What's in the Name: Jehovah Jireh

Genesis 22
The Grove, August 31, 2025

Introduction

Our worship team continues to inspire us week after week—let's give them a round of applause for their dedication. Welcome to The Grove! For those joining us for the first time, we’re in the middle of a sermon series titled What's in a Name?, where we explore the names of God to deepen our understanding of His character. You can catch up on the past six sermons online, and I’m encouraged by the feedback about how this series is helping us connect with God’s nature.

Theological Foundation

Some have asked how these Old Testament names of God align with our New Testament faith. Let me clarify: Jesus is central to our theology as our mediator. When we pray in the name of Jehovah Jireh or Jehovah Rapha, we’re not sidelining Jesus—He is Jehovah Jireh, He is Jehovah Rapha. These names point us to the Cross, revealing the character of our Savior and helping us understand who He is.

Why Study God’s Names?

Exploring God’s names bridges the Old Testament to our lives today, making His character tangible and relevant. In our Christian walk, it’s easy to see God as distant or abstract, even though we know He is good, powerful, and nurturing (as we saw with El Shaddai). Studying names like Adonai, El Roi, Elohim, Jehovah-Nissi, Jehovah Rapha, and Jehovah Shalom reveals specific aspects of God’s nature that apply to His people across time, grounding our faith in His revealed character.

Understanding Jehovah Jireh

The Name Defined

The name Jehovah is the Latinized form of Yahweh, meaning “I AM”—the one, all-powerful God, the Alpha and Omega. This name is often paired with another term to highlight a specific aspect of God’s character. Today, we focus on Jehovah Jireh, where Jireh means “to see,” “to provide,” or “to consider.” When we say Jehovah Jireh, we proclaim the one true God as our provider.

Charles Spurgeon described Jehovah Jireh as “the God who will see to it.” If God sees a need, He provides for it—not always what we want, but always what we need. This name assures us that God perceives our needs and acts to meet them.

Biblical Context: Genesis 22

The name Jehovah Jireh appears only once in Scripture, in Genesis 22, the story of Abraham and Isaac. This passage showcases God’s provision and Abraham’s extraordinary faith.

Abraham’s Journey

Abraham, often celebrated as a hero of faith, was also deeply human, with moments of failure and doubt. 

• The Promise:  In Genesis 17:4-6, God reaffirms His covenant, renaming Abram to Abraham, promising he’d be the father of many nations. Yet, Abraham was nearly 90, childless, and struggling to see how this would happen.

Early in his story (as Abram), God promised him a legacy of nations (Genesis 15, 17). In Genesis 17:4-6, God reaffirms this covenant:

“This is my covenant with you: I will make you the father of a multitude of nations! What’s more, I am changing your name. It will no longer be Abram. Instead, you will be called Abraham, for you will be the father of many nations. I will make you extremely fruitful. Your descendants will become many nations, and kings will be among them!” (NLT)

Yet, Abraham and Sarah faced a challenge: they were childless, with Abraham nearing 90 and Sarah nearly 80. Doubt crept in as years passed without the promise being fulfilled.

• The Mistake: Doubting God’s timing, Sarah suggested Abraham have a child with Hagar, resulting in Ishmael’s birth. This human attempt to “help” God’s plan led to complications and pain. When we rush God’s promises or take matters into our own hands, we often create problems rather than solutions.

• The Fulfillment: When Isaac was born, fulfilling God’s promise, Hagar and Ishmael were sent away under God’s guidance. Abraham and Sarah found joy in raising Isaac, finally at peace—until God called Abraham’s name again.

The Test of Faith: Genesis 22:1-3

In Genesis 22:1-2, God tested Abraham:

Some time later, God tested Abraham’s faith. “Abraham!” God called. “Yes,” he replied. “Here I am.” “Take your son, your only son—yes, Isaac, whom you love so much—and go to the land of Moriah. Go and sacrifice him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will show you.” (NLT)

This command raises theological questions: How could a life-giving God ask Abraham to sacrifice Isaac? How could God seem to contradict His promise of a great lineage? This story isn’t about child sacrifice but about God addressing idolatry in Abraham’s heart. Abraham had grown more attached to Isaac—the promise—than to the God who gave it.

Abraham’s Response

Remarkably, Abraham obeyed without hesitation (Genesis 22:3):

The next morning Abraham got up early. He saddled his donkey and took two of his servants with him, along with his son, Isaac. Then he chopped wood for a fire for a burnt offering and set out for the place God had told him about. (NLT)

Abraham didn’t argue or question God. Despite the confusion and weight of the command, he acted in obedience. Why? Because every time Abraham had sacrificed something for God in the past, God provided more:

• When Abraham left his homeland, God gave him a new one.

• When he left his family, God gave him a greater one.

• When he gave up Lot’s choice of land, God provided more land.

• When he surrendered the king of Sodom’s reward, God gave him greater wealth.

• When he let go of Ishmael, God preserved and blessed him.

Abraham’s obedience was rooted in a lifetime of experiencing God’s faithfulness. He trusted that Jehovah Jireh, the God who sees, would provide.

Trusting Jehovah Jireh

Like Abraham, we can face trials with confidence by looking back at God’s faithfulness in our lives. When circumstances seem to contradict God’s promises, we have a choice: to lean on human understanding or to walk by faith, trusting in God’s character. Faith means trusting God without full sight, relying on His provision rather than our own plans.

When life feels chaotic or confusing, the godliest response may be to simply obey—do the next right thing God has called us to do. Abraham’s story teaches us that obedience, even in uncertainty, reveals God’s provision.

Conclusion

Jehovah Jireh is the God who sees and provides. The story of Abraham and Isaac reminds us that God’s provision often comes through tests of faith, calling us to surrender our idols and trust His plan. When we obey, even when we don’t understand, we discover that God is faithful to “see to it,” meeting our needs according to His perfect will.