Yahweh Provides (Jehovah Jireh)
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The LORD will Provide
The LORD will Provide
Names of God sermon series.
Jehovah Jireh or Yahweh Yireh
“God will provide”
Jehovah Jireh or Yahweh Yireh - The Lord will provide or The Lord will see you through.
The Lord will provide or The Lord will see you through.
Whatever it is that you are asking God to provide for you today, may today’s study remind you that..
Whatever it is that you are asking God to provide for you today, may today’s study remind you that..
The Lord will see you through
He has already seen your need and He can see you through.
The Lord will see you through.
Origin of the word Provision.
The word provision actually came from the root word pre-vision or to foresee.
Provision = Pre-Vision
Last week I talked about how God is the eternally existent One. The One Who possesses eternal wisdom and knowledge, He knows the end from the beginning, so from God’s vantage point in eternity, to foresee is actually to see from eternity.
As Yahweh, the Great I am Who knows and sees your need beforehand, because He is Holy and righteous, because He is the God of love and redemption. He makes a provision for your need.
Today we will go to God’s word where we find the name of God “The Lord will Provide” and see one of the great stories ever told from the Old Testament. The story of when God tested Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac.
A lot of you know this story and this has registered to many as a story of faith, the faith of Abraham.
Today we will go to God’s word and see one of the greatest stories ever told. The story of when God tested Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac.
But as we go through this story today, let me submit to you that it is not so much a story of Abraham’s faith as it is of God’s faithfulness.
Here we will find at the conclusion of this story in that Abraham called the place “The-Lord-Will-Provide” or Yahweh Yireh. The HERO OF THIS STORY IS GOD.
The key to God’s provision is the word TRUST.
Trust God with everything we have.
Trust Him with our worship.
Trust Him by believing His promise.
Background on Abraham and his son Isaac...
He and Sarah waited for 25 years to have a child.
Genesis 22:1-
1 After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 2 He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” 3 So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him.
God promised that He will be a father of many nations.
God promised someone out of him (Isaac) will be the fulfillment of the promise.
- Test not tempt
1 After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 2 He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” 3 So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him.
We can imagine what it was like for Abraham.
What was he thinking at that moment
God promised that He will be a father of many nations.
God promised someone out of him (Isaac) will be the fulfillment of the promise.
Trust God with everything.
What would our reaction be?
God tested Abraham
- Test not tempt (There is a difference)
Temptation is authored by the devil to set us up for failure. Testing is authored by God to set us up for success.
Question God, why? When God does not make sense.
A lot of times when God puts us in a test, it is for the purpose of setting us up or preparing us for something greater.
Maybe after finally receiving the greatest blessing of his life, his son Isaac that Abraham was on a spiritual cruise control and God wanted to challenge him again.
SO God called to him “Abraham”. This is the 7th time that we know that God spoke to Abraham like any obedient servant, Abraham was ready to respond. He said “Here I am”.
Then God said “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.”
Genesis 22:4
4 On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar. 5 Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.” 6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. 7 And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” 8 Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together.
In saying “Take your son, your only son whom you love” God is pointing to the fact that Isaac was everything to Abraham.
How could he not be? After all Isaac is so far God’s greatest gift to him.
You see, Isaac is not the end of God’s promise but rather he is only the one through whom a greater promise of God will be fulfilled.
From this lesson, we see it is as if God is calling Abraham one more time, lest he love the gift more than the Giver.
It is like God reminding Abraham. Abraham do you remember what I said when I first spoke to you 40 years ago. “I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward!” That was before you had Isaac, where is your heart now?
Isaac was everything to Abraham. And God knew that if Abraham can give up Isaac for Him. He can trust Him for everything.
Lesson 1: God wants us trust Him with everything so we can have Him.
- Test not tempt (There is a difference)
What is that thing that we find so hard to entrust to God? Money.
Temptation is a set up for failure. But God’s testing sets us up for success.
I talked about God testing us but there is an area of our life that God challenged us where we can test him. That is money, if we trust Him enough to give of our tithes He said this:
10 Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.
I give to God what is truly His because He should be everything to me. I am already blessed.
Is God everything to us? I am not implying that our possessions are necessarily bad that we should give them all up. But if we are not careful, they may end up possessing us!
Trust God with everything.
So what was Abraham’s response?
