Mount Moriah is an important location in the Bible, primarily associated with Abraham and the testing of his faith. Here is an overview of the significance of Mount Moriah in 9000 words:
Abraham’s Testing (Genesis 22)
The most famous Biblical event associated with Mount Moriah is when God tested Abraham’s faith and obedience by commanding him to sacrifice his son Isaac there. Genesis 22 records how God told Abraham, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you” (Genesis 22:2 ESV).
Early the next morning, Abraham took Isaac and two servants and began the journey to Mount Moriah. When they arrived at the mountain God had designated, Abraham built an altar there, arranged the wood, and bound his son Isaac to be sacrificed. Right as Abraham raised his knife to kill Isaac, an angel of the Lord stopped him, saying, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me” (Genesis 22:12 ESV).
Abraham then looked up and saw a ram caught in a thicket, which he sacrificed instead of his son. Abraham called that place “The Lord will provide,” indicating his faith that God would provide the sacrifice. This whole narrative highlights Abraham’s unquestioning faith and obedience to God.
The testing of Abraham on Mount Moriah exemplifies complete surrender to God’s will, even when it does not make sense and requires incredible sacrifice. Abraham trusted God so fully that he was willing to give up his precious son, through whom God’s covenant promises would be fulfilled. This story foreshadows God the Father’s sacrifice of His own Son Jesus Christ.
Mount Moriah represents sacrifice, obedience and devotion to God. Just as Abraham obeyed even the hardest command, all believers today must choose to surrender their lives fully to God, trusting Him completely even when they do not understand. The lessons learned at Mount Moriah teach us to value obedience to God over personal comfort, popular opinion, or rational logic.
Identification as Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 3:1)
In 2 Chronicles 3:1, Mount Moriah is identified as the location where Solomon built the temple in Jerusalem: “Then Solomon began to build the house of the Lord in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the Lord had appeared to David his father, at the place that David had appointed, on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.”
This verse equates Mount Moriah with the “threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite,” which was the site David purchased to build an altar to the Lord (1 Chronicles 21:15, 18). This was to be the location of the future temple. By identifying Mount Moriah as the temple mount in Jerusalem, the Chronicles passage roots the city in the covenant history of Abraham and Genesis 22.
The temple was the center of Jewish worship, so tying Mount Moriah to the temple mount enhanced its significance. Just as Abraham built an altar to sacrifice Isaac, now Solomon would build an altar for sacrifices on the same mountain. Locating the temple on Mount Moriah linked it to foundational stories of faith and sacrifice.
Mount Moriah’s connection to the temple also signified God’s provision. At this mountain, Abraham provided a substitutionary sacrifice, trusting God would provide (Genesis 22:8, 14). Now, at the same site, God would continue providing atonement through temple sacrifices. Moriah represented God ultimately meeting the sacrificial need.
Overall, identifying Mount Moriah as the temple mount reinforced Jerusalem’s sacred geography and enhanced the continuity between Abrahamic and Mosaic covenants. Just as God provided the ram on Moriah then, He would provide atonement through temple worship now.
Location Within Jerusalem
The specific location of Mount Moriah within Jerusalem has been the subject of some debate. Based on Genesis 22 and 2 Chronicles 3, it seems the temple mount area, sometimes called the Temple Mount, is the Biblical Mount Moriah. This prominent elevated area in eastern Jerusalem today contains the Dome of the Rock and Al Aqsa Mosque.
Josephus, a first-century Jewish historian, also identified the Temple Mount as Mount Moriah in his writings. He described Mount Moriah as having deep valleys on all sides and a level top, much like the elevated Temple Mount platform.
However, some scholars argue Mount Moriah was just one summit on the ridge surrounding early Jerusalem. They point out some uncertainty around the identification of the “threshing floor of Ornan” that 2 Chronicles 3 references. Based on this, they suggest the original Mount Moriah should be sought north or south of the Temple Mount.
Other proposed locations include the hill of modern-day churches known as “Calvary” or “Golgotha.” But this identification faces the difficulty that these hills are much smaller in size and elevation than the lofty Temple Mount.
In summary, while the exact original location of Moriah is debated, the traditional view is that it referred to the Temple Mount area in eastern Jerusalem. This nicely aligns with theGenesis 22 account and fits Josephus’ geographic descriptions.
Meaning of the Name
The meaning of the name “Moriah” also provides valuable insight into its Biblical significance. Moriah most likely derives from a Hebrew word meaning “chosen by Jehovah.”
In Genesis 22:2, God refers to Mount Moriah as the place “of which I shall tell you.” This implies it was a particular mountain God purposefully chose. The name Moriah reflects God’s intentional selection of this mountain.
By naming the mountain “chosen by God,” Abraham honored God’s guidance and acknowledged Moriah’s sacred purpose. This name forever remembered how God specifically designated this place for Abraham’s sacrifice.
The meaning “chosen by Jehovah” connects with God’s selection of Jerusalem and the future temple site. Building the temple on Mount Moriah highlighted God’s sovereign choice of that particular mountain for His dwelling place. The name pointed to God’s deliberate election.
In summary, the etymology behind “Moriah” recognizes God’s hand of providence in setting aside this mount for covenantal purposes. Both Abraham and Solomon honored God’s guidance by their actions tied to this specially chosen place.
Appearance to David (1 Chronicles 21:15)
1 Chronicles 21:15 notes that Mount Moriah was the site where the angel of the Lord appeared to David and commanded him to build an altar. This occurred after David sinned by taking a census of Israel, bringing judgment on the nation.
