The Movable Corner Stone

And two boards shalt thou make for the corners of the tabernacle at the rear; and they shall be joined beneath, and together shall be united at the top thereof to one ring: thus shall it be for them both; they shall be for the two corners. And there shall be eight boards, and their bases, of silver, sixteen bases; two bases under one board, and two bases under another board. Exodus 26:23-4

God gave instructions regarding the corners of the tabernacle. The corners are where the boards on the western part of the sanctuary met the boards on the North and South. These corners are the corners of the Holiest of Holiest opposite the veil. The two boards seem to reinforce the corners, but it is not specified where exactly they are to be placed or how exactly they are to be attached. I like what James Strong says. He says that the extra 2 boards on the corner are attached to the boards on the west in such a way they overlap the end boards on the outside. This way, the corners inside the Holiest of Holiest maintain square and the inside of the Holiest of Holiest remains a cube.

One of the thing I like about the Darby Bible is that it is printed in paragraph format with the verse numbers in the margin. Yes, it makes sword drills more of a challenge, but I do not have the distraction of verse breaks. I am easily distracted.

Another thing I like about the Darby Bible is his annotations. Like this one that I stumbled across while considering the corners of the tabernacle in 1 Sam 14:38. And Saul said, Draw ye near hither, all the heads[10] of the people; and know and see wherein this sin has been this day. The footnote for this verse says: Lit. 'corners,' 'corner-stones,' as Judges 20:2

And the heads of all the people, of all the tribes of Israel, presented themselves in the congregation of the people of God, four hundred thousand footmen that drew sword. Judges 20:2

I have always thought of a corner stone as being stationary, a corner of a foundation laid, unmovable. But, according to these verses, the corners were all the heads of the people and footmen that drew sword.

This sheds a little different light on Jesus' statement after the parable of the vineyard. ... What then is this that is written, The stone which they that builded rejected, this has become the corner-stone? Every one falling on this stone shall be broken, but on whomsoever it shall fall, it shall grind him to powder. Luke 20:17-18

And, of course, Peter links this directly to Jesus:

To whom coming, a living stone, cast away indeed as worthless by men, but with God chosen, precious, yourselves also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Because it is contained in the scripture: Behold, I lay in Zion a corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believes on him shall not be put to shame. To you therefore who believe [is] the preciousness; but to the disobedient, the stone which the builders cast away as worthless, this is become head of [the] corner, and a stone of stumbling and rock of offence; [who] stumble at the word, being disobedient to which also they have been appointed. But ye [are] a chosen race, a kingly priesthood, a holy nation, a people for a possession, that ye might set forth the excellencies of him who has called you out of darkness to his wonderful light; who once [were] not a people, but now God's people; who were not enjoying mercy, but now have found mercy. 1 Peter 2:4-10

Christ is our Cornerstone,
On Him alone we build;
With His true saints alone
The courts of heaven are filled;
On His great love our hopes we place
Of present grace and joys above. -- Un­known au­thor