3 So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him.
Genesis 22:
2. Trust God with our worship.
We can imagine what it was like for Abraham.
- We can imagine what it was like for Abraham.
What was he thinking at that moment?
What would our reaction be?
What would our reaction be?
Question God, why? When God does not make sense.
But Abraham complied, not only did he rise. But he fully prepared with everything he needed to worship God.
Here are the steps he took:
a) He rose early.
b) he saddled his donkey.
c) He took two of his servants
d) He got Isaac ready
e) He cut the wood for the offering.
Abraham fully prepared to worship God, even though he knew that that act of worship will cost him someone very dear to him.
We see a glimpse of Abraham’s heart of worship to God. He will worship God no matter what!
He did not make for himself an excuse why he couldn’t worship. “Oh Lord, I ran out of firewood!”
Always prepare for our best worship. (Sundays)
It may mean going to bed early the night before.
Setting our clothes the night before (ladies you may color your hair the night before, or if you need to put make up start earlier.
Read God’s word in preparation for worship, pray that the Lord prepare your heart for the message.
Many times there seem to be other more important things that come our way that prevents us from joining God’s people in worship. I know some of us just face circumstances around our jobs that some Sundays we are required to work and God knows your heart, that you would be here than elsewhere on Sundays.
But there are some to whom worship is just secondary. It is optional, hon, I think I will volunteer to work on Sunday so I earn more money this month.
The lesson we see with Abraham is this. He will trust God with His worship even though it will cost him what was dearest to him.
Lesson 2: If you trust God will take care of you by worshiping Him, He will show Himself to be Your provider in that place of worship.
God will meet you here! You will have a sense of I am glad I came to worship the Lord!
God is Your provider! and that is what Abraham found out.
4 On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar. 5 Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.” 6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. 7 And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” 8 Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together. 9 When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood.
4 On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar. 5 Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.” 6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. 7 And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?”
3. Trust God by believing His Promise.
You see that Abraham was resolute in offering Isaac as a sacrifice. He left the two young men, his servants to stay with the donkey and by doing that he was making sure that nobody will be with him who may stop him from offering Isaac.
God is able to do the impossible (Raise Isaac from the dead)
So he took the wood and placed it on the back of Isaac his son and he took in his hand the fire and a knife.
When Isaac asked “where is the lamb for burnt offering” Abraham replied, God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering.”
Trust the Lord by believing His promise.
Abraham loved Isaac, but He surrendered himself totally in obedience to God because he trusted in God’s promise.
But Notice that:
he told his servants that he and Isaac will come back
he told Isaac that God will provide the lamb for the burnt offering.
Why was he so certain about that?
Because He believed God’s promise that it is through Isaac that he will become a father of many nations!
Turn to Hebrews:
17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, 18 of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” 19 He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.
Abraham knew and believed that even though he slays Isaac, God is able to do the impossible. God can raise him from the dead!
God is able to do the impossible (Raise Isaac from the dead)
17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, 18 of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” 19 He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.
Genesis 22:9
9 When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son.
What was Abraham thinking and feeling? Would you lay your hand on your child?
Must be difficult but Abraham was resolute. He did not negotiate. He did not delay.
(Act out picking a knife and slowly bringing it down)
He trusted the great provider!
What happened next?
Genesis 22:11
11 But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 12 He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” 13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”
The Lord provided just in the nick of time! Must be a huge relief for Abraham!
Yahweh Yireh. Jehovah Jireh. The Lord provided. And Abraham made that place an altar to God and called it “The-Lord-will Provide”
Two things that happened here:
God delivered Isaac.
God provided the perfect substitute.
Note the importance of the ram, caught by the horns, it means that it is not yet bloodied or damaged and it became a perfect sacrifice from Abraham to God!
Yahweh Yireh. The Lord provided.
Few things we need to see here:
This is the foreshadow of God’s greatest provision ever for mankind - “Behold the Lamb of God Who takes away the sins of the world!”
The Lamb of God Who Takes Away the Sins of the World - A foreshadow of John the Baptist’s declaration.
-Isaac was the type of all of us, we should have been the ones to be slaughtered because of our sins. But we are not perfect, so God provided the sacrifice for us.
It should have been us!
God will not test us where He is not ready to bless us.
God demanded that Abraham give his dear son. But remember, God Himself did not withhold His very very best.
