What does stone represent in the Bible?

Stones were also used for other purposes. In early days they were made into weapons; circumcision was practised with sharp stones. Ex. 4:25; Joshua 5:2-3. The law was engraven on stones. Ex. 24:12; Joshua 8:32; 2 Cor. 3:7. Stones were cast upon land to spoil it for agriculture. 2 Kings 3:19, 25. They were used in the punishment of stoning. John 10:31-33. And given as a token of approval, as the white stone in Rev. 2:17.

Metaphorically stones represent hardness, strength, firmness: as the 'stony heart.' Ezek. 11:19; Ezek. 36:26. The Lord Jesus is the 'stone' which the Jewish builders refused, but He became the head stone of the corner. Matt. 21:42. He is also the 'living stone,' to whom the saints come as 'living stones,' and are built up 'a spiritual house.' 1 Peter 2:4-5.

Stone is the oldest and most enduring thing on the earth: for the granite was formed, we are told, as the globe cooled from its condition of liquid heat, and it is the foundation of everything else. In Daniel where Christ is spoken of as a stone cut out without hands, He is called the Ancient of Days; and there is no doubt that those are the chief features — Age and Stability. There is also passive strength and weight, the ironstones and ores; with value, the quartz, or diamond. But the type is presented in various ways: not only is he proclaimed as the Rock of Ages for a security for those in the tempests which Isaiah predicts, but also the Rock on which the church shall be built; a rock of habitation (Marg.); the rock of my heart (Marg.); "the rock that followed them," and other such names of dignity, but also in the humblest aspects of a stone rejected by men, yet chosen of God and made by Him a foundation stone (everything beginning in and resting on Christ), and the head stone of the corner (everything ending and culminating in Him), and also a living stone, a tried stone (tried by death), and an elect stone (elect in resurrection) — a precious stone.

Our Lord identified the stone as symbolic of Himself. He asked the chief priests and elders of the people, “Did ye never read in the Scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? Therefore say I unto you … whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder” (Matt. 21:42-44).

From another standpoint we need the Stone. Now a stone may speak of many things but it certainly speaks of stability. Men build their houses, make their erections, but sooner or later it all comes down. God is going to have His erection. God is the Builder and He has found His Stone. In the Old Testament that thought is greatly developed. You may remember Psalm 118. Isaiah too speaks of the Stone. We read of the sure foundation stone in Isaiah 28. In Psalm 118 we get that great word about the Stone which the builders refused having become the very Head Stone of the corner. The Lord Jesus Christ was God's Stone. Coming from thence, He was the Stone of Israel.

But He was a stone of such a character and shape that He did not, He could not, fit into men's building, experiment as they might. The Pharisees and others who were the national builders, busy with their religious systems, would have been glad to have had someone who could do marvellous works of power. If only He would have joined with them in a mutual admiration society, and patted them on the back and let them pat Him on the back, they would have been glad. And if He had so acted as to ensure that religious power and authority and prestige should still belong to them; why, they would have worked Him in. He would have been received with acclamation. But no! He was not a stone of that sort. He could not be worked into man's corrupt, tumble down, ramshackle building, and they rejected Him. But in spite of their refusal He is the Stone of Israel, the great Foundation upon whom everything rests. We can say with very glad hearts, And the Foundation for us also. In Genesis these things stand in a setting that relates to the earth and to Israel. As we go further on we see they have an application to ourselves. In Ephesians 2, and elsewhere, we find He is the chief corner Stone of the Church edifice — that which God is building today.

Upon the feet of the image the stone fell. The stone is described as 'cut out without hands;' that is, apart from man having anything to do with it — not human but Divine in origin. The first prophetic reference to the Lord Jesus as the Stone is in Genesis 49:24, when old Jacob, in blessing his sons made a parenthetic exclamation, 'from thence is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel.' Under this figure He again appears in Isaiah 28:16, and so on into the New Testament.

The altar of stone is of course a different, and in some respects a contrasted thought. Stone is of the material of rock, the type of unyielding strength, a thought that we shall find repeated in the brazen altar, and linked there as here with that in which the secret of it is discovered. The Son of Man is the Ancient of Days. The rejected "Stone" is the "Rock of Ages." It is this that again gives value to the cross, and makes Christ the power of God unto salvation. Everlasting arms are they that are thrown around men. The human Sufferer is a divine Saviour.

On the other hand, Israel could voluntarily build an altar of stone. This speaks of Christ as the eternal Son of God, as stone is solid and unyielding in contrast to the crumbling, yielding character of earth. This stone indicated a stronger, more mature faith on the part of the offerer. But it must be built with whole stones, not hewn, for this would be man's work, which would pollute the altar. Whole stones indicate God's work, therefore a true perception of the eternal Godhead of the Lord Jesus.

Then a stone shaped by the Spirit of God would naturally make us think of the "living stones" of which Peter speaks, expanding for us the significance of his own name; stones built up into the spiritual house which is built upon the foundation of living stone, which is Christ Jesus. As stones, they are true and divine material for the house of God in contrast with Babel's bricks of human manufacture (Gen. 11), and are types of permanence and solidity. God's living stones will abide in their God-given place forever, a sanctuary of praise that will never be taken down or cease to manifest His glory eternally.

When, however, we are low enough in our own esteem to notice the nature of this Stone, and to behold its virtues with the eye of faith, we shall see that it is full of beauty and splendour and wonderful significance. In “the depth” it is set at naught by the Jewish builders! (Acts 4:11); in “the height” it is “become the Head of the corner!” In “the depth” it is “a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel!” (v. 14); in “the height” of its glory they shall presently cry with shoutings, “Grace, grace unto it” (Zech. 4:7). Happy are those who value this rejected Stone now. Jacob sought rest by putting his weary head on a stone for a pillow, and set it up afterwards and anointed it as a pillar at Bethel but the real Stone, provided by God, is the One who gives true and lasting rest to the believer; and He is set up a “living Stone” in connection with whom other living stones are being built up as a spiritual Bethel, where worship abounds in truth (1 Peter 2:4-8).

The subject of the Stone or rock will be a familiar one to many of the readers of this magazine. It oftentimes speaks directly of our Lord Jesus Christ, and in circumstances of pressure and crisis. For example, in Genesis 49, in Jacob's prophetic outline of the chequered history of Israel's responsible course, we learn of the Divine intervention in Joseph and we have the promise of “the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel” (Gen. 49:24). In the New Testament we have the precious words of the Lord Jesus Himself when He said, “And upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of hell (hades) shall not prevail against it” (Matt. 16:18). The rock is Christ, the Son of the living God, not Peter as one of the popular modern versions assures us. Another Scripture that can be selected from the long list of references is Isaiah 26:4. “Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength” (Mr. Darby gives “the rock of ages” for “everlasting strength”). What substantial steadying comfort in a topsy-turvy world!

The present enquiry relates to the Corner Stone which, for many years, was a difficulty to the present writer. Where exactly in the building is this corner stone? Enquiries to builders and architects brought various replies and even the brethren and books which were consulted brought differing answers. The best I could get was from Morrish's New and Concise Bible Dictionary as “that which binds all together,” without stating how or where. In recent years I came across the remarks of a Hebrew Christian of my acquaintance and his observations are offered for those who have shared my difficulty. The Scripture passages in question are as follows: (all these quotations are taken from Mr Darby's Translation)