Jehovah-Jireh The Lord Will Provide

www.insidethebible.ca /jehovah-jireh-the-lord-will-provide/
Micah Hackett
Background
As God went to test Abraham, he called; and Abraham in obedience said, Here am I. God commanded (knowing
Abraham would obey) that Isaac, his only son, be taken to a mountain and sacrificed. Though grieved, Abraham and
Isaac went to Mt. Moriah. Isaac asked, Where is the lamb? His father replied, God will provide, and in faith they
continued on. Finally, they came to the altar, and Isaac was bound to it. Abraham, willing to fulfill Gods command,
regardless of what it was, lifted the knife to slay Isaac, when an Angel forbade him to do so. There was a ram to take
Isaacs place. After the sacrifice of the ram, with Isaac still safe, Abraham named the place Jehovah-jireh or The
Lord will provide. Abraham returned home with that firmly established in his mind the Lord provided.
This meant a great deal to Abraham. Think about it Isaac was his only son of Sarah, and he was commanded to
sacrifice him to God. Yet he obeyed, and God fulfilled Abrahams statement, The Lord will provide. It was almost an
answered prayer for him; and because of his faith, he could look back and say The Lord has provided. These were
precious memories for him.
Significance
But it goes even deeper than what it meant to Abraham. Christs willingness to die for sin, regardless of the pain, is
seen in Abrahams obedience. Christs preciousness to the Father is seen in the fact that Isaac was Abrahams only
and well-beloved son. And, finally, Christs substitution for us is seen in the rams taking Isaacs place. All of this also
happened on Mt. Moriah, Jerusalem, outside of which Christ was crucified. Calvary is our Jehovah-jireh.
Application
Considering how much this meant to Abraham, should the Lords provision not especially mean much to us? After
all, for us it makes an eternity of difference. When we are reminded of Christ, is it too much to simply bow for a
second in prayer and say Thank-you!? Really, how much does it mean to us?
It should mean everything to us, because it cost God everything. He gave His own Son to be scourged, beaten,
mocked, crucified, and to bear the sins of all. This was for us, when it should have been our cross, our punishment,
and our shame. This meant far more to God than merely a sacrifice as with Isaac, and its clearly proven by the
agony of Christ in the garden He dreaded the thought of His death. In fact, he was at the point of death merely
because of the agony of anticipation; and yet He endured the cross willingly. As none can describe the cross in its
true beauty, so none should be able to describe our joy.
Since we have seen Gods provision at the cross, do we trust Him to provide now? If God was willing to provide
Himself a Lamb for a lost a guilty sinners salvation, how could one even doubt that He will provide for needs
smaller than our eternal well-being? It is inconsistent to rest in salvation yet have trouble accepting the daily
promises of provision. Let us trust Him in all things.
But perhaps we are legitimately not seeing provision or answer to prayer, because we havent lived obediently.
Abraham had his experience in Genesis 22 because he obeyed to an extent worse than his own death the death
of his son. If he hadnt been obedient, Jehovah-jireh the altar would have never existed. In the same way, if we dont
preach the gospel, we dont see souls saved. If we dont pray biblically (fervently, frequently, freely, etc.), we will not
see answered prayer. If we dont feed on the word, we wont grow obviously. Are we obedient? If so, when trouble
comes, we can say confidently Jehovah-jireh. When we feel grief, Jehovah-jireh. When we need preservation,
Jehovah-jireh. And when we are fighting a spiritual battle, Jehovah-jireh.
And when we see His provision, just as Abraham, we would do well to make a lasting memorial of it. The Lord
deserves the glory for His own doing; and when we make it a point to remember Him, He receives it. Then others
will also be reminded of His grace. Too often we remember disappointments and yet forget His amazing provisions.

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This is not Gods intention. And so, when we need provision, lets be confident; when the Lord provides, lets
remember. These are precious memories they are from the Lord.

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