This is where God wants us to take that step of faith.
He is your provider even today! Do you believe that?”
32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?
19 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
God has already given us His very best - He is the Great Provider!
ALL - all kinds of needs
Do you trust Him with everything? With your worship no matter what? Do you trust His promises?
This is where God wants us to take that step of faith.
What this means, is that since God has already given His best, the other things that we worry about are so miniscule to Him.
25 I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread.
When we ask God to provide that thing, remember that He did not withhold His very best.
There may be provisions in our life that are about to happen, but they are contingent to a step of faith that God wants us to take.
God is willing to provide
“But how come I have not received the answer to my prayer?”
God’s love is unconditional - God’s providential love.
God’s particular love - conditional.
Examples from Scripture.
My own personal testimony.
A lot of times we think of God as generous but we forget that He is also benevolent.
33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
We say to people: prove yourself!
We say to people: prove yourself!
We say to people: prove yourself!
Difference between generosity and benevolence.
We miss that God has proven Himself time and time again!
But sometimes we don’t give God a chance.
God is both generous and benevolent.
You can trust our Jehovah Jireh.
Sometimes we want to test God.
Lord I will serve you if..
(Life examples here..)
We keep the upper hand.
We try to negotiate before God like we would try to strike a deal with a human
There is one scripture that talks about God challenging us to trust Him to the point of even testing Him.
10 Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.
God does not require you to offer up your child to Him.
God has already proven Himself He gave His Son Jesus to us.
He did not spare His own Son.
32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?
God put Himself on the hook.
He told Abraham to offer his son, and he stopped Him from plunging his knife on him.
God offered His One and Only Begotten Son. And He did not stop sinners from killing Him.
God will not require us to do something that He Himself is not willing to do.
“how will he not freely give us all things.”
You heard it the scripture says ALL things.
(Examine ALL - in the Greek. (Is it the same as best?))
The key to God’s wonderful provision is that He is 1) willing to provide 2) He will not withhold the best .
Hallmark: “He cared enough to send the very best.”
God has given us the very best. So that very thing that you are asking Him to provide is nothing. It is nothing compared to what He has already given you.
What does it do to our prayers?
Pray with boldness.
What if the prayer has not been answered?
God aren’t you a generous God?
We think of God as generous but we forget that He is also benevolent.
Difference between generosity and benevolence.
(
God is both generous and benevolent.
He is more than willing to provide for what you need.
He is benevolent.
He cares for you and therefore He knows if what you are asking for is good for you. If it is, He knows when is the best time for you to receive it.
Always, the best time is when you are ready. When you have sought His Kingdom first and His righteousness. When your heart is in that place of worship when you love and trust God so much that these things will not corrupt you nor turn your heart away from Him.
My version of
“Entrust Your Life to God and He will Entrust His life to you.”
What would have happened if Abraham refused the command of God and failed the test? (We never thought of this)
Do we really think God did not know what Abraham will do?
(Study and confirm the next statements below)
I believe God has a good grasp of Abraham’s level of faith and that he was ready for the test.
God would not test you if He is not ready to bless you!
Listen: What came next was more beneficial to Abraham than it was satisfying to God.
I believe that the journey that Abraham took, the climb up the mountain, maybe he was praying, making a declaration before God, or reminding Himself of God’s promise.
When the time came and he took his knife to slaughter his son, the angel of the Lord stopped him just in time. When he looked up he saw a ram caught in a thicket by its horns.
Then
Do we really think God did not know what Abraham will do?
“God provided just in time.”
I can imagine Abraham’s heart jump in relief.
You know the feeling of passing a test (candid camera find a good example here).
I believe what Abraham’s emotions are even greater, I don’t think God’s deliverance at the last minute caught him by surprise.
Act out picking a knife and slowly bringing it down..
He was resolute, not because he did not want or loved his son. All that time, he remembered God’s promise to him that Isaac is the one by which God’s promise to him will be fulfilled, that he will be the father of many.
All that time, he remembered God’s promise to him that
Pastor, how do you know?
Hebrews 11:
17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, 18 of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” 19 He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.
Bottomline: TRUST THE LORD WILL KEEP HIS PROMISE and PROVIDE AT HIS PERFECT TIME IN HIS PERFECT WAY.
