Asher: The Man Called "Happy”

ASHER: THE MAN CALLED “HAPPY”

Gen. 30:12-13; Deut. 33:24-25

INTRODUCTION

1. I’ve only met one man who went by the name ‘HAPPY,’ but there was a man in the Bible who had that name. In Hebrew his name is Asher, but it means ‘Happy.’ He was one of the 12 sons of Jacob and the head of a tribe.

2. I know what brothers can do with a name. I’m sure his brothers picked on him. When he walked up with a frown or was crying, don’t you know his brothers would say, “Well here comes ‘Happy!’”

3. But this man has special significance for us. Asher is a parallel to Christians. He started off with many problems, but God spoke the prophecy over him when he was born; “He shall be ‘Happy.’” That same prophecy has been spoken over all of us! So let’s take a look at “Asher: The Man Called Happy.”

I. BORN INTO A DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILY

A. RIVALRY BETWEEN WIVES

1. Asher was born into one of the most dysfunctional families in the Bible. Jacob wanted to marry Rachel, but his father-in-law tricked him into marrying her sister Leah. Added into the story was parental favoritism, sibling rivalry, deceit, and longstanding resentment.

2. Leah, the not-favored wife, bore children for Jacob, but Rachel couldn’t conceive. So Rachel gave Jacob her servant girl to bear him sons. This made Rachel feel a measure of triumph. When Leah stopped childbearing, she gave Jacob her servant girl to bear children that would (sort-of) be counted as hers.

3. Genesis 30:12-13 says, “Leah's servant Zilpah bore Jacob a second son. And Leah said, ‘Happy am I! For women have called me happy.’ So she called his name Asher.”

B. ASHER WAS NOBODY SPECIAL

He was 8th in the list of boys, but he had less status because he wasn’t born to one of Jacob’s two wives, but to one of his concubines. He wasn’t the strongest, most successful or smartest; he was just one of the kids.

C. HE MADE BAD DECISIONS

He made the mistake of helping his brothers betray and sell Joseph into Egyptian slavery. He had to watch as his father grieved for Joseph and feel the guilt of his crime.

D. FATHER OF A BLENDED FAMILY

1. When Asher grew up he became the father of four sons and at least one daughter named Serah (Genesis 46:17). The Bible lists 53 grandsons of Jacob, but only one granddaughter; Serah. She stood out in the family.

2. Jewish rabbinical literature tells us that Serah was actually Asher's stepdaughter. Asher married a widow and adopted her 3-year-old, Serah. So Asher was the father of a blended family. All that says something about Asher!

3. HUMOR. Fathers & daughters share special times.

a. Heidi Berg got to ride with her Dad at work in his snowplow! After they’d been plowing along a few hours, she noticed a switch on the dashboard that was encased in a box.

b. “What’s this for?” she asked. “It’s to turn red lights green,” he replied. As they reached a red light, he pointed to the box. “Try it.” She hit the switch, and it worked—the light turned green! Only much later did Heidi find out that it was his garage-door opener, and a Dad’s sense of humor!

II. 3 BLESSINGS OF GOD ON ASHER

A. MERCY IN JUDGMENT

1. When Israel left Egypt (Num. 1:41), there were 41,000 fighting men in Asher’s tribe. After the 40 years, in which many judgments fell on the Israelites for disobedience, Numbers 26:47 reports that the number of fighting men in Asher had increased to 53,000, a 22% increase. Only Manasseh was better, with a 38% GAIN.

2. Four tribes showed abnormally large LOSSES of fighting men: Simeon – 62%, Ephraim – 19%, Naphtali – 14%, and Gad – 11%. Most of the other tribes showed a slight change one way or the other.

3. So it’s believed that the tribe of Asher was more obedient and suffered less judgments and had more offspring than other tribes. There’s no price tag for God’s blessing! It’s worth more than money.

B. ASHER ANOINTED WITH OIL

1. When Moses prophesied about Asher in Deut. 33:24, he said, “Most blessed of sons be Asher; let him be the favorite of his brothers, and let him dip his foot in oil.” Normally only the wealthy have the luxury of using olive oil to wash and soothe their feet.

2. But this prophecy came true about Asher. When Joshua divided up the Promised Land between the 12 tribes, God gave the tribe of Asher land in the area of Galilee, where the soil was rich and olive trees flourished (Joshua 19:24-31). Even today, one tree in that area will produce 15 gallons of olive oil per season.