"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." [Isa 28:16]
Here in our verse for today, Jesus is mentioned as being the “corner stone.” This is a truth that is repeated multiple times in scripture. It is Jesus who has “become the headstone of the corner. [Yes, and] this is The LORD’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.” [Psa 118:22-23] Jesus is the one-and-only Son of God, the one-and-only corner stone, worthy for us to build the foundation of our lives upon – “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” [1 Cor 3:11] We read in Peter how that we are living stones, being built up upon Christ who is the foundation, that we might ever give Him glory through spiritual sacrifices.
“Ye also, as living stones, are being built up [into] a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.” [1 Pe 2:5-6]
It is the word “precious” to which we come today. Jesus is “a precious corner stone.” Yes, and as Peter says too, Christ is “a chief cornerstone, elect, [and] precious.” Precious means, “of great price; costly…of great value or worth…” [Webster] Jesus therefore, a conclusion which we very much do not doubt, is exceedingly precious, even as His blood is spoken of, Peter writing, “the precious blood of Christ.” [1 Pe 1:19] But let us remember how Jesus is the foundation/cornerstone of the church, that living building which we are apart of and being built up into, according to 1 Peter 2. In Revelation therefore, let us first see how that New Jerusalem is compared to, even made one with, the church. It is written,
“[And the angel said unto me], come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife. And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the Holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal.” [Rev 21:9-11]
And so then, seeing that New Jerusalem/Zion is compared/likened to the church, and seeing too how that Jesus Christ is the foundation stone of that building, (again, as Jesus told Peter, “upon this Rock I will build my Church.” [Mt 16:18]), let us see one aspect of New Jerusalem by which we may find some strength and some encouragement. It is written in John’s vision, “and the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.” [Rev 21:16] If we do the math, we learn that twelve thousand furlongs is quite a distance. There are .1165 miles in each furlong, making each side 1,398 miles long. Calculating the volume of this city, assuming it is rectangular, would give us 2.7 billion miles cubed. New Jerusalem is an absolutely immense city.
Now let us remember that Jesus Christ is, as we have learned, “a foundation stone, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone.” Jesus Christ, the precious, valuable, expensive, cornerstone. When we consider the picture of the church, which shall come down in physical form from heaven as New Jerusalem, and when we see its incredible scope, the meaning of Jesus being our foundation stone is magnified evermore. For the cornerstone, the foundation stone for such an immense structure would need to be likewise immense, and as it grows in size and strength, it grows in price. If we conceptually thought of a single slab of stone which would support this behemoth of a city, made of Basalt, which is a very dense and strong stone, the price would reach astronomical proportions. We easily and quickly reach ranges for this foundation stone into quintillions of dollars. That is a number with 19 zeros after it. Unprocessed basalt currently lists at ten to thirty dollars a ton. As we calculate and think about these things, our minds should magnify the glory, strength, and beauty of Christ, who is the church’s one-and-only foundation stone.
But we must add yet another variable. For Jesus is not just the foundation stone, but a precious stone. That is, like a jewel; precious. Basalt is not precious, not expensive, but diamond for example is. And we do see that the foundation of New Jerusalem, though not crafted from jewels, but as it says, “the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones.” [Rev 21:19] The price and beauty and scope of the foundation to New Jerusalem is astronomically high, barreling past all presently known comparisons. And let us remember: it is all crafted by God to picture for us the foundation stone, our cornerstone, Jesus Christ. May our hearts ever rise with elated joy, for Christ our Lord is an everlasting King; He is an everlasting, strong, enduring Stone: He is The Cornerstone, The Precious Cornerstone and foundation to the church and to all of our lives. He is beyond price, beyond value; as Paul wrote, Christ Jesus is, “[God’s] indescribable gift.” [2 Cor 9:15]
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