Recently, a keen Biblical enthusiast visited me, noticing the mention of stones several times in the Bible. From the Old Testament to the new one, he realized that stones were used in different contexts. He was confused and wanted an interpretation of this. Since I come from a family of evangelists and have been in the ministry for 15 years, I sat down with my uncle to answer the query, what does stone symbolize in the Bible?
In Matthew 21:42-43, the stone mentioned symbolizes Jesus Christ. According to the verse, Jesus Christ is said as the stone that had been rejected by the builders but had finally become the cornerstone. Jesus had yet to be received well in his ministry, especially by the people from his hometown of Nazareth. However, He still had a massive following of people interested in his word and the Kingdom of God. Jesus, therefore, warned those who had rejected him and his word that it was being consumed by those who thirsted for the kingdom of God and that anyone who tried to go against the word would be crushed.
I welcome you to this article as I delve into the topic of stones in the Bible. I will look at the different Bible verses where stones have been mentioned and discuss what the stone represents in the Bible. I will also look at the different ways the stones were used in the Bible and discuss the significance of the 12 stones in the Old Testament. Furthermore, I will discuss the symbolic meanings of stones in the Bible. Read to the end to learn more about stones and their use in the Bible.
Where are stones mentioned in the Bible?
In Joshua 4:20-24, God miraculously made the Jordan River dry up to allow the children of Israel to pass through, and Joshua asked them to pick 12 of the stones found at the river bed of Jordan. These 12 stones, representing the 12 tribes, were set up at Gilgal, and Joshua wanted the people of God to remind the generations to come of the mighty works of God of drying up the River Jordan and allowing them to pass through.
In Ezekiel 28, Lucifer gets mocked for his fall out of the Garden of Eden, where he resided among the most precious stones that God had made. The stones mentioned include diamond, beryl, Onyx, and Jasper.
In Isaiah 28:16, God says He has laid a foundation in Zion, a tested precious stone that whoever believes in would be saved. The stone being spoken about is Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who was sent to die for our sins.
1 Peter 2:4 mentions people coming to the stone that was rejected by men but had absolute favor in the eyes of God. Despite not believing in Jesus Christ in the first place, some people are finally seen accepting his word and following the commandments of God.
Ezekiel 36:26 talks about the promise of God to change the hearts of His people from being stones to being fleshy and ready to receive His word. The hearts of stone do not receive the word of God positively, but the fleshy ones are receptive to the word.
In 1 Peter 2:8, Jesus is said to be a stumbling stone. People who disobey the word of God are said to stumble whenever they experience his mighty presence. The only way to avoid stumbling is by listening to his word and following the commandments successfully.
In Exodus 34:1, God commands Moses to cut himself two stones from a tablet, upon which He writes the Ten Commandments for the Israelites to follow. Moses had broken the first stone tablet before making the second one.
In Mark 16:3, the three women who used to anoint Jesus were standing outside the tomb on the third day after the death of Jesus, wondering who would roll the stone away to allow them in. They could not move the heavy stone away from the temple to anoint the body of Jesus Christ.
In Joshua 8:32, Joshua is recorded copying the laws of Moses on some stones in the presence of Israelites.
In 2 Chronicles 9:9, the queen of Sheba visited King Solomon with gifts of gold, spices, and precious stones.
In Genesis 31:45-52, Jacob takes a stone and sets it as a pillar. He then asks his kinsmen to gather more stones, and they make a heap and share a meal.
2 Kings 19 talks about the pagan gods made of wood and stones, being destroyed in the fire since they were the works of men.
In Joshua 8:31, an altar of uncut stones where no man had wielded an iron tool is set up, and a burnt offering is offered to God on the altar.
In Mark 15:46, Joseph of Arimathea helps lay the body of Jesus in the tomb by rolling away the stone that had covered the place.
Genesis 49:24 refers to Jacob as the great Stone of Israel.
In 1 Chronicle 22:2, King David orders stone cutters to prepare dressed stones to build God’s house.
Deuteronomy 21:18-21 talks about the punishment meted out on rebellious children of Israel according to the laws of Moses that entailed stoning them to death.
In 1 Chronicle 20:2, King David kills one of his enemy kings and notices a precious stone lodged in his crown.
In 1 Samuel 17:40, David picks five smooth stones and approaches the Philistine army led by Goliath.
In John 8, the Pharisees visit Jesus with an adulterous woman and challenge him to tell them whether the woman should be stoned to death as written in the laws of Moses. Jesus tells them that whoever has not sinned should be the first to cast the stone on the woman.
In Mark 5:5, Jesus Christ interacts with a demon-possessed man who is said to have been cutting himself with stones day and night.
In Matthew 4, Jesus fasts in the wilderness, where Satan first tempts him to turn stones into bread.
What does stone represent in the Bible?
The stone has been used to represent several entities in the Bible. The stone that David used in 1 Samuel 17:40 represents God’s divine power. David only had to throw it once at Goliath to kill him, showing that God’s power is sacred and can never fail.
In Genesis 49:24, the stone represents Jacob, the Great Stone of Israel. This is assumed to mean that God had chosen him as the foundation of His great nation of Israel.
The stone mentioned in 1 Peter 2:7 represents Jesus Christ, who was rejected by His people but found favor in the eyes of God. He is the only way to the Kingdom of God.
In Isaiah 28:16, the stone represents Jesus Christ, who is mentioned as the foundation set for Zion, the kingdom of God. He is said as a precious stone showing how much value he bears in the Kingdom of God.
Ezekiel 36:26 mentions stones that represent the hearts of people who have not been receiving the word of God well. God promises to change them to be receptive to His word.
How were stones used in the Bible?
Stones as a memorial monument
The stones in Joshua 4:20-24 were used to set up a memorial monument for the children of Israel. Having experienced the miracle of God drying up the river Jordan, Joshua commanded 12 people from each tribe of Israel to pick 12 stones from the riverbed, which they used to set up the monument in honor of God’s great doing.
Stones as material for writing
In Exodus 34:1, Moses is told God tells Moses to stones and make a tablet upon which the commandments were written. This reveals that stones were also used as writing materials in ancient Israel, where vital information would be written for remembrance.
Stones as coverings for the tomb
In Mark 16:3, three women are recorded to be outside the tomb of Jesus helpless because it was covered with a huge stone. Stones were, therefore, also used to cover tombs in ancient Israel.
Stones as gifts
In 2 Chronicles 9:9, precious stones have been used as gifts. The Queen of Sheba visited King Solomon and brought him gifts of spices, gold, and precious stones. In 1 Chronicles 29, King David offers gifts of precious stones like Onyx to God as an offering for his son Solomon who was about to take over as the king of Israel.
Stones as pillars
In Genesis 31:45-52, Jacob decided to honor his kinship with Laban, so he used stones to set up a pillar of remembrance at Gilgal, where they shared a meal. In Exodus 24:4, Moses sets up a pillar of 12 stones in honor of th