Jesus said in Matthew 16:18, “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock
I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” One can almost envision
Jesus pointing to Himself when He stated, “upon this rock”. Jesus is the Rock upon which each one of
His churches is founded. Other kinds of ‘churches’ are founded by and founded upon someone other than
the Lord Jesus Christ, but Jesus is the founder, the builder and the foundation of His church. Since
Jesus is ‘the truth’, His churches are founded upon truth and each one will teach and practice Biblical
truth. “But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of
God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth” (I Timothy 3:15).
In many Scriptures, Jesus is referred to, in various ways, as a stone or a rock. This is very significant
for us today. It has wonderful meanings for His children. In I Corinthians 10:4 we are told regarding
the children of Israel during the 40 years that the Lord led them through the wilderness, “And did all
drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was
Christ”. Jesus is seen as this Rock in Exodus 17:6, “Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock
in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, 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.” The rock was symbolic of Jesus. He willingly suffered,
bled and died for the sins of all mankind on the cross of Calvary. Jesus is the Rock that gives forth living
water for the soul. He gives everlasting life.
The term ‘rock’ or ‘stone’ brings to mind that which is strong, secure, solid, firm, enduring, trustworthy and
safe. One well-known massive rock on this earth is the Rock of Gibraltar. How fitting then that this word
be used as descriptive of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is omnipotent (“all-powerful”), omniscient (“all-knowing”;
“all-wise”) and omnipresent (“present in all places in all times”).
In Jesus we can fully trust, have total security, find protection and safety, have confidence and no fears. Jesus is infinitely dependable, reliable and trustworthy. In Jesus, and in Him alone, we can have everlasting life. What great comfort, security and safety His children have in Him!
Jesus is spoken of as a Rock or as a Stone to different groups of people in different ways: (1) The saved; (2) The saved who are faithfully serving Him in one of His true New Testament churches; (3) The lost.
As you consider some of the references to the Lord as
the Rock or as the Stone in the following Scriptures think of what these mean to you personally:
I. JESUS: The living Stone.
-“To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed
indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious”
(I Peter 2:4).
-[Jesus is the Living Saviour. He died for our sins, He was
buried and He rose again the third day. He was dead, but
He is alive for evermore (Revelation 1:18). Jesus is the
Christ, God’s Anointed. Jesus is precious to His children.]
II. JESUS: The Rock of salvation.
-“But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked: thou art waxen fat,
thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness;
then he forsook God which made him, and lightly
esteemed the Rock of his salvation” (Deuteronomy
32:15).
-“Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful, and
hast forgotten God that formed thee” (Deuteronomy
32:18).
-“The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and exalted
be the God of the rock of my salvation” (II Samuel
22:47).
-“He shall cry unto me, Thou art my father, my God, and
the rock of my salvation”(Psalm 89:26).
- “O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful
noise to the rock of our salvation” (Psalm 95:1).
-[Jesus is the only Saviour for mankind. "Neither is there salvation in any other:
for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
Salvation is secure in Him. He gives everlasting life, eternal life and promises His children we shall never perish.]
III. JESUS: The Rock of Israel.
-“The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me,
He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear
of God” (II Samuel 23:3). [God made a covenant with the
nation of Israe, which He will fully keep. He will continue to
preserve and protect that nation. “..the LORD of hosts is
His name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; .. No
weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper;..” (Isaiah
54:5, 17).]
IV. JESUS: The Rock of my strength.
-“In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my
strength, and my refuge, is in God” (Psalm 62:7).
-“Because thou hast forgotten the God of thy salvation,
and hast not been mindful of the rock of thy strength,
therefore shalt thou plant pleasant plants, and shalt set
it with strange slips:” (Isaiah 17:10).
-[In our weaknesses Jesus can give us strength. We need to
learn to trust Him. “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart;
and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways
acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths. Be not
wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil”
(Proverbs 3:5-7).]
V. JESUS: The Rock of my refuge.
-“But the LORD is my defence; and my God is the rock of
my refuge” (Psalm 94:22). [Jesus protects His children in
times of danger. “..your life is hid with Christ in God”
(Colossians 3:3). His children are safe and secure in His
hands (John 10:28, 29).]
VI. JESUS: The Rock that is higher than I.
-“From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my
heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher
than I” (Psalm 61:2). [The Lord is infinitely great. Jesus is
“..higher than the heavens” (Hebrews 7:26). He has all
power in heaven and in earth (Matthew 28:18), He has all
wisdom, knowledge and understanding, and He loves us
and cares for us. How we should trust Him!]
VII. JESUS: The Stone of help.
-“How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten
thousand to flight, except their Rock had sold them,
and the LORD had shut them up? For their rock is not
as our Rock, even our enemies themselves being
judges” (Deuteronomy 32:30, 31).
-“Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh
and Shen, and called the name of it Eben-ezer, saying,
Hitherto hath the LORD helped us” (I Samuel 7:12). [The
word ‘Eben-ezer’ means ‘the stone of help’. Jesus is the
Eben-ezer, the Stone of help for His children.]
VIII. JESUS: The Rock whose work is perfect.
-“Because I will publish the name of the LORD: ascribe
ye greatness unto our God. He is the Rock, His work is
perfect: for all His ways are judgment: a God of truth
and without iniquity, just and right is He” (Deuteronomy
32:3, 4). [All that the Lord does is good and right. We may
not understand why things happen as they do, but we can
trust the Lord that what He does in the lives of His children is
for our good and His glory.]
