Mt. Moriah, The Place Of Sacrifice

Mt. Moriah, The Place of Sacrifice

While I was studying this week I came across the name of a place called Mt. Moriah. The name Moriah means “God is my teacher,” and how appropriate for us this morning as we look at the importance of this place in the Bible. I did some research and found a gold mine of information about it that I hope to share. This is not just a geography lesson but it is an important place in the Scriptures.

Genesis 22:1 And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.

2 And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.

3 And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him.

I. For Abraham Mt. Moriah is A Place of Provision

Genesis 22:1 And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.

2 And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.

3 And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him.

When they reached the site, three days later, Abraham orders the servants to stay, while he and Isaac go on ahead. Abraham tells his servants two very important things that have tremendous: “I and the boy will worship…” Abraham is going to sacrifice his son and what word does he use to describe what he is about to do? “Worship.” What typically comes to mind when you and I think of worship? Abraham offered the most important part of his life, his only son, the son of the covenant.

The second thing he said is “…then we will come back to you.” Abraham had had three days to think about what the death of Isaac would mean and he believed that God would raise Isaac from the dead so that they both could come back down the mountain. Listen to what the book of Hebrews has to say about this point in the 11th chapter…”

17 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,

18 Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:

19 Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.

950 years later we see this place of sacrifice figure prominently in the life of an important Bible character.

II. For David Mt. Moriah is A Place of Penance

2 Samuel 24:24 And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the Lord my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshingfloor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.

“The story is told of the pig and the chicken that went to Church and heard the Pastor was going to do his birthday. Each offered to donate towards the birthday. The Chicken offered to donate eggs and asked the pig to give bacon so that the pastor would have a good breakfast. The pig looked at the chicken and said: “Do you understand what you are saying? To you an egg is an offering; to me, bacon is a total sacrifice!”

What are you giving to God, Sacrifice of Offering?

III. For Solomon Mt. Moriah is A Place of Praise

Whereas the mention of Moriah in Genesis could be referring to any mountainous region, the book of Chronicles says that the location of Araunah's threshing floor is on "Mount Moriah" and that the Temple of Solomon was built over Araunah's threshing floor.

2 Chron 3:1 Then Solomon began to build the house of the Lord at Jerusalem in mount Moriah, where the Lord appeared unto David his father, in the place that David had prepared in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite.