Abraham & Isaac on Mount Calvary in the Land of Moriah
God tested Abraham with the trial of his life. The word of the LORD came to Abraham, and the renowned Patriarch was immediately filled with unspeakable anguish. God commanded him to give up his son, Isaac, “his only begotten son” (Heb. 11:17), by sacrificing the boy to the LORD on an altar for a burnt offering.
“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. 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.” - Gen 22:1-2 Abraham probably thought that God was angry with him. From his perspective, there would be no other explanation for this unique and extraordinary demand. But this had nothing to do with Abraham being under the wrath of God! Rather, this whole arrangement was designed for a Messianic Prophecy. Abraham was being commissioned to personify the anguish of the Father in the sacrifice of the Son of God on the Cross of Calvary. Although not much is said about Isaac, he was being commissioned to personify the anguish of the Son of God in how he silently submitted to come under the knife of his father without contest.
Abraham exemplified obedience to God in this trial. This is a subject matter that deserves our attention (James 2:21-26, Heb. 6:13-16). Nevertheless, readers need to approach this text from a different vantage point to correctly understand the Messianic Prophecy. Interpreters must look beyond Abraham to see who he is representing in the grand scheme of things.
Messianic prophecies are divine illustrations of prophetic typology. Abraham was being made to experientially represent the role of the Father in the death of Jesus Christ. It is easy for people to read Genesis 22 and miss the messianic point of the trial. Readers are happily expecting God to interrupt Abraham and prevent him from sacrificing Isaac! But this is not how we are supposed to be reading this passage of Scripture. Why? Abraham was not expecting to be interrupted by God.
“By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.” – Heb. 11:17-19
Abraham truly believed that he was going to kill his son! Therefore, the man was stricken with anguish throughout the whole ordeal. Even after Isaac was dead, Abraham fully intended to burn the boy’s body on an altar as a burnt offering. Finally, after Isaac’s body was reduced to ashes, Abraham was planning on waiting there at the altar until the boy was raised from the dead by the mighty power of God! In other words, Abraham found strength to obey God in this trial because he was “accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead” (Heb. 11:19). This is essential to understanding how this specific Messianic Prophecy was uniquely designed to portray the immense personal suffering endured by God the Father in the human sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
“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. Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off.” - Gen 22:3-4
Abraham rose up early in the morning and made preparations for the journey. It could be said, Abraham had an axe to grind. Literally, he had cut the wood for the burnt offering in advance because he knew it was a three day journey to “the land of Moriah” (Gen. 22:2). Can you imagine a father sharpening an axe at dawn, while preparing to cut wood for the burning of his only begotten son? Surely, Abraham’s heart was tearing and rending, and tears were flowing, even as the timber was splitting under his axe! Nevertheless, a difficult journey was still ahead.
Abraham was made to think on these things for three long days. Naturally, these were wearisome days and sleepless nights for Abraham! Meanwhile, Isaac would often look into the face of his father and wonder why Abraham was so troubled in his soul (Jn. 12:27). The boy didn’t know about the divine commandment that sent them on their journey (Gen. 22:7). Arguably, Sarah didn’t know about it either! This trial was for Abraham. He couldn’t tell a soul about it lest they deem him mad.
Abraham spent three days boiling in anguish! But this is nothing in comparison to an eternity spent by God the Father as He waited for the appointed day of Jesus Christ (Ps. 40:5-8, 17; Heb. 10:4-7). The sovereignty and omniscience of deity in eternity does not make God hard and emotionless (Jer. 4:19-20). The Bible is full of strong lamentations! Thousands of years have passed as the Spirit of God moved and animated the Prophets to sigh, groan, cry, and roar in agonizing times of prayer and prophecy.
“Jesus wept.” (Jn. 11:35). He wept over condemned Jerusalem (Lk. 19:41-44)! He offered prayers with “strong crying and tears” (Heb. 5:7)! He even wept over the grave of His good friend Lazarus, even though Jesus had already decided to raise him from the dead. The meek and lowly Savior was tenderhearted and weeping, knowing full well that He would see Lazarus alive in just a few minutes (Jn. 11:34-35). Remember, the personality of the Father was perfectly embodied in the Son of God (Jn. 10:30, 14:9).
In a theater of typology, Abraham represented the Father. Abraham was tortured with the thought of sacrificing his own son for three days. This amounted to 72 hours of thinking for a mortal man, and time seems to slow down for people who are experiencing great suffering. Every second is wearisome to tormented souls! Allowing for the possibility of 1 to 2 thoughts per second, this means that Abraham was experiencing 300,000 to 600,000 tormenting thoughts for three days.
“And who shall paint the unutterable anguish of the Father’s soul, while he walks side by side with that beloved son of whom he is to be the executioner?” – C.H. Spurgeon What was Abraham thinking about? The man felt a stabbing sense of anguish about the future as he painfully imagined killing his own son: the look of terror on Isaac’s face as Abraham physically restrained the boy and bound him to the altar! The dread and amazement in Isaac’s eyes as Abraham raised the knife for the slaughter! The physical pain that Isaac was going to endure at his father’s hand as the knife was plunged into the boy’s heart! All this and more would have been tormenting Abraham, even as he rehearsed every detail of the day in his mind so that he could flawlessly execute the commandment of God without wavering.
Now imagine the pain and agony of God the Father, and the innumerable thoughts of an omniscient mind, as an eternity was spent in waiting for the day of Jesus Christ (Ps. 40:5-8, 17; Heb. 10:4-7)! Combine this with the power of sovereignty and the closeness of omnipresence. The sovereignty of God allows for the LORD to honestly take responsibility for situations of divine judgment, even when that judgment is executed by the hands of heathen men (Ezek. 21:3-7, 30:24-25, Jer. 21:4-10, 48:10). The omnipresence of God allows for the LORD to be near and inescapable (Jer. 23:23-24, Ps. 139:1-24, Prov. 20:27). The immense personal cost of the Father being portrayed here in the life of Abraham deserves our sober reflection and sincere admiration.
“Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and Thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.” – Ps. 40:5
“For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Wherefore when He cometh into the world, He saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.” – Heb. 10:4-7
Abraham was sent to “the land of Moriah” without being given any directions about how to get there because he already knew its location. In Hebrew, this is the land of “Mori-Jah” (Seen of Jehovah) – the place where the eyes of the LORD rest. Of course, the LORD was speaking about “Salem”, the same place where the fully functioning Tabernacle and Priesthood of Melchizedek was in operation (Gen. 14:18-20). Abraham encountered the Priest of the Most High God some decades earlier and received a blessing from the LORD (Heb. 7:1-10). In ancient times, Jeru-salem was simply referred to as “Salem” (Ps. 76:1-2). This is why Solmon boldly stated that the Temple was built “at Jerusalem in mount Moriah” (2 Chron. 3:1).
God sent Abraham to “the land of Moriah”, and when he got there he was directed to “one of the mountains” in the land (Gen. 22:2). Abraham was not directed to “mount Moriah”, which we know to be mount Zion (2 Chron. 3:1; Ps. 2:6, 15:1, 24:3, 132:13-14, Isa. 2:3, Dan. 9:16, Joel 3:17, Zech. 8:3, Heb. 12:22-24). He was prophetically directed to “one of the mountains” in the land, the same one we now call mount Calvary in modern times. Why? Because this is “the place” where God would provide a Lamb for a burnt offering (Gen. 22:8)! Under inspiration, Abraham prophesied these words as he ascended mount Calvary, saying: Travelling from Beer-sheba to Moriah, from where Abraham was currently located (Gen. 22:19), this was a ≈40 mile journey requiring three days of travel at a comfortable pace. One day’s journey in ancient times came out to be ≈20 miles. In Abraham’s case, if the early part of the first day was given to preparations, Abraham and company could have traveled ≈15 miles on the first day, ≈20 miles on the second day, and that leaves only ≈5 miles on the third day. This allows for the possibility that Abraham and Isaac ascended mount Calvary at around 12 noon, at the exact same time of day that our Lord ascended mount Calvary over 2,000 years later (Matt. 27:45, Mk. 15:33, Lk. 23:44). Now, closely observe this ascent, and try to comprehend the anguish of Abraham and Isaac as a testimony of the incomprehensible anguish in the Godhead.
“Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off. And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you. And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together. And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together. And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me. And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen.” – Gen. 22:4-14
Abraham “took the wood” and “laid it upon Isaac his son”, and they both ascended mount Calvary together (Gen. 22:6; Jn. 19:17). Behold, the anguish of the Godhead! Not only in the passion of Jesus Christ, but in the passion of God the Father, even as Abraham “took the fire in his hand” and also “a knife”, and “they went both of them together” (Gen. 22:6). There is much to be seen in how “they went both of them together” (Gen. 22:6; Jn. 8:28-29, 16:32). Upon summiting the mount, Abraham “built an altar” and “laid the wood in order” upon it (Gen. 22:9). Then came the hard part! Abraham then “bound Isaac his son” (Gen. 22:9; Ps. 118:22, 27). Once Isaac was completely retrained by ropes, Abraham then “laid him on the altar upon the wood” (Gen. 22:9; Matt. 27:35-36, Jn. 19:18, Col. 2:14). Finally, Abraham “stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son” (Gen. 22:10)! Only then was Abraham stopped.
“And now where is the artist that can depict the anguish of the Father’s countenance when the knife is unsheathed, and he holds it up – ready to slay his son? But here the curtain falls.” – C.H. Spurgeon
This is an abrupt ending to an act that was continued with our Heavenly Father wielding a sword of divine justice against the Son of God (Matt. 26:31, Zech. 13:6-7). Lifting the curtain for us, a single word of prophecy perfectly describes the awful scene: “Awake, “O sword, against My shepherd, and against the man that is My fellow, saith the LORD of Hosts…” (Zech. 13:7). The Passion of Jesus Christ was preceded by hundreds of staggering prophecies that paint a picture that no artist could produce. “Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; He hath put Him to grief: when Thou shalt make His soul an offering for sin…” (Isa. 53:10). How do you make sense of the sore amazement in the Man of Sorrows in the Garden of Gethsemane (Mk. 14:33-35)? Our Lord had Zechariah 13:6-7 on His mind while walking to the Garden on that fateful night (Matt. 26:31).
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” - John 3:16
Abraham and Isaac were the main characters of this whole ordeal. Their love, as Father-and-Son, was tested and tried. The maximum amount of pressure was applied! Their love proved to be formidable and strong. Arguably, Abraham would not have given up his son for anyone or anything! Abraham’s love for his son was only surpassed by his love for God. Therefore, in anguish, Abraham gave up his son at God’s command. Naturally, this should change our estimation of God’s love for the world (Jn. 3:16). This should change your estimation of God’s love for you. It is unfathomable, immeasurable, immense, and free (Eph. 3:18-19)! In the latter days you shall consider it perfectly (Jn. 17:23, 26).
“He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” – Rom. 8:32
Ultimately, Isaac was spared! He didn’t come under the knife of his father. Abraham’s anguish was immediately relieved at the sudden interruption. It was then that Abraham understood the Messianic Prophecy. Speaking of this, Jesus Christ said, “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day: and he saw it, and was glad.” (Jn. 8:56). The theater of typology is illustrating a prophecy where God the Father proceeded to strike His own Son with a sword of divine justice until the deed was done.
“Beloved, it is not only true that God did design and permit with willingness the death of Christ. It is moreover true that the unutterable agonies that clothed the death of the Savior with superhuman terror were the effect of the Father’s bruising of Christ in very act and deed.” – C.H. Spurgeon
The arm of Abraham was stayed from striking the final blow! The arm of God was unsparing and unstoppable, even in fury, because the sin of the world was imputed into Jesus Christ (1 Jn. 2:2). The legal transfer of sin was accomplished before the eyes of divine majesty! Speaking of this, it was written, “For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Cor. 5:21). This should change the way you look at the Cross of Calvary.
“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.” – Gen. 22:2
“God will provide Himself a Lamb for a burnt offering” – Gen. 22:8
“Jehovahjireh…In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen.” – Gen. 22:14
God sent Abraham to “the land of Moriah” because it is the land where Jehovah sees. Of course, the LORD wants believers to see what Jehovah sees! The LORD commissioned Abraham and Isaac to go there and demonstrate typologically how the Trinity was going to provide a Lamb for a burnt offering, namely, in God the Father personally sacrificing His only begotten Son.
