“Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, ‘Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.’ And God granted his request.”
~ 1 Chronicles 4:10
Hi James and Ellen,
Do you like to read? Do you like to read lists of names? There are chapters in some of the Bible books which have long lists of names. The names of the guys and gals who are listed in these books and chapters helped God’s specially chosen guys and gals remember who each forefather was for each of the different Israelite tribal clans. The Israelite people group was made up of twelve tribal clans. Each Israelite tribal clan began with a son or a grandson of Jacob. God changed Jacob’s name to Israel. Jacob means follower. Israel means struggled with God. Once the Israelite tribal clans were settled in Canaan – which was the Promised Land, and which became known as Israel, records were kept of each one of the different Israelite tribal clans. The chronicler was one of the guys who listed the names of the fathers and the families of the different Israelite tribal clans. It can be problematic to read the names that are included in Bible books as a lot of the names are very hard to pronounce. It also can be quite tedious reading a long list of names. The chronicler – in 1 Chronicles 4, listed the fathers as well as the families of the Judah tribal clan. The chronicler would sometimes give a little history of a guy or gal in a tribal clan family. Mered received special mention in this chapter by the chronicler. Mered is from the Judah tribal clan. Mered was Ezrah’s kid. Mered married Bithiah. Bithiah was a daughter of a Pharaoh. The chronicler mentions in this chapter families who worked with linen and families who were potters. The chronicler also wrote in this chapter about the fathers and the families of the Simeon tribal clan. The chronicler mentions in this chapter that the Simeon tribal clan was settled in an area which had good pastureland for their flocks. The chronicler also wrote in this chapter about the five hundred guys from the Simeon tribal clan who helped to destroy the Hamite, Meunite and Amalekite guys, gals and kids who were still living in the Promised Land so that Simeon tribal clan could live in the area where these enemy guys, gals and kids were still living. This chapter has become one of the best known chapters in the Bible because of a book that your grandpaa has suggested to your ma and dad that they buy to read to you. This book is a short book. Guys and gals all over planet Earth are being read or are reading this book. The book has been translated into Spanish. The book is called The Prayer of Jabez. The book was written by Bruce Wilkinson. This book was written about a guy who is mentioned in this chapter. This guy’s name is Jabez. Jabez is from the Judah tribal clan. No one knows why the chronicler decided to stop for a moment to tell the readers of his chronicles about Jabez. Jabez’ life did not get off to a good start. Jabez’ name means day of pain. Jabez’ ma gave Jabez his name. Do you know what your names mean? How would you like to have your friends call you day of pain?
Your grandpaa’s ma says that the day that your grandpaa was born was her day of pain. Your grandpaa’s ma a number of years ago had an operation on your grandpaa’s birthday. The operation that your dad’s grandma had on your grandpaa’s birthday was hip replacement surgery. Your grandmaa needs to have the same operation real soon that your grandpaa’s ma had. Besides having a name that you really would not like to have, the chronicler tells you other things about Jabez. The chronicler wrote in his chronicles that Jabez was more honorable – which means that he acted better, than his bros. Also – in verse 10, the chronicler wrote that Jabez would pray to God. This verse says “Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, ‘Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.’ And God granted his request.” Jabez asked God to do four different things for him. Jabez asked God to bless him. Jabez asked God to have him – Jabez, do more than what he was doing or to be given more than what he had. Jabez asked God to walk with him – holding his hand, on planet Earth. Jabez asked God to keep him safe and from sin – so that he would not end up suffering from the results of having met up with evil and sinning. Did God give Jabez what Jabez asked God? God did.
How is God blessing you? How is God enlarging your territory? How is God holding your hand? How is God keeping you from harm and from sinning? God has blessed your grandmaa and grandpaa. God has blessed your grandmaa and grandpaa with two special grandkids. God has blessed your grandmaa and grandpaa by allowing them the privilege of living in three other countries as ambassadors for Him. Your grandmaa and grandpaa constantly are having their territories enlarged by God. Your grandmaa and grandpaa are having more and more opportunities to minister – in more and more different ways. Your grandmaa and grandpaa do not know the limits of what God would have them do. Each time that your grandmaa or grandpaa have felt that they have gotten to the edge of a cliff where they have felt that they do not have the gifts, abilities, training, education, skills, talents, smarts, etc. to take another step, your grandmaa and grandpaa have found themselves doing something which they thought that they would never do. Your grandmaa and grandpaa know that God is holding their hands on planet Earth. God’s hand is very real to your grandmaa and grandpaa – because your grandmaa and grandpaa know that they are together in His hand. Your grandmaa and grandpaa know that God has protected them from getting hurt – or a whole lot worse, again and again. Your grandmaa and grandpaa know that their lives are in constant danger from the enemy who does not want your grandmaa and grandpaa doing the things that they are doing. You can start right now asking God for the four requests that Jabez asked of God. Just as God granted Jabez’s requests, God will grant you your requests.
1 Chronicles 4 (88)