by Prisca | 19 June 2021 08:46 pm06
“So Abraham called the name of that place, ‘The Lord will provide’; as it is said to this day, ‘On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.’” Genesis 22:14 (ESV)
Blessed be the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Welcome, beloved, as we reflect on one of the most profound moments in biblical history: the near-sacrifice of Isaac by his father Abraham, and what it reveals about God’s provision, obedience, worship, and the ultimate sacrifice fulfilled in Christ.
In Genesis 22, God tests Abraham by asking him to sacrifice his only son, Isaac the child of promise.
Genesis 22:6–8 (NIV)
“Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, ‘Father?’
‘Yes, my son?’ Abraham replied.
‘The fire and wood are here,’ Isaac said, ‘but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?’
Abraham answered, ‘God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.’ And the two of them went on together.”
Abraham’s statement was both prophetic and faithful. Though he did not know how God would provide, he trusted that Yahweh Yireh “The Lord will provide” would make a way.
This moment was not only a test but a foreshadowing of Christ, the Lamb of God, whom the Father would later offer on behalf of humanity. Isaac carrying the wood symbolizes Christ carrying the cross (John 19:17), while the substitution of the ram signifies the gospel’s core: a sacrifice in our place.
Genesis 22:13–14 (ESV)
“And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son.
So Abraham called the name of that place, ‘The Lord will provide’; as it is said to this day, ‘On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.’”
The phrase “on the mount of the Lord it shall be provided” (Hebrew: YHWH Yireh) expresses the certainty of divine provision when obedience and worship meet God’s appointed place.
Where the Lord calls us, He also provides. Abraham’s experience reminds us that provision doesn’t always appear before the test but in the midst of obedience, our eyes are opened to see it.
Interestingly, Jewish tradition links this location Mount Moriah with Jerusalem, and specifically with the Temple Mount, where Solomon later built the temple (2 Chronicles 3:1). Thus, this place becomes central not only in Jewish worship but also in messianic prophecy.
In the New Covenant, worship is no longer confined to physical locations like Mount Moriah or Mount Gerizim. Jesus redefined worship as spiritual and relational.
John 4:20–24 (NIV)
“Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.”
“Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.
… Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.”
In the New Testament era, the “mountain of the Lord” is a spiritual place the presence of God through the Holy Spirit. To be “on the mountain” today means to live in surrender, truth, and communion with God through Christ.
We are still called to sacrifice not animals, but our very lives. Just as Abraham laid Isaac on the altar, God calls us to lay down all that we hold dear.
Romans 12:1 (ESV)
“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.”
Matthew 10:37–39 (ESV)
“Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me… and whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”
What is your “Isaac” today?
Is it your career? Education? Wealth? Relationships? Reputation? The Lord may ask you to surrender it just as He asked Abraham. But in doing so, He promises a greater return not in worldly terms, but in kingdom significance and eternal reward.
To ascend the spiritual mountain, one must follow Christ fully:
Matthew 16:24–26 (NIV)
“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.
For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.”
This is the path of the cross, a journey of faith, self denial, obedience, and intimate fellowship with God.
If you have not yet surrendered your life to Jesus, the invitation is open today. You can begin your journey to the mountain of the Lord by:
The sacrifices God desires are a broken spirit, a humble heart, and a life surrendered to Him (Psalm 51:17).
“On the mountain of the Lord it shall be provided.”
Provision, blessing, peace, and purpose are found not in the lowlands of compromise, but on the heights of obedience and worship.
The mountain is not about location it’s about position: a heart aligned with God, walking in the Spirit and in truth.
So today, ask yourself:
Am I living at the foot of the mountain or have I gone up to where God provides?
May the Lord draw you higher, strengthen your steps, and meet you there just as He did with Abraham.
Grace and peace to you in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Source URL: https://wingulamashahidi.org/en/2021/06/19/on-the-mountain-of-the-lord-it-shall-be-provided/
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