IX. JESUS: The Rock upon which the wise build their
house.
-[Note: We might think of our ‘house’ as: The ‘house’ of our
life; The ‘house’ of our family; The ‘house’ of God, His
church. We are to hear the Word of God and do it.]
-“Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine,
and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which
built his house upon a rock:” (Matthew 7:24).
-“He is like a man which built an house, and digged
deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the
flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that
house, and could not shake it: for it was founded
upon a rock” (Luke 6:48).
X. JESUS: The Stone that becomes an everlasting
Kingdom.
-“Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands,
which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron
and clay, and brake them to pieces. 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 threshingfloors; 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. … And in the days of these kings
shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall
never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left
to other people, but it shall break in pieces and
consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for
ever. Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut
out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in
pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the
gold; the great God hath made known to the king what
shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain,
and the interpretation thereof sure” (Daniel 2:34, 35, 44,
45). [This is the Kingdom that the children of God are
looking forward to. We pray for its coming. “Thy kingdom
come. ..” (Matthew 6:10). Jesus will establish His literal,
physical Kingdom and it will continue without ever ending.
Jesus will rule it in perfect righteousness.]
XI. JESUS: The foundation stone of His building, His church.
-“Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion
for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious
corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall
not make haste” (Isaiah 28:16).
-“For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid,
which is Jesus Christ” (I Corinthians 3:11).
[A church that is one of Jesus’ true, New Testament
churches is a very important institution. A ‘universal’ church
does not exist, and is a false teaching. Every one of
Jesus’ churches is always a local, visible assembly. Jesus
Himself began His church during His earthly ministry. Jesus
is the builder of His church, and He builds it upon Himself.
(Matthew 16:18). It is in His churches that God receives
glory (Matthew 5:16; Ephesians 3:21).]
XII. JESUS: The Head Stone and chief corner Stone of His
building, His church. Jesus is the “tried stone” and
He is precious to His church.
-“The stone which the builders refused is become the
head stone of the corner” (Psalm 118:22).
-“And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and
prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner
stone;” (Ephesians 2:20). [Note: The foundation that the
apostles and prophets laid was Jesus Christ, not
themselves.]
-“Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion
for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious
corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall
not make haste” (Isaiah 28:16).
-“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. Unto
you therefore which believe He is precious: but unto
them which be disobedient, the stone which the
builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the
corner” (I Peter 2:6, 7).
To the unbelieving, the lost people that reject the Lord
Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour:
I. JESUS: The Stone of stumbling and Rock of offence.
-“Sanctify the LORD of hosts Himself; and let Him be
your fear, and let Him be your dread. And He shall be
for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a
rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin
and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And
many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be
broken, and be snared, and be taken” (Isaiah 8:13-15).
-“As it is written, Behold, I lay in Zion a stumblingstone
and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on Him
shall not be ashamed” (Romans 9:33).
-“..but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which
the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of
the corner, 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”
(I Peter 2:7, 8).
II. JESUS: The rejected Stone.
-“Jesus saith unto them, 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, The kingdom of God shall be
taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the
fruits thereof. And whosoever shall fall on this stone
shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will
grind him to powder”. (Matthew 21:42-44).
III. JESUS: The Stone set at nought.
-“This is the stone which was set at nought of you
builders, which is become the head of the corner”
(Acts 4:11).
[Every unsaved person will come before Jesus and their
works will be judged, and then each one will be cast into the
lake of fire and brimstone (Revelation 14:10 20:10-15). There they will exist and suffer
torments for evermore. They will be “broken”, ground, crushed by the Saviour that they rejected
in their lives here on earth. They could have been saved, but refused to believe upon the Lord
Jesus Christ.]
Other References to the Lord as a Rock:
-“There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none
beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God” (I Samuel 2:2).
-“And he said, The LORD is my rock, and my fortress,
and my deliverer; The God of my rock; in Him will I
trust: He is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my
high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me
from violence” (II Samuel 22:2, 3).
-“For who is God, save the LORD? and who is a rock,
save our God?” (II Samuel 22:32).
-“The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my
deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my
buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high
tower” (Psalm 18:2).
- “The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and let the
God of my salvation be exalted” (Psalm 18:46).
-“For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His
pavilion: in the secret of His tabernacle shall He hide
me; He shall set me up upon a rock” (Psalm 27:5).
-“Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou
my strong rock, for an house of defence to save me.
For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy
name's sake lead me, and guide me” (Psalm 31:2, 3).
-“He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the
miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established
my goings” (Psalm 40:2).
-“Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from Him cometh my
salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation; He is
my defence; I shall not be greatly moved. … My soul,
wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from
Him. He only is my rock and my salvation: He is my
defence; I shall not be moved” (Psalm 62:1, 2, 5, 6).
-“Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may
continually resort: thou hast given commandment to
save me; for thou art my rock and my fortress”
(Psalm 71:3).
-“Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall
flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bring
forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing;
To show that the LORD is upright: He is my rock, and
there is no unrighteousness in Him” (Psalm 92:13-15).
The child of God can have great confidence and assurance,
great comfort, peace and contentment in his/her personal
Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ. He is our Rock!
“But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is
the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might
have life through His name” (John 20:31).
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