A Stone In Zion

December 8

Romans 9:33 makes a clear point that lends itself to a vivid analogy. It says, “I am putting a stone in Zion to stumble over and a rock to trip over, yet the one who believes on Him will not be put to shame.” The Jews had an expectation of their Messiah. He would be a conqueror.

Jesus, humble and mild did not fit the bill. They could not reconcile the concept of the “Suffering Messiah” of Isaiah 53 with their anticipation of the Liberator who would set them free from the yoke of their harsh Roman masters.

Ponder the words of this prophetic passage. See the Suffering Messiah here who the oppressed Jews did not want to recognize:

1 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?

2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.

3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.

9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.

10 Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.

11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.

12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.


They did not want to see the Suffering Messiah who would set them free from sin. They wanted to see the Conquering Messiah who would set them free from Rome. So, they stumbled, and in their stumbling, the plan of salvation was opened to the gentiles. What could have been a devastating end became a new beginning.

What was a stumbling block to God’s chosen people became a stepping stone to the rest of the world’s people! We who would have been left out entirely if the Jews had simply recognized and embraced their Messiah when He came, now have a future and a hope; we, too can be co-heirs with Christ of Heaven’s riches.

Yet, as Paul says in Romans 11:8, 12 of the Jew, “According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear unto this day.

“Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles, how much more their fullness?”

The Jews have not fallen that they may be lost. No! Though a somnolence has fallen over them for a season, they will be re-gathered into the fold of faith. Indeed, in these last days we see a mighty move of the Spirit of the Living God sweeping over His ancient people, awakening them to the reality that Jesus is the One for whom they have waited.

May we who believe in the salvation of the Lord, we who have received His forgiveness and abide in His love and power, pray fervently for our Jewish brethren to come home; and as we pray for them, may the power of our prayers reach all the lost kindred and tribes of the world.