“JEHOVAHJIREH!”

Genesis 22:9-14                                     (KJV)

“9 And they came to the place which GOD had told him (Abraham) of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. 10 And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay HIS SON. 11 And the Angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, HERE AM I. 12 And HE said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for NOW I KNOW that thou fearest GOD, seeing thou hast not withheld THY SON, THINE ONLY SON from ME. 13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of HIS SON. 14 And Abraham called the name of that place “JEHOVAHJIREH”: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen.”

Typically I use the English Standard Version of Scripture when doing my Bible Study.  A friend who is a Bible Scholar told me a few years ago that the ESV was probably the closest translation to the original text, and GOD has used it to grow me immensely.  However, I used the KJV for most of my life because that is what “everyone else” used.  A passage that I wrote in my KJV in the margin right after my wife and I were married was Genesis 22:12.  This morning, that passage is still speaking to me!  

GOD has always been, and forever will be, GOD!  HE has always been ALL KNOWING (Omniscient), so HE KNEW before Abraham was CREATED everything that Abraham would say and do.  GOD already KNEW that Abraham would lay Isaac on the altar in obedience to the command of GOD, but HE needed Abraham to know that the ALMIGHTY would provide whatever was necessary to complete HIS PLAN!  Although “JEHOVAHJIREH” is defined as “In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen” in verse 14, a more modern definition is “the LORD will provide”.  

Abraham already had a son, Ishmael, born from the handmaiden Hagar.  So why did GOD tell Abraham in verse 12 “thou hast not withheld THY SON, THINE ONLY SON from ME”?  Isaac was the younger of the two, but he was CHOSEN of GOD as the PROMISED SON, the one who the BLESSINGS OF GOD would be channeled through.  “JEHOVAHJIREH” would CHOOSE, not the son who Abraham had because he wouldn’t WAIT ON THE LORD, but the one who GOD PROVIDED through Sarah!  

Mankind has intelligence, but that intelligence is vastly inferior to GOD’S PLAN.  “JEHOVAHJIREH” doesn’t require the assistance of mankind to complete any part of HIS PLAN.  GOD KNEW that Abraham would be obedient and follow HIS PLAN, but Abraham had to know that HE WOULD PROVIDE!  It might be that I have to have my EYES OPENED to SEE that “JEHOVAHJIREH” is STILL showing HIS servants that HE WILL PROVIDE......IN HIS TIMING???