The shots don't stop. It's time
to go. Well, they won't die before it's
time anyway. I guarantee you that. They'll die right on time. COVID's just an instrument, whatever
it was. Well, it's good to see y'all
out. See, we got a lot of people out for being exposed to COVID and
stuff like that. Remember those who've requested
prayer, seek the Lord's help for them. Again, I worship service
tonight with hymn number 272. There's only six of us, so let's
sang out. My hope is built on nothing less
than Jesus' blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest
frame, but wholly lean on Jesus' name. On Christ a solid rock
I stand on, all the ground is When darkness veils his lovely
face, I rest on his unchanging grace. In every high and stormy
gale, My anchor holds within the veil. On Christ's solid rock
I stand All other ground is sinking sand All other ground is sinking
sand His oath is cava, not his blood Support me in the whelming
flood All around my soul gives way. He then is all my hope and
stay. On Christ the solid rock I stand. All other ground is sinking sand. All other ground is sinking sand. He shall come with trumpet sound,
O may I then in him be found, Rest in his righteousness alone,
For to Lester's stand be I. On Christ's solid rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand. All other ground is sinking sand. If you have your Bibles, turn to Genesis
chapter 49. We're going to look again at verse 24 at the last
phrase. Genesis 49, 24, the title of
my message tonight is From Thence, the Stone of Israel. But his bow abode in strength,
and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the
mighty God of Jacob. From thence is the Shepherd,
the Stone of Israel. Let us pray. Our Father, we come
in the blessed name of Jesus Christ the Lord, our only righteousness,
that causes us poor sinners to be able to stand before you completely
accepted, robed in his pristine robe of righteousness, to stand
before you justified, sanctified, and redeemed. We thank you, Father,
that we can even say such things. Our minds could not begin to
conceive them if they were not written in your book, and you
had not given us faith to believe We thank you for the gift of
faith, the gift of discernment and understanding as we read
your book. We bless you that from page to page you show us
the glories of our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Father, we pray for those who
are sick, those who are going through trials, we ask Lord your
help for them. We pray for their healing. bring
them back to a good measure of health, and cause them to fix their hearts
and minds upon Christ. Help us tonight as we gather
here. You might be pleased to open this book to us and open
our minds to understanding our hearts to receive it. Bless our time together in true
worship we pray in Christ's name. Amen. Now, Jacob has declared that
Joseph is a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ when he said, From
this is the shepherd which we looked at last week. Now, this
pointed to our Lord as the great and good and chief shepherd of
the sheep and all the teaching in the scripture that attends
this glorious designation. And the last part of this last
phrase of verse 24, Joseph is declared to be the stone of Israel
from the hand of the mighty God It says comes the stone of Israel. Now this designation is an anthropomorphic
description of one person, the one person in all of human history
that fits the bill of the stone of Israel. That name has never
applied to Joseph except here in this passage of scripture,
but it's applied to Christ throughout the scriptures. The scripture
speaks of Christ as being a stone or a rock, and each time it's
usually following the definite articles of thee or this or that. And the use of the definite article
sets forth the uniqueness and singularity of Christ as the
stone of Israel and as our rock. The reference to Christ in this
capacity under this terminology we find is manifold in the scriptures. It gives one pause at where to
start when we're thinking about talking about it. But the best
place to start is the beginning, and if in the beginning, it must
be about God and what He has done in reference to the foundation
that He has laid and what all else is built upon. One declaration
concerning the stone is employed three times in Scripture, and
their placement is of great importance. That phrase is found first in
Isaiah 28, 16, then in Romans 9, 33, and then in 1 Peter 2,
6. Now, you have those references, and I'll read them from you rather
than spend a lot of time because I've got a lot of references
tonight. In Isaiah 28, 16, it says, Therefore thus saith the
Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation, a stone, a
tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation, and he that
believeth shall not make haste." Now, he says this in reference
to answer those who have asserted their confidence in their religion,
that they boast that they have a refuge of lies which they are
comfortable in, and this is their boast. We trust in the refuge
of lies. And they boast that their hiding
place is falsehood, and they do boast of that. The Lord said,
You said this, that lies are our refuge and falsehood is our
hiding place. And they believe that resting
upon that foundation that they have laid, that they will remain
safe, for they have erected their own
religious confidence on shifting sands of lies and falsehoods,
But our Lord says, When the overflowing scourge shall come, you will
be consumed. And He does that by placing this truth before
them. Behold, I lay in Zion a foundation stone. I lay a foundation stone,
and it doesn't match up with yours. The second time this phrase
is used is found in Romans chapter 9 and verse 33, and that's a
chapter which many religionists wish was not even in Scripture
at all. as this chapter asserts in absolute terms that God is
sovereign in salvation from verse 1 to verse 33. And in that, this
phrase is repeated in a little bit different language. Paul
says, As it is written, Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone,
a rock of a fence, and whosoever believeth on him shall not be
ashamed. Here, the stone of Zion is the
singular righteousness that God accepts. In the very next verse,
he said that in chapter 10, verse 1, he says, I bear the record
of Israel. They have a zeal for God, but
not according to knowledge, because they go about to establish their
own righteousness, not having not submitted to the righteousness
of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness
to them that believe. So here it's set forth as the
singular righteousness that God accepts in opposition to those
who have sought to establish a righteousness or a justification
without believing God concerning Christ alone for righteousness.
