Take a moment to read 1 Peter 2:4-8 along with Isaiah 28:16 and Psalm 118:19-29 before reading the devotional below.
Peter is referencing a lot of the Old Testament scriptures well known to his Jewish audience. The writings of Isaiah, a major prophet of Israel, and the Psalms written by the famous King David were central texts in the life of a Jewish person. Connecting Jesus with these scriptures was a critical element of the development of the early church, and it created sharp dividing lines between those who believed Jesus was the promised Messiah and those who did not.
Jewish people who had understood the Scriptures very literally were having their entire worldview shaken in thinking about the law, grace, and the role of Jesus in salvation. The building blocks of the Temple were literal rocks, and the construction and later destruction of the Temple building were major Jewish historical events. Peter is urging a different view here as he says, “You are the living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple.” What a message! “You are the dwelling place of God, not a building. Jesus is the cornerstone, not a piece of limestone!” Peter warns that those who reject Jesus will fall apart.
Here’s your freedom for today: God has built his home in you. You line the walls of God’s house. You are a brick in an eternal structure that will never rot or come tumbling down. You are a part of a place much bigger than yourself. Jesus is the spiritual cornerstone on which everything else rests. If he is removed from the equation, the dwelling place of God no longer stands.