The Lord Will Provide (Yahweh Yireh)

Abraham looked up and there in the thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide (Yahweh Yireh). And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.”

Genesis 22:13-14 NIV

“Where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” asked Isaac.

Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb..., my son” (Genesis 22:14).

After reaching the place God showed him, Abraham built an altar, arranged the wood, and laid Isaac, bound, on the altar. Isaac now knew he was the lamb. Abraham, knife in hand, steadied himself to slay his beloved son.“

Do not lay a hand on the boy,” [an angel] said. “Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your only son” (Genesis 22:12).

A sacrifice would still be offered. Not far away, Abraham saw a ram struggling to free its horns from the thicket. The ram was sacrificed, and Abraham’s son was saved.

Can you imagine the relief, the joy, the gratitude Abraham must have felt?

Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide (Yahweh Yireh) (Genesis 22:14). Breaking apart the word “provision,” we have the root pro which means “before or ahead” and the root vision which means “to see.” So provision means to see ahead or beforehand.

Abraham seeing the entangled ram was not a lucky coincidence. God in his foreknowledge placed the ram in the thicket and opened Abraham’s eyes to see it at the right time.

During the last few months, as businesses are shut down, churches aren’t meeting and schools are closed, Yahweh Yireh has faithfully provided for us. He gave us the internet, email, Zoom, unemployment benefits, delivery services, medicine, and time with family. What has God provided for you?

Yahweh Yireh, we praise you for anticipating and providing for our needs even before we are aware we have a need.

Terri