A Stone of Offense

       The story of the Old Testament and the cycle of disobedience, repentance, and falling away again can be traced back to the Garden and the two Trees—the Tree of Life (in God) and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Why is knowing good connected to knowing evil? Good is settling for less than God’s best. The problem with settling for less is that it doesn’t end there. Once you settle, it’s easier to settle again. And again, and again. That is the lesson of the Old Testament. But it is not the end of the story.
      Each time we settle, we are inevitably disappointed with the results. A myriad of emotions can overwhelm us—frustration, a sense of inadequacy, even disillusionment with God. That is what happened to the divided kingdoms as the Assyrians closed in on them. Because they did not honor their covenant with God, Isaiah declared, “He will be as a sanctuary, but a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense to both the houses of Israel, as a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem” (Is. 8:14).
        God still had a plan for His people—if they would only have ears to hear and eyes to see this time around. “Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious, and he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame” (Is. 28:16). Jesus, the chief cornerstone, would go first to the synagogues, but many would not believe.
        Perhaps this is why Peter encouraged believers to “desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious. Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:2-5). Did you catch that? We are living stones, built up as the House of God, a Living Temple.
            The Chronos Lesson: During Jesus’ earthly ministry, “He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father” (Eph. 2:17-18). The Jews who believed in Jesus would become part of the sanctuary, along with the Gentiles who were far off. The gift of salvation was extended to any and all who would receive it. Sadly, many of the Israelites stumbled over the Stone, a rock of offense—Jesus of Nazareth.
            Part of the mystery of Christ is that when we accept Jesus as our Savior, we become members of His household. “Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit” (Eph. 2:19-22).
         The Father’s House is synonymous with the Mountain of His Kingdom. It has the shape of a pentahedron or a square pyramid. It has a square for a base and four triangular sides that meet at the apex. This means it has five corners, four at the bottom, and one at the top. This is significant because the number five stands for grace in the Bible. Thus, it is a favored structure built on grace.         
       At His resurrection, Jesus became the chief cornerstone of Father’s House. Over the two great Days of the Church Age—what Jesus called Today and Tomorrow—“living stones” have been and are being added. The fact that the same stone forms both the foundation and the apex or pinnacle of this structure speaks wonderfully of Christ. He is the foundation upon which all other stones are built. He is also the capstone—that which rests on top of the edifice and completes the pyramidal kingdom. In this sense, He is both the first and the last, the foundation and the summit, and the beginning and the end.
      In Revelation 3:12, John was instructed to write, “He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of Heaven…”
          In contrast, when God makes the new heavens and new earth, future nations will walk in the light of this Mountain and City, coming in and going out of its gates. As in Old Testament times, these future people will come and present themselves before the Temple. The overcoming Church, on the other hand, is the Temple. Can you see the distinction? While both groups partake of the blessings of that heavenly City, one group comes to visit while the other calls it home.
         When will this Temple be finished? Jesus gave us a clue when He said, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (John 2:19). In one sense, this Temple referred to His human body, which would be resurrected on the third day after being destroyed (crucified).  In another sense, Jesus was referring to the mystery of a living Temple. The mystery of Christ implies that this living Temple will also be raised up on the third Day—that is, on the third great or thousand-year Day from when construction commenced.
          The capstone has yet to be put in place. It cannot be placed until the House is complete. That will happen when His Body is complete and in Heaven with Him compliments of the rapture.