Creator, Father, King #58

On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided.

WHEN ABRAHAM SADDLED HIS donkey and set out for Mount Moriah to sacrifice Isaac, the great patriarch had no idea what the outcome of his journey would be. And little did he realize how modern-day Christians would still be reading about his amazing devotion to the Lord and being strengthened in their own faith.

Yet this story also raises a fascinating question: If God is omniscient, why did he test Abraham’s faith at all? Didn’t he already know the level of Abraham’s commitment toward him and how Abraham would respond?

Hmmm . . .

What’s It Mean?

Before we answer this question, we need to reiterate a crucial point that the Bible makes clear: God never tempts us to sin (James 1:13). Unlike the false gods that many ancient pagan cultures used to worship, God is not cruel, sadistic, or capricious. He doesn’t toy with human beings, as if we are merely pawns on a cosmic chess table. He is holy—perfectly good, loving, and just in all his ways.

But God does test our faith. Does he do this to learn something he didn’t already know about our love, trust, or commitment toward him?

No.

God knows all things (1 John 3:20), including our hearts and minds. He fully knew Abraham’s devotion to him. Ultimately, the test of Isaac’s sacrifice wasn’t for God’s benefit, but for Abraham’s—to strengthen his faith and show him that God would provide for all his needs.

Look what happened next:

Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught by its horns in a thicket. So he took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering in place of his son. Abraham named the place Yahweh-Yireh (which means “the LORD will provide”). To this day, people still use that name as a proverb: “On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided.”

When God tests your faith, remember: God isn’t trying to learn something about you he doesn’t already know. And don’t resist the test. It’s for your spiritual good (James 1:2-4). Instead, look for the ways God is meeting your needs, just like he did for Abraham.

Remember, God’s name is Yahweh-Yireh. The Lord will provide!

Now What?

When you’re being tested in life, keep a journal of how God provides for you so you can remember his faithfulness and praise him later on.

Did You Know?

We also need to acknowledge the presence of divine mystery here. God sometimes tests our faith despite knowing the outcome of that testing beforehand. If this remains hard for us to understand, that’s okay because it’s perfectly understood by God.