1719. The Stone of Stumbling

The Stone of Stumbling

"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" (Isa_8:14).

We come now to the third vision of the Stone. First, it was the Stone that was smitten for us; secondly, it was the Stone set at the head of the corner; we now consider more particularly the attitude of Israel toward Christ, the smitten and exalted Stone.

To Israel, Christ is: "For a stone of stumbling, and for a rock of offence" (Isa_8:14).

Because of Christ, many of Israel "shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken."

1. There is before us the vision of a people, taking counsel against the Lord Jesus. This is given us in Isaiah 8.

(1) We have God's warnings against Israel's folly:

"Associate yourselves, O ye people, and ye shall be broken in pieces" (Isa_8:9).

"Gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces" (Isa_8:9).

"Take counsel together, and it shall come to nought" (Isa_8:10).

"Speak the word, and it shall not stand" (Isa_8:10).

"Say ye not, A confederacy" (Isa_8:12).

(2) We have God's loving call to Israel to trust Him.

"Sanctify the Lord of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread" (Isa_8:13).

(3) We have Israel's refusal of Christ.

"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" (Isa_8:14).

(4) We have the result of Israel's rejection.

"And many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken" (Isa_8:15).

Oh, how Israel has suffered, and how Israel will suffer because Jesus Christ, the Stone, smitten and exalted, has become a snare, and a Stone of stumbling!

Israel is hard pressed, and hungry–Israel is under the curse. She is surrounded by darkness, and dimness and anguish. She is driven into darkness. This is the result of her rejection.

2. There is before us the New Testament corroboration, of the Stone of stumbling.

(1) In Rom_9:31-33, \1911 Bible, we have related how israel:

"Following after a law for righteousness hath not attained to that law. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by works. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; as it is written, Behold, I lay in Zion a stumblingstone, and rock of offence, and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed."

The Lord Jesus Christ was manifested unto Israel as grace and truth, but they refused Him. They sought their salvation by Law, and they failed.

Oh, that they had recognized their Saviour! But, "He came unto His own, and His own received Him not" (Joh_1:11).

"Of the Rock that begat thee, thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten God that formed thee" (Deu_32:18).

(2) In 1Co_1:22-23, \1911 Bible, we have the second corroboration:

"And although Jews demand signs, and Greeks seek after wisdom, yet we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling-block, and to Gentiles foolishness."

Had the Lord Jesus Christ, in regal splendor, set up His Kingdom, and delivered His people, they might have received Him; but when He came unto them, meek and lowly, announcing Himself as the Son of God, their Saviour, they rejected Him.

To-day the people of Israel are following in the footsteps of their fathers; they are stumbling over the same*stumbling-stone, Christ, the smitten Rock. They will have nothing of Him until, in the hour of Jacob's trouble, they see Him coming in the clouds of Heaven in power and great glory then will they know to trust Him.

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR