God Will Provide

"Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, "Abraham." And he said, "Here I am." Then He said, "Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you." So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son; and he split the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. Then on the third day Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place afar off. And Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the donkey; the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you." So Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife, and the two of them went together. But Isaac spoke to Abraham his father, and said, "My father!" And he said, "Here I am, my son." Then he said, "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." So the two of them went together." (Genesis 22:1-10)

This passage of scripture is one of the most remarkable and prophetic of the Old Testament; it also one which would greatly offend any who attempt to read it without the Holy Spirit to help their understanding. It is only those who know Jesus who also know the Father; and thus they know the Father's heart and His goodness, just as Abraham did, and can trust in Him enough to be completely obedient without question.

It is clear that worshipping the Lord through burnt offerings is well known to Isaac, who is still a young boy, of what age we are not told; certainly old enough to realize that the most important part of the offering is missing: the lamb. Neither Isaac, nor Abraham's servants, sees anything unusual in Abraham rousing them all so early in the morning to go worship.

But what of Abraham's thoughts as all of this is occurring? What is going through his mind?

What is remarkable about Abraham, to me, is that he is always quick to obey the Lord. He may have doubts later on, or second-guess the Lord, or even lie from time to time; but when the Lord tells him to do something, He just gets up and does it. Has he chosen to do so quickly so as to not have time to think about it? Or is he that trusting of God that he sees no reason to question it?

I think what it is, really, is that Abraham KNOWS the LORD; he knows Him so well that he is able to tell Isaac very easily that "God will provide…" I think Abraham knows (and trusts) the Lord in such an intimate way, which can only come about because Abraham truly "walks" with the Lord, that he knows that God will indeed provide, even if he doesn't understand exactly when and how that will happen. I believe Abraham remembered that through this child of promise Abraham's seed will be multiplied; he knows God's promise is true…he just doesn't know quite yet how it will be handled by the Lord. Still to have to do the act himself, the slaying of his one and only son, has to be the most difficult act of obedience Abraham has ever faced.

The prophetic part of this scripture, of course, is that God, the Father, offered His one and only Son as a sacrifice as well. The life of His Son, Jesus Christ, became the ultimate offering for sin…the sin of all mankind. I believe the Father's heart was just as grieved as Abraham's is now, and yet He was willing to sacrifice His own Son for us all. We are the guilty ones, laden with sin. Jesus had no sin and was that innocent lamb that God would provide for the offering to atone for our sins.

And most remarkable of all, Jesus was as willing to give His own life, as Abraham is willing now to slay is own son; both men in complete obedience to God the Father…no matter how loudly their own human emotions are crying out against it! Jesus loved us enough to do so, just as the Father loved Him.

Abraham also knew the love of the Father towards himself; and the Father does not let him down as we will see in the next passage of scripture.

What is important here is that we understand as well, the love of the Father towards US. God is willing to sacrifice His Son, Jesus, and Jesus is willing to be obedient to the Father in giving up His own life…both in order that we might have redemption from sin that plagues us and receive life everlasting simply by trusting in the love of God enough to receive with a grateful heart that GIFT that God is offering to us through His Son.

We can walk with God and know Him as intimately as Abraham did, if we will but choose to receive the GIFT of Jesus Christ as our Savior and our Lord. There is no cost to us…all the cost has been laid on Jesus. It is simply a choice to trust God.

Once we receive God's gift to us, we will be able to say to others, just as Abraham was able to say to Isaac…..GOD WILL PROVIDE….HE HAS PROVIDED ALL THAT I NEED…HE WILL PROVIDE FOR YOU AS WELL.