Psalms 118:22-23 The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. 23 This is the LORD’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.
These verses capture one of the most profound Messianic truths in all of Scripture. What man cast aside, God exalted. What the builders saw as flawed and unfit, God chose as the foundation of His eternal plan. Yeshua (Jesus), the rejected One, is the very cornerstone upon which salvation, identity, and destiny are built. This is more than a theological concept — it’s a divine reversal that reveals the heart of redemption. Rejection by man does not disqualify–it often qualifies you for God’s greatest purposes.
Throughout history, humanity has consistently misjudged what matters most. The religious leaders of Yeshua’s day, the “builders,” were entrusted with God’s house, yet failed to recognize the cornerstone when He stood before them. But the plans of men never override the purposes of God. The same Yeshua who was crucified outside the city became the foundation stone of a heavenly kingdom that will never be shaken. And this wasn’t a last-minute adjustment — it was “the LORD’s doing”, and it is still marvelous in our eyes.
The Hebrew word for “stone” is אֶבֶן (evan) — a compound of אב (av) meaning father and בן (ben) meaning son. Hidden within this one word is the mystery of the Gospel: the Father and the Son, united in purpose and identity. The cross was not an accident; it was the place where the Father gave the Son to become the foundation of our faith, our lives, and the coming Kingdom. The cornerstone is not just about structural strength — it’s about divine relationship.
This truth demands a response. If Yeshua is the cornerstone, then every part of our lives must align with Him. He is not an add-on or a side pillar — He is the first stone laid, the standard by which all other stones are set. Your identity, your calling, your future — everything must be built on Him. If you’ve experienced rejection, know this: your value is not determined by the builders of this world, but by the One who makes all things marvelous in His time.
It’s time to rebuild — on the Rock. Stop trying to fit into structures God never called you to belong to. You may have been rejected, overlooked, or cast aside — but that doesn’t disqualify you. In fact, it places you in perfect alignment with the One who was rejected before you. Let Yeshua be your cornerstone — not just in word, but in foundation. Tear down what was built on sand. Lay Him down as the first and final authority in your life. Align your identity to the Father through the Son. What man rejected, God is ready to use. What the enemy tried to discard, God is setting in place. The cornerstone is secure — now build.
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[worthy_plugins_devotion_single_body]The city of Laodicea was founded nearly three centuries before the birth of Christ. Built on a trade route, Laodicea was quite prosperous. The wealth of the city was legendary, as Jews who lived there sent 9 kilograms (20 lbs) of gold to the Temple in Jerusalem on a yearly basis according to historical records.
Laodicea was an idyllic city except for its lack of a water supply. It depended on water from an external source, the city of Hierapolis was located six miles to the north, the site of mineral hot springs which were used for medicinal purposes. These steaming hot waters were piped to Laodicea, arriving there… lukewarm, hence the metaphor in Yeshua’s warning to the Laodicean church.
Here in Israel we have an interesting geographical phenomenon – there are two landlocked seas. One is alive and one is dead. The sea full of life is the Kinneret, better known as the Sea of Galilee. The dead sea is…….you guessed it, the Dead Sea. Now the Kinneret is constantly emptying as it flows through the Jordan River valley…. into the Dead Sea. But the Dead Sea does not empty its water at all. Instead, the Dead Sea is continually shrinking, because the intense heat at this lowest place on Earth actually evaporates more water than is flowing in. Do you see a parable here?
One day a passerby saw a homeless man on the roadside. He stopped for a moment to hand him some loose change and casually said “God bless you, my friend”.
“I thank God,” said the homeless man, “I am never unhappy.”
The church at Laodicea received a stern warning in chapter 3 of John’s Revelation. We would do well to reflect on it.
The word “Laodicea” is a compound in the Greek; “Laos” which principally means “people”, and “dike”, defined as “principle or decision”. One rendering might read, “rule of the people”, or, in modern terms, “Democracy”. In the western world, we have an affection and even a deep commitment to Democracy. Yet this form of government, “rule of the people” is fatally flawed… because we are fatally flawed by our sin nature…
One of my passions is studying history, especially the American Civil War. Here is an amusing story about General Stonewall Jackson’s famous Valley Campaign. During the war, Jackson’s army found itself on one side of a river when it needed to be on the other.
Yeshua (Jesus) said He is the “bread of life”. It was His body that was broken on our behalf as the substitutionary sacrifice for our sins. Notice that He never once called us to be the “bread of life”! He is the ONLY “Bread of Life” – the true bread who came down from Heaven which anyone may eat and not die. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is His flesh, given for the life of the world.