Jehovah Jireh

Jehovah Jireh

Genesis 22:1-14

Introduction

- There has always been an opportunity for mankind to trust in the Lord

-- Tonight I want to examine one man that was faithful to trust God completely

- Jehovah Jireh is a name attributed to the Lord quite often after troubling times

-- Simply translated it means: “The Lord provides”

- Honoring God is not a once a year type of thing

-- Or a once a year type thing as some are in the habit of doing

-- It takes our total devotion, all the time

- As we approach the Thanksgiving season, let us never forget God’s provision

-- IMP: This may be a familiar story – but the lesson of the Word is critical to us!

- Let’s look at Abraham, and see if we can glean a few lessons of faithfulness

- Read Genesis 22:1-14 / Pray

∆ Point 1 – God seeks obedience (1-5)

- We are at a time in Abraham’s life where God has given him and his wife, Sarah, the gift of a son that had been promised for decades. Understanding how important this son was to them is paramount to the whole lesson this evening.

- When Isaac was born, Abraham was 100 years old and Sarah was in her 90s

-- This blessing from the Lord was an answer to Abraham’s faithfulness to God

-- But now, God is placing a test of faith on Abraham for a specific reason

- God is asking Abraham to give up the one thing he holds most sacred to his heart

- As Abraham and Isaac travel together, he tells the servants to wait

-- The two of them will go over there and worship together

- His wording though is so critical – he says in verse 5 to stay here with the donkey while he and Isaac go to worship … note: “we” will come back to you.

- Do you see what Abraham is doing?

-- He does not doubt that God has a plan to work this out in his life

-- He tells his servants to stay, and they BOTH will come back afterwards

- Question: How big is your faith?

-- He knows he is going to kill his son – for a parent this is traumatic

-- But his faith is so big that he is confident that God will provide

-- In his response to God, Abraham is simply being obedient and obeying the Lord

- Is God telling you to be obedient in anything?

-- Are you hearing that you have to do something different?

-- Think of Abraham in this situation, and let’s look at the next couple of verses

∆ Point 2 – God is seeking faithfulness (6-11)

- Notice first that Isaac is beginning to question his father’s motives

-- Isaac’s faith is not as strong as Abraham; he is beginning to wonder what’s up

- Could this be because Isaac has seen what God is capable of?

-- Is it that Isaac believes in his father’s that if “dad” says it, it must be?

- APP: Doubt is a very powerful weapon in the hands of the devil

-- Our doubt must be removed totally in order for God to work in our lives

- Read verse 9-11

- Yet, Abraham continues to go through with this sacrifice

-- Never once doubting God’s provision and right before the knife comes down

-- God sends an angel to tell him to stop, and not hurt a single hair

- WHY? Fact: God always provides – especially when it’s His promise

∆ Point 3 – God always provides (12-14)

- When Abraham looked up – there was the promise given by God

- God is faithful – amazingly faithful even when there seems to be no way

-- APP: He provides the answers we desire and the way to get it done

- How? By providing the ram to sacrifice, again Abraham was blessed

-- Because he was faithful to continue – without delay – according to God’s plan

- Let’s fast forward to today and let me ask you a question:

-- Do you think that God could be THIS faithful in your own life?

- Abraham’s testimony to the goodness and grace of God in providing a ram to take the place of his son, Isaac, is an important lesson for us right now.

- It is the testimony of every sinner who sees Christ -- He is our Substitute

-- IMP: Christ was sacrificed upon the altar of divine justice at Mt. Calvary

- God’s provision upon the mount was made spontaneously

-- It was altogether voluntary and free; it was God’s desire to give Him for us

- Christ died for us freely; He died undesired; He was rejected and unwanted