The Rejected Chief Corner Stone of the Messianic Temple

In Matthew 21 Jesus identified himself as the Rejected Stone that became the chief cornerstone. But what does this mean? It means that the Messianic Temple would not be – is not – a building made with hands! See my YouTube Video on the Messianic Temple and Matthew 21.

Dispensationalism tells us that the Old Testament did not predict the church or the church age. But, if that is true, then how could Jesus quote from Psalms 118:22, Isaiah 8:14, and Daniel 2:44 prophecies of the establishment of the Messianic Temple and kingdom, and apply them to himself as the chief cornerstone of that promised Messianic Temple?

Jesus application of those prophecies of the Messianic Temple shows us some very powerful facts:

1 The OT did in fact predict the establishment of the church, the body of Christ, as the Messianic Temple. In Ephesians 2:19f Paul identified the church as the Temple of God, with Jesus being the “chief cornerstone.” But, if Christ is the chief cornerstone of the church, then the church was foretold in the Old Testament, for Christ applied the OT prophecies of the Rejected Chief Cornerstone to himself!

2. This being true, it means that the prophecies of the Messianic Temple were not predictions of a literal, physical Temple! After all, if Jesus – the living Jesus – is the chief cornerstone of the Messianic Temple, then the Temple cannot be a literal, physical building of any kind! This truth totally refutes the entire Dispensational doctrine!

3. Since Jesus identified himself as the Rejected Chief Corner Stone, it meant that the “builders” who rejected him, and the nation that they represented – was to be crushed and destroyed! This is indisputable from Matthew 21 in Jesus’ citation of Isaiah 8:14 and Daniel 2! In addition, in Acts 4:11f, Peter cites the same text from Psalms 118, and pointedly says that the Jerusalem leaders were the “builders” who had rejected the Chief Corner Stone. They instantly recognized, just as in Matthew 21, that Peter was talking about them, and that meant that judgment was coming on them! The Old Covenant Temple, representative and symbolic of the system that rejected the True Chief Corner Stone, would be crushed and ground to powder. The glorious and eternal Messianic Temple would rise from those ashes and stand forever!

See my book The Elements Shall Melt With Fervent Heat, for an extended discussion of the Rejected Stone. This book proves definitively that the Messianic Temple is the church of the Living God!