Many of us know the story of Abraham and Isaac and how God miraculously provided a ram as a substitute for the sacrifice Abraham was to make. It is in this passage of scripture that one of the names of God; Jehovah Jireh is first mentioned.
Over the centuries since the substitute lamb was provided for Abraham, many others have come to know God as their Jehovah Jireh. Today, we will be exploring the meaning of the name Jehovah Jireh and what an understanding of this name holds for us.
Jehovah Jireh: The God of Provision
Many of us have come to know the name Jehovah Jireh as one of the most sacred names of God because of how God provided a substitute sacrifice for Abraham. This act of God was a symbol of the substitute role that Jesus would play in the redemption of mankind. Jesus was the substitute sacrifice that took our place. We have also come to know him as the one who according to Philippians 4:19
..will provide for all your needs according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:19
However, the name Jehovah Jireh points to more attributes of God than his being our provider.
Jehovah Jireh: The God of Vision
And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-Jireh; as it is said to this day, in the mount of the Lord it shall be seen. – Genesis 22:14
During the earthly ministry of Jesus, there was a time when he had an argument with the Jews over his being the Son of God. John 8:25-58 gives us details of how the Jews confronted Jesus and his response to them. In verse 56, Jesus mentions something very unique about Abraham that is not clearly explained in the Old Testament account of his life.
Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad. – John 8:56
Looking at the account of Abraham’s life as recorded in Genesis, we come to see that Jesus was referring to the time when Abraham was commanded to sacrifice his son on top of a mountain. Historians make us understand that the mountain on which he was to sacrifice Isaac was the same mountain on which Jesus was crucified.
The account mentions that Abraham took his son and told his servants that they were going up the mountain to worship and sacrifice to God. They took all the necessary tools required to offer a sacrifice to God except the sacrifice itself. Isaac, not knowing that he was the intended sacrifice asked his father about the lamb for the burnt offering only to be told that the Lord would provide himself the lamb. Although Abraham did not realize that he was speaking prophetically about the price Jesus would pay and how he would become the Lamb of God, slain for the redemption of man, the instant those words fell out of his mouth, he had a vision of Jesus the messiah on the cross of Calvary. Jesus attested to this truth when he told the Jews that Abraham saw his day and was glad (John 8:56).
God went further to show Abraham his intention be providing a substitute sacrifice to take the place of Isaac; a symbol of how the Lamb of God would take our place and deliver us from death and damnation. It was as a result of all that had happened that Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-Jireh, saying that in the mountain of the Lord, it shall be seen. It was because Abraham saw the day of Jesus that he called the place Jehovah Jireh. It is therefore evident that unlike our general understanding of the meaning of that name to only mean The Lord our Provider, it also makes reference to how the Lord is the one that gives us Vision.
How does the name Jehovah Jireh apply to us today
Understanding the full meaning of the name Jehovah Jireh, we must ask ourselves how the name Jehovah Jireh applies to us. Based on our study above, we can take the full menaing of the name Jehovah Jireh to mean The Lord the giver of Vision and Provision. Thus we understand and can conclude safely that the Lord that gives us vision and instructions will also provide all the resources that we need to accomplish what he has told us.
God will only release his provision for the fulfillment of the vision He has given us. We can rest assured that if the vision we have is from God, He will back us up with the necessary provision to see it come to pass. We just need to follow His instructions and do what he tells us to do.
Having the understanding therefore that God only releases provisions for the pursuit of His plans for our lives means that if we remain in his will and walk in obedience to what He tells us to do, we will never run short of His supplies. To have God as our Jehovah Jireh, we must realize that as long as we walk in obedience to God’s will and pursue what he has told us to do, he will remain to us Jehovah Jireh: the God of Vision and Provision.
David Adeniji is the Founder and President of The Behold File, a teaching ministry founded in 2003. The Behold File provides a platform through which the Holy Spirit opens the eyes of men to see Jesus so they can be changed to be like him.