We read in 1 Chronicles 4:10, “Now Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, "Oh that You would bless me indeed and enlarge my border, and that Your hand might be with me, and that You would keep me from harm that it may not pain me!" And God granted him what he requested.” (NASB)
The name Jabez as we considered previously signified ‘pain’. While child-bearing is generally agonizing, Jabez’s mother went through such excruciating pain, that she decided to name her son Jabez, which meant ‘pain or sorrow’. Jabez was certainly brought forth with pain, his situation might have been arduous, but he decided that he would not continue this way. Jabez determined that he would trust in the God of Israel, who alone could totally transform his situation. The first appeal therefore, that Jabez made to God was that He would bless him. The reason for this is found in the last part of the verse, where Jabez pleaded with God that He would keep him from harm so that it would not pain him. Though his life commenced with pain, Jabez’s apprehension was that the latter part of his life should not end in pain. Hence, he beseeched God that He would bless him.
When faced with distressing situations, many resign themselves to the fact that it is probably their fate that wrought these misfortunes, and there are those around who influence them adversely to believe that nothing will ever change for the better. Instead of feeling dejected in such circumstance, like Jabez, we must persevere with faith, recognizing that there is an Almighty God who can deliver us, and lead us onto a life of triumph.
What is the true blessing, according to the word of God?
The blessings God bestowed on Adam and Eve
We read in Genesis 1:22, “And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.” (KJV)
Also in Genesis 1:28, “And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.” (KJV)
The first time we read about being blessed, is in Genesis 1:22, when God blessed the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and said to them ‘be fruitful and multiply.’ The second time we read is in Genesis 1:28, where God blessed Adam and Eve, and said to them also ‘be fruitful and multiply’. However, God also blessed them with the authority to have dominion over all that He had created.
When God blessed the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, the only blessing bestowed on them was fruitfulness and multiplication, that’s what is happening even today. However, when God blessed Adam and Eve, not only did he endow them with the blessing of fruitfulness and multiplication, He also spoke over them, the authority to have rule over all that He had created.
If we were to define blessing someone in general, we could say that blessings are words spoken by one person to the other, specifying or detailing as to what would or should become of them in the future.
God is the source of all blessing, and blessings come from the word of God. They come to strengthen us to live in accordance to God’s word, and that is true blessings that come from God. The way the world and the word define blessings are quite contradictory. When the world refers to blessings, what they refer to mostly is to be blessed with material things. However, the true blessings of God are those that God bequeaths us, so that we can lead lives that are in keeping with God’s expectations of us. One of the reason we fail is because we have not understood on the basis of God’s word, all that He anticipates from us, in order to be recipients of His divine blessings.
The blessing God bestowed on Abraham
We read in Genesis 22:15-17,“And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;”(KJV)
As we read and study the above mentioned verses carefully, we observe how God did not just say that He would bless Abraham, but also enumerated the exact way in which He would bless him. He said to Abraham, ‘That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore;’ There are two aspects of this blessing God showered on Abraham, one was the heavenly blessing which he likened to the stars of the heavens, and also the earthly blessings which can be equated to the sand on the sea shore.
Blessings are a result of obedience to God’s word
However, when did the promise of God actually take effect in Abraham’s life? It was only when Abraham in total surrender obeyed God, and willingly took Isaac to the altar to sacrifice him, knowing full well that Isaac was his only son, the son of promise, born in his old age, when he was well advanced in years. When Abraham unquestioningly obeyed God at His word, that’s when God ratified the promise He made to Abraham.
The blessings are not for the individual alone, but for all generations to come
We read in Genesis 22:18, “And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.”(KJV)
The promise of God was not only to Abraham, but because of his obedience, it was passed on to all of his descendants forever. Abraham’s total obedience to God and His word, resulted in him receiving God’s blessing in fullest measure, which passed on to all the nations of the earth.
If we desire to be recipients of the blessings God has promised, it is imperative that we obey as Abraham did in all areas of our lives. Blessings are words that are spoken, they originate from God alone, and those words help us to implement what God has promised to bless us with. Moreover, it is good to remind ourselves that our blessings are not for us only, but for all those generations to follow. Obedience to the word of God is the first step for us to be the beneficiaries of God’s blessings, and we will be able to live precisely as God desires for us to live.
Instead of comparing ourselves with those around us, we are called to throw off everything that hinders us from simply and humbly obeying the word of God as given to us. When God instructs us to let go off certain habits, unhealthy relationships, irregularities in handling finances, we must be willing to release them or set them right immediately. We cannot live any way we want and expect that the Lord will bless us, for it is only in walking in complete obedience to His word can we enjoy God’s blessings at their fullest.
For instance, there is discord in many families, only because they do not follow the order that God has set for the family. It is true that the word says that men and women are equal in the sight of God, but when it comes to the functioning of a family, the Lord has ordained that the man be the head of the home, the woman be the helper and the children be obedient to the parents. If the husband abdicates his responsibility, and the woman takes on his role, and the children choose to disobey, then the family will most assuredly not be able to operate the way God planned for the family to operate.
The blessings God bestowed on Jacob
We read in Genesis 27:1-4, “When Isaac was old and his eyes were dim so that he could not see, he called Esau (EESAW) his older son and said to him, “My son”; and he answered, “Here I am.” He said, “Behold, I am old; I do not know the day of my death. Now then, take your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field and hunt game for me, and prepare for me delicious food, such as I love, and bring it to me so that I may eat, that my soul may bless you before I die.” (ESV)
Let’s take a quick look at the background to these verses. Isaac and Rebekah are blessed with twin sons; the older one is Esau and the younger one Jacob. Isaac was very old, his eye sight was really dim, and he was aware that his day of death was drawing near. Isaac wished to bless his elder son Esau before he passed away. If we observe the words mentioned in these verses, we understand that though Isaac desired to bless his son, the real source of the blessing originated from God Himself.
Esau the older son was a wild man, a hunter who loved the outdoor life, and probably never stayed at home much. His brother Jacob on the other hand, was the homely type who never ventured out much, but was content to stay indoors. Isaac longed to bless his elder son, Esau, whom he favored, and in order to do that he expected him to hunt some game, cook a delicious meal, which Isaac could relish before he blessed Esau. As Isaac spoke to Esau, his mother Rebekah overheard the conversation. Rebekah favored Jacob over Esau as he stayed home all the time, and most probably was a big help around the house.
We might have noticed this of our children too. While one may be the extrovert who always wants to go out, the other may be quite the introvert, who prefers to stay home the whole time. Many parents take lightly the rebellion and indiscipline of their children, hoping they will get better with time. If we desire to do good for our children, then disciplining them is the best way we can show them that we truly love them, and care for them.
Sometimes like Isaac and Rebekah, when parents play favoritism among their children, it will most certainly end up with several issues in the future. Our children should grow up knowing that both Dad and Mom love them equally and without partiality. When parents favor one child over the other, showing disparity in various ways, unknowingly they become instruments in instilling ill feelings among children, which later shows up in various ways and remain as permanent scars in their lives. If God has blessed us with two children, we must treat them like we would our two eyes, showing no differentiation whatsoever.
When Rebekah knew that Isaac planned to bless Esau, she knew instantly that these blessings were not from Isaac, but were blessings that commenced from God. In Genesis 27:4, Isaac said, bring me the delicious food so that ‘my soul may bless you before I die’. Isaac’s body would relish the food, but the blessings would come from his soul as they proceeded from God Himself.
If we wish to see the connection between the body and soul we must look at Genesis 2:7, “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and (LORD GOD) breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.”
Though God created man from the dust of the ground, man became a living soul only because the Lord God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. That is why Isaac desired food for his body, but planned to bless from his soul. No wonder David said in Psalm 103:1, ‘Bless the Lord, O my soul.’ Our worship of God therefore, must also not be merely from our lips, but from the very depths of our soul.
When Esau was out hunting, Rebekah and Jacob took the opportunity to deceive Isaac. Jacob pretended to be Esau, and received all the blessings of God from his father Isaac. Here’s how Isaac blessed his son Jacob as we read in Genesis 27:28-29, “May God give you—from the dew of the sky and from the fatness of the land—an abundance of grain and new wine. May peoples serve you and may nations bow down to you. Be master over your brothers. May your mother’s sons bow down to you. May those who curse you be cursed and may those who bless you be blessed.” (TLV)
As Isaac pronounced these blessing on Jacob, every one of them commenced from God Himself. Isaac described in detail the exact way the blessings of God would be fulfilled in Jacob’s life.
As he completed the blessings for Jacob, Esau walks in to receive his father Isaac’s blessings. Here’s what Isaac says in Genesis 27:33, “I ate all of it before you came, and I have blessed him—and indeed he shall be blessed.” (NKJV) and in Genesis 27:38, “And Esau said to his father, “Have you only one blessing, my father? Bless me—me also, O my father!” And Esau lifted up his voice and wept.”(NKJV)
When Esau returned after hunting, with the delicious meal prepared, Jacob had already received all of his father’s blessings. There was no more blessing that Isaac could bestow on Esau, for the fact of the matter was that the blessings came from God Himself, and Isaac was just the instrument in pronouncing them. As Esau’s father Isaac could not utter any more blessings, other than what was channeled through him by God. When God gave no word for Esau, Isaac was unable to speak a blessing on him.
Though Jacob was born second, the blessings of God made him overtake his elder brother Esau. The blessings that Isaac pronounced on Jacob were not just blessings, but prophesies that God conveyed through him. No one could revert the blessings that God had chosen to bestow on Jacob. If we read through the life of Jacob, we can observe the fulfilment of all the blessings that his father Isaac declared to him.
Blessings don’t come with just speaking some words, true blessings come from God. Instead of simply blessing people by saying, ‘God bless you’ it is far better to bless them specifically, and if the Lord is with us the blessings we pronounce on others will most certainly be established. Children must learn to honor and obey their parents as the Lord admonishes, for the words of parents can either become a blessing or a curse to them.
To conclude, if we desire to be recipients of the manifold blessings that God has in store for us, and wish to lead victorious lives, the basic principle is that we be completely obedient to the word of God. We must also honor God, and respect those whom the Lord has placed in authority over us. Jabez prayed sincerely for the Lord to bless him, and God granted his request. May we also pray fervently to the Lord, beseeching him that His true blessings rest on us, so that we can lead lives that the Lord has planned and purposed for us to live, while here on earth.
Rev. F. Andrew Dixon
www.goodnewsfriends.net
Transcribed by: Sis. Esther Collins
