Jesse Tree - God Provides (Day 6)

Abraham answered, "God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son."

Genesis 22:8

Friday: Offering of Isaac

Bible Reading: Genesis 22:1-19

Jesse Tree Symbol - ram (go to Jesse Tree ornaments)

This is a difficult story for children. It's a difficult story for adults, especially if you are a parent. What faith Abraham had in God. He believed. from the beginning, that God would fulfill HIs promise through Isaac. In Genesis 22:5 Abraham tells his servants that he and Isaac will go on ahead and "then we will come back to you." 

"By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, "It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned."  Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death." Hebrews 11:17-19

Abraham's faith was tremendous, but I'd like to focus today on the name Abraham called the place where he almost sacrificed Isaac. "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 22:14

The Hebrew name for "The Lord will Provide" is Jehovah-jirah. He did provide an animal for the sacrifice that day...a ram. But He also provided a sacrifice for a day in the distant future.

"The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" John 1:29

Just as Isaac walked willingly up Mount Moriah, carrying the wood for his own sacrifice (Gen. 22:6), Jesus walked willingly up Golgotha (within sight of Mount Moriah where the Temple now stood), carrying the wooden cross for His own sacrifice.

But unlike Isaac, no Angel of the Lord intervened this time. No voice from Heaven called out "Jesus! Jesus!" Instead, the voice of Jesus was heard calling "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"-which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Mark 15:34

Can we begin to comprehend how the Lord provided that day? Can we begin to understand the sacrifice Jesus willingly made for us?

May today's reflection help us to understand a bit more of the Father's heart of love for us. He is 

Jehovah-jirah, the God who provides.

The above commentary on Genesis is part of a 4-week Advent Reflection for the Jesse Tree. The Jesse Tree is similar to an advent calendar. Every day you will read a Bible passage to your child(ren), discuss what it means to them in personal terms and color an ornament to hang on your Jesse Tree. A fuller description of this can be found at The Jesse Tree

When you are finished today, you might want to discuss how Christmas is about giving much more than getting. One way that your family can give is through their daily prayers. This might be a good time to pray for a specific country or for a group of people who do not know about Jesus. Today, over 2 billion people, 1/3 of the earth's population, have never heard the Gospel message. They don't know about the way God provided for them through Himself as our ultimate sacrifice. They need our prayers. 

Two great websites to help you do this are:

Unreached of the Day

Operation World  go to Featured Nation and click on Country Profile

Another way to give is by giving a gift to those, throughout the world, who have very little. It might be a chicken, or sheep or a goat...maybe you can help pay for the digging of a well or provide a sewing machine to a widow so she can provide for her family. There are many ways to help this Christmas. Visit  Gospel for Asia and take a look at their Christmas Catalog.