xxviii. 16. _Therefore thus saith the Lord God: Behold! I
lay in Zion a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner-stone
for a firm foundation; he that believeth shall not be in
haste.--Birks._[1]
I. Who this foundation is. II. Where this foundation is laid.
III. The Author of this foundation. IV. The character of this
foundation. V. The safety of those who build upon it.--_R. Bingham,
M.A.: Sermons,_ p. 202.
I. God's foundation for the eternal salvation of sinners. II. Its
properties and excellences. III. The blessedness of those who build
upon it.--_W. Hancock, B.D.: Sermons,_ pp. 1-16.
The person and salvation of Jesus Christ are frequently spoken of
under the image here presented, the most obvious and expressive image
of security, that of a foundation. Our Saviour expressly appropriates
to Himself (Psalm cxviii. 22). The same architectural idea appears in
Eph. ii. 20; 1 Pet. ii. 4-8.
+I. The grand object which God proposed to Himself in all His
dispensations to man,+ viz., the laying of a foundation in which the
hope of a repenting sinner might rest, with regard to God and
Eternity. We trace this object, 1. In the primal promise (Gen.
iii. 15). 2. In the mysterious rite of sacrifice Divinely appointed
from the beginning to prefigure "the Lamb of God who taketh away the
sins of the world." 3. In the whole system of the Mosaic law, "The
schoolmaster to bring us to Christ." 4. More and more distinctly
announced in the Psalms and Prophecies. The foundation proclaimed by
Jehovah in the text is the chief end of all He has done and revealed
to mankind; the central point in which all the lines of His
providence and His word meet and terminate. Nature supplies the
scene, providence the scaffolding, revelation the plan, and that
mighty spiritual edifice of which this is the foundation.
+II. This foundation was needed.+ None will dispute this point. So
sensible are men that they need a foundation for hope towards God,
that every one is disposed to lay his own. Every one feels that
without some restitution made to a holy God sin cannot be pardoned
nor the sinner saved. The question is, How shall a proper foundation
be laid? where shall an adequate restitution be found? The most
important question in the universe to be answered and at the same
time the most difficult! (1 Sam. ii. 25). Only three kinds of
restitution on the part of man are imaginable--penitence, good works,
voluntary sufferings; but none of these, nor all put together, can be
deemed satisfactory in the case before us. 1. _Penitence_ is no
foundation of the soul before God; the most sorrowful remembrance of
sin cannot repair it (H. E. I., 4225-4228). 2. Neither are _good
works,_ to which the same insufficiency attaches; they are always
required, and therefore can never possess a superfluity or redundancy
of merit (H. E. I., 375, 1950). And this applies to the best works;
but what are ours in the sight of God? 3. The only remaining kind of
restitution is by _voluntary sufferings:_ this, by its very
definition, is absurd and vain, for if any sufferings are required
they become part of our duty; but to invent penances of our own is no
part of our duty, and must be contradictory rather than satisfactory
to the Divine law. Penitence, good works, voluntary sufferings, may
be methods of procuring for us the priestly absolution of a poor
sinful man like ourselves; but they will not secure for us the Divine
acceptance.
III. Observe, it is in the midst of the false foundations, the
"baseless fabrics" of sinners, that God in our text introduces His
own, +the only true and solid foundation.+ All who build their hope
on any other will be compelled at last to say, "We have made lies our
refuge, and under falsehood we have hid ourselves." See 1 Cor.
iii. 10. The wonderful way in which this stone was laid; how a person
of the Godhead assumed our human nature, He who was in the form of
God took the form of a servant, He became "Jehovah our
righteousness." See 2 Cor. v. 19. He who laid the foundation of the
heavens and the earth alone could lay this foundation in Zion!
+VI. The excellent qualities of this foundation.+ It is
represented--1. As _"a tried stone:"_ a foundation which has resisted
the strongest attempts to shake it,--that has stood the trial of
unnumbered enemies and friends. It has been proved in the fiery trial
of Divine justice, and the sins of the whole world have tried its
strength to sustain an overwhelming weight. The storms of persecution
have raged against it in vain, still it stands uninjured (Heb.
xiii. 8)! In every respect "a tried stone;" tried by God, by Satan,
by man; tried in life, in death, in eternity; tried by all the saints
in all their trials; and never tried in vain! 2. As _"a
corner-stone."_ The corner-stone unites both sides of an edifice; and
St. Paul represents Christ as Him in whom the whole building, fitly
compacted, rises a spiritual habitation of God (Eph. ii. 19-22).
3. As _"precious;"_ precious in respect to the Saviour's Person as
the only begotten Son of God; in respect to His sacrifice; a
foundation composed not of corruptible things (1 Peter i. 18, 19).
