This is part 6 of a 10-part series. View the entire series here.
Start today’s devotional by reading the story of Abraham and Isaac, found in Genesis 22:1-19.
This is a hard story to read.
The reality is, God’s ways aren’t always going to make sense to us. When we come upon stories like this in the Bible, our natural inclination is to try to make sense of them using our human hearts and minds. We ask, Why would God ask Abraham to sacrifice the son He promised Him? Wasn’t there another way God could’ve tested his faith?
There’s nothing wrong with thinking this way. If you have a hard time with this story, know that God can handle all of your questions. In fact, He expects them, because He knows our understanding is limited. Isaiah 55:8 says, “‘My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,’ says the Lord. ‘And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine’” (NLT).
This story is hard to read and even harder to understand—but it tells us a lot about who God is.
But first, it must be understood that God’s command was never intended to be a universal mandate. God’s testing of Abraham’s faith was a unique occurrence at a specific moment in time and for a very specific reason; it was not meant as a lasting directive to follow. Nor does it mean that God ever desires human sacrifice. In fact, the greater point of this story is God demonstrating He was not like other pagan gods that did demand such horrible worship.
What we can take away from this story, though, is what it reveals to us about God’s character. When Abraham named the place of sacrifice Jehovah-Jireh, he was acknowledging the truth of who God is—His faithfulness and His provision. One commentary on this chapter says it this way: “Abraham didn’t name the place in reference to what he experienced. He didn’t name it Mount Trial or Mount Agony or Mount Obedience. Instead, he named the hill in reference to what God did; he named it Mount Provision.”
This is the lasting promise—that God is our Provider and always will be. Just like He provided a ram for Abraham to sacrifice, He will provide for us in every way, big and small. Most notably, how God provided for our salvation through the sacrifice of His own Son, Jesus, whose journey to sacrificial death paralleled Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice Isaac.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells us just how aware God is of all our physical, emotional, and spiritual needs: “‘So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your Heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need’” (Matthew 6:31-33 NLT).
When you find yourself in seasons of fear and doubt, call on Jehovah-Jireh. When you find yourself wondering whether God really sees your desperate situation and will provide a way out, be reminded of the promise He made to give you everything you need. God cares about you deeply. He is worthy of your trust. He will provide.
“So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.” – Matthew 10:31 NLT