Such sought it not by faith, he says in the earlier part of
that chapter, but rather by trying to keep the law, not believing
that Christ is the end of the law or the purpose of the fulfillment
of the law for righteousness to them that believe. The stone,
Christ, to them was a stumbling stone and a rock of offense. The third time this is used in
1 Peter 2 and verse 6, he says, Wherefore also is it contained
in Scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect
and precious, and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded
or confused. And Simon Peter in that passage
is dealing with those who have been disobedient to the truth,
having disallowed the foundation that God has laid, even His Word. And in that passage Peter also
writes of Christ as the headstone It's already been called a cornerstone.
The stone that the builders refused. He uses that. And asserts that
those who have done so were appointed to this condemnation. Those who
refused Christ. It's not haphazard. It says they
were appointed to this end. To which they were appointed. This declares that God is sovereign
in election and sovereign in reprobation. God himself has
laid the foundation. It's his foundation. over in
Job when Job had begun to show a little bit of righteousness
on his own and began to complain about his situation rather than
believe in God. God set him straight in Job chapter
38 when He set him down. He says, I'm going to tell you
some things and I want you to hush now and listen to what I
have to say. You answer me if you can. And the first thing
He says is, Where were you when I laid the foundation of the
earth? Where were you, Mr. Job, Mr. Righteous Job? Where were you when I laid the
foundation of the earth? declare it, if thou hast understanding,
who has laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest, or has stretched
the line the measures thereof, if thou knowest? Whereupon are
the foundations therefore fastened? Or who laid the cornerstone thereof,
when the morning stars sang together, and the sons of God shouted for
joy? Now the foundation is Christ. and it is laid by God, and it
is that same foundation that Paul spoke of in 1 Corinthians
chapter 3 and verse 11 when he talked about preaching the gospel
of the Lord Jesus Christ. and the necessity of continuing
to preach Christ in him alone. For other foundation, he said,
can no man lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
This is the foundation. And this is what the Lord was
talking to Job about when he talked about who's laid the foundation.
You haven't laid it. I have laid it. All religions
try to lay their own foundation, but they lay their foundation
on shifting sands, and they will perish for it. Other foundation
can no man lay than that which is laid. at which God is already
laid. He's the cornerstone, He's the
headstone, and He's the foundation of that building. In Zechariah
chapter 4, it's rubbable. Speaking of rubbable as a type
of Christ, it says in Zechariah 4, 7, Who art thou, O great mountain? before as a rubble, now it has
become a plain, and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof
with shoutings, crying, Grace, Grace, unto it." So Christ is
the foundation stone, He is the cornerstone, He is the headstone,
He is the rock of offense, He is the stumbling stone, He is
the stone that is being spoken of in Genesis chapter 49. He's
all that, the foundation, corner, and headstone. And like Sadie
the Cleaning Lady up in Washington, D.C. when she was listening at
the National Chapel to a preacher preaching great, a great message. And he was a great orator and
a great speaker. And he made this statement, Christ
is Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. And Sadie the Cleaning
Lady was in the balcony. She's the one that cleaned the
church. And she hollered out, and everything in between. He's
the Alpha and Omega, and everything in between. Yes, indeed, He's
the foundation stone, He's the cornerstone, and He's the headstone. Christ is said to be the stone
that the builders refused. David, when he talked about this
is the day the Lord has made, and we rejoice and we'll be glad
in it. That begins with these words, the stone which the builders
refused has become the head of the corner. The head of the corner. That's talking about Christ.
being refused by the people, being crucified by the people,
and then being raised from the dead. Peter quoted this verse
before the high priest when confronted about how the crippled man was
healed at the gate beautiful. And the chief priest came and
said, how is this fellow healed? You tell us. And he said, I'll
tell you how he was healed. Look over at Acts chapter 4. Acts chapter 4 and verse 10 said
be it known unto you. He's talking to the chief priest.