4. As _"a sure foundation:"_ not an imaginary one like every other,
but one real and substantial! In the Hebrew the word is reduplicated
for the greater emphasis, "A foundation, a foundation!" Not a
transitory but an eternal one. We are dying men; we sojourn in a
world of vanity and death; what we want is a "sure foundation."
Behold in Christ this grand desideratum!
+V. The happiness of him who rests on this foundation.+ "He that
believeth shall not make haste;" he shall not be thrown into
disquietude and agitation of spirit. Never has the strength of this
foundation been so well appreciated as when it was most tried, most
needed. When our flesh and our heart fail, then is the time to find
in God the rock of our heart, in Christ the foundation of our soul!
CONCLUSION.--But then we must possess the character defined in the
text; "he that believeth," is he that amidst the wreck of nature
shall be saved on this foundation. We must see to it that we have
that faith which is known by its fruits, which keeps the
commandments, purifies the heart, works by love, overcomes the world,
resists the devil, rejoices in Christ.--_Robert Hall: Fifty Sermons,_
pp 68-86.
+I. God's foundation for the stability of His Church.+ 1. _This
foundation was planned in the eternal counsels of Jehovah_ (1 Pet.
i. 20; Luke xi. 50; Rev. xiii. 8). 2. _This foundation was actually
laid in the incarnation and sufferings of Jesus Christ_ (2 Cor.
v. 21; Gal. iii. 13; 1 Pet. ii. 22). 3. _This foundation is
proclaimed in the preaching of the Gospel_ (Luke xxiv. 47; Acts
xiii. 38, 39).
+II. The peculiar qualities by which this foundation is
distinguished.+ 1. It is a _stone, denoting strength._ 2. It is a
_living stone._ Possessing life in Himself, He is able to communicate
it (John i. 4, v. 26; Rom. viii. 2). 3. A _tried stone._ The Father
tried it, earth tried it, hell tried it. 4. A _precious
corner-stone._ Corner-stones are generally placed for three purposes
for (_a._) union; for (_b._) beauty; for (_c._) direction or example.
5. A _sure foundation._
+III. The safety and blessedness of all those who depend upon this
foundation.+--_J. Sherman: British Pulpit,_ ii. 185-193.
Whatever subordinate reference there may be in these words to the
Jews, the principle reference is to the Messiah. For this view we
have apostolic authority. St. Paul says: "As it is written." Where?
In our text. "Whosoever believeth in Him shall not be ashamed." And
St. Peter quotes from Isaiah the same text.
+I. The Emblem of the Lord Jesus.+ "A stone." Whether we consider Him
"a stone" for solidity, or for strength, or for duration, He is all
these; for whatever changes may take place among men, with Him "there
is no variableness nor shadow of turning." Peter calls Him--1. A
"living stone," meaning that He has life in Himself, that He procures
and dispenses it to others. So Paul (Col. iii. 4). 2. He is a _tried
stone._ Everything in regard to Him was tried in the days of His
flesh: His wisdom, His meekness, His love. 3. He is a _precious
stone._ Precious to God the Father, to angels, to Christians (1 Pet.
ii. 7). 4. A precious _corner-stone._ The corner-stone stands to
unite. He unites in His person deity and manhood. We see in Him
united the Old and New Testament dispensations. He unites Jews and
Gentiles (Eph. ii. 14).
+II. His destination.+ "Behold I lay in Zion," &c. 1. _Who lays this
foundation?_ GOD. 2. _Where does He lay this foundation?_ "In
_Zion._" Jesus was a Jew, of the family of David. To the woman at the
well He said, "Salvation is of the Jews." See Ps. cx. 2; and Isa.
ii. 2, 3, xxv. 6.
+III. How well He answers the purpose and end.+ "A sure foundation."
He is a sure foundation for all. Myriads have trusted in Him, and to
the whole world it may be said (Isa. xxvi. 4).
+IV. The blessedness of those who make use of it.+ "He that believeth
shall not make haste." This declaration is not opposed to
_diligence;_ now, for "the King's business requireth haste." No (Ps.
cxix. 60). But--1. To _impatience_ (see chap. v. 19). "Blessed are
they that _wait_ on Him." 2. To _confusion._ Terror will overwhelm
the godless (Rev. i. 7). But believers (1 John ii. 28).
+V. Observe the ushering in of the whole scene.+ "Behold." Angels
pause before the great work of redemption, and "desire to look unto
these things." "Herein is His love made manifest." Behold He "hath
commended His love, that while we were yet sinners Christ died for
us." Be not of those who "Behold and wonder and perish;" but let the
command inspire you with gratitude, admiration, obedience, and zeal.
"Hear, and your souls shall live."--_William Jay: Sunday Evening
Discourses,_ pp. 18-25.
+I. The prominent idea of the text.+ Christ a foundation-stone.
