There are countless lessons that can be learned from the story of Abraham and Isaac in Genesis 22.For the moment, let us consider a lesson from verse 14 – “And Abraham called the name of that place The LORD Will Provide, as it is said to this day, ‘In the mount of the LORD it will be provided’” (NASB).
The place that Abraham called Jehovahjireh, meaning “The LORD Will Provide,” was the place where God had commanded Abraham to take his son Isaac and offer him as a burnt offering.It was a mountain in the land of Moriah, a three-day journey from the place where Abraham lived.Abraham had travelled there with Isaac as soon as he had received the commandment of God.
The reason that Abraham called this place “The LORD Will Provide” is because God had spared Isaac and provided a ram to be sacrificed instead.As Abraham had taken up the knife to slay his own son according to the commandment of God, the angel of God interceded and saved Isaac from death.“Then Abraham raised his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him a ram caught in the thicket by the horns; and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a brunt offering in the place of his son” (Gen. 22:13).Abraham knew that God had spared his son and had provided a substitute in Isaac’s place for a sacrifice, so he called the place “The LORD Will Provide.”
The lesson for us to learn here is how this event foreshadowed God’s provision of a Lamb to be sacrificed in place of us.The book of Romans tells us that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (3:23) and “the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (6:23).The justice of God demanded that all sinful men must die because of their sins, but the love of God provided a Lamb to be sacrificed in our place.“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8).Just as God provided a ram to spare Isaac from death, so He also has provided a Lamb to spare us from eternal death.
Therefore, just as Abraham acknowledged God’s wonderful provision in sparing Isaac, let us also praise God for His marvelous grace toward us in Jesus Christ.Abraham called the place where Isaac was spared “The LORD Will Provide.”What shall we say in response to how He has spared us?“Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing…To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever” (Rev. 5:12-13).Amen!
