JEHOVAHJIREH

GENESIS 22:1-18

The term "JEHOVAHJIREH" only appears once in the Scriptures and that is right here in our text. In the strictest sense it is the name of a place not a title for God but Abraham's intent is to name a place bearing testimony of who God is and what He will do. Jehovah, or more properly, Yahweh is the eternal, self-existent One without beginning or end. "Jireh" is a form of the verb "to see" and is usually translated "see" or "appear" in the Old Testament. How it became synonymous with "God will provide" should be made clear during this mesage.

First note:

I. WHAT GOD WAS NOT DOING!

1. God was NOT approving human sacrifice- He knew what He was going to do!

Isaiah 46:10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:

"It was not Isaac's life that God wanted; it was Abraham's heart, and He got it!" Lehman Strauss

2. God was NOT tempting Abraham to do evil (Gn. 22:1)- James 1:13

"Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:"

3. God was not trying to prove to Himself Abraham's faith- He was testing (proving) Him before men. Did Abraham love Yahweh as much as the heathen loved their false gods? (remember Job and Satan, the test was good for Job, proved something to Satan and us)

James 2:18-24, Rm. 4:1-3

"God never puts us to the test until: we are ready for it and He has made preparation for our victory." -L.S.

Secondly note:

II. THE SUCCESS OF ABRAHAM

Abraham was not a success because he was some super-perfect Christian.

1. Abraham didn't fully understand but he fully trusted. Heb. 11:17-19

By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.

2. Abraham didn't fully understand but he fully submitted.

James 2:23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

Is. 41:8 But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend.

John 15:14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

3. Abraham didn't fully understand be he fully worshipped [Gn. 22:5- 1st use of "worship" in the Bible]

"When the heart is right in God's sight, no sacrifice is too great to offer Him, and this is the only kind of worship He accepts." -L.S.

John 4:23-24 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Note lastly:

III. THE PROVISION OF GOD

The word "provision" comes from to words [pro=before, vision=to see] and thus means to see beforehand. God sees all things beforehand (an attribute we call foreknowledge) and then He prepares and provides beforehand (ex. the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world). So Abraham was saying "the Lord will see to it", i.e., "the Lord will provide!"

1. He provided Abraham a glimspe of Jesus. Gn. 22:8, 14 (future tense)

Jn. 8:56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.

2. He provided us examples of behavior

I Cor. 10:11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

II Pet. 2:6 And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;

3. He provided all with the means of for pleasing Him

Heb. 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Heb. 11:39-40 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

For further study: Rom. 8:28, 32; Phil. 4:18-19