FIRST QUARTER 2024
SABBATH SCHOOL INSIGHT #9
MARCH 2, 2024
“BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD”

This week’s lesson focuses on the book of Psalms as it testifies of the messianic mission of Jesus.  His earthly ministry, His suffering and death on the cross (Psalms 22, 88), HIs burial (Psalms 23), His resurrection (Psalms 16) and His ascension (Psalms 24) were all described and foretold.

In addition, the quarterly looks at the eternal Kingship of Christ (Psalms 2 and 110:1-3,5,6) and His High Priestly Ministry (Psalms 110:4-7).  The author of the lesson also makes the following insightful comment about the Everlasting Covenant stating that “Christ upholds a superior covenant that is based on God’s oath, not human promises.”  Speaking of His high priestly ministry, she concludes with this.  “The reconciling work of Christ as the perfect and compassionate Priest gives His people a lasting assurance of abiding in God’s very presence (Hebrews 6:19,20). Christ’s royal priesthood will abolish the rule of evil, not only in people’s hearts but also in the world.” (Adult Sabbath School Study Guide, First Quarter, 2024, p. 73). 

It would take a whole quarter, and more, of Sabbath School Insights, just to scratch the surface on the subject of this week's lesson.  Jerry Finneman has done a fantastic job with an introductory book on this subject entitled, Christ In the Psalms (Glad Tidings Publishers).  This has been recommend in previous Sabbath School Insights and I recommend it again especially as you study this lesson.

Consider Psalms 118, from which we get the title of the lesson, “Blessed is He Who Comes in the Name of the Lord” (Psalms 118:26, NKJV) and the memory verse, “The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This was the LORD's doing; It is marvelous in our eyes” (Psalms 118:22,23). 

In its prophetic messianic fulfillment, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord,” are the words that spontaneously comes forth from the hearts of the people as Jesus, during the triumphal entry, was ushered into Jerusalem for the very last time (Matthew 21:9). It would be there, in that final week of His earthly life, that He would lay down His life on the cross.

After the triumphal entry, Jesus cleansed the temple of the money changers and those who were exploiting God and the people for their own gain.  While those responsible scattered, the blind, the lame, and those who were hungry for something much more came to Him.  Their words were, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” (Matthew 21:12-15).

The priests and scribes were indignant not only because He turned over tables and chased away the extortioners, but because the people coming to Jesus were recognizing Him as Messiah.  They came to Jesus so that He would make them stop calling him the Son of David. Then Jesus quotes from Psalms 8, “Have you not read, ‘Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise’?” (Matthew 21:16). 

The next day Jesus returned to the temple to teach, but the chief priests and elders confronted Him while He was teaching, asking Him who gave Him the authority to do the things He was doing. Jesus tested their honesty by asking them a question about whether John’s baptism was sent from heaven or from men.  In their usual fashion the leaders were evasive and would not honestly answer the question. Jesus knowing the hardness and motives of their hearts, did not answer their question about Himself either.  What Jesus did next, though, was tell two parables, each trying to show them their ungodly, murderous condition (Matthew 21:28-41). He wanted to cast a light on what they were about to do in hopes that they would turn from the path on which they were traveling.

Then Jesus, quoting from Psalms 118, says this: "Have you never read in the Scripture, The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. This was the LORD's doing, And it is marvelous in our eyes?” (Matthew 21:42).

The teachers of Israel were very familiar with this reference as the story was passed down from the time of Solomon, who was given the task of building the first temple. The King commissioned the stones that were to be used for the foundation of the new temple to be made (1 Kings 5:17,18).  None of the stones were to be chiseled at the temple site but rather they were to be shaped at the quarry, and then brought to the temple to be placed stone by stone for the making of the foundation.  This was done so that no chiseling or hammering was heard in the temple when it was being built (1 Kings 6:7).

Now the builders needed just the right stone to be the cornerstone which was to bear the weight of and support all the other stones that followed.  It was the most important stone and the one upon which the whole foundation would depend. The cornerstone was the foundation of the foundation.

The story has it that a large stone was brought to the building site of Solomon's temple. The builders saw this stone but initially rejected it and set it aside while they searched and searched for just the “right one.”  And all the while this large stone that was rejected was just a nuisance to them, seemingly always in the way.  Meanwhile the builders tried many different stones, each of them failing for one reason or another.  This happened over and over again until finally they came back to the large stone that was always in their way.  When they finally tried this one, the one that had been rejected, they discovered that it fit perfectly in place, serving as the much needed cornerstone.

It was written: “Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: 'Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; whoever believes will not act hastily’” (Isaiah 28:16). “He will be as a sanctuary, but a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense to both the houses of Israel, as a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And many among them shall stumble; they shall fall and be broken, be snared, and taken” (Isaiah 8:14,15). 

Jesus knew from Psalms and Isaiah of the rejection He would face.  And yet His heart was pained no less by this knowledge because He loved those that rejected Him all the more and could only hope that their refusal could be averted.  You can feel God’s pain in Jesus’ haunting words spoken to them that day: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! See! Your house is left to you desolate; for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’" (Matthew 23:37-39). 

Ellen White describes this moment like this: “Divine pity marked the countenance of the Son of God as He cast one lingering look upon the temple and then upon His hearers. In a voice choked by deep anguish of heart and bitter tears He exclaimed, ‘O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chicks under her wings, and ye would not!’ This is the separation struggle. In the lamentation of Christ the very heart of God is pouring itself forth. It is the mysterious farewell of the long-suffering love of the Deity." --Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 620, emphasis supplied). 

Notice how Jesus ends His parting words to those who refuse to believe, “Your house is left…”  He no longer refers to the temple as “My Father’s house” like He did when He cleansed the temple the first time (John 2:16).  It is now their house because it is desolate without Him. Then Jesus, getting back to Psalms 118, said this: “You shall see Me no more till you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’” (Matthew 23:39). 

Until they truly believed Jesus to be “He who comes in the name of the Lord,” the One heaven sent and the Son of the vineyard owner Himself, their house would be left desolate.  But if they would confess with their mouth and believe in their hearts everything would be different.

They would not come to Him in faith but were content to continue with their attainment of their own righteousness both in quantity and quality, not knowing that it was no righteousness at all.

Paul put it this way: “What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness of faith; but Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness. Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone. As it is written: ‘Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, and whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame’” (Romans 9:30-33).

If they had recognized Jesus as the chief cornerstone and believed it to be true, Paul could have written this about them: “Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit” (Ephesians 2:19-22). 

And, likewise for us, if we refuse the righteousness of Jesus that comes by faith we are rejecting the Chief Cornerstone.  We will have a foundation built on sand and will be settling for a righteousness of our own devising and for an temple edifice that will remain devoid of His presence.

Let it not be said of us: “This is the 'stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone’” (Acts 4:11). 

But rather, may we all come “to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:4,5). 

Jesus is the stone of righteousness, the foundation of the foundation of God’s government.  He who gave all for the saving of a lost world that He loved more than His own life showed what constitutes the cornerstone of God’s kingdom -- self-sacrificing, faithful love.  And oh, “it is marvelous in our eyes!” (Psalms 118:23).  This is the rock on which He will build His church. With His strength, with His faith, with His righteousness, and with His love alone will we stand.

“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14). 

Even so come Lord Jesus!

~ Kelly Kinsley