He's talking to Caiaphas. Caiaphas was the one that confronted
the Lord Jesus Christ and the Lord Jesus Christ put him out
of business. He ripped his own garment which
which made him no longer able to be the high priest. But this
is the same one that confronts Peter and John. It says, Be it
known unto you in verse 10, all the people of Israel, that by
the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God
raised from the dead, even by him does this man stand here
before you whole. This is the stone. which was
set at naught of you builders, which is become the head of the
corner." The head of the corner. He is that stone. In Matthew
chapter 21, our Lord quoted this verse, talking about the stone, but
He called it a millstone. but he called himself the stone.
In Matthew chapter 21 and verse 42 it says, Jesus said unto him,
Did you never read the scriptures? He talked to very religious folks.
The stone which the builders rejected, the same has become
the head of the corner. This is the Lord's doing, and
it is marvelous in our eyes. Therefore say I unto you, look
what he says, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you and
given to a nation, bringing forth the fruits thereof. You're done. You refuse the king, you're done. And when the chief priests and
Pharisees heard the parables, they perceived that he spake
of them, and they sought to lay hands on him and kill him." This
stone, this stone is that stone. And this stone of Israel is a
rock. He is the doctrine of God according
to Deuteronomy chapter 32. This is the stone. From thence is the stone of Israel. In Deuteronomy chapter 32 and
verse 2, It says this, My doctrine, My
doctrine, that is God's doctrine, shall drop as the rain. My speech
shall distill as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender
herb, as the showers upon the grass, because I will publish
the name of the Lord. You see, the gospel is the gospel
because it is preached. Ascribe ye greatness unto our
God. He is the rock. He is the Rock. His work is perfect, for all
His ways are judgment, a God of truth and without iniquity,
just and right is He. He is that Rock. Christ is the
doctrine of Almighty God. He is God's doctrine. That is
what Paul was saying in Hebrews chapter 1 when he said, God,
who at sundry times and in divers manners spoke in times past to
the fathers by the prophets, hath in these days spoken to
us by His Son. This is the language of God.
This is how God speaks. He's the doctrine of the teaching
of God. In this very same chapter, this is also stated that their
rock is not like our rock. I'm talking about those who are
idolaters, those who are religious men without Christ. In verse
31 of the same chapter, it says this, For their rock is not as
our rock, even our enemies themselves being judges. Now in verse 30
you will find this, For should one chase a thousand, and two
put ten thousand to flight, except they are a rock. Now here the
rock is in capital letters and that is talking about Christ,
talking about God. They are a rock. Why is it in
one place it says they are a rock with a capital R and in the next
sentence it says with a little r. Why is that? Because He is
the Rock of all. He is God over all. And they
fail and fall because it says He lets them go. He sold them. He sold them and the Lord shut
them up. And then their estimation, and
that's what this word means when it says, being judges in the
last part of verse 31, for their rock is not as our rock, even
as our enemies themselves. Being judges, they say that.
This is their estimation. Their rock's not like our rock.
These words are spoken to those who embraced idols. They know
that their rock is not like our rock. And if you talk to men
about their rock, you'll find out they're not like our rock.
Our rock, judgment is true, and there's no iniquity in his ways.
He's the rock of all. He's all-powerful. He's sovereign.
But talk to other men about their rock, and their rock can't do
what he wants to unless you let him. His hands are tied. He's
shut up to the will of men. That's not our rock, and they
judge it themselves. You tell them that God is sovereign
in election and predestination and all of salvation, they'll
say, no, that's not my God. That's not our rock, they say.
That has already been covered in scripture. Their rock is not
like our rock. Our rock is Jesus Christ. Being
placed in this stone, in this rock, this rock of Israel, this
stone of Israel is where we are able to see the glory of God.
Remember, we are in Christ by the work of God. Paul said in
1 Corinthians chapter 1 and verse 30, Are you in Christ Jesus,
who of God has made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification,
and redemption? So being placed in this rock,
in Christ, and in Christ alone do we see the glory of God. We
don't see it anywhere else. Remember when Christ opened up
the scriptures to those disciples on the road to Emmausus, they
didn't understand the scriptures until he took them to the scriptures
and showed them that they spake of him. And then they understood. the scriptures over in Exodus
chapter 33 when Moses asked the Lord to show him his glory. How
was it that Moses was able to see his glory and how was that
glory revealed? In Exodus chapter 33 verse 18,
Moses said, I beseech you, show me thy glory. Moses had seen some glorious
things, hadn't he? He had seen the Red Sea divided,
and a whole nation walk across on dry land. He had seen a pillar
by night, a fire that guided them in their way. He had seen
a cloud by day that kept the sun off of them, and it moved
and they moved with the cloud. He saw the ten plagues of Egypt.
