Philippians 2:5-11

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Jehovah Jireh – The Lord Who Sees and Who Provides

Jehovah reveals God as the eternal, self-existent one, the God of revelation, the God of moral and spiritual attribute, of righteousness, of holiness, of love, and most of all redemption.  Jehovah stands also for the special covenant relationship to Israel.  To Israel He is Jehovah.  To all other nations He is Elohim, a more general name for God and His relationship to them.  Jehovah with additional names is a compound name further revealing Him in specific ways.  When Jireh is added, we see this eternal God revealing Himself to Abraham as the Lord who sees and who provides.

This name, Jehovah Jireh, brings up a message and revelation to us.  He is not just a God who sees our need; but He is a God who, after seeing our need, provides.  This name, Jehovah Jireh, is probably the most misunderstood and misused of all the names of God.  There are so called “faith teachers” who tell you to claim what you want and God, who is Jehovah Jireh, will give it to you.  God is not some puppet on a string. 

The man to whom Jehovah-Jireh is first revealed was a man who walked with God in integrity, in holiness, in obedience.  God does not reveal Himself to men because of some superficial whim of the moment.  We must be women and men of integrity, of holiness, of obedience.

• Integrity – a firm belief and practice of moral incorruptibility.  In other words, you do not get down in the pig pen of life and wallow with the hogs.  Your word is true.  You are undefiled in your relationships with others.
• Holiness – holy, upright and pure as God would have you to be.  Not some set of rules man would have you obey.  Not some dress code, etc. but Christ-like.
• Obedience – putting into practice what the Word of God says to do. 

Genesis 22:7-14 – But Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, “My father!”  And he said, “Here I am, my son.”  Then he said, “Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?”  And Abraham said, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.” So the two of them went together.  Then they came to the place of which God had told him. And Abraham built an altar there and placed the wood in order; and he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, upon the wood. And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.  But the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!”  So he said, “Here I am.”  And He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.”  Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son.  And Abraham called the name of the place, The-Lord-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, “In the Mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”

For three days Abraham, his only son, Isaac, and two servants had journeyed to the place where an offering was to be made.  Isaac was to be the sacrifice.  What do you think was going through Abraham’s mind?  He did not comprehend, but he trusted God’s provision. 

The answer is in verse 8 – My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.  This God Abraham spoke of was the El Elyon that had been revealed to him earlier.  El Elyon, the God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth.  He was also the El Shaddai that had been revealed to him, the God All Powerful and All Sufficient.  He recognized now, finally in his old age, that this God who had revealed Himself over and over, again and again, was who He said He was.  This was his child of promise, the child long waited for.  He did not know how, he did not know when, but he believed God and obeyed Him without questioning.

• How long does it take us to get to that point in our lives?
• How many times do we have to go through the same exercise before we finally get the message God is God and He will provide?  He is the great Creator, Possessor of Heaven and Earth – El Elyon.  He is the All Powerful and the All Sufficient – El Shaddai.  He is the God who sees and the God who provides – Jehovah-Jireh.
• When will we get that in our heart and mind?

Philippians 4:19 – And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

He did not say “all your wants.”  However,

Psalm 37:4 – Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.

If you delight yourself in the Lord in obedience, in integrity and holiness, you are not going to ask for frivolous things.  God will delight also in you for your walk with Him and bless you as you live for Him.

The greatest thing about this story is that God, like Abraham, did not flinch at giving His only Son.  Jesus provided that example as the “lamb caught in the bush.”  Jesus was the sacrifice for our sins on the cross.  Just like this lamb took the place of Isaac, Jesus took our place.  He provided atonement.  He saw our need and He provided the remedy.