Christ The Foundation Stone
I was 58 years old when I first learned what the Dome of the Rock, a holy shrine for Muslims, actually contains inside. To say I was surprised would be an understatement. How had I gone my whole life without making that connection? What about you-do you know what lies within this shrine that is considered to be so sacred? It is rich with spiritual symbolism, and it holds a powerful lesson for us today as Christians.
The Dome of the Rock, one of the most recognized Muslim shrines in Jerusalem, stands on the Temple Mount-the very site where Solomon’s Temple once stood. Inside is the Even haShetiyah, also known as “the Foundation Stone.” Jewish tradition regards this stone as the center of creation and later the exposed floor of the Holy of Holies after the Ark of the Covenant disappeared. It was treated with deep reverence, and considered the holiest place on earth. Over the centuries, the stone and site have also carried significance for Muslims and Christians, but for now let’s pause and focus on its role in first-century Jewish history.
By the time Jesus walked in the temple courts, the Ark of the Covenant was no longer there. In its absence, the Most Holy Place had been built around the foundation stone, concealed behind the veil. This stone, standing in the Holy of Holies- the sacred place the high priest entered only once a year to make atonement for the nation of Israel-took the place of the Ark. With great ceremony and reverence, the priest sprinkled upon the stone, the blood of the sacrifice, just as they had done with the Ark of the Covenant. They followed the instructions God had given Moses centuries earlier in the book of Exodus. However, something was different.
The Ark was missing. The mercy seat was gone. The cherubim wings that once overshadowed the place of atonement had vanished. Yet the people clung to a stone, trusting in its symbol more than in the substance who walked right into the Temple. How tragic that they were mesmerized by what God had already moved beyond, even as Jesus Christ, the true foundation and mercy seat, stood among them.
They clung to a bare rock and to tradition instead of to the living Capstone. As Peter reminds us,
“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” 1 Peter 2:6
Jesus did not merely restore what was lost-the Ark, the mercy seat, the visible symbol of God’s presence. He Himself became the true and better Mercy Seat. The shadow gave way to the substance, and the greater glory revealed Himself as the true foundation stone. Today, the physical stone lies outside Israel’s control, and I believe God is reminding us that his true dwelling is not in a man-made shrine, but in the hearts of His people through the indwelling Holy Spirit. That is God’s presence. That is the stone Peter describes in 1 Peter 2:8, “The stone that the builders rejected has become our chief cornerstone.”
Oh Friend-Look to the stone of Zion, and place your faith firmly in the only Foundation, The True Foundation Stone, Jesus Christ!
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