Jehovah-jireh; The Lord Will Provide

In Genesis 22, we read that God tested Abraham by asking him to take his son Isaac, whom he loved, to the land of Moriah to a mountain God would choose to sacrifice him as a burnt offering. The word "love" was used by God for the first time in the Bible to show a father offering up his only son. This was a prequel to God the Father offering up His only Son, Jesus.

Abraham obeyed God. He took his son Isaac along with wood for the burnt offering and two of his young men. When they arrived at the mountain God had chosen, Abraham told his young men that he and Isaac would worship and then return to them. Abraham gave the wood to Isaac to carry. This was symbolic of Jesus carrying His own cross on His way to be crucified.

Isaac asked his father where the lamb for the burnt offering was. Abraham told his son that "God would provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering" (v. 8) When they arrived at the place of sacrifice, Abraham built an altar, arranged the wood, bound Isaac, and placed him on the altar. As Abraham was about to slay his son, the angel of the Lord called out to to Abraham. Abraham answered and the angel told him not to stretch out his hand against Isaac for he could see that Abraham feared God because he did not withhold his only son from Him.

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Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught in the bushes by the horns. Abraham took the ram and offered it as a burnt offering in place of his son. Abraham called the place "The Lord Will Provide." The angel of the Lord spoke to Abraham a second time and said that because Abraham had obeyed, all the nations of the earth would be blessed.

"God is Jehovah-jireh, our Provider. 'In the mount of the Lord it will be provided.' God takes care of all our needs. God provided a ram for Abraham to sacrifice in the place of his son Isaac." (p. 84)

What has God provided for us? John 3:16 tells us that God provided Jesus as a sacrifice because He loved the world. If we believe in Jesus, we will have eternal life. God sent Jesus into the world to save the world. In chapter 1 of John, when John the apostle saw Jesus coming, he said, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world." (v. 29)

Just as Isaac was Abraham's promised son, Jesus was God's promised Son. Isaac carried his own wood for the sacrifice just as Jesus carried His own cross that He was to be sacrificed on. God provided a ram to take Isaac's place while Jesus was the Lamb sacrificed in our place to pay for our sins.

God loved us so much He willingly gave His only Son to die in our place so that we would have eternal life away from the lake of fire prepard for Satan and his angels. "God provided Jesus, the Lamb of God, to die in our place to pay for our sins. God provided a way of escape for you and me." (p. 85)

"A burnt offering was made in love as an act of worship. In Genesis 22 we see Abraham offering Isaac as a burnt offering." (p. 85) Leviticus 1 tells us that a burnt offering was for atonement - a covering for sin. "Just as a burnt offering was done voluntarily for atonement, Jesus willing laid His life on the altar to be sacrificed and make atonement for you and me."

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God not only provided for our salvation, but He provides for our daily needs as well. In Matthew 6 Jesus was teaching His disciples how to pray. In verse 11 he taught His disciples to pray for their daily provision. Jesus was teaching the disciples and us that we can go to Jehovah-jireh everyday to ask Him to meet our needs. Paul wrote in Philippians 4:19 that God will supply all of our needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus.

Not only does Jehovah-jireh provide for our salvation, He also provides for our daily needs. "The Ruler of the universe loves and cares for (us) so much that He will provide for (our) every need. All (we) have to do is ask." (p. 86)



-Discover 4 Yourself Inductive Bible Studies for Kids!; God, What's Your Name?; Kay Arthur and Janna Arndt; pp. 81-86

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