Jewish legend tells a fascinating story of the Lord God Jehovah, before the earth was formed. Legend states, the Lord broke off a piece of his heavenly throne and cast it in the abyss. This “Rock” a portion of Heaven’s foundation, became the Foundation Stone of the earth, out of which our precious earth was born. As a woman brings forth a child from the center of her body, (her naval) this story tells us the formation of our planet may have been created in similar fashion. After the Lord God set the foundation stone in place, He expanded it in all directions, ultimately bringing forth the earth’s creation in all of its glory. “God saw all he had made and behold it was very good” -Genesis 1:31
It is on this very Foundation Stone many believe the Garden of Eden existed. Was it there Adam and Eve walked with the Lord God in the cool of the day and enjoyed intimate fellowship with him? Many are those who believe this was the sanctuary of His Holiness, the garden of the miraculous. Could this Garden have ultimately become the city of Jerusalem where the sacred Temple was built and where the Temple Mount remains to this day? This holy ground where the Lord commanded Solomon to build the first Temple has been fiercely fought over for centuries. It is held sacred by Jews, Christians and Muslims alike. What many may not know, this unbroken Foundation Stone, at the North wall of the Temple mount extends to include Golgotha, the place of skulls. It was there the priests slaughtered animals that were prepared for a sin offering to the Lord. The remains of these animals were often left and this became a grave yard of sorts for both animal and human bones, there by gaining its name.
As the High Priest slit poured out the blood of the carefully chosen, spotless Passover Lamb, our Great High Priest was pouring out his blood on the mount of Golgotha’s hill for our sin. Did you know it is believed our Heavenly Father tested Abraham asking him to offer his son on this very same site? Clearly, a profound prophetic foreshadowing of the death of his only son. It is also believed Jacob slept on this great Foundation Stone naming it Bethel, the House of God. It was there he saw the Angels of God ascending and descending upon it and proclaimed it to be the Gate to Heaven. Many postulate this to include Mt. Sinai, where Moses heard the Voice of God emanating out of the burning bush where the Lord told him, “…Do not come near here. Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is Holy Ground.”– Exodus 3:5. This sacred place that became the Holy of Holies in Solomon’s Temple, housed the Ark of the Covenant and was previously the threshing floor that King David purchased to offer sacrifice to the Lord when God judged his sin of counting Israel and Judah. It was there David saw the angel of the Lord with sword drawn ready to slay more of the children of Israel until the Lord stayed the angel’s hand, yet another demonstration of the miraculous.
During the time of Jesus’ ministry the Jews questioned him regarding the issue of authority. Jesus answered them “…Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up” (John 2:19) as He prophesied of the temple of his body. Was the Great Rock of our Salvation foreshadowed by the earth’s Foundation Stone? “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?”- 1Cor. 3:16. For according to the Apostle Paul, ” So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure being joined together grows into a holy temple the Lord. In him you are also being being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.“- Ephesians 2:19-22
Christ Jesus, the true Foundation Stone, who not only holds our very world together by the power of his spoken word, (…All things were created through Him and for Him. He is before all things and in Him holds all things together- Col. 1:17) but has chosen to build his lasting temple in his people. Revelation 21: 3, “And I heard a great voice out of Heaven saying, ” Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.” “Behold He cometh with clouds and every eye shall see Him, and they also which pierced Him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of Him. Even so, Amen.”-Rev. 1:7