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
- HUGE: The provision God makes is always the thing we need
-- God knew what we needed; and only he could provide the needed Sacrifice
-- We needed a Savior; we needed to be redeemed; and Jesus was sacrificed for us
-- IMP: This provision for our sin was made by God himself; He provides fully
∆ Big Idea
- No matter the day, no matter the reason, no matter the situation
- TODAY we have a God-given opportunity to glorify God for the gift of Christ
-- We have a reason to be thankful; we ought to honor the sacrifice of God
- Jehovah-Jireh means “the Lord provides” …
-- So, where in your life do you need to be provided for?
-- Are we giving thanks for what God has already done?
- To be continued …
- Pray
