation.

We don't have to wait for a special feast day to praise God for how He has similarly been with us and helped us. Let's take some time today to "Give thanks to the Lord for He is good! For His mercy endures forever."

 
PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for all the times You have preserved me and my family—through childbirth, accidents, work firings, illnesses, moves, travels and trips… You are good! Amen.


MORE: More about the feast of Tabernacles (also called Feast of Booths, and Sukkot)

Learn more about the Feast of Tabernacles from these web articles:

• Sukkot (Article on Wikipedia)

• Feast of Tabernacles (Christ-Centered Mall site) 

• Feast of Tabernacles (Booths) - Bible Truth Website

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Jesus: cornerstone

"The Cornerstone' by James Tissot

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Psalm 118:17-29

TO CHEW ON: “The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone.” Psalm 118:22

Psalm 118 was a part of the Hallel prayed and sung during the Feast of Tabernacles.  In the first part of the psalm (Psalm 118:1-16) the king recalls his victories and remembers how God has helped the nation through all kinds of confrontations and enemy onslaughts.

Maybe it is the sight of the impressive temple building that inspires the cornerstone imagery in the second part of the psalm. The verse we are focusing on talks about this most important stone  (“It could have been a large stone over a doorway like a lintel; a keystone holding up an arch; or a cornerstone at the base of perpendicular walls” – Quest Study Bible, p. 837). The builders neglect to put it in, or reject it. The psalmist leaves unstated what will happen to that unfortunate building, but we can imagine!

In the New Testament Jesus quotes this verse as a reference to Himself (Matthew 21:33-46).  He says that just like the king’s subjects kill the king’s son (in the story he tells), the scribes and Pharisees are rejecting Him and by doing that turning their backs on the foundation or cornerstone of God’s plan of salvation.

We have recently celebrated Easter when were reminded of how Jesus was rejected by the people of His time and crucified. We may be tempted to look with haughtiness on them, thinking we would never do that if He were with us now. But I wonder, sometimes, if we don’t do just that in subtle ways, as we try to twist the gospel  into a more socially acceptable message for the people of our time – people who don’t like to be told that God has set an objective standard of right and wrong, that on our own we can’t attain that standard, and that God sent Jesus to die and rise again so we can be reconciled to Him. He (His incarnation, death and resurrection) is still and will always remain the chief cornerstone and foundation of God’s plan.

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, thank You for coming to earth to fulfill God’s plan to reconcile us to Himself. Help me, as Your child, to make You the cornerstone of my life. Amen


MORE: Angel of the Lord by Hillsong (sung by Miriam Webster)

 The beautiful song "Angel of the Lord" begins with words from Psalm 23. The chorus has a line of lyrics from our reading today: Psalm 118:17: "I will not die but live to tell what He has done."

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The Holy Bible, New King James Version Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. - Used with permission.