Peaks and Pits

I love the city of Jerusalem, and you should as well. 1 Kings 11:13 declares that God has “chosen” Jerusalem for His purposes, and Psalm 87 says He loves that place above all others. That’s quite a statement and endorsement.

Many ancient maps will place Jerusalem in the center of the world, and I think they are right to do so. God loves to talk about this amazing place. In fact, we read about Jerusalem 814 times in the Bible.

Most of the tours of this city begin on the Mount of Olives. From this vantage point, you can see the Old City of Jerusalem, Temple Mount, Eastern Gate, Gethsemane, City of David, and the iconic image of the Dome of the Rock. As you stand on one mountain, you can actually see two others: Moriah and Scopus.

As one looks toward the Temple Mount from the Mount of Olives, two structures stand out. To the left is the Al Aqsa Mosque, and to the right is the Dome of the Rock. This beautiful structure is an Islamic shrine that was the first Muslim architectural masterpiece, built in AD 687, about fifty years after the death of Muhammad.

Beneath this impressive golden dome is a rock (hence, the Dome of the Rock). Muslims believe this is where Muhammad ascended, and Jews and Christians believe this is where God told Abraham to offer Isaac as a burnt offering. This sacrificial offering was to take place on Mount Moriah.

It’s interesting to me that the mount called Moriah is mentioned only twice in scripture. It is the place of sacrifice where God told

Abraham to take and offer his son (Genesis 22:2), and it is the location where the Lord told Solomon to build the temple (2 Chronicles 3:1). However, it is worth noting that Golgotha is also part of this mountain range. In fact, just outside the modern city walls is an area called Gordon’s Calvary. In this area are a skull hill, a garden, a wine press, and a tomb. If this is the location of Jesus’s death, then it is less than twenty-five hundred feet from where Abraham took Isaac and where Solomon built his Temple: all on Mount Moriah.

Genesis 22 is one of those high-water marks of scripture. Not that any of them are bad, but some are more memorable than others. I think you’ll agree.

The story of Abraham and Isaac has many themes and strikes many chords. In it, God tested Abraham. I’m convinced of this: A life that hasn’t been tested can’t be trusted. We’ve really not been tested until we are asked to bear the unbearable, do the unreasonable, and believe the impossible. True faith lives by revelation, not explanation.

This story is also about worship. Genesis 22 is not your average worship service. When we think of worship, we often imagine bulletins, candles, songs, ordinances, and a formal gathering; none of those things are present here, but it’s called worship. The word Moses used when writing this account is interesting. It’s the same word used when Lot bows before two angels (Genesis 19:1), Joseph saw sheaves “fall” before his sheaf (Genesis 37), Ruth would “bow” before Boaz (Ruth 2), and David “falls down” before Saul (1 Samuel 24).

I might be a little biased, but as a pastor, I’m convinced we oftentimes get it wrong when it comes to worship. Genuine worship requires sacrifice, obedience, preparation, faith, and an understanding of Who God is, what He said, and what He can do; none of that is about hymns, choruses, lights, or comfortable seating. Our worship services would change radically if this were our template.

Finally, the story is about faith. Abraham responds in obedience to God’s call. There are no ifs, and, or buts; just a belief in God’s perfect plan. The word Moriah means “foreseen by Jehovah,” and even though Abraham couldn’t see all that this command meant, he knew God could. Abraham had faith that he would have a child, even in his old

age, and now, he had faith that even if Isaac were slain, God could raise him up again (Romans 4:19–21, Hebrews 11:17–19).

Genesis 22 has been likened to a movie trailer about a coming attraction, one that would happen two thousand years later on the same mountain. One pastor called this a dress rehearsal for Calvary. The movie is good, really good, but the book is better.