The Lord Who Provides
The first of the composite names of God, revealed in the Scriptures, is the name YHWH-Jireh, (the modern form is Jehovah-Jireh). We find this name used in Genesis 22:14. Abraham was instructed by God to offer up his son, Isaac, as a sacrifice to Him on Mount Moriah. As they were approaching the mountain, Isaac looks to his father and asks: “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” Abraham answers by saying YHWH-Jireh, (God will provide). God was testing Abraham’s faith to see if he would be obedient to Him, even to the sacrificing of his only son. At the last moment, just before the boy was to be slain, God provided a ram for the burnt offering. Abraham, then, gave the name of that place, YHWH-Jireh.
The word Jireh literally means: “Who sees” or rather the one who sees to it. We could say it this way: The one who sees to our need and provides for it.” We translate this as provision or to provide. This word has a Latin root and means to see before. Pro means before and vision means to see. Yahweh-Jireh is the God who knows beforehand what I need and sees to meeting it. He is preparing the answer even before we pray. In Abraham’s case, God had the ram wonder up on the mountain, get his horns caught in the bushes, at the right place and at just the right time. God saw before the need and had already made provision.
I have come to know the Lord as my provider over and over again. One experience stands out in my memory. In the second year of our missionary experience in Portugal, we had come to a time when little financial support was coming in. With five children to feed, school bills to pay and rent due the next day, we were praying to the Lord. It was a Sunday and while at church, we had been challenged by the Lord to give everything we had to Him. We didn’t even have enough money for milk or bread for the next morning’s breakfast. That afternoon a friend, from America, arrived at our home. She had lost our address and it was just a miracle that she found us. We welcomed her into our home, not knowing how we would be able to host her. As we talked about common friends and past experiences, she pulled out an envelope full of money and gave it to us. She said she always traveled with extra money, in case of emergencies, but felt the Lord had told her to give it to us. Wow, it was God’s provision at just the right time. She did not know our need, but God did.
YHWH-Jireh is never taken by surprise by the circumstances and problems in our lives. He cares for us and has already made provision.
Scriptures to meditate on:
Genesis 22; Hebrews 11:17-19; Eph. 1:3; Mat. 6:8, 32