What Old Testament prophecies connect with 1 Peter 2:7's message about Christ? Setting the Stage: 1 Peter 2:7 “To you who believe, then, this stone is precious; but to those who do not believe, ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.’” Peter reaches back into Israel’s Scriptures to show that Jesus did not arrive unannounced. The imagery of a rejected yet exalted stone threads through the Old Testament, and every strand leads straight to Christ. Psalm 118:22–23 — The Rejected Stone Becomes the Cornerstone • “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This is from the LORD, and it is marvelous in our eyes.” • Originally sung at Passover, this psalm pictures leaders (“builders”) discarding a stone they considered unfit. God overturns their verdict and makes that very stone the foundation of His saving work. • Jesus applied these verses to Himself in Matthew 21:42; Peter did the same before the Sanhedrin in Acts 4:11. Isaiah 28:16 — God’s Chosen, Tested Stone • “Therefore the Lord GOD says: ‘See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, a firm foundation; the one who believes will never be shaken.’” • Isaiah prophesies a secure, divinely placed cornerstone in Zion. Peter quotes the verse directly in 1 Peter 2:6, then continues the thought in verse 7. • Notice the promise: whoever trusts this cornerstone “will never be shaken.” Peter echoes that assurance to believers, anchoring our confidence in Christ’s immovable position. Isaiah 8:14–15 — A Stone of Stumbling • “He will become a sanctuary—but to both houses of Israel, a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense… Many will stumble over them; they will fall and be broken.” • The same stone that shelters believers trips the unbelieving. Peter cites this in 1 Peter 2:8 to explain why rejection of Christ leads to judgment. • Paul blends Isaiah 8 and Isaiah 28 in Romans 9:32–33 to make the same point. Daniel 2:34–35, 44–45 — The Stone That Crushes Empires • “As you watched, a stone was cut out, but not by human hands, and it struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and crushed them… The stone that struck the statue became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.” • In Nebuchadnezzar’s dream the stone represents God’s eternal kingdom, inaugurated by Christ. Though not quoted verbatim by Peter, the theme of a heaven-sent stone that outlasts all earthly structures resonates with his message of Jesus’ exaltation. Zechariah 3:9 & 4:7 — One Stone, Seven Eyes; the Capstone of Grace • “See, the stone I have set before Joshua! On that one stone are seven eyes…” (3:9) • “He will bring out the capstone accompanied by shouts of ‘Grace, grace to it!’” (4:7) • Zechariah links the stone to cleansing, oversight (“seven eyes”), and completion (“capstone”). These images foreshadow Christ as both the foundation and the finishing touch of God’s redemptive plan (Hebrews 12:2). Connecting the Dots • Rejection: Psalm 118 foresees rulers dismissing the stone—fulfilled when Jewish leaders rejected Jesus (John 19:15). • Exaltation: The same psalm and Isaiah 28 guarantee the stone’s elevation, fulfilled in Christ’s resurrection and ascension (Acts 2:32–36). • Division: Isaiah 8 predicts that people will either find refuge or stumble over Him—exactly the response pattern Peter observes among his readers’ persecutors. • Dominion: Daniel’s stone foreshadows Christ’s kingdom outlasting every empire, a truth that steadies believers living under hostile powers. • Completion: Zechariah’s capstone assures us God finishes what He starts; the living Stone is also the finishing Stone. Why It Matters Today The Old Testament chorus about the stone rings with unity: God promised, pictured, and performed everything He said. Trust the Cornerstone and you stand unshaken; reject Him and you stumble. Peter’s readers needed that clarity, and so do we. |
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