DAY 212- BIG PICTURE IN A YEAR - THE LAND

by Gillian D'achada
"Take now 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” (NKJV).
Genesis 22:2

Reading: Genesis 22:1-19

Last month, we focused on the subject of the testing of our faith. Would it help you to know that even though Abraham was chosen, and responded in faith, this didn’t mean his faith wasn’t tested. 

The Mt Moriah we read about in our reading for today, represents the land of his greatest test. Moriah or Mt Moriah is also known as the ‘mountain of the LORD’. Mt Moriah is in the Promised Land and is identified by most people as Mt Zion, the mountain the Temple was built upon and the very place where Jesus was crucified.

The significance of the story our reading speaks of is clear. The Gospel story is prefigured by Abraham and Isaac. Abraham is called to sacrifice his one and only son upon Mt Moriah. At the last minute Abraham is told not to sacrifice his son, but a ram is provided in Isaac’s place. What a test of faith this was for Abraham. He was prepared to sacrifice his only son Isaac because he had learned to trust in God and believed that God could raise Isaac from the dead to keep His promise. 

Our heavenly Father sacrificed His one and only Son Jesus on Mt Moriah and this time, there was no ram to take his place. Instead, he took your place, my place.

Prayer

Dear Father, thank You for the great example of Abraham, who showed great faith in Your Gospel Promises. Thank You for being willing to sacrifice Your one and only Son for our deliverance. Amen


FOR THE FAMILY

Share these quick facts about the mountains of the world and do a quiz to see who can remember. Award small prizes for correct answers. 

Facts about the mountains of the world:

  1. Mountains make up 1/5 of the entire Planet
  1. There are more mountains under the sea than on dry land
  1. The tallest mountain in the world is Mt Everest
  1. The tallest mountain in Africa is Kilimanjaro
  1. There are 2 200 plant species on Table Mountain, many of which are found nowhere else in the world! 

Now explain about a mountain that is very close to God’s heart – Mount Moriah. Briefly, and in an age-appropriate way, explain some of the main events that have taken place on that mountain. 

  1. God spared Isaac from being sacrificed by providing a ram for the sacrifice Genesis 22 – explain how this has to do with Jesus who John the Baptist called the Lamb of God in ???? Jesus is the sacrifice for our sins provided by God. 
  1. Jacob had a dream about a ladder that went all the way up to Heaven. He saw angels going up and down that ladder. Explain how this has to do with Jesus who said that from now on, he would be the connection between Heaven and Earth in 
  1. King David bought this land in order to build an altar to the Lord there. Explain that Jesus came from David’s line and is the promised ‘eternal’ king. 
  1. King Solomon built his temple there. 
  1. There is some archaeological evidence to support a theory that Jesus was crucified near there.
Back to FAITH STATION