A Rock of Offense
"The Stone which the builders disallowed...is made a Rock of Offense." 1 Peter 2:8
The Jewish nation is an illustration of our theme. Every possible effort was made by Christ to win His own people to Himself. But they would not have Him. What a blow has fallen upon them! Driven from pillar to post, peeled, robbed, persecuted, killed, their ...read
Devotional
A ROD OUT OF THE STEM OF JESSE
Isai 11:1 And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:
What a strange prophesy concerning the Messiah! "There is a hope of a tree that is cut down, that it will sprout again", and so it was with the "Stem Of Jesse", which must mean the "House Of David" from which our Lord sprang. ...read
Devotional
A Sacrifice to God
"And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given Himself...a sacrifice to God." Ephesians. 5:2
God's holiness and righteousness demanded some way by which sin could be forgiven and removed, so that sinful men could have access to Him and live in fellowship with Him. There was only one way. Sin -violation of law -must be pun ...read
Devotional
A SANCTUARY
Isai 8:14 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.
A "Sanctuary" is a place of refuge. "Lord, Thou has been our dwelling place in all generations", we read in Ps 90:1. "Thou hast made the Lord, which is ...read
Devotional
A SCEPTRE
Numb 24:17 (KJS) I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth. {smite...: or, smite through the princes of}
The Sovereign holds the staff, or "Septre", the symbol of pow ...read
Devotional
A Servant
"But made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men." Philippians. 2:7
Isaiah spoke concerning Him: "Behold, my servant shall deal prudently. He shall be exalted and extolled very high." "His visage was marred more than any man." The meaning of the word "servant" is "a doe ...read
Devotional
A SHADOW FROM THE HEAT
Isai 25:4 For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones [is] as a storm [against] the wall.
What Divine compassion is suggested here! The burning heat that pierces to our very heart as Satan uses all of his powers to ove ...read
Devotional
A SIGN
Luke 2:34 And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this [child] is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against;
Our Lord Jesus Christ was a significant Sign to Israel. The prophesies had long before made clear that Israel was to be Tested when the Messiah came. Some ...read
Devotional
A SOWER
Matt 13:3 And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow; --- Matt 13:37 He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;
The Seed is the Word of God. God's Son sowed the Good Seed. He soweth the Word of Truth in the hearts of men. When we sow the Gospel we sow Good S ...read
Devotional
A STAR
Numb 24:17 I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth. {smite...: or, smite through the princes of}
The Star is the symbol of power, say the astrologers. Stars are in th ...read
Devotional
A Stone of Stumbling
"The Stone which the builders disallowed...in made...a Stone of Stumbling." 1 Peter 2:8
A Corner Stone upon which the whole world was built, upon which the church is built, and a "Stone of Stumbling!" How can that be? To those who willfully reject Him, as did the Jewish nation, and stumble into the abyss, there is weeping and wailing and ...read
Devotional
A Stone of Stumbling
"The Stone which the builders disallowed...in made...a Stone of Stumbling." 1 Peter 2:8
A Corner Stone upon which the whole world was built, upon which the church is built, and a "Stone of Stumbling!" How can that be? To those who willfully reject Him, as did the Jewish nation, and stumble into the abyss, there is weeping and wailing and ...read
Devotional
A STRENGTH TO THE POOR AND NEEDY
Isai 25:4 For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones [is] as a storm [against] the wall.
"I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me; Thou art my help and my deliverer" says the Psalmist. "My God shall supp ...read
Devotional
A STRONGHOLD
Nahu 1:7 The LORD [is] good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him. {strong hold: or, strength}
He is good to "them that wait for Him." (Lam 3:25) He is good to them that trust Him. (Ps 37:3) He is good to them that acknowledge Him. (Pr 3:6) He is our Strength in every time of trouble. He is empowered w ...read
Devotional
A Sweet Snelling Savour
"And walk in love as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given Himself...for a sweet-smelling savour." Ephesians. 5:2
When Noah came out of the ark he took of every clean beast and of every clean fowl and offered a burnt offering unto the Lord. "And the Lord smelled a sweet savour." When Christ laid down His life on the cross, what a per ...read
Devotional
A TENDER PLANT
Isai 53:2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, [there is] no beauty that we should desire him.
It will be well to read and meditate upon this entire chapter and note the contrasts. He was a "Tender Plant", i.e., a twig or sprout push ...read
Devotional
A TRIED STONE
Isai 28:16 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.
This "Stone" has been tried and tested and has stood unchanged and unchangeable. He was "in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. L ...read
Devotional
A WALL OF FIRE
Zech 2:5 For I, saith the LORD, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and I will be the glory in the midst of her.
The Lord is a consuming fire (Heb 12:29). As wax melts before the flame, so do the wicked before His presence. What power there is in a wall of fire. Have you ever seen it sweeping through the forests or the fields? None ...read
Devotional
A WITNESS TO THE PEOPLE
Isa 55:4 Behold, I have given him [for] a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.
Our Lord Jesus Christ is a "A Witness". Yes, He gives a witness to a lost world, and also to us who are His own. He witnessed to the love of God which gave Him, the only Begotten Son, for the sins of the world. And He is the "True And Fa ...read
Devotional
All and in All
"Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free; but Christ is all and in all." Colossians 3:11
Christ is the Creator of all things. "Without Him was not anything made that was made." He is in all things. In Him we live and move and have our being. He is the beginning and the end ...read
