Jehovah-Jireh

“Abraham said to his young men, ‘Stay here with the donkey, and I and the lad will go over there; and we will worship and return to you.’ Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son, and he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together. Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, ‘My father!’ And he said, ‘Here I am, my son.’ And he said, ‘Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?’ Abraham said, ‘God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.’ So the two of them walked on together.

Then they came to the place of which God had told him; and Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood, and bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, ‘Abraham, Abraham!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’ He said, ‘Do not stretch out your hand against the lad, and do nothing to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.’

Then Abraham raised his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him a ram caught in the thicket by his horns; and 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 The LORD Will Provide, as it is said to this day, ‘In the mount of the LORD it will be provided.’” Genesis 22:5-14

Do you sometimes feel that faith is more easily demonstrated than defined? And, if that is true, are you satisfied that your demonstration of faith is God’s provision? Though Abraham was justified by his faith (God counting Abraham’s belief in God for righteousness) and made the hallmark chapter on faith (Hebrews 11), he did not always respond with great faith.

Clearly, though, Abraham’s faith grew as he continued to walk with God. It grew to the point where he was willing to offer Isaac as a sacrifice to God, notwithstanding the apparent jeopardy to God’s covenant promise which was to be fulfilled through Isaac.

Make note of verse 5 and verse 8. Without knowing how God’s promises could be fulfilled, and loving Isaac clearly, still Abraham acted in faith and obedience, counting on God to provide. Can you imagine the exquisite joy which engulfed Abraham as God provided a ram for the sacrifice? Abraham sacrificed the ram and named the place Jehovah-Jireh, meaning: the Lord will provide. Paul knew the Lord as Jehovah-Jireh when he penned these words: “And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).

God will provide all that you need to obey Him. He will not call you to do that for which He has not made provision. Thank Him for His provision today.