Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone (Eph 2:19-20).

Christ was rejected by men, and it led him to death. And through his death, the foundation was laid for the church to be built. He was the chief cornerstone to which the foundation of the apostles and prophets was later added, and now we Christians, as living stones, are also being built into the same spiritual house, which is the church.

As you come to him, the living Stone--rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him—you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ (1 Pet 2:4-5).

The Bible contains some stories in which someone becomes a sacrifice in order to build a nation or a city that was once built but destroyed. In a sense, these stories all point to Jesus Christ through whom God’s redemptive work for humanity was done and continues to be done. One of such stories is that of Moses. In Exodus 19, God came done on Mount Sinai with the strong sound of trumpet and fire, and the people witnessed the awesome presence of God in a very special way. It was the beginning of God’s people, a holy nation, a kingdom of priests, Israel. This mountain corresponds to Mount Eden in Genesis, and Mount Zion on which the temple was built. It signifies the axis connecting heaven and earth, the center or the foundation of the world. The following chapters of the book go on to tell how the Law was given as a part of the establishment of the covenant, which would serve as the foundation of the life of God’s people. But in the midst of this process, in chapter 32, they made a golden calf, an image for their God, and began to celebrate a festival for themselves. God became so angry, and decided to destroy them all and start over with the family of Moses. Then, Moses said:

Oh, what a great sin these people have committed! They have made themselves gods of gold. But now, please forgive their sin--but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written (Exod 32:31-32).

It did not happen right away, but as Moses continued to beseech God to forgive them and that his presence would go with them, he finally said, “I will do the very thing you have asked.” And Moses’ last request was: “Now show me your glory.” This glory was the greatest glory that could be given to men. It was the complete forgiveness of the sins of the world and the resurrection of the dead. Jesus, one time, requested the Father in the same way:

“… Father, glorify your name!" Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it, and will glorify it again (John 12:28)."

By “… will glorify it again,” the Father meant the resurrection of Jesus. God finally said to Moses:

There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen (Exod 33:21-23).

“This “rock” was the foundation of Israel, and the cleft was the tomb in which he was to be buried. It is interesting to note that Moses had the two tablets of stone in his hands. It is worth meditating upon this because a great truth is hidden in it.

Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes (Rom 10:4).