Mt. Moriah The Mountain Where God Provides

Mt. Moriah

The Mountain Where God Provides

There is a mountain where God provides.

The question is,

“Are you a mountain climber?”

Mountain climbing carries some risk.

But those who make it to the top of Moriah

will find their provision.

 

Abraham started his journey the next morning

after God had told him to offer Isaac as a sacrifice

on one of the mountains of Moriah.

With each piece of wood he picked up for the sacrifice

there had to be a fearful thought.

Three days into the journey Abraham sees the mountain.

The question, ‘Did I hear God?’

had to run through his mind.

When Abraham and Isaac left his servants,

Abraham said, “We will return.”

Might he had thought,

‘I hope that wasn’t a lie’.

Then when Isaac asked, “Where is the lamb?” 

Don’t you think Abraham’s heart must have fell to the pit of his stomach?

Each step had its own challenges.

         

 If you have ever walked up a long steep hill,

you know the closer you get to the top the harder the climb.

I wonder if Abraham, as he got higher up the mountain,

looked back on his journey and realized all the ground he had covered.

I wonder if he didn’t get the sense that he was closer

to his goal at that moment than ever before.

 There are two things I do

when I am in a trial that seems like an overwhelming hill to climb.

They may not seem very spiritual,

but they have helped me through many anxious moments.

The one is look back to see how far I have come.

The other is realize that “this too shall pass.”

The Bible says it this way, “and it came to pass.”

I picture myself on the other side,

whether it is in 24 hours or 24 days,

I realize that time will come very quickly.

For Abraham, his time of proving his faithfulness

and the faithfulness of God

had come as he drew the knife to cut his own son’s throat.

All the “hows” and “what ifs” were answered at the last second.

God stops Abraham and provides a ram.

It is at that time Abraham discovers another name for God,

Jehovah-jireh which means the Lord will provide.

Mountain top experiences can’t happen unless you climb the mountain!

Don’t give up!

You are closer at this moment than ever before.

This moment will pass

and your finish is closer than you think

where you will find

Jehovah-jireh.

Scripture Reading

Genesis 1:1-22:14 NLT

Later on God tested Abraham's faith and obedience.

"Abraham!" God called.

"Yes," he replied. "Here I am."

2 "Take your son, your only son — yes, Isaac,

whom you love so much — and go to the land of Moriah.

Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains,

which I will point out to you."

3 The next morning Abraham got up early.

 He saddled his donkey and took two of his servants with him,

along with his son Isaac.

Then he chopped wood to build a fire for a burnt offering

and set out for the place where God had told him to go.

4 On the third day of the journey, Abraham saw the place in the distance.

5 "Stay here with the donkey," Abraham told the young men.

"The boy and I will travel a little farther.

We will worship there, and then we will come right back."

6 Abraham placed the wood for the burnt offering on Isaac's shoulders,

while he himself carried the knife and the fire.

As the two of them went on together,

7 Isaac said, "Father?"

"Yes, my son," Abraham replied.

"We have the wood and the fire," said the boy,

"but where is the lamb for the sacrifice?"

8 "God will provide a lamb, my son," Abraham answered.

And they both went on together.

9 When they arrived at the place where God had told Abraham to go,

he built an altar and placed the wood on it.

Then he tied Isaac up and laid him on the altar over the wood.

10 And Abraham took the knife

and lifted it up to kill his son as a sacrifice to the LORD.

11 At that moment the angel of the LORD shouted to him from heaven,

"Abraham! Abraham!"

"Yes," he answered. "I'm listening."

12 "Lay down the knife," the angel said.

"Do not hurt the boy in any way, for now I know that you truly fear God.

You have not withheld even your beloved son from me."

13 Then Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught by its horns in a bush.

So he took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering on the altar in place of his son.

14 Abraham named the place "The LORD Will Provide."

This name has now become a proverb:

"On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided."