Editorial: Stones

From: The Christian Shepherd: 2004 By: L. Douglas Nicolet

• 3 min. read • grade level: 11

“When He was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice... Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest. And some of the Pharisees... said... Master, rebuke Thy disciples. And He answered... I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out” (Luke 19:37-40³⁷And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen; ³⁸Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest. ³⁹And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples. ⁴⁰And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out. (Luke 19:37‑40)).

Stones are cold, hard, lifeless things, yet, being mentioned over 170 times in Scripture, they surely present vital principles for guidance as well as exhortations intended to stir and warm our hearts.

Stones were used in Old Testament times to execute judgment for example, law breaking (Num. 15:36³⁶And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died; as the Lord commanded Moses. (Numbers 15:36); Deut. 13:10¹⁰And thou shalt stone him with stones, that he die; because he hath sought to thrust thee away from the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. (Deuteronomy 13:10)), rebellion (Deut. 21:21²¹And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die: so shalt thou put evil away from among you; and all Israel shall hear, and fear. (Deuteronomy 21:21)) and immorality (Deut. 22:21,24²¹Then they shall bring out the damsel to the door of her father's house, and the men of her city shall stone her with stones that she die: because she hath wrought folly in Israel, to play the whore in her father's house: so shalt thou put evil away from among you. (Deuteronomy 22:21)
²⁴Then ye shall bring them both out unto the gate of that city, and ye shall stone them with stones that they die; the damsel, because she cried not, being in the city; and the man, because he hath humbled his neighbor's wife: so thou shalt put away evil from among you. (Deuteronomy 22:24)). But they also were among the blessings of the promised land suggesting strength, solidity and durability (Deut. 8:9⁹A land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness, thou shalt not lack any thing in it; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills thou mayest dig brass. (Deuteronomy 8:9)).

Stones were used for a memorial of God’s ways of grace with His people (Josh. 4:19¹⁹And the people came up out of Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal, in the east border of Jericho. (Joshua 4:19)), as well as for weapons of battle (1 Sam. 17:40⁴⁰And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine. (1 Samuel 17:40)).

Though used to insult God’s king (2 Sam. 16:6,13⁶And he cast stones at David, and at all the servants of king David: and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left. (2 Samuel 16:6)
¹³And as David and his men went by the way, Shimei went along on the hill's side over against him, and cursed as he went, and threw stones at him, and cast dust. (2 Samuel 16:13)), stones also built God’s house (1 Kings 5:18¹⁸And Solomon's builders and Hiram's builders did hew them, and the stonesquarers: so they prepared timber and stones to build the house. (1 Kings 5:18)).

“Precious stones” were offered to God (1 Kings 10:2²And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bare spices, and very much gold, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart. (1 Kings 10:2)), “great stones” were used in the temple, and cast off stones in rebuilding Jerusalem (Ezra 5:8⁸Be it known unto the king, that we went into the province of Judea, to the house of the great God, which is builded with great stones, and timber is laid in the walls, and this work goeth fast on, and prospereth in their hands. (Ezra 5:8); Neh. 4:2²And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned? (Nehemiah 4:2)).

The Lord Jesus warned His loved but rebellious, haughty earthly people that mere outward “position” without inward “faith” is worthless before God. “Think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham” (Matt. 3:9⁹And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. (Matthew 3:9)).

The Jews felt that their “position” as Abraham’s descendants secured God’s blessing. But the Lord Jesus told them even lifeless rocks could, through God’s power, be made to produce true children a family of worship which their unbelief had denied Him.

Not only could God make stones a people to satisfy His heart, but they could also be made to cry out in protest if there was refusal to render due and worthy praise to the Messiah Deliverer and King as He entered Jerusalem (Luke 19:37-40³⁷And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen; ³⁸Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest. ³⁹And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples. ⁴⁰And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out. (Luke 19:37‑40)).

Surely we would say the most momentous time that “stones cried out” was after the blessed Saviour Himself had cried with a loud voice of victory from that awful cross (Luke 23:46⁴⁶And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost. (Luke 23:46)), “It is finished” (John 19:30³⁰When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. (John 19:30)). Then we read that “the earth did quake, and the rocks rent” (Matt. 27:51⁵¹And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; (Matthew 27:51)). Was not the rending of those rocks a mighty cry of agony uttered from all creation when its Creator laid down His life? Yet, what eternal glory and blessing has resulted from His mighty work of redemption! Those who morally were by nature lifeless stones before God are now, by faith in His finished work, living stones.

The Lord Jesus was that living stone, which the builders cast away as worthless (1 Peter 2:4,7⁴To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, (1 Peter 2:4)
⁷Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, (1 Peter 2:7)). Now, by His matchless grace, believers are also called living stones not to execute judgment, not to go to be used in war with one another, and surely not to be used to cause grief to our Lord (like the stones Shimei cast at David 2 Sam. 16:6⁶And he cast stones at David, and at all the servants of king David: and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left. (2 Samuel 16:6)), but rather to form a spiritual house in which God by His Spirit dwells (1 Cor. 3:16-17¹⁶Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? ¹⁷If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. (1 Corinthians 3:16‑17)). And we, living stones, are now able as holy priests to offer to our God that acceptable praise of which our Lord is so worthy.

May we then living stones willingly and joyously sing out the glories and praise of our blessed Lord Jesus so that creation does not have to cry out in protest against our spiritual coldness.

“They sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy... for Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; and hast made us unto our God kings and priests.... Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever” (Rev. 5:9-10,13⁹And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; ¹⁰And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. (Revelation 5:9‑10)
¹³And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. (Revelation 5:13)).

Ed.

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