“When Jabez Prays”
1 Chronicles 4:9-10
Perhaps one of the most noted prayers is the “Prayer of Jabez.”
A book was written by Bruce Wilkinson in 2000 and had over 9 million copies sold.
I will not attempt to make a book out of this nor have I read the book; I just know it’s out there.
What do we know about Jabez and why did he pray; perhaps more importantly is why did it end up in the Bible?
The Books of the Chronicles is a book of names of the families that are in the Jewish family.
When you read through the Bible it is not uncommon to almost cross our eyes and tie our tongue as we try to pronounce the names within these pages; and yet in the midst of the list of names a pause is made and a man’s prayer is recorded.
I. What Do We Know About Jabez?
We do not know his mother nor do we know his father, for neither is given.
We know two (2) things in Vs. 9 “And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow.”
1. Jabez was more honourable than his brethren…
Honourable - enjoy honour, be made abundant, chargeable
I am reminded of honourable in action in the Book of
Acts 17:1-12.
Paul came to Thessalonica and preached in the synagogue for 3 weeks.
He preached Jesus is the Christ and many believed, but not all.
Those who did not believe stirred up trouble and the new believers sent Paul and Silas away.
In Vs. 11-12 we see how the action of these believers was recorded. 11 “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. 12 Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.”
A person’s faith will make them “more honourable”
2. “His mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow.”…
Here is the “Law of first mention.”
Genesis 3:16 “Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.”
Sorrow - pain, hurt, toil, labour, hardship
Each of these words we see the description of what we call normal child bearing.
For some unknown reason his mother names him Jabez and was reminded of the pain and labour that was needed to bring him into this world.
Not sure I would want to be known as “Pain” throughout my life yet Jabez is his name.
In today’s society names are picked because of a heritage or a famous person, but rarely is one reminded that they are a pain.
This could easily become a stumbling block in one’s life but not for Jabez, it would seem.
I give great credit to a person who will overcome adversity; perhaps even pubic humility and just decide that God is more important than man’s opinion.
II. Jabez Called On God
You might notice that he “called on the God of Israel.”
In this time as even is today there are many god’s that man will call upon.
We do not name our god’s like the people did many millennial ago, yet we still have false god’s that we call upon.
I hear often “The god I worship would not send people to hell.”
“The god I serve is a loving god and will save everyone.”
“You understand, I cannot come to church because the fish are running and it is only seasonal.”
And the list of god’s of this world could go on….
Who is the God of Israel?
God - ‘elohiym (el-o-heem’) who is plural…
Genesis 1:26 “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.”
He is described as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Israel).
Matthew Henry said concerning this prayer… “The prayer he made, probably like Solomon's prayer for wisdom, just when he was setting out in the world. He set himself to acknowledge God in all his ways, put himself under the divine blessing and protection, and prospered accordingly.”
III. Jabez’s Prayer
1. Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed,
A broad request but filled with blessing, on blessing, on blessings.
Bless - salute; be adored, to cause to kneel
Blessing do not come when we lift ourselves up, it comes when we lift Christ up.
Indeed - to bless, to praise.
The word “bless” and “indeed” are the same Hebrew words.
“Lord bless me that I may bless (praise) you.
2. And enlarge my coast, … that he would prosper his endeavors for the increase of whatever was in his future; either by work or war.
3. And that thine hand might be with me, - The prayer of Moses for this tribe of Judah. Deuteronomy 33:7 “And this is the blessing of Judah: and he said, Hear, LORD, the voice of Judah, and bring him unto his people: let his hands be sufficient for him; and be thou an help to him from his enemies.”
4. And that thou wouldest keep me from evil, - “That he would keep him from evil, the evil of sin, the evil of trouble, all the evil designs of his enemies, that they might not hurt him, nor grieve him, nor make him a Jabez indeed, a man of sorrow.” (Matthew Henry Commentary)
5. That it may not grieve me! – A prayer ending request? “I just want to keep knowing you, and seeing you in my life so others may see you.”
IV. Answered Prayer
And God granted him that which he requested.
1John 5:13-15 “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. 14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: 15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.”
Conclusion:
I am not here to promote a book that was written by man; but I am here to tell you that God has never changed and never will.
If you are here and not saved, He will save those who will call upon His name.
If you are having troubles; He will not always bring us around the trials but He will be with us as we go through them.
I still believe that God is enough
Enough to save the lost
Enough to help his children
Enough to bless His children who would be so bold as to call upon His name.
HE’S ENOUGH!!!!!
