March 31, 2021
He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” Genesis 22:2 ESV
Mount Moriah is rich in biblical history. It symbolizes the place where we are called by God to offer our best. For Abraham, it would be his son, but God would provide the substitute sacrifice with a ram caught in the thickets (Genesis 22:13). For David, it would be a pandemic, but God would provide a substitute sacrifice to end the suffering of Israel by leading David to Araunah’s threshing floor on Mount Moriah, where David would erect an altar and present burnt offerings to the Lord (2 Sa 24:18-25).
To commemorate the significance of Mount Moriah, Solomon would construct the Temple of the Lord on this sacred ground where many more animal sacrifices would be offered to God in worship (2 Chronicles 3:1). Finally, at the epoch of biblical history, on Mount Moriah, the roles would be turned. At an unfathomable cost, the Father would demonstrate his extravagant love for us by providing a final and complete sacrifice for our sins (John 3:16). Unlike Abraham or David, there would be no substitute. Rather, his Son would become our sacrifice.
As we approach Good Friday, let us give thanks to the Father for giving us his very best at Mount Moriah.
Rev. Gordon Green, M.Div., M.A. Counseling
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