Mount Moriah

When people talk about the Holy City of Jerusalem, frequently the name Mount Moriah is mentioned including confusion as to where Mount Moriah is located. Is Mount Moriah part of the Temple Mount, is Mount Moriah part of all of Jerusalem or is Mount Moriah a mountain peak in the Jerusalem area? Our message this week is important and appropriate since it is just prior to our remembering and celebrating the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, True Son Of The One True God.

Jerusalem actually is built on Mount Moriah. When people travel to Jerusalem, they say they are "Going Up To Jerusalem." Jerusalem is on the top of a mountain - Mount Moriah. Moriah comes from two Hebrew words - Ra'ah which means "Revealed" and Yah which means "Name of God." As a result, Moriah means "Revealed of God."

The natural question now is - what of God was revealed on Mount Moriah? God Himself was revealed as He came to Moriah in the form of man to take away our sins and take our judgment upon Himself. Isaiah 53:3-5 says, "He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces He was despised, and we esteemed Him not. Surely He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered Him stricken by God, smitten by Him and afflicted. But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed."

Why is knowing about Mount Moriah important? It revealed our God as a God of Love, The Greatest Love we will ever know. Our God performed the most important act of history on Mount Moriah so we can receive salvation, forgiveness of sins and eternal life. This period of Lent let each of us approach our God of Love with reverent and thankful hearts and share the love story of Mount Moriah with our Jewish friends and acquaintances. Bless His Holy Name!

May The Lord Bless You This Day And Every Day,

Frank