Jehovah Jireh: Lord, Our Provider
“And my God will
meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus” (Philippians
4:19).
Abraham Maslow, an American Psychologist,
is most famous for his psychological theory of human beings’ needs.[1]
He studied individuals with whom he considered psychologically normal, as well
as their economic and social status, in order to have an understanding as to
the prioritization of basic life necessities. His human needs’ hierarchy theory
is broken down into five major categories: physiological, safety,
love/belonging, esteem and self-actualization. He later went one-step beyond these
concepts and added self-transcendence.[2]
Maslow attempted to suggest that if basic needs were not met, then it could
produce a breakdown in desiring to achieve the ultimate goal of
self-actualization and therefore, self-transcendence. This may seem like a lot
of scientific mumble jumble to comprehend, if you’re not a science wizard, but
just hang on a minute and it will all come together.
Scientists
have studied human beings for centuries and are still in an effort to explain
the complexity of God’s most intelligent beings above the animals. However, to
understand the needs of human beings fully requires us to understand the One
who created us and is able to supply All our needs. Jehovah Jireh, Our Provider,
is the One who blesses us with everything that we could possibly imagine. Even
though many may credit themselves for their success and accomplishments, it is
Jehovah Jireh who makes it possible to achieve the best that life has to offer.
“But
remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce
wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it
is today” (Deuteronomy 8:18). It is important to remember that God is
the one who provides for us and not of our own doing.
The
Bible tells us that Abraham was presented with a test to see if he would trust
Jehovah Jireh to be his provider. God promised Abraham that he would be the
father of many nations and He blessed Abraham and Sarah to have a son. Even
though Abraham fathered a child with Sarah’s handmaiden, Hagar, Ishmael was not
the child of promise. Through Isaac would come many generations of children
with whom God promised to bless and prosper if they would remain faithful to
Him. The Bible says, “I will make you into a great nation and I
will bless you; I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will
curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you” (Genesis 12:2-3).
God chose to test Abraham’s love and loyalty to him by telling him to sacrifice
his son. Why would God make such a request?
Jehovah
Jireh already knows the end from the beginning. Therefore, the test was more
for the generations to come as a model to look at more than for Abraham
himself. Abraham took Isaac on the journey to be sacrificed although Isaac did
not know that he would be the one lying on the altar. When Isaac noticed that
the wood, fire, and knife was provided, but no lamb, he questioned his father
about it. However, in Abraham’s wisdom he told his son that God would provide. Jehovah
Jireh did not allow Abraham to go through with the sacrifice but did indeed
provide the ram. The Bible says, “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. And to this day it is said, ‘On
the mountain of the Lord it will be provided’” (Genesis 22:13-14).
Abraham showed that his faith, love and dedication for Jehovah Jireh was more
than his dedication to the gift God had given to him. Therefore, Abraham passed
the test and Jehovah came through with an alternate sacrifice.
Jehovah
Jireh provides the needs of His children regardless of what they may be.
Everyone’s need is not the same, but God knows what they are and will provide
in accordance to His will. Let’s examine the Maslow’s hierarchy of human needs
in an effort to understand how Jehovah Jireh provides ALL of them.
The Provider of Our Physiological Needs
“And do not set
your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan
world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them”
(Luke12:29-30).
In
the beginning, God created a world that supplied everything that man could
possibly want and need. He created the sun to light the day and the moon to
light the night. The trees with the exception of one was good for food and all
the animals, birds, and even the insects were provided for in the Garden of
Eden with plants to eat. There was fresh, clean water to drink and the air was
unpolluted. Man did not have a care in the world, for Jehovah Jireh provided
all his needs. The Bible says, “Then God said, ‘I give you every
seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit
with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the
earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the
ground – everything that has the breath of life in it – I give every green
plant for food.’ And it was so” (Genesis 1:29-30).
Unfortunately,
things changed once man sinned, and the need to be provided for became more of a
challenge than it was before. After man’s fall, he had a need for clothing,
which Jehovah Jireh provided for them made from animal skin. This meant that Jehovah
Jireh, Himself, committed the first act of shedding blood in order to cover
man’s nakedness. Sin caused Jehovah Jireh to have to sacrifice one of His wonderfully
created creatures in order to shield the sinful shame of man. The Bible says, “The Lord God made garments of
skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them” (Genesis 3:21). Where man
once was able to roam the garden worry free, it then became the main focus with
regards to basic survival. To provide for his family became of top priority,
and the need for basic essentials, took on a new relevance, that was once
foreign in the beautiful garden that Jehovah Jireh had provided. The Bible
says, “And the Lord God said, “The man has now become like one of us, knowing
good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from
the tree of life and eat, and live forever.” So the Lord God banished him from
the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken” (Genesis
3:22-23). Although Adam and Eve were banished from the garden, Jehovah Jireh
was still the Provider of their needs, and He continues to provide for our
physical needs today even though we have a world full of sin. Let’s take a look
at how He did it in the past, and parallel it to how you can trust and believe
that He still does it today.
Physical Need of Food and Water
Israelites’ need of water:
a.) The Israelites had traveled to the Desert
of Zin during the time of Moses. While in the desert, they found themselves in
need of water. Instead of trusting Jehovah Jireh who had always provided their
needs, they complained and quarreled with Moses. They reminisced on the days of
being in bondage in Egypt where they had plenty to eat and drink. Instead of
being appreciative for the provision of “freedom,” they complained about not
having enough provisions. Nevertheless, Jehovah Jireh provided water for them
out of a rock. The Bible says, “He
and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock and Moses said to
them, “Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?” Then
Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed
out, and the community and their livestock drank” (Numbers 20:10-11). Unfortunately,
Moses allowed his anger to get the best of him. Instead of speaking to the rock
as Jehovah Jireh instructed, he struck the rock twice. Therefore, as a
punishment, Moses was unable to take the Children of Israel into the Promised
Land. Even so, Jehovah Jireh still provided water out of the rock for His people.
Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand:
a.) John the Baptist had just been beheaded
and Jesus
withdrew to himself after hearing the
news. However, Jesus seemed to always attract a following even when He was
trying to have some alone time. People came in the masses and Jesus had
compassion on them by healing all who were sick. The crowds had not eaten, so
the disciples suggested that Jesus send them away to get food. However, Jesus
was not about to send them away hungry where they could pass out during the
journey. He took a boy’s lunch of two fishes and five loaves of bread and
multiplied it into enough to feed thousand men not including women and
children. The Bible says, “Bring them here to me,” he said. And he
directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the
two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he
gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all
ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken
pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was about five thousand
men, besides women and children” (Matthew 14:18-21). Jehovah Jireh knew
that the people had a need to eat; therefore, Jesus prayed and Jehovah Jireh
multiplied what was little and turned it into a surplus.
Physical Need of Warmth and Rest
Restoration of Shade and Warmth:
a.) Israel had turned from Jehovah Jireh and
was promised that judgment would be the consequences of their rebellion. Yet,
Jehovah Jireh was always willing to provide for His children and restore them
back to Himself if they would be obedient to His will. Therefore, He made a
promise that He would provide a cloud of smoke by day to be their shade from
the heat and a pillar of fire by night as a refuge from the storm and rain. The
Bible says, “Then the Lord will create over all of Mount
Zion and over those who assemble there a cloud of smoke by day and a glow of
flaming fire by night; over all the glory will be a canopy. It will be a
shelter and shade from the heat of the day; and a refuge and hiding place from
the storm and rain” (Isaiah 4:5-6). This text can be taken both literally
and figuratively. In the literal sense, Jehovah Jireh provides for His
children’s needs, so that they will not have to be without. Now, some may ask
the question, “Why are there third-world countries who do not have basic
resources such as clean water, food and shelter?”
This
was never Jehovah-Jireh’s intentions for His children to lack provisions for
their basic needs. However, He did allow countries to overwhelmingly be blessed
with wealth, such as the United States, which has been able to send substantial
aid and financial resources to underdeveloped nations. Even in what may seem to
be the direst of situations, Jehovah Jireh is still providing at such a large
magnitude for His children. Sin is the cause of poverty, illnesses and death,
but Jehovah Jireh is the Lord of provision, healing, and life. The Bible says, “For
with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light” (Psalm 36:9).
b.) Elijah had encountered a major showdown
with the prophets of Baal. King Ahab and Queen Jezebel were wicked leaders who
ruled Israel. As the nation’s leaders did -- so did Israel. They worshiped the
idols of Baal and Israel had turned away from the one true God. The Bible says,
“Ahab son of Omri did more evil in the eyes of the Lord than any of
those before him. He not only considered it trivial to commit the sins of
Jeroboam son of Nebat, but he also married Jezebel daughter of Ethbaal king of
the Siodonians, and began to serve Baal and worship him. He set up an altar for
Baal in the temple of Baal that he built in Samaria. Ahab also made an Asherah
pole and did more to provoke the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger than did all
the kings of Israel before him. In Ahab’s time, Hiel of Bethel rebuilt Jericho.
He laid its foundations at the cost of his youngest son Segub, in accordance
with the word of the Lord spoken by Joshua son of Nun” (1 Kings 16:30-34). In order to show Israel that Jehovah Jireh was
their Provider and the only God to be served, Elijah challenged all 450
prophets of Baal to meet him at Mount Carmel for the ultimate showdown. The
Israelites had to be reminded that their worthless idols had no power, but
Jehovah Jireh had the power to provide all of their needs and wants.
After
the showdown where God proved Himself strong, Elijah had all 450 prophets of
Baal killed with the sword. They had proven themselves to be a bunch of
idolatrous fakes. However, upon hearing what had taken place with regards to
her prophets, Queen Jezebel threatened to kill Elijah just as he had done.
Therefore, he fled in fear and went to a place called Horeb. Elijah was greatly
discouraged at this point. He felt as if he was all alone. He didn’t have a
church to go to. There were no elders for him to call on. There were no friends
to offer him support. This was a mission that involved him and God alone.
Elijah had come to a crossroads where he did not want to go on any further. He
was so discouraged that he prayed for death. He was tired! He had been through
enough and needed to rest. He finally laid down under a tree to rest. The Bible
says, “Then he lay down under the tree and fell
asleep. All at once an angel touched him and said, ‘Get up and eat.’ He looked
around, and there by his head was a cake of bread baked over hot coals, and a
jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again. The angel of the Lord
came back a second time and touched him and said, ‘Get up and eat, for the
journey is too much for you.’ So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by
that food, he traveled forty
days and forty nights until he reached
Horeb, the mountain of God. There he went into a cave and spent the night” (1
Kings 19:5-9).
Jehovah Jireh understood what Elijah was feeling and provided rest for him
because of all that he had gone through. He understood Elijah’s human need and
had compassion on him.
Jehovah
Jireh loves providing for His children. There are times when we may have gone
off His chosen path, but He still shows love by supplying all of our needs as a
loving Father does. Whenever you find that you are in a difficult situation in
life, ask Jehovah Jireh, your Provider, to release to you His heavenly
provisions that only He is able to give. Ensure that your life lines up with
His perfect will, and trust that He will open the doors of overflow in your
life.
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