G 07/12/06 W

JABEZ — 1 Chr 4:9-10

In the book of lineages we find a man whose ancestry is not delineated. We must ask ourselves, “Why is this man mentioned in a place of lineages and his lineages not given?” There is much guess work as to whom his father was, but nothing is known for sure. However, he is listed, placed in the genealogy list-between Coz and Chelub. This is the only mention of Jabez in the Bible, and relates that his mother named him Jabez = sorrow. Most of the time, in the Scriptures, a name relates a person’s character, physical appearance or others reacts to them, e.g., blessing/curse, but his name is does not fit him spiritually.

This tells us that we must go beyond the superficial, name, looks, education, etc. Who would want their daughter to marry a many name sorrow or lazy or evil or no glory?

I. JABEZ’S MOTHER

1. All children are born in sorrow, but when the child comes it is replaced with joy over the birth of the child.

2. So we must think that this was an unusual grievous birth: Gen 35:17-19

A. Rachel, with her dying breath, she named him Benoni = “Son of Sorrow”, but Jacob vetoed that and called him Benjamin = “Son of the right hand.”

B. Jabez did not have anyone to intercede on his behalf and retained his name, which would have been a reproach.

a. How would you like be called Sorrow, and everyone would know what your name meant.

3. Ichabod was named in a time of defeat and agony: 1 Sam 4:19-22

II. JABEZ MORE HONORABLE THAN HIS BRETHREN.

1. This is in comparison with his family, and not knowing wither they were honorable or dishonorable men leaves us in wonderment.

A. If they were honorable, Jabez would have been exceptionally honorable.

B. If they were dishonorable, Jabez would not necessarily have to be that honorable.

2. God also makes a comparison with Noah with his generation, but also a moral description: Gen 6:9 “… Noah was a just man [and] perfect in his generations, [and] Noah walked with God.”

A. The saying “perfect in his generations” only means in comparison with his generation he was perfect, and his generation was so bad that God was going to destroy them all.

a. The word generations here can mean “one’s contemporaries”, or “descendants”, so it means his contemporaries in the context of the scriptures.

B. However, with Noah is also called “just man” and that “Noah walked with God,” but in the case of Jabez this is the only description.

3. Nevertheless, God blessed him by answering his prayer, showing that he was acceptable to God, a man of faith: Heb 11:6

A. So Jabez must have pleased God.

4. It was worth space in God’s Word to tell us about Jabez.

III. JABEZ’S PRAYER REQUEST.

1. Jabez ask to be blessed; leaving that to God what those blessings would be: 1 Chr 17:27

2. Jabez ask God to enlarge his property; that he would be prosperous.

3. Jabez ask God’s hand would be with him “Jabez expects not that this can be the case, unless he have God’s hand with him and the presence of his power,” {BSMH}.

A. “God’s hand with us, to lead us, protect us, strengthen us, and to work all our works in us and for us, is indeed a hand sufficient for us, all-sufficient.”[1] {BSMH}: Psa 73:23

4. Jabez ask that God would keep him “from evil, that it may not grieve me!” Psa 19:13

A. Notice the Explanation mark at the end of his prayer, 1Ch4:10a.

a. This shows the striving of his heart.

B. The only way that we can overcome evil is that God keeps us from evil: Luke 11:4

C. Jabez was a wise man for realizing the weakness of all flesh and especially himself.

D. He asked in general, he asked in particular which shows us again his wisdom.

IV. GOD GRANTED HIM HIS REQUEST.

1. “And God granted him that which he requested,” which speaks volumes about Jabez.

2. Blessed him in ways not stated, enlarged him materially, God would hold him (never leave him nor forsake him), and keep him from evil.

V. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO US.

1. This teaches us to pray and expect a blessing from God when we are walking in the light as He is in the light.

2. Our names neither define us nor our children.

A. We need to be careful that we do not assonate people with Events That They Have No Control Over; Jabez had not control the pain caused by his birth!

3. God has books that we have never seen: Mal 3:16-17

A. How will our name be recorded: there are 168 hrs in a week of which we sleep around 56hrs (8hrs night) a week and the rest (112hrs) is split by whatever else we do.

a. If we attend all the services that is 4hrs a week of teaching & preaching, and if we spend an 1hr a day in our devotions than makes 11hrs for spiritual matters, which leaves 101hrs (one that works 40hrs a week that leaves 61hrs of course there maybe commute time).

b. In God’s ‘time sheet’ with your names on it, what will be your time that we thought upon the Lord be like week in and week out: Rom 14:10-12

This man was noted by God for all to see, especially His people, and for all that will read this portion of scriptures. What will be our note in God’s record book?

1 Chr 4:9-10

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