the graven stone


For behold, the stone that I have laid before Joshua: Upon the stone are seven eyes. Behold, I will engrave its inscription, Says the Lord of hosts, And I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.”

Zechariah 3:9

The prophet Zechariah was privy to a remarkable scene in heaven. He watched as Joshua, Israel’s High Priest and representative, was first accused by Satan, then wonderfully justified by God. This amazing transaction is a picture of our own redemptive histories (Zechariah 3:1-5). We too stood condemned before God, and we too stood passively as the Lord justified and regenerated us (John 3:5-8; Titus 3:5), clothing us in Christ’s own righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21). The Stone revealed to Joshua was none other than the Lord Jesus Himself. Elsewhere He is typified as the chief corner stone (Ephesians 2:20; 1 Peter 2:6) and the stone cut out without hands that will one day smash and replace fallen man’s corrupt government systems (Daniel 2:34, 45). The seven eyes on the stone represent Christ’s omniscience and omnipresence; our Lord is present everywhere and there is not a fact in the universe He is unaware of. What grips our hearts most of all is the reference to the stone being engraved upon. This is a powerful and unmistakable reference to the marks inflicted upon the Lord’s body as He carried out His redemptive work. His flesh was marked so that we might be presented flawless before God. Even in Christ’s glorified state, the marks of crucifixion remain in His flesh. So far from being blemishes or imperfections, they are in fact His medals of honour indicating His complete victory over mankind’s most hated and feared enemies, death, hell, and the grave. They are the covenant marks of so great a salvation, of which you and I are grateful recipients. May these meditations thrill and encourage you today. May they also generate renewed appreciation for the Savior and a renewed desire to express our love for Him in selfless, faithful obedience.

God bless to today dear saints,

Pastor John