Old Testament Summary Lesson 9: “God Will Provide Himself A Lamb”

Promise Kept: Isaac was a miracle child, born of Sarah who was ninety-years old and barren. One could ask, “what did the neighbors say?” Isaac in Hebrew means laughter, humor, amusing or delightful. Abraham and Sarah were delighted. A human impossibility became a God-given fulfillment. In the Lord’s own plan, he kept his promises!
A Chosen Birth Date: “According to the aggadah, Isaac was born to Sarah on the first day of Passover,” (Encyclopedia Judaica Jr.) According to revelation, the Savior was born on the same day, as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized, April 6, 1830. Using the biblical and Jewish calendar, that day was the first day of Passover that year. That means that the Son of God was born to Mary on the first day of Passover.

The Meaning of a Place: The place where Abraham was commanded to bring Isaac was Mount Moriah. In Hebrew, ‘moreh’ refers to teacher and ‘Yah’ is the shortened version of the sacred name of the Lord, Jehovah. The sacrifice of Isaac was an experience being “taught of the Lord” that the firstborn son, the Lamb of God, who would be offered at the same mount.
Specific Place of the Sacrifice: In ancient times, sacrifices always happened at the north end of the altar. “And he shall kill it on the side of the altar northward before the LORD . . .” (Leviticus 1:11) The place of crucifixion was at the north end of Mount Moriah, north of the altar. Rabbinic tradition says that Isaac was in his early thirties when Abraham brought him to Mount Moriah. Jesus sacrificed himself on the same mount, north of the altar and on the eve of his thirty-fourth birthday, (the first day of Passover that year).