Sunday July 28, 2019

And I know you're clapping because he is a great and awesome God. We are trying to get to know God better. As your pastor I want to help you know the god that you serve better. Because if you don't know him, how can you serve him if you don't know him, how can you love him? After all didn't you go on a courtship with your spouse? To get to know them before you asked for their hand in marriage. And begin a life together, you got to know each other years of the surprising thing after I married my beloved wife Dale. I still had a lot to learn about her and she me. We're still learning Still Loving still growing in that relationship, but they get to know God. Over the last couple of weeks. Have you gotten to know the Lord a little bit better because of the lessons that we've been through amen What's in a name is the series what's in a name? What is in a name?

And this morning we're looking at his name is Jehovah Jireh. the Lord God himself will provide

And I think you're going to learn some exciting things about God. about Abraham n about Christ himself in this lesson this morning. So as we go to our lesson and we look at what we have before us and I'm reading the full text from Genesis and chapter 22 verses 1 through 19.

after these things God tested Abraham after what things will there's been a lot of struggle in Abraham's home. It's been a lot of struggle in his tent that was his house between Sarah. And her handmaiden Hagar whom she had given to her husband because they could not have children together and she knew how much her husband wanted a child and how God had instructed him that he would have a child a son and threw that son there would be a great nation formed. Abraham Can you number the grains of sand in the desert? No?

That will be the number of your children. Abraham can you Number the Stars in the Sky? No? God answered and so will be the number of your descendants. You cannot even number the ball. but there was this tension between haggar and Sarah who was jealous of Hagar who would given. Her husband Ishmael his first born son. But then God bless Sarah and she gave forth a son and they called his name Isaac.

It says after these things. Well after these things was that Sarah not wanting to have Hagar In. their family anymore asked Abraham to send Hagar her servant away along with Ishmael That would have been hard for any any man to do. And so he sent them into the desert. And you find that in chapter 21 and now we're in chapter 22 and after these things God tested Abraham diss. God test you does God test me. Does God ever put tests in our lives?

When he tested Abraham in this way. And I believe it was not so much a test. to build faith in Abraham, but two show forth the faith that Abraham did have in his God. A personal relationship with his God after these things. God tested Abraham and said to him Abraham. And Abraham said here I am.

And God said take your son your only son Isaac whom you love. Your only son Bo Diddley have another son Ishmael. will true but true to the text in chapter 21. Abraham sent Ishmael and his mother away into the desert.

And so we only has one son. And this is the son whom he loves. He loves his son. He loves his son very dearly.

Take your son your only son Isaac whom you love and go to the land of Moriah and offer him. There is a burnt offering on one of the mountains which I will tell you. Say what?

I can just I can just feel what Abraham is feeling as his heart begins to race, but God I prayed for all these many years. And you have to understand that when God made a promise to Abraham from the beginning of their relationship. But I'm going to bless you Abraham if you followed me and Abraham followed him. I'm going to bless you and Grant you children and through your children's children. You are going to bless the world bless all of the world.

and Abraham didn't have a son and he didn't have a Cent and so Ellie Azar his faithful servant and Haley Hayes are was like her son on to him and that at one point Abraham talk to himself, but maybe God wants me to adopt Eliezer as my son and through him. I will have children and those children will be the blessing that God is speaking about a God said no. then not having a son and Sarah feeling that. She wanted her husband to have the feeling of having a son of his own. knowing that her handmade from Egypt Hagar was lovely. And that she was young and that she could bear him a son. She gave Hagar to Abraham and said maybe through her you can have a son and I could have a son because he will be like a son to me.

But that was not God's plan either.

So God gave him a son through Sarah the son he'd always wanted the son. He had always been promised promise from God.

And now God is asking him to give up the promise. How could you do that God? I've trusted you I believe in you.

Now those are the questions he may have had deep in his heart and his mind but in every indication as we continue. Abraham is not questioning God you would perhaps I would I know. but Abraham Rose early in the morning. He saddled his donkey and he took to him as young men to go with him shows two of his Faithful Servants. to go with him and the land and I'm sure at this point and I shared this. But they are sweeper reading this together. I don't think he even told his wife where he was going.

