Yahweh Told Abraham about the Messiah

While Abraham lived in Be’er Sheva with Sarah and his son Isaac, Yahweh gave him this command:

“Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you.” (Genesis 22: 2)

Abraham left Be’er Sheva with Isaac and two of his servants. They traveled for 3 days to a place where Abraham was able to see Moriah from a distance:

“On the third day Abraham raised his eyes and saw the place [Moriah] from a distance.” (Genesis 22: 4)

When Abraham saw Moriah, he was standing on a hill south of Jerusalem where the U.N. headquarters is located today. In Hebrew, it’s called “the Tayelet”. The Haas-Sherover-Goldman Promenades are located there, too. The view of the Old City of Jerusalem from that spot is stunning.

As the crow flies, the Tayelet is about 40 miles from Be’er Sheva. That’s the distance Abraham’s party covered in 3 days. The distance from the Tayelet to Moriah is about 1½ miles. Below is a view of Moriah from the Tayelet.

Abraham and Isaac walked from the top of the hill where I took that picture to the location in the picture circled in red. Abraham had wood and fire with him, but he did not have an animal for a sacrifice. Isaac asked Abraham about it, and he said, “Elohim will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” (Genesis 22: 8)

When they reached the spot circled in red, Abraham prepared to sacrifice Isaac, but Yahweh stopped him and said, “Do not stretch out your hand against the lad, and do nothing to him. For now, I know that you fear Elohim, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.” (Genesis 22: 12)

At that instant, Abraham saw a ram caught in a thicket. This is how it’s presented in Genesis:

“Then Abraham raised his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him a ram caught in the thicket by his horns. Abraham went and took the ram and offered him up for a burnt offering in the place of his son. Abraham called the name of that place Yahweh Will Provide [Yahweh Yireh], as it is said to this day, ‘In the mount of Yahweh it will be provided.’” (Genesis 22: 13-14)

In Hebrew, the word translated as “looked” in Genesis 22: 13-14 (רָאָה) probably means “looked, saw, and understood”. Abraham didn’t just see a ram caught in a thicket. At that instant, Yahweh showed him what would happen later when He would offer His Son, His only Son, as an atoning sacrifice for the sins of all mankind. That’s why Abraham called that place Yahweh Yireh or Yahweh will provide. He understood.

About a thousand years later, King Solomon built Yahweh’s Temple in the area circled red in the picture above. After another thousand years, the Messiah was involved in a heated discussion with religious leaders in Yahweh’s Temple. As the discussion was drawing to a close, the Messiah said, “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.” (John 8: 56)

The Messiah was referring to Yahweh having shown Abraham that He would offer His Son as an atoning sacrifice. Abraham saw that and was glad.

The religious leaders didn’t understand the Messiah’s point. They said, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?” (John 8: 57)

The Messiah’s response to that question tells us plainly that He claimed to be Yahweh. He said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.” (John 8: 58)

That is not a great translation. This translation is more accurate:

“Truly, truly, I say to you before Abraham was created, I exist.”

In other words, the Messiah told them that He is “I Am”, the Creator. He created Abraham.

It’s clear from the next verse in John 8 that the religious leaders got the message:

“Therefore, they picked up stones to throw at Him, but the Messiah hid Himself and went out of the Temple.” (John 8: 59)

Yahweh’s Temple was Not on the Temple Mount

As I said, Yahweh’s Temple was in the area circled in red in the picture above, not on the Temple Mount. That’s where the discussion between the Messiah and the religious leaders took place. See “Yahweh’s Temple was not on the Temple Mount (Part 1)”.

Also, see the SnyderTalk editorials below. They provide more information about the true location of Yahweh’s Temple.

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