God chose this location in ancient times for reasons clearly outlined in the days of David and Solomon, because the eyes of God were fixed there to countenance the offering of animal sacrifices for an atonement on an altar. This is why David originally bought this land from Ornan (1 Chron. 21:16, 18, 20, 23, 26). David and company built an “altar” there and fire came down from heaven and consumed the sacrifice, and in this the wrath of God was quenched and satisfied (1 Chron. 21:26). Subsequently, this is why Solomon built the Temple in the same location, affectionately calling mount Zion by the name, “mount Moriah” (2 Chron. 3:1). To be clear, the Temple was built for the altar, and not the other way around. The name “Moriah” was Solomon’s way of declaring that God’s eyes and ears were open and attentive to the sacrifices that were made in that place (2 Chron. 6:20, 40).
“Now, my God, let, I beseech thee, Thine eyes be open, and let Thine ears be attent unto the prayer that is made in this place.” – 2 Chron. 6:40
God’s eyes and ears were open and attentive, especially when it came to making sacrifices at “the altar” of the Temple (2 Chron. 6:19, 22, 1 Kings 8:31). The “Face” of God countenancing the sacrifice was a legal requirement for the making of an atonement (2 Chron. 7:14). This is what the law was describing when it stated that sacrifices must be “before the LORD” (Ex. 29:42, Lev. 4:4, 6, 15, 17, 6:7, 16:7, 10, 12, 13, 18, 30). Emphasizing this, the Temple that Solomon built was officially called “an House of Sacrifice” (2 Chron. 7:12), because the glory of God inhabited the House (2 Chron. 5:13-14, 6:1, 7:1-3), and therefore the sacrifices being offered there were publicly considered “sacrifices before the LORD” (2 Chron. 7:4).
However, according to the staggering Messianic Prophecy of Genesis 22, we know that Jehovah-jireh will provide another Sacrifice that will be “seen” by the LORD, and countenanced by the Face of God, as if it was offered at the altar of the Temple on mount Moriah (Gen. 22:14). The timeless prophecy boldly declares, “In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen.”, which is to say that God did see and respected the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for a legal atonement nearly 2,000 years ago (Gen. 22:14). We know “the mount of the LORD” is speaking about mount Zion or mount Moriah (Gen. 22:14; 2 Chron. 3:1, Ps. 2:6, 15:1, 24:3, 76:1-2, 132:13-14, Isa. 2:3, Dan. 9:16, Joel 3:17, Zech. 8:3, Heb. 12:22-24). Therefore, by interpretation, the prophecy of Genesis 22:14 is speaking about the official consecration of an altar on mount Calvary that will be seen by God as if it was offered on the altar of mount Moriah.
“He shall see of the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.” – Isa. 53:11
Literally, according to Hebrews 13:10-16, the Cross of Christ on mount Calvary legally became “an altar” of sacrifice for the Lamb of God. Furthermore, because the sacrifice of this altar was seen and respected, and a legal atonement was performed “once for all”, the Temple and its altar on mount Moriah were rendered obsolete (Heb. 10:10, 12). Signifying this, when Jesus Christ died on the Cross, and “gave up the ghost”, it was then that “the veil of the Temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom” (Mk. 15:37-38). God the Father exited the Temple because its altar was no longer needed in preference to the altar of Calvary.
“For the preaching of the Cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” – 1 Cor. 1:18
“But God forbid that I should glory, save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.” – Gal. 6:14
Israel was kept in waiting for nearly 2,000 years before the Lamb finally arrived. Nevertheless, the greatest Prophet that ever lived was given the honor of preparing the way of the Lord (Isa. 40:3). Upon our Lord’s arrival, John the Baptist looked upon Jesus and said, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” (John 1:29). The seer was staggered at the majestic sight! It appeared that John could hardly bring himself to say anything else while looking upon the Son of God, even though a thousand titles of honor could be ascribed to the Messiah. God is speaking to us through the Prophet. “God will provide Himself a Lamb for a burnt offering” (Gen. 22:8).
