Psalms 118:22-23 The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. 23 This is the LORD’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.
These verses capture one of the most profound Messianic truths in all of Scripture. What man cast aside, God exalted. What the builders saw as flawed and unfit, God chose as the foundation of His eternal plan. Yeshua (Jesus), the rejected One, is the very cornerstone upon which salvation, identity, and destiny are built. This is more than a theological concept — it’s a divine reversal that reveals the heart of redemption. Rejection by man does not disqualify–it often qualifies you for God’s greatest purposes.
Throughout history, humanity has consistently misjudged what matters most. The religious leaders of Yeshua’s day, the “builders,” were entrusted with God’s house, yet failed to recognize the cornerstone when He stood before them. But the plans of men never override the purposes of God. The same Yeshua who was crucified outside the city became the foundation stone of a heavenly kingdom that will never be shaken. And this wasn’t a last-minute adjustment — it was “the LORD’s doing”, and it is still marvelous in our eyes.
The Hebrew word for “stone” is אֶבֶן (evan) — a compound of אב (av) meaning father and בן (ben) meaning son. Hidden within this one word is the mystery of the Gospel: the Father and the Son, united in purpose and identity. The cross was not an accident; it was the place where the Father gave the Son to become the foundation of our faith, our lives, and the coming Kingdom. The cornerstone is not just about structural strength — it’s about divine relationship.
This truth demands a response. If Yeshua is the cornerstone, then every part of our lives must align with Him. He is not an add-on or a side pillar — He is the first stone laid, the standard by which all other stones are set. Your identity, your calling, your future — everything must be built on Him. If you’ve experienced rejection, know this: your value is not determined by the builders of this world, but by the One who makes all things marvelous in His time.
It’s time to rebuild — on the Rock. Stop trying to fit into structures God never called you to belong to. You may have been rejected, overlooked, or cast aside — but that doesn’t disqualify you. In fact, it places you in perfect alignment with the One who was rejected before you. Let Yeshua be your cornerstone — not just in word, but in foundation. Tear down what was built on sand. Lay Him down as the first and final authority in your life. Align your identity to the Father through the Son. What man rejected, God is ready to use. What the enemy tried to discard, God is setting in place. The cornerstone is secure — now build.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy Devotions. This devotional was originally published on Worthy Devotions and was reproduced with permission.
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Studying some remarkable events in the history of World War 2, we find the deliverance of the allied armies at Dunkirk; a true story of Divine providence in modern history. It was on May 10, 1940, that Hitler unleashed his armies against France and Belgium. Within days, the British army found itself outmaneuvered and unprepared for the German blitzkrieg assault led by General Rommel and his 7th Panzer division.
Thousands are gathering in Washington D.C. today to pray for the inauguration of the new president of the United States. I know a number of people who will be there and I think it’s a good thing, but this reminds me of a story I heard once.
We arrived at the airport late Thursday night with our bags and our kiddos only to find out that our flight was canceled because of a freak accident — a tractor ran into the plane, of all things! So we repacked our ourselves tightly into a small rental car to make the two hour drive to get back home to Arad in the middle of the night. Our flight was postponed till Sunday.
There was a man who had four sons, and he wanted them to understand the importance of not rushing to judgment. So, he sent each one on a journey to view a pear tree that was far away. He sent the first son in the winter, the second in the spring, the third in the summer, and the youngest in the fall. After they all returned, he gathered them together to hear what they had seen.
The Hebrew letter mem, equivalent to our English letter “M,” has a fascinating characteristic: it has two forms. The “open mem” appears at the beginning or middle of a word, with a small opening in its design. The “closed mem,” however, is used exclusively as the final letter in a word, fully sealed in its appearance. This distinction is consistent throughout the Hebrew language—except for one extraordinary exception found in the Bible.
We came across this story, about a man who was slowly losing his memory. After a lengthy examination, the doctor said that a risky operation on his brain might reverse his condition and restore his memory. However, the surgery would be so delicate that a nerve could be severed, causing total blindness.
Yeshua (Jesus) gave a remarkable parenthetic instruction in the middle of His Olivet discourse on the time of His coming and the end of the age. While it is unlikely that He himself said this, He certainly inspired Matthew to insert, “..let the reader understand”, concerning this critical event prophesied by Daniel, the Abomination of Desolation. His exhortation intended us (the readers of Matthew’s gospel) to learn what this means.