And you would certainly tell your wife where you were going on a trip and that you would be gone for a few days. So Abraham Rose early in the morning saddled his donkey and took two of his young men his servants with him. and his son Isaac and he cut the wood for the burnt offering. and that your Bros and went to a place which God had told him they place that would on the

I'm a donkey. You took a torch of fire with him and the knife. but the sacrifice

And on the third day three days later on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and he saw the place from afar that Abraham said to his young man. You stay with the donkey here and the boy and I will go over there over Yonder and we will worship and then we will come back the lad and I together again to you. So you stay here with the Donkey? Glad they are going to go worship and then the lad and I will return the out that is confidence. Is it. He knows what God has asked him to do to sacrifice his son, but he says to the servants the lad and I will return there is Faith there. I hope you will see that.

Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and he laid it on the back of Isaac his son. So important that you don't miss this and I'm going to come back to this. He laid the wood on the back of Isaac. to walk up the hill with and he took the fire in his hand.

and the knife and they both together went up the hill. And Isaac said to his father. You knew this was coming. father Yes, son.

Here am I your son?

no, Isaac said to his father Abraham my father and his father said here are my son. He said behold we have the fire. Yes. And we have the wood. Yes. But where is the Lamb? Where is the sacrifice for the burnt offering? Good question. Abraham said to his son. God will provide for himself. The lamb for the burnt offering that is a truth. God himself will provide. my son so they went both together to the place where they would build the altar. Now what you need to realize if this point is that beyond what the western church the Anglo church has come to believe that. Did Isaac was just a young boy? Hebrew writings in Tradition give another picture and I want you to see that that Isaac by this time when Ishmael was sent away. And Isaac is being the one who's carrying the wood on his back. He is more like 20 to 23 years of age as Hebrew tradition has it. He's a strapping big young man.

Certainly, he could fight if his father were to try to bind him. But I want you to see how trusting in the Scott how this father has taught his son. So well who God is and the relationship that they have together and that Isaac was even promised to Abraham your you're my you're my prize. You're my blessed son. You were a gift of God he gave to you when I was a hundred years old.

And Sarah your mother. Was beyond childbearing years and Todd Baron and you are a gift of God and that relationship. The understanding of who God is Abraham has passed that on to Isaac. Until they both went up together. And when they came to the place, which God had told him Abraham built an altar there of stones and he laid the wood in its order a pond. this altar and then he took rope and he bound his son his only son his beloved Son whom he loved Isaac and we do not see a struggle here. We see submission here as Isaac allows himself to be bound and laid on the altar as a sacrifice.

So he lays his son on top of the wood and then Abraham reaches out his hand to take the knife. To take the life of his son.

but the angel of the Lord called out from heaven and said Abraham Abraham and Abraham said here am I? And the angel of the Lord said and we believe this is the Lord himself Jesus in Pre incarnate state. The Lord himself and you'll see that later when he calls himself.

He says Abraham Abraham. Here am I? Do not lay your hand on this boy or do anything to him for now. I know that you fear God. Seeing that you have not withheld your son your only son from whom. For me what an angel of the Lord say that? The God would say that. So God called out from heaven.

in a loud voice that he heard

Now I see that you are you're willing. To let your son go.

Seeing that you have not withheld your son your only son the son whom you love from me. Said.

And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked and behold behind him was a ram caught in a Thicket. by its horns Hey, babe, riham went and he took the RAM and he offered the ram as a burnt offering instead of his son. What did he say to his son as his son said we have the wood. We have the fire. But where is the sacrifice? Where is the Lamb? and father says to the son the Lord himself will provide the Lord himself will provide the lamb. For the offer it so Abraham called the name of that place the Lord will provide Jehovah. shaira

And it is said to this day on that mountain the Lord it shall be provided on that mountain the Lord will provide something. We need to see here Mount Mariah here. It's the same very Mountain. the Jesus would carry across up a hill the wood on his back. a pet fairy hill and on that very spot. very spot where Abraham was willing. To sacrifice his son. God the Father. was willing to sacrifice his only son his beloved Son whom he loved was willing to give up his son for you and I

And he did die on that cross. He was the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world Jesus on that very Mountain.

And conversely as well just so you know.

On the third day the third day. Abraham offered up his son, but it on the third day. Jesus rose from the dead alive

similarities on the mountain that God would provide on the mountain God will provide

he will provide the land and he did through Jesus Christ. So many people could breathe that and not see. The imagery that is there the truth that is there.