1. The _Builder_ is Jehovah Himself. He drew the plan of the
spiritual building, determined the materials of which it should be
constructed, the stone on which it should rest, and then with His own
hand laid that foundation. 2. The _Site_ of the building was "Zion."
This is generally explained as referring to the Church. But is not
the Church the building? Is there not an incongruity in saying, I lay
in the Church a foundation-stone on which the Church is to be built?
Is there any reason why the passage might not be understood literally
as referring to Jerusalem? Is there not a very appropriate sense in
which it was true that the foundation on which the Church rests was
laid in Jerusalem? Was it not there that the Son of God offered up
Himself as a sacrifice, and made atonement for man? Was it not there
that the Holy Spirit descended and gave effect to the finished work
of redemption? Was it not there the gospel was first preached by the
apostles? And was not all this in accordance with the
pre-arrangements of God's plan? As Zechariah's fountain was to be
opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and as
Ezekiel's waters were to flow forth from the temple, so Isaiah's
foundation-stone was laid in Jerusalem. 3. The _building_ to be
reared on this stone was to be composed of Christian men of all ages
and all nations. They are being collected now; they will all as
lively stones by gathered in, fitly framed together, and built upon
the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself
being the chief corner-stone.
+II. The qualities attributed to this foundation-stone.+ 1. A _tried_
stone. 2. A _precious_ corner-stone. How shall we estimate its worth?
By its intrinsic value? Precious beyond all price. By its scarceness?
No other stone like it in the universe. By the importance of the
service it renders in the building? Precious to the Builder, to the
holy angels, to the redeemed before the throne, to believers on
earth. 3. A _sure_ foundation. Firm, solid, safe.
+III. The import of the promise annexed.+[2] 1. Shall not make haste,
or be in haste. 2. Shall not be put to shame (Rom. ix. 33, x. 11, &c.)
CONCLUSION.--If not on the foundation, get on it. If on it, keep on
it. Be not content to build on it yourself, but try to induce others
to do so.--_John Corbin._
+I. Sinful, dying man needs a foundation on which he may securely
rest his immortal hopes.+ Every man who studies his own nature and
destiny as immortal and accountable instinctively feels that he needs
something to give him support under the trials of life, and peace and
hope as he is about to enter upon the invisible world. This feeling
may exert no decisive influence over his conduct; it may be
counteracted by other influences; but it is in him; and he cannot get
rid of it.
+II. Such a foundation is laid for him in Zion.+ This foundation is
our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Pet. ii. 4-6). It is described 1. as _a
stone,_ indicating the solidity and durableness of that on which we
are invited to rest our immortal interests. In rearing a building of
any importance, we deem it essential that the foundation be laid in
the most enduring materials. How much more should we look for this
when we build for eternity! 2. As _a tried stone._ It has been tested
in every possible way, and in the severest manner, and therefore
justly claims our full and unhesitating confidence.[3] Other grounds
of hope have been resorted to by men--philosophy, infidelity,
self-righteousness--but they have always failed in the day of trial.
But a countless multitude, as they have risen from earth to heaven,
have testified to the perfect safety of trusting in Christ. Hence it
is called 3. _a precious stone._ How precious none can know but such
as have made trial of it in their times of need--the sinner, burdened
with a sense of guilt, and sinking in despair; the believer,
rejoicing in hope, and looking forward to heaven as his eternal home;
the dying Christian, as he closes his eyes on this world, in joyful
hope of another and a better; the redeemed in glory, as they cast
their crowns at His feet. Ask them what they think of Christ. 4. As
_a corner-stone._ The principal weight of an edifice rests on the
corners; and hence, in building, the largest and firmest blocks are
selected and placed there as best adapted to unite and support the
whole structure. This is the idea intended to be expressed when
Christ is spoken of as a corner-stone. It is He who, by His truth,
His grace, and His spirit, converts and sustains the whole living
temple (Eph. ii. 20-22). 5. As summing up the whole--_a sure
foundation._ Hence it is said, "He that believeth shall not make
haste."[4] The specific idea is that of a man on whose house the
tempest beats, and who apprehends that the foundation is insecure, or
feels it to be giving way beneath him, and therefore makes haste to
flee from his dwelling to seek a more safe position. The foundation
laid in Zion is so firm and secure that if a man trusts himself on
it, he shall have no cause of alarm, however the storms may beat, and
the waves dash and foam around him. Amid the wreck of matter and the
crash of dissolving worlds, he shall not be confounded, but shall
come forth at last unharmed and victorious over all, and find in his
Judge a friend, and in the kingdom of His Father and God an
everlasting home.
+III. It is the duty and privilege of all to build their hopes on
this foundation without delay.+
--_Joel Hawes, D.D.: Sermons,_ pp. 307-317.