Jehovah Jireh – The LORD Will Provide and Jehovah Raah – The LORD Our Shepherd
Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” …Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide (Jehovah Jireh)…Genesis 22:8, 13, 14a NIV
Abraham showed great faith as he obeyed the LORD and took his promised son, Isaac, to sacrifice him as the LORD had commanded. Abraham told the servants to stay with the donkey while he and Isaac went to worship. “We will worship and then we will come back to you.” (Genesis 22:5, emphasis mine). Did he think the LORD would resurrect Isaac as he raised the knife to slay his son? All of the promises that God had made went through Isaac. Abraham believed the LORD would keep His promises.
I’m sure Isaac knew of the promises. Isaac was old enough to carry the wood for the sacrifice, so he certainly could have fought his elderly father. Isaac must have had faith to submit to his father even though they didn’t understand why God would require such a sacrifice.
The angel of the LORD stopped Abraham that day and provided the ram, but it was a picture of what the Heavenly Father would do with His only Son, Jesus.
God Himself provided the Lamb; The LORD Jesus became the sacrifice. There was no last moment substitution for Jesus. He died in our place to pay for our punishment for sin. He was the perfect Lamb for the LORD’s sacrifice, “…the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:29 NIV.
Jesus is the Lamb. He also is The LORD Our Shepherd, Jehovah Raah. He said, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. … I know my sheep and my sheep know me—just as my Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. The reason that my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.” John 10:11, 14-18 NIV
Who are Jesus Christ’s sheep? They are people who listen to Jesus and follow Him. They have a relationship with Him. “The sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger…because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep…I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.” John 10:3-5, 7, 9 NIV(emphasis mine)
Jehovah Raah – The LORD Our Shepherd, lovingly cares for us. He heals, leads, and rescues us. He finds us when we stray. He protects us from the enemy, even laying down His life for us. We follow a living Shepherd! He rose again!
The LORD provided, and He continues to do so. Jehovah Jireh gave His Son for us. Is there anything He will hold back that is for our good?
Let’s get to know the LORD’s voice so well that we will never follow a stranger. Let’s feed from the pastures of God’s Word, and drink from the Living Water that is Jesus. May we follow Jesus closely and never stray.
Jehovah Jireh, thank you for providing for me. Thank you for Your sacrifice, and for being my Shepherd, my Jehovah Raah. Amen.
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Top Photo of white sheep by Moaz Tobok on Pexels.com
Thank you for joining me and for reading my devotional blogs. I hope and pray that you will be touched by God in a special way each time you visit. Blogs usually post every other Thursday. Past devotionals are archived for your convenience.
Kathryn Breckenridge 