He was there the night God came through and slew every firstborn
in Egypt, either in person or in type, of His firstborn with
the blood of the Lamb on the door. He saw some wondrous things. You'd think, Boy, He's seen how
glorious God is. He knew He hadn't seen God's
glory. He knew. He said, Show me your glory.
I've seen all this stuff. That's glorious. I've seen what
you're able to do. That's glorious. What's really
your glory? He says this, and He said, I will make all my goodness
to pass before you. The four things God says is His
glory. First of all, it is His goodness. I will make my goodness
pass before you. I will proclaim the name of the
Lord before you. God is the first gospel preacher.
I will be gracious unto whom I will be gracious, and I will
show mercy on whom I will show mercy. It is my glory, His glory. is that He has the prerogative
to show mercy or not show mercy, to show grace and not show grace.
That is His glory. And He said, Thou canst not see
My face. In other words, you cannot see what I am doing. This
language is metaphorical. You cannot see what I am doing.
That is not your business to see what I am doing. You cannot
see My face. For there shall no man see Me
and live. And the Lord said, Behold, there
is a place by Me. Thou shalt stand upon a rock,
and it shall come to pass while my glory passes by, that I will
put thee in the cleft, or the cleft of the rock, and will cover
thee with my hand while I pass by. And I will take away mine
hand as I pass by, and thou shalt see my back parts, but my face
shall not be seen. What's the Lord saying? He says,
You can see me revealed in what I have done, my back parts, but
you cannot see, you are not privileged to see what I am doing, you probably
could not take it if you did. Well, what is this glory then? In verse 7, he says, This is
my glory. In verse 6, the Lord passed by
before him and proclaimed, The Lord, the Lord God, merciful
and gracious, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth,
keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression
and sins, and that will by no means clear the guilty. The guilty
are going to have to be punished. They're either punished in their
person or they're punished in the Lord Jesus Christ. Visiting
the iniquity of the fathers upon the children upon the children's
children in the third and fourth generation. That rock, that cleft rock with the ribbon
sign is where we're put in order to see the glory of God. And
this stone's gospel is the rock upon which the Lord will build
His church. Simon Peter was there with the disciples one day, and
the Lord said, Whom do you say that I am? Whom do men say that
I am? Some said, Well, some say you're Jeremiah. And some say
you're Elias. Some say you're John the Baptist
returned. Some say this, and some say that. He said, Well,
who do you say that I am? And Peter said, Thou art the
Christ, the Son of the living God. thou art the Christ, the
Son of the living God. And the Lord looked at Peter
and said, Blessed art thou, Simon bar John, for flesh and blood
has not revealed this unto thee, but the Lord in heaven. Thy name
is Peter. And upon this rock, that is the
rock that he has just said, the message that he has just said,
upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell
shall not prevail against it. This stone, gospel is the rock
upon which the Lord builds His church. This stone of Israel is our hiding
place. It is our hiding place. Scripture
says that a man shall be a hiding place from the wind and a covert
from the tempest as rivers of water in a dry place as a shadow
of a great rock in a dry land. And this stone is Israel's water
and our water of life. Our water of life. In Exodus
chapter 17. In Exodus chapter 17. Our Lord speaks to Moses about
the rock in Horeb. Verse 5. Said the Lord, Go on
before the people, and take thee with the elders of Israel, and
thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river, take it in thy hand,
and go. Behold, I will stand before thee, there upon the rock,
God standing on a rock, of Horeb, and thou shalt smite the rock,
and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink.
And Moses did so in the sight of the elders. He smoked that
rock, because the people were thirsty, and water came out of
that rock. over in first Corinthians chapter
10 verse 4 it says and did all drink
the same spiritual drink for they drank of that spiritual
rock that followed them and that rock was Christ. That rock was Christ. One reference here I didn't call
up, I wanted to. Oh yeah, Matthew 21. Did I read from that? okay stuff for some looking for
that much wrote down the wrong words anyway our lord also said
this rock is life and death he talked about him being the
rock he said you fall upon this rock you shall live but if this
rock falls on you you'll die so this rock is life and death
this is what was being set forth by Jacob. I don't know whether
he knew it or not, what he was setting forth, but the Lord did. It says, His bow abode in strength. The arms of his hands were made
strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob. From thence is
the shepherd, the stone of Israel. Father, bless us to understand
and pray in Christ's name. Amen.