Yahweh Jireh (God Will Provide)

Intro:

Read Text Genesis 22:1-19.

Key Points

1. We can expect as God’s people that we will be tested.

-This was the last of 10 tests Abraham faced.

That God “tests” his people is not exceptional; it is a means for revealing their obedience, producing fear so as to engender piety, discovering their authenticity, and producing their well-being . In the present case, what is revealed is that the patriarch “fears” the Lord (v. 12). The object of the test is Abraham’s proper response, which entails obedience and trust.

-So when we are tested it is not because something is hidden from God, it is because something is hidden from us.

-Do you know what a crucible is? [explain]

1 Peter 1:6–7 NIV

In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

[moving back to Abraham’s actions]

-People have questioned why God would ask of such a thing. Wasn’t human sacrifice frowned upon in Judaism?

-The author alerts us that this is a test and God tests only those who can withstand, that is those who are righteous.

-We must also recognize the distinction between tests and and temptations.

First of all tests come from God, temptations come from within;

James 1:12–16 NIV

Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters.

-God is uses tests to produce or reveal something in us. Temptations are used by the devil to produce something wicked and sinful.

2. Focus on the promises of God; promises that lead to provision.

-What do I mean by that? I mean that we should be careful not to to get to hung up on the peripheral details that we forget what God has promised.

-God told Abraham “this is the child of promise”, Abraham believed God to be a promise keeper. When God tested him he never lost sight of the promise.

-The test in this case seems incomprehensible

“Our faith is not really tested until God asks us to bear what seems unbearable, do what seems unreasonable, and expect what seems impossible. Whether you look at Joseph in prison, Moses and Israel at the Red Sea, David in the cave, or Jesus at Calvary, the lesson is the same: We live by promises, not by explanations.[1]

[1]Wiersbe, W. W. (1991). Be Obedient(pp. 108–109). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

-The whole point was God’s provision. That’s why this account was preserved in Scripture. So that we can see God as Yahweh-Jireh

-That’s hard for some of us isn’t it? Because we need everything explained and all the questions must be answered to our satisfaction first.

-Abraham had been tested on at least 9 different occasions prior to this.

God told him to leave his home and go to Canaan.

There was a famine

Egyptians capture his wife Sarah

Battles 4 kings

Hooks up with Hagar

God tells him to circumcise himself

King of Gerar captures Sarah

God tells him to send Hagar and Ishmael away

Estrangement form Ishmael

-There were a lot of things that had gone on up to this point, sometimes it seems like Abraham has a handle on the tests, sometimes he fails miserable. But here he passes with flying colors and here he comes to understand God as the provider.

-If Isaac dies then God is a liar so all the time they are going up the hill I have to believe that Abraham (and probably Isaac too) are focusing on the promise of God.

Hebrews 11:17–19 NIV

By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had embraced the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead, and so in a manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death.

[This leads me to the final point]

3. Train yourself to depend on the promises of God’s provision.

-This mind set makes all the difference in the life of the believer.

-This is the “live by faith and not by sight” kind of stuff Paul was talking about.

-When asked by Isaac where the lamb was...

Genesis 22:8 NIV

Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.

-To often we live in fear instead of the assurance that God has our back.

Jesus addressed this on the sermon on the mount.

Matthew 6:25–26 NIV

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?

Matthew 6:28–30 NIV

“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?

-And the more that you track how God provides the easier it becomes to see when and where he shows up.

There is a story about a man who town was flooding. The water was rising up to his front door. Some rescuers came by in a rescue vehicle and said, “jump in, we’ll take you to safety.” The man responded the, “Go on ahead, the Lord will rescue me.

Some time later the water rose up to the second story and as the man was looking out the 2nd story window a man in a motor boat came by, “jump in, I’ll take you to safety.” “No thanks” the man said, “God will rescue me.”

Finally the water had risen to the top of the house and the man was forced to stand on his roof. A helicopter flew by and lowered a rope. “Grab the rope!” came a voice from the helicopter. “Will take to you safety.” Go on” the man said “God will rescue me.”

Well the man drowned. He got to heaven and he saw God. He approached him and said, “I’m glad to be here and all but you really let me down.” “How’s that?” God replied. “Well that flood came through my town; the water got higher and higher and I was just sure you were gonna save me.” To his surprise God responded, “I sent a rescue vehicle, a boat and a helicopter. I’m not sure what you were expecting.”

-Now that guy was a fool and I’m sure non of us here would be so foolish. But I wonder if we’ve ever passed on God’s provision because we didn’t see it for what it was. We must train ourselves to depend on the promises of God.

QUESTIONS FOR APPLICATION

1. When can I expect God to provide?

Just when we have the need and not a minute before. When you bring your requests to the throne of grace, God answers with mercy and grace “in time of need” (Heb. 4:16). Sometimes it looks like God waits until the last minute to send help, but that is only from our human point of view. God is never late.

Romans 5:6 NIV

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.

2. How does God distribute His provisions?

In ways that are usually quite natural. God did not send an angel with a sacrifice; He simply allowed a ram to get caught in a bush at a time when Abraham needed it and in a place where Abraham could get his hands on it. All Abraham needed was one animal, so God did not send a whole flock of sheep.

Philippians 4:19 NIV

And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.

3. Who does God give His provisions to?

There are general blessings that are available to all of creation.

Matthew 5:45 (NIV)

He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

but..

To those who trust Him and obey His instructions. Those who are doing the will of God, they have the right to expect the provision of God. “When God’s work is done in God’s way, it will not lack God’s support.” God is not obligated to bless my ideas or projects, but He is obligated to support His work if it is done in His way.

That why Paul said,

Ephesians 3:20 NIV

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,

4. Why would God take the time to provide for us in the first place?

For the great glory of His name! “Hallowed be Thy name” is the first petition in the Lord’s Prayer (Matt. 6:9–13), and it governs all the other requests. God was glorified on Mount Moriah because Abraham and Isaac did the will of the Lord and glorified Jesus Christ. We must pause to consider this important truth.

The Psalmist put it like this

Psalm 23:2–3 NKJV

He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.

God could not be call a very good Father if he did not provide for His children.