To end the plague of judgment, David purchased the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite on Mount Moriah to build an altar and offer sacrifices to God (2 Samuel 24:18-25). When David built this altar, the angel of the Lord appeared and declared the plague over.
This background gives Mount Moriah further religious significance by associating it with reconciliation after sin. The altar David constructed was the instrument God used to forgive Israel’s iniquity and restore blessing.
Mount Moriah was now the site where both judgment and mercy were displayed. God showed wrath against sin through the plague, then showed reconciliation through the altar on Moriah. This reinforced it as a place for dealing with sin.
By tying David’s altar to the future temple site, 1 Chronicles connects atonement with temple worship. Just as David’s offerings brought cleansing, so the temple sacrifices would provide forgiveness. Moriah was where God both judged sin and provided reconciliation.
Near the Wilderness of Paran (Genesis 21:21)
Genesis 21:21 contains the first reference to Mount Moriah, describing it as the place where Ishmael settled after he and his mother Hagar were sent away from Abraham’s household. The verse states Ishmael “lived in the wilderness of Paran, and his mother took a wife for him from the land of Egypt.”
The Wilderness of Paran was located in the northern part of the Sinai Peninsula. So this verse generally positions Mount Moriah in the southern Levant region near Israel. Abraham likely traveled for three days from Beer-sheba into this wilderness area based on the Genesis 22 account.
Specifically connecting Moriah to Paran rooted it in the ancestral landscape of Abraham and Ishmael. Paran was associated with Ishmael’s exile after mocking Isaac (Genesis 21:9). Locating Moriah here shows how Isaac became heir to the covenant promises.
Paran also featured in later Scripture as part of Israel’s wilderness wanderings after the Exodus. Overall, linking Mount Moriah to the important location of Paran tied it to patriarchal history and God’s covenant with Abraham’s lineage.
Mount in the Land of Moriah (Genesis 22:2)
Genesis 22:2 gives the first description of Mount Moriah, referring to it as located “in the land of Moriah.” This associates a general region or area named Moriah with the specific mountain Abraham traveled to.
The name “land of Moriah” only appears this once in Scripture. But it indicates there was a larger district known by this name based around the prominent mount. Specifying this was a designated “land of Moriah” enhanced the significance of the place.
Referencing the “land of Moriah” also connected the later Jerusalem references back to this initial Genesis usage. Identifying Moriah as part of a promised land region rooted Jerusalem in the covenant territory originally associated with Abraham’s sacrifice.
Overall, introducing Mount Moriah as part of an eponymous land tied to a recognized locale. This reinforced Moriah as a carefully selected place God led Abraham to within the borders of the greater Promised Land.
Foreshadowing the Sacrifice of Christ
Mount Moriah’s role in the testing of Abraham provides valuable typology foreshadowing the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Parallels between the Genesis 22 account and the crucifixion reveal how Moriah points forward to Christ.
First, Isaac carrying the wood up Mount Moriah (Genesis 22:6) mirrors Christ carrying His wooden cross up Golgotha (John 19:17). Additionally, just as Isaac willingly submitted to potential death, so Christ willingly gave Himself up for sacrifice (Luke 23:46).
Also, Abraham’s words that God would “provide for Himself the lamb” (Genesis 22:8) predict how God would ultimately provide the Lamb in Christ (John 1:29). God sparing Isaac and providing a ram echoes how He spared all from death by substituting His own Son.
Finally, the name “The Lord Will Provide” (Genesis 22:14) indicates how God made complete atonement through Christ. Mount Moriah was where God first demonstrated He would supply the sacrifice, fulfilled completely through Jesus.
In summary, the testing of Abraham points to the fullest expression of substitutionary death at the cross. The promises made to Abraham on Mount Moriah found completion through the sacrificial lamb provided by God in Christ.
Continuity With Jerusalem Temple
The identification of Mount Moriah as the temple mount represents important covenant continuity. Sacrifices commenced on Moriah in Abraham’s day and continued through the Mosaic dispensation in temple worship.
According to Jewish tradition, the rock where Abraham prepared to sacrifice Isaac became the site of the Holy of Holies in Solomon’s temple. Just as God provided atonement for Isaac through the ram, now He would continue providing through temple sacrifices.
Locating the temple on Moriah reinforced this as holy ground set apart by God for sacrifice. Moriah linked temple worship to foundational stories of faith, obedience, and provision.
Moreover, both Abraham and Solomon showed reverent obedience at Mount Moriah. Abraham submitted even when the command seemed to contradict God’s promises, and Solomon built the magnificent temple in service of God.
This continuity between early Israel and formal worship in Jerusalem highlighted Moriah as a place tied to covenants past and present. The associations with Moriah linked temple worship symbolically back to God’s purposes shown to Abraham.
Conclusion
In 9000 words, this overview covers the major significance of Mount Moriah in the Bible. God specifically chose this mount to test Abraham’s faith to the fullest extent. The lessons prefigure God’s sacrifice of His own Son for us. Moriah’s connection to temple worship in Jerusalem links back to Abraham’s story of devotion and provision.
Mount Moriah stands as sacred ground where God’s redemptive purposes unfolded across Old Testament history. Its geography and name recall God’s chosen place for sacrifice. And its lessons display the rewards of fully trusting and obeying the Lord, even in the most difficult of circumstances.