And the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven and said by myself. I have sworn declares the Lord. Because you have done this and am not withheld yourself. You've not withheld your son from me.

You've got withheld your son your only son. I will surely bless you and I will surely multiply your Offspring as the stars of Heaven as the Sands of the seashore your Offspring shall possess the gates of your enemies.

and in your offering

show all of the nations of Earth be blessed because you have obeyed my voice. so Abraham returned tuition men. How did he promised he was going to do that? Did he not promised those young men? He would return with the lad. So Abraham returned to his young men and they have Rose and they went together to Be'er Sheva and Abraham lived in there Sheba. from that time on

May God add his Blessing to his word as a couple of things. I just want to leave with you before we all leave this place today. And that is the similarities between Isaac. And the picture of Jesus as I was telling you about it becomes clear when we see both were loved by their father both Abraham loving his son Isaac and God loving his son Jesus. Both fathers. Love their sons note that both offered themselves willingly.

Jesus Christ prayed in the garden if there is any other way that we can do this.

Remove this cup from me. nevertheless not my will but thine be done and it says that he sweat great drops of blood in his anguish, but he willingly went to the cross and I shared with you that Isaac a young men somewhere around 23 years of age could have easily popped one right in the mouth of of Abraham and said you're going to offer me but he willingly submitted to his father as Jesus willingly submitted to his father note those things.

And both carried the wood on their backs up that Mountainside that Hillside to be sacrificed both Abraham carrying the wood of sacrificing Jesus carrying his cross. That wouldn't cross The Old Rugged Cross. And both were sacrificed on that same Hill. 12 to this point he was willingly offered as a sacrifice, but God stepped in and said stop. I have provided a lamb for the sacrifice and there was a lamb caught in Thorn bushes right behind behind Abraham and when he heard him.

He knew that God had provided the lamb. Jesus was the Lamb of God the god provided but God did not withhold his son his only son he loved but gave him willingly. But God knew that he could raise him back to life. God brought him back to life. I've wondered at times.

if God himself instilled in Abraham's thoughts on those three days that he was journeying the three days before he was to offer his son. Did he give him a piece to know that if I promised you a son and that I would bless the whole world through your son and offspring.

That Abraham knew in his heart that if I offer my son my only son. And God has promised that he would bless me and bless the world with this scent. Will he not raise him back up from the dead? Or will he not provide me with another son? Because I don't know how else you're going to do this God. Both were delivered from Death on the third day.

So are we willing to sacrifice our desires to receive God's perfect provision for us?

Abraham had to wrestle in those 3 days with

you have given me a promise.

But do I trust in the promise or do I trust in the promise Giver?

Are we willing to sacrifice our own desires?

To receive the perfect provision that God has for us. Sometimes we have to sacrifice things in life. Or be willing to sacrifice things in life to have the better good. Abraham didn't question God maybe in his mind and his heart the wrestling was taking place in those 3 days, but he trusted God because God was the promise gif.

and he saw the fruition of that promise went his beloved Sarah gave birth at a I believe she was 99 years of age and he was a hundred. And God gave them a child. And if God is the promise Giver you've got to trust in the promise Giver 2. epic provision when there doesn't seem to be a way Abraham struggled for three days to get to the point of sacrificing his desires to accept what God wanted. for him I don't know where you are in your walk with the Lord, but if you're trying to get to know God better. there be times in your life where you'll have a decision to make are you going to trust the promise? Are you going to trust the promise Giver? Are you going to accept that there may be a better plan that God has

and trust him.

The name of God that we are looking at today is Jehovah-jireh.

my God Will Supply my need my God is a I'm a skipper. My God is my provision. He will provide what I need when I need it. Now does that mean? That our God is a Santa Claus God. No. He doesn't give us everything we want.

But it does provide Jehovah-jireh does provide everything we need bow your heads with me. Jehovah-jireh

Our God who provides You give us what we need and most importantly you give salvation. Salvation is a gift you have given to us through your son Jesus who was willing to go to that cross willingly submitted to his father's will to die on the cross. There was no other way for mankind to receive salvation to be freed from the guilt and the the sin that was in US But the sacrificial lamb in Jesus Christ you provided the lamb. If the Lamb of God took away our sin you provided for us salvation Jehovah Jireh. You are our provision and we trust in you as we've come to know you better today as our promise Giver. our provision