Here is the formula when asking God for a mighty provision.
Trust Him and declare His promises from His word.
19 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
ALL - all kinds of needs
25 I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread.
You will never be in need if the righteousness of God through Jesus is in you.
Do we really thin
Declare it: I will not be in need because you will provide
Last thing:
Don’t just trust God for the bare minimum.
Don’t be like Scarlet O’hara of God with the Wind who musters courage in the middle of poverty and all that she can declare was “I will never be hungry again!”
Oh does that mean that since God provides what I need, I can now also ask him what I want?
The paradigm shift (or transition) from need to want.
A nicer house. A nicer car. Why not?
You see,
It’s not about demanding from God what you want. It is trusting God for His favor.
I would choose the favor of God over the things that I want any day, anyday.
We know the rest of Abraham’s story, that He became exceedingly favored.
I don’t have to say that (enumerate his riches here), he was the equivalent of Bill Gates.. or Jeff Bezos.. he had everything. But all that is just icing on the cake, a sidebar story of His life.
The biggest story is God’s hand and favor in his life. The biggest favor is God Himself.
God told Him from the beginning, when Abram was still Abraham and asked God for an offspring.
1 After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.”
Genesis 15:
The biggest favor from God is Himself.
I don’t believe he was seeking all these wealth. He sought
Jesus is your reward. Seek Jesus first!
Don’t just seek God’s provision. Seek the God Who provides.
And you will have everything you need!
God is both generous and benevolent.
Generous - He is more than willing to provide for what you need.
He is benevolent - He is kind towards you and cares for you and therefore He knows if what you are asking for is good for you. If it is, He knows when is the best time for you to receive it.
He cares for you and therefore He knows if what you are asking for is good for you. If it is, He knows when is the best time for you to receive it.
Always, the best time is when you are ready. When you have sought His Kingdom first and His righteousness. When your heart is in that place of worship when you love and trust God so much that these things will not corrupt you nor turn your heart away from Him.
Yahweh Yireh. The Lord provided.
Abraham was ready, and God provided, not only did he keep his beloved son, but he received favor from God. God provided the perfect sacrifice.
God will provide for all your needs. And when you are ready he will give you beyond what you need.
A nice house. A nice car. It is not bad to ask for those.
Actually:
Don’t just trust God for the bare minimum.
There should be a paradigm shift in our prayers from what you need to what you want.
“Ramon, are you teaching prosperity gospel?”
It’s not about demanding from God what you want. It is trusting God for His favor.
I would choose the favor of God over the things that I want any day, any day.
We know the rest of Abraham’s story, that He became exceedingly favored.
15 And the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven
15 And the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven 16 and said, “By myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, 18 and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.”
15 And the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven 16 and said, “By myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, 18 and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.”
Genesis 22:15
I don’t have to say that (enumerate his riches here), he was probably the equivalent of Bill Gates.. or Jeff Bezos.. he had everything. But all that is just icing on the cake, a sidebar story of His life.
The biggest story is God’s hand and favor in his life. The biggest favor is God Himself.
ESV
19 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
19 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
ALL - all kinds of needs
25 I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread.
25 I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread.
You will never be in need if the righteousness of God through Jesus is in you.
Declare it: I will not be in need because you will provide.
Lesson 3: Cling to God’s Promises. Your Provider is the Greatest Promise-keeper.
When the Angel stopped Abraham, two things that happened here:
God delivered Isaac.
God provided the perfect substitute.
God pointed
Note the importance of the ram, caught by the horns, it means that it is not yet bloodied or damaged and it became a perfect sacrifice from Abraham to God!
Few things we need to see here:
This is the foreshadow of God’s greatest provision ever for mankind - The last part of the passage In the Mount of the Lord it shall be provided. This foretold that on that same mountain, Mt. Moriah which is also known as Calvary.
-Isaac was the type of all of us, we should have been the ones to be slaughtered because of our sins. But we are not perfect, so God provided the sacrifice for us.
It should have been us!
God will not test us where He is not ready to bless us.
God demanded that Abraham give his dear son. But remember, God Himself did not withhold His very very best.
32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?
God has already given us His very best - He is the Great Provider!
What this means, is that since God has already given His best, the other things that we worry about are so miniscule to Him.
When we ask God to provide that thing, remember that He did not withhold His very best.