The Names of God: #2 Jehovah Jireh: The Lord Shall or Does 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 up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen.

This passage gives a clear illustration of one of the fundamentals of our salvation: The substitute sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The understanding of Old Testament types is essential for our understanding of New Testament truths.

For example we see that Isaac's miraculous birth was a shadow of Christ. Another foreshadow was his disagreement with Ishmael his natural brother. And his three day journey to Moriah which means, "Chosen by the Lord."

In the brief verses of of Genesis 22 this explanation of 2 Corinthians 5:19 is shown: "That God was in Christ, reconciling the world into himself."

Isn't the text "they both went together" repeated twice in verses 6 and 8? They both had their own share in the offering of the sacrifice. Abraham built the altar and prepared the wood and Isaac was tied down on it to be the sacrifice. Both climbed the same mountain but Abraham assured his servants: "After we have worshiped we will return." (Genesis 22:5)

On Mt. Moriah, Abraham offered up his son in faith. He had God's promise that Isaac would be the seed (the issue), through whom the whole world would be blessed. Therefore he believed "that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead."

Hebrews 11:17-19
Thus what happened on Moriah became a type of the resurrection of Christ from the dead. Abraham believed, yes indeed; since God had given him Isaac to be the seed through which the whole world would receive a blessing. Nevertheless, God's command was very clear--sacrifice your son.

Then Isaac asked: "Where is the lamb for the sacrifice?"

Abraham answered: "God will provide a lamb for Himself to be the burnt sacrifice, my son."

And believing this he tied his son Isaac down on the wood. Doesn't the attitude of both father and son reveal a tranquil submission to the command of God?

"And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son . . ." (verse 10)

Here we can fathom something, with our limited human understanding, of the mystery in the text in John 3:16: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son." Abraham already knew God as "Elohim," "El Eljon," "El Shaddai" and also as "Jehovah." But God would now teach him to know God as Jehovah Jireh; "the Lord shall provide."

"Because when he had lifted up his knife to sacrifice the Angel of the Lord called to him out of heaven: Lay not thy hand upon the lad." (Genesis 22:11).

"And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horn . . . And Abraham offered him up as a burnt offering instead of his son." The Lord shall provide!

The explanation of the substitute sacrifice becomes even clearer in the later history of Moriah. The stony summit of the mountain was later used used by Ornan the Jebusite as a threshing floor
(1 Chronicles 21:15). It was at the time when a terrible pestilence came upon Israel as a punishment after David had sinfully authorized a census of the population against God's will.

When the sickness of the pestilence approached Ornan's threshing floor the Angel of the Lord again appeared on the same spot where Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to his son in order to sacrifice him.

"It is now enough," he said.

The pestilence was then restricted and providence was assured on the same mountain top. And it was also on Moriah, on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite, where King Solomon began to build the House of the Lord (2 Chronicles 3:1). The House which was filled with the glory of the Lord (2 Chronicles 5:14) and where fire came down from God to burn up the sacrifice
(2 Chronicles 7:1). When the children of Israel saw the fire shoot down and the glory of the Lord throughout the House, they bowed their faces as they worshiped and praised the Lord. The Lord who is good and whose mercy endures forever (2 Chronicles 7:3).

And what should we do if we should gaze at Golgotha where Christ, who was free of sin and sinfulness, suffered for us as a sinner; where the Lamb of God took away the sins of the world; where the Patriarchs, Abraham and Isaac came together "to be provided with a sacrifice," which was required for our salvation? Let us bow down and worship. Let us bow down and praise the Lord who is good and whose mercy endures forever.