Jehovah Jireh - The Lord Will Provide

Jehovah Jireh - The Lord Will Provide

Genesis 22:13-14 – “And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.  And Abraham called the name of the place Jehovah-jireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen.”

Here is our first in a series of musings upon some of the personal names of God.  In this passage, Abraham has just been through a terrible yet terrific ordeal.  God has commanded Abraham to take his beloved son, Isaac, to the crest of Mt. Moriah and there offer him as a sacrifice to God.  This was not a foreign concept to Abraham, for he hailed from a land that served many false gods that supposedly demanded the human sacrifice, especially that of children.  But it was a foreign concept in Abraham’s understanding of Jehovah God.  So, to be sure, Abraham’s heart was stirred with a mixture of emotions – confusion – heartbreak – wonder – but he nonetheless set about to do as God had commanded him.

But any who have followed the story know that it was not Isaac that God desired, it was Abraham’s heart – his commitment – his devotion that God wanted.  And He knew that to obtain this devotion, Abraham would have to be called upon to be willing to give up that which he loved most in the world.  But also, Abraham trusted implicitly in this heavenly being he worshiped and followed.   He knew that God, if he required such a sacrifice, would also replace the void that such a sacrifice would leave in the heart of Abraham and Sarah.  So when the lad asked him halfway up the mountain as to where was the lamb for the sacrifice, Abraham confidently replied, “God will provide!” 

And God did provide.  He saw the great faith that Abraham exhibited and stayed his hand from harming the boy, providing a substitute for that day’s sacrifice.  But this was only a precursor for the provision that would be made for the salvation of mankind.  On this same mountaintop, God would provide Himself a lamb for any who would exhibit the same great faith that Abraham had.  And now, any man who would accept the provision, the substitute made by the eternal Lamb of God, would receive eternal salvation. 

Abraham called the name of the place Jehovah Jireh, which means literally Yahweh will see to it orYahweh will provide.  This combines the personal name of God for His chosen people with the promise of His provision.  Praise His Wonderful Name for His Great Provision!

Jehovah Jireh

My feeble hope in miracles had waned,
My faith that He would soon provide was strained,
Then, prompted by His Spirit, my heart cried,
Jehovah Jireh! My Savior will provide.

“My needs were great but greater than my need
Was He—Jehovah Jireh, so quick to heed
And help, to hold, to hide me from the storm
And shelter through the darkest night till morn.
                                         --Charles U. Wagner

Quote – “As soon as the Lord has seen our need, then his provision shall be seen.” – Charles Spurgeon

"Lord, Thank you for your great provision - for it was at Calvary, on that same hilltop where you provided the substitutionary lamb to Abraham, that you provided another substitution - yourself for me. Thank you, Lord. Amen."