BibleProject | Heaven and Earth on the Mountainنموونە

Life-and-Death Testing on Mount Moriah

Today, we encounter the story of Abraham and Sarah, which includes a mysterious life-and-death test on a mountaintop.

After being removed from Eden, the mountain garden where flourishing life never ends, people find themselves floundering in the wildlands, where death corrupts everything. But God chooses to partner with people in his work of restoring creation.

Abraham becomes one such partner. God promises to bless him and extend his life through many descendants (Gen. 12:1-3, there called Abram). But when Sarah is barren, they lean on their own wisdom rather than trusting God to fulfill his promise and force their enslaved Egyptian girl, Hagar, to bear Abraham's first child, Ishmael (16:1-4, 15).

Their harmful decision ultimately leads to the loss of both Hagar and Ishmael (21:9-14) and to the most heart-wrenching test ever. Several years after God gives Sarah a child of her own, Isaac (21:1-7), God instructs Abraham to climb Mount Moriah and sacrifice Isaac on an altar. What?!

This test invites Abraham to rely on God's wisdom and surrender his promised son. This time, Abraham trusts God wholeheartedly. As he raises his knife to slay Isaac, God intervenes, prevents the death, and provides a ram to sacrifice in Isaac's place.

The experience of divine provision transforms Abraham and he names the mountain site “Yahweh provides [Hebrew yir’eh]” (22:14), recognizing Mount Moriah as a place of life and provision.


Reflection Questions:
How does Abraham succeed where the humans in Eden fail?

God could have told Abraham to go anywhere for the sacrifice. Why do you think he asks him to ascend a mountain?