This is a wonderful little movie based on true events concerning the history of Scotland and England. So because this is based on historical events, this post is not a spoiler alert and I would thoroughly recommend watching the movie. It is available on Netflix and Youtube.

Basically, in the 1200’s Scotland had a large and heavy stone they used in or as a coronation chair for Scotland’s monarchs. There are legends surrounding the origin of the stone but whatever it’s origin, it held great political significance to the Scots and was symbolic of their being an independent country.

According to Wikipedia;

In 1296, the stone was captured by Edward I as spoils of war and taken to Westminster Abbey, where it was fitted into a wooden chair—known as King Edward’s Chair—on which most subsequent English sovereigns have been crowned. Edward I sought to claim his status as the “Lord Paramount” of Scotland, with the right to oversee its King.^[11]

In 1950, a group of four students from Scotland stole the stone from Westminster Abbey and returned it to Scotland.  The movie ‘Stone of Destiny’ is based on this story.

As seen in the film, Scotland appears to have lost it’s sense of identity and has become apathetic in any political move toward standing alone as her own country. A political activist among the students finds he is unable to shake the call to capture the stone and return it to Scotland as a means of restoring the sense of identity to its people in order to rally them towards coming out from under English rule.

After the capture of the stone hits the headlines, all of Scotland rejoices.  There is dancing and cheering in the streets and a sense of national pride returns. The student decide to rest the stone on the grounds of Arbroath Abbey in safe keeping of the Church of Scotland.

With all the publicity and uproar in London, the students realise the stone will be seized by London authorities and they will be arrested. So facing the inevitable, they wait there on the grounds with the Stone of Destiny, preparing for the imminent arrival of the London Police.  In this scene, the main character looks to his fellow-students and with a big smile on his face, confidently says “Well, we might as well go down in flames”.  This is where a magnificent picture of the Lord is unveiled.

Christ is our Stone of Destiny. He’s the Cornerstone. He is described as a stumbling block to many. He is the stone that was rejected. Yet He is our Foundational Stone. He is the Rock of our Salvation. He is the Stone of our identity.

This Stone of Destiny of Scotland had been stolen/taken captive and given to the man-made church to be used as a footnote to their traditions and religious ceremonies – just as Christ has been smothered by the religious institutions of man and become merely a footnote, a watered-down gospel, something hidden under the pomp and ceremony of religious practises.

But these students were like the remnant of God’s people. Just ordinary folk, despised, rejected, of no significance. God has a remnant, a people of Nehemiah’s, who are rebuilding the wall. God the Father is  returning the Stone, the Rock, the Christ, and Foundation and Cornerstone, the Capstone to His rightful place amongst His people. And God is building again with living stones!  And oh! How this nation of believers, the Church, the Bride, rejoices when Christ our Rock is elevated to His rightful place! This nation of believers is given back her true identity, to remember and know who she truly is – holy, blameless, having been given all spiritual blessings in Christ, forgiven, redeemed, reconciled, justified – when Christ is given His rightful place the Church sees her reflection in Him and is strengthened to be who she is made to be in His image.

These students rallied together, not as one independent lone-ranger but all depending on one another as we in the body of Christ are dependent upon one another to display Christ to the world for who He truly is. They were prepared to be persecuted for the sake of returning the stone to it’s rightful place.

As the London Police came running across the lawn toward them, they stood there in confidence and boldness, yet meek and un-offensive. They were proud to have restored the stone to it’s rightful place and were prepared to accept the ramifications – loss of freedom, loss of reputation, loss of life as they’d known it.

So we, as believers called to rebuild the wall, to return to the original Way as it is called in the gospels and the book of Acts, are called to risk all for Christ’s sake, not loving our lives even unto death. And like Christ, who for the joy set before Him endured all His sufferings and even death on a cross, we too can rejoice in God’s wonderful plan and purpose of all time, to have Christ as Head, central and pre-eminent. Only then can we the church function in our true identity as Christ’s body, His Bride, God’s children, His family, God’s house.

Having then come out from under the ruler of this world and the spirit of this world, we see who we really are.  Though the foreign authorities of the air may fuss about and try to contain us, we will never lose our Identity and we are sure of our Destiny.

Christ is our Stone of Destiny!