Genesis 22: The Lord Will Provide

AUDIO COMPANION ​to this meditation:
Unreleased song by Callan Brown (also available on iTunes  and Spotify)

​Key Verse
14 So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”
 
Meditation
“Satan cannot steal this heart-cheering promise, The Lord will provide.” These words from John Newton’s 1775 hymn, The Lord Will Provide, remain true for all whose trust is in Jesus.
 
God provides as our shepherd in the valley of the shadow of death, in the presence of enemies (Psalm 23), and in times of trouble (Psalm 27).
 
God provides as our sustainer, giving daily bread for both our needs as well as for flowers and birds alike. God sustains both beauty and the basic needs of life (Matthew 6).
 
God provides serenity, a peace that surpasses all understanding and guards our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:4-7). 
 
In today’s reading, we see a preview of how God provides salvation. God tests Abraham when He commands him to sacrifice the son he loves, his only son by Sarah, who is the child of promise. Abraham believed that God could, and if necessary, He would, raise Isaac from the dead (Hebrews 11:9). But God provided a substitute, a ram caught in the thicket. 
 
This provision on Mount Moriah points beyond Abraham’s test to God’s greater and final provision, the substitutionary and sacrificial work of Jesus. Through the salvation God provides in the death of His beloved Son, believers receive the covenant reality of God’s provision of serenity, sustaining, and His shepherd care.

Yes, God continues to refine the hearts as a goldsmith refines gold (Proverbs 17:3), for the glory and praise of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:7). But perseverance is empowered by believing all God’s promises are “Yes!” In Jesus. Through His work, the Lord provides!
 
Today’s Reading
After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 2 He said, “Take 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.” 3 So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. 4 On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar. 5 Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.” 6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. 7 And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” 8 Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together. 
 
9 When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. 11 But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 12 He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” 13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.” 
 
15 And the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven 16 and said, “By myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, 18 and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.” 19 So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beersheba. And Abraham lived at Beersheba. 
 
20 Now after these things it was told to Abraham, “Behold, Milcah also has borne children to your brother Nahor: 21 Uz his firstborn, Buz his brother, Kemuel the father of Aram, 22 Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel.” 23 (Bethuel fathered Rebekah.) These eight Milcah bore to Nahor, Abraham’s brother. 24 Moreover, his concubine, whose name was Reumah, bore Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah. 
 
Richly Dwelling
-What stands out to you about the provision of the Lord in today’s reading, and how does this point to the greater provision of Jesus Christ as a sacrifice for all who believe?
 
-How does Satan steal this “heart-cheering promise” from you, tempting you to live by what you see rather than what God promises?
 
-Where do you need to double down on trusting God to provide in times of refining, knowing His word will prove true, and His care for you is real? Be specific.
 
Key Verse
14 So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”