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The context of Isa. 28: 16 speaks of Israel's covenant with death and refuge in
lies. All such, however, are doomed to failure. God has laid but one foundation, and no
foundation save that one will stand the storm and the strain of coming judgment. This
living stone, this elect chief corner stone is the precious foundation of all our hopes. He
shall never be confounded who builds, and believes, on Him.
#5.
He is precious.
pp. 133, 134
"Unto you therefore which believe He is precious" (I Pet. 2: 7).
The person of the Lord had been partly hidden behind types and figures. He had been
set forth as a Lamb without blemish and without spot. He had been set forth as a Chief
Corner Stone laid in Zion. But He is now set forth as the supreme object of faith, and
precious to all His believing people. Let us see what Peter has to say about "believing":--
"Whom having not seen, ye love; in Whom, though now ye see Him not, yet
believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory" (I Pet. 1: 8).
"Who by Him do believe in God, that raised Him up from the dead, and gave Him
glory" (I Pet. 1: 21).
"Behold, I lay in Sion a Chief Corner Stone, elect, precious; and he that believeth on
Him shall not be confounded" (I Pet. 2: 6).
"Unto you therefore which believe He is precious" (I Pet. 2: 7).
He is the object of love, though as yet unseen. He is the ground of rejoicing and
unspeakable joy. He gives fullness of glory and, as the Risen One, He, Himself, has
received glory at the Father's right hand. He is God's chosen foundation upon which all
our hopes must rest. "Therefore", concludes the scripture, to all who believe He must be
"precious".
If we consider the idea of preciousness from the standpoint of rarity and uniqueness,
we can find it in the Son of God in fullest measure. Who but He claims our love, though
He be yet unseen? Who, indeed, but He Who bare our sins in His own body on the tree.
Where, outside of Christ, shall we find unmixed joy and unalloyed glory? The world
may contribute "happiness", but real joy, that is independent of what "haps", it cannot
give. Who but Christ is the Risen One, and risen, too, on behalf of His people? Who but
He can hold out the hope of glory to any? What other foundation has God laid?
Scripture answers, "None but Christ". To us who believe, therefore, how precious He
must be, for apart from Him, we are, and have, nothing.
B. W. Newton put forward the suggestion that the true meaning of the apostle in this
passage is expressed by the translation: "Unto you therefore which believe is the
preciousness", for it will be seen that words "He is" are printed in italics in the A.V. This
translation will also be found in J. N. Darby's version. All the preciousness that
attaches to the Saviour belongs to His people. He is the Lamb of God, without blemish