Where Does Jehovah Jireh Come From?

Many times in scripture, God will reveal one of His Names to us. He announces Himself as El Shaddai, the Almighty God of the Mountain; as I AM, the omnipotent being with no beginning who was and is and is to come; as Yahweh, or Jehovah, the relational God. But Jehovah Jireh is a name that was given to express part of God's character by a very dear friend.

When God commanded Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, to Him on Mount Moriah, the friend of God made ready to obey Him. Unwittingly participating in a foreshadowing of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross, Abraham laid the wood for the burnt offering on his son's back, armed himself with a knife and torch, and made his way to the designated spot. In the middle of their journey, a thought occurred to Isaac:

"'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.'" (Genesis 22:7-8).

When they reached the place God chose, Abraham built the altar, bound Isaac, laid him on the wood, and prepared to slay the son of promise. In the nick of time, God intervened.

"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 [Jehovah Jireh]; as it is said to this day, 'In the Mount of the Lord it shall be provided'" (Genesis 22:12-14).

Notice that the place is names Jehovah Jireh, rather than the person of God. But the name describes a covenantal aspect of God's character revealed in that location. As Abraham declared on the mountain road, God provided a lamb, a ram, as substitutionary sacrifice of atonement for Isaac. This foreshadows God providing His only Son, Jesus, as the substitutionary sacrifice of atonement for all creation. Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world (John 1:29). And just as Abraham did not withhold his only promised son from God, "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" (John 3:16). Through Jesus' sacrifice, we have been given the ministry of reconciliation. We can come in bold humility before our Heavenly Father to ask Him for what we need, knowing that He has already given us the greatest gift imaginable.

Our Father in Heaven knows all of our needs and meets them in His own way. It is good to call on Him as Jehovah Jireh to ask for our daily bread and things we require to continue on in this world. But take a moment with me to remember that the first time we see Him named as Provider, it isn't about paying the electric bill or covering groceries for the week. It is in relation to God's saving grace in a life and death situation, in which no other rescue but His Word and miraculous provision would do. Jehovah Jireh speaks of God's willingness to offer His own sacrifice to preserve the lives attached to His promise. He provides that we may understand that He is good and faithful to keep His word to those in covenant with Him; that our joy in our Heavenly Father may be full.