“When they arrived at the place where God had told him to go, Abraham built an altar and arranged the wood on it. Then he tied his son, Isaac, and laid him on the altar on top of the wood. And Abraham picked up the knife to kill his son as a sacrifice. At that moment the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven…Don’t lay a hand on the boy! Then Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught by its horns in a thicket. So he took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering in place of his son. Abraham named the place Jehovah-jireh (which means the LORD will provide). To this day, people still use that name as a proverb: On the mountain of the lord it will be provided.” (Genesis 22:9-12; 13-14)
The drama and significance of this event in Abraham’s life was a test to prove his faithfulness to God and God’s faithfulness to Abraham. He wanted to see if Abraham would trust Him with the promise He had fulfilled for him in giving him a son in his old age. Abraham passed the test and the ram proved that God is Jehovah-jireh.
Just a short distance from where God provided a ram in Isaac’s place, He provided the ultimate sacrifice in our place, the Lamb of God, Jesus, who took away the sins of the whole world.
Are you needing the Lord to provide for you at this time in your life?
Ask the Lord, who owns the cattle on a thousand hills, to be your Jehovah-Jireh.
And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
