Climbing Mount Even-If

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On my very first trip to Jerusalem, I visited the Temple Mount, home to the iconic Dome of the Rock. Back in 1998, non-Muslim visitors like me were permitted inside. I vividly recall seeing the Foundation Stone, the central focus of that impressive structure. This is the purported location where Abraham demonstrated remarkable faith in God by obeying His command to sacrifice his son Isaac on Mount Moriah (Genesis 22).

While the Hebrew name for Mount Moriah is Har HaMoriyah, I prefer my “Golden” translation: Mount Even-If; for even if Abraham sacrificed Isaac, God would still keep His promise of making Abraham the father of a great nation, Israel. Like Abraham, in the midst of fear and doubt, we should believe God will keep His promises—even if, humanly speaking, it seems impossible.

Abraham’s Faith Tested

God instructed Abraham to take his beloved son Isaac to Mount Moriah and sacrifice him as a burnt offering. After arriving, building an altar, and binding his son, Abraham prepared to slay Isaac when the Angel of the Lord stopped him, saying, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me” (v. 12). Then the Angel blessed Abraham and reaffirmed God’s covenant with him, saying, “In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice” (v. 18). 

Like Abraham, in the midst of fear and doubt, we should believe God will keep His promises—even if, humanly speaking, it seems impossible.

Abraham had three days to wrestle with his emotions as he journeyed. He knew God had promised to make him into a great nation with descendants as numerous as the stars in the heavens and sands on the seashore, but he might have thought, God wants me to kill my one and only son. How can this be? In Hebrew, this word only is yahid, a term for something unique, beloved, solitary, and irreplaceable, indicating a special relationship. Although Abraham had another son, Ishmael, Isaac was the only son of his wife, Sarah. How would God create a great nation if Abraham killed the irreplaceable son of God’s promise?

Abraham had an “even if” mindset: I will believe God’s promises to me even if it is counterintuitive to everything I am seeing and feeling. I am convinced that Abraham’s “even if” mentality was forged from past “what if” experiences: What if God fails to deliver on His promises or forgets them? What if He can’t pull it off without my help?

Fear asks, “What if?” Faith answers, “Even if.”

Reminders of God’s Promises

God explicitly reminded Abraham of His promises on at least four occasions prior to the Mount Even-If (Mount Moriah) experience:

• Genesis 12:1–5: God promised to make Abraham into a great nation, and Abraham “departed as the Lᴏʀᴅ had spoken to him.” God said it; Abraham believed it. (Incidentally, he was 75 years old at the time.)

• Genesis 13:15–18: After Lot and Abraham parted ways, God reminded Abraham of His promise of land and countless offspring: “For all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever. And I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth … Arise, walk in the land through its length and its width, for I give it to you.” God said it; Abraham believed it. “Then Abram moved his tent, and went.”

• Genesis 15: God reiterated His unilateral promise: “‘Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them. … So shall your descendants be.’ And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.” God said it; Abraham believed it.

• Genesis 17:4–8, 23: God changed Abram’s name to Abraham and instituted circumcision. Once again, God reminded Abraham of His promise of land, descendants, and blessing: “As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations. No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you.” God said it; Abraham believed it and acted upon it, circumcising himself and his household “that very same day.” (Incidentally, he was 99 years old.)

Time and time again, God reminded Abraham of His promises (land, seed, and blessing). So, when it came time to offer up Isaac in Genesis 22, Abraham remembered His promises and knew the Lord would provide (Jehovah Jireh) one way or another—on Mount Even-If.

Abraham’s What-If Moments

Lest we think Abraham never feared or doubted, let’s consider his “what if” moments (What if God doesn’t follow through and keep His promises to me?):

• Genesis 12:10–20: Abraham lied to the Egyptians about Sarah, claiming she was only his sister. What if they kill me? What if God doesn’t protect me or fails to keep His word?

• Genesis 16: Abraham took matters into his own hands by sleeping with Sarah’s Egyptian handmaiden, Hagar. He must have thought, It’s been more than 10 years since God said He would make me into a great nation … no kids at all. Bupkis. Nothing. And I’m not getting any younger. I’m 86 years old and have no kids yet. What if God forgot? What if God doesn’t deliver on His promise?

• Genesis 17:16–17: Thirteen years after Hagar bore Ishmael, Abraham was still waiting. God said to Abraham: “I will bless her [Sarah] and also give you a son by her.” Then Abraham had another “what if” moment: “Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said in his heart, ‘Shall a child be born to a man who is one hundred years old? And shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?’” What if I can’t father a child? What if God is incapable of making me the father of a great nation? What if the Lord reneges on His promises?

Despite knowing God’s promises, Abraham sometimes chose doubt and fear over faith. Perhaps he failed to remember the facts of God’s promises to him and defaulted to the fear of the “what ifs.”

Faith Over Fear

On Mount Moriah, Abraham had a profound choice to make: fear—what if God fails to deliver on His promise?—or faith—even if my son is killed for this sacrifice of obedience, God will still keep His word, somehow and some way, even if I don’t understand His plan. Abraham decided to trust God despite his circumstances, offering a resounding “even if, Lord.”

Fear asks, “What if?” Faith answers, “Even if.”

Does the fear of the unknown cause you to act on your own, apart from God? Do you wonder if God will keep His promises to you? Are you following God’s way or doing things your own way? Are you acting out of fear or living in faith? Remember, fear asks, “What if?” Faith answers, “Even if.” 

So, choose to turn your “what ifs” into “even ifs.” Trust God’s promises despite your circumstances and feelings. And when you do, I’ll see you on the summit of Mount Even-If.

Photo Credit: Adobe Stock

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Paul Golden

Paul Golden is the director of Church Relations for The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry.

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