21/08/2024
THE HANAMEL DAILY DEVOTIONAL
1 Peter 2:6 NIV
For in Scripture it says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame."
CHRIST IS GREAT IN ZION FOR US
The prophetic language in the Scriptures has several beautiful ways of referring to the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the epitome of divine excellence, the only One whom God the Father has presented as the express image of Himself (Col 1:15). The Father spoke passionately of Christ and said (in our text), "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame." Hallelujah! Notice, God referred to Christ as "a stone...[a] precious cornerstone" whom He laid specifically "in Zion". The first mention of the word Zion in the Bible is in 2 Samuel 5:7, where it refers to "the City of David" (NIV).
This is the very David whom God once used to glorify His (God) name before the Philistines by taking out Goliath's life using a stone (1 Sam 17)! Years later, David would hide from Saul's murderous pursuits in the stone Cave of Adullam (1 Sam 22). As can be seen, the allegory of the stone was precious to David—in whose name Zion is associated. In the New Testament, Zion largely depicts God's spiritual Kingdom, unto which we, in Christ, have come and live therein (Heb 12:22). Again, God laid Christ Jesus as the most precious "stone" in His spiritual Kingdom. Hallelujah!
As the choicest "cornerstone" in this Kingdom, Christ adorns (beautifies) us by His glory, and strengthens every part of the Kingdom. Figuratively speaking, given that this "stone" was laid in place by God Himself, nothing, nobody, not even the devil, can dislodge Him an inch! Rather, He is the Rock of ages, cleft for us! Yes, in the same way David's greatest victory came by use of a physical stone, and His sure protection and covering was in a stone cave, God's "stone" (Christ Jesus) is He by whom our greatest victory, protection, and covering are sure! Thankfully, Christ is still laid and great in Zion—where we now are!
Pst. Emmanuel
