From 808648129afc9aae33c58b8882f942d7956968dd Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Lyle Mantooth Date: Thu, 7 Sep 2023 00:38:17 -0400 Subject: [PATCH] 1 Chronicles 4:1-23 --- content/bible_journal/1chronicles_4:1-23.md | 48 +++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 48 insertions(+) create mode 100644 content/bible_journal/1chronicles_4:1-23.md diff --git a/content/bible_journal/1chronicles_4:1-23.md b/content/bible_journal/1chronicles_4:1-23.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..dad12d5 --- /dev/null +++ b/content/bible_journal/1chronicles_4:1-23.md @@ -0,0 +1,48 @@ ++++ +title = "1 Chronicles 4:1–23" +date = "2023-09-06" ++++ + +### [Read the passage.](https://biblia.com/bible/esv/1Chronicles4.1-23) + +I suppose chapter 4 begins with the end of the genealogy of Judah. Many more +names are given that we haven't seen before. More families are filled out and +we find out where various clans come from. + +In the middle of the genealogy, we are given a little vignette from the life of +a man named Jabez. It's been about twenty years, but I remember all the hype +caused by the book _The Prayer of Jabez_. It's a theological disaster, +encouraging people to treat the Lord of the Universe as a prosperity-dispensing +genie. So of course the religious unbelievers jumped all over it and the +spiritually immature were swept up in the fervor. But that doesn't mean we +can't learn from Jabez's life and example. + +We are told, rather suddenly, that Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. +I don't see any of his other family members mentioned anywhere, so it's doubly +strange that we are told about him here. However, he did have a city named +after him, which showed up back in 1 Chronicles 2:55, where the clans of +scribes lived. We are also told that the name Jabez was a reminder of the +extraordinary pain his mother experienced while delivering him, which I can +imagine was not a fun thing to grow up with. + +Jabez's prayer is actually a fine thing to pray. The Lord delights in blessing +His people. We need His hand to be upon us to guide us through our lives. +"Harm" could also be translated "evil", which is certainly something we want to +avoid. The expanding borders are a little trickier. According to [an +article](https://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/real-prayer-jabez) by Steven +Lawson, Jabez was part of the army that conquered Canaan in Joshua's time. In +order for Jabez's borders to be enlarged, Israel's enemies would have to be +defeated, which is something the Lord had made clear He would help them do. +Altogether, God answered Jabez's prayer not because it was a magic formula, or +Jabez's faith was so amazing, but because He chose to glorify Himself to do so. +Prayer is more about changing us to get lined up with what God wants us to have +and be, rather than changing God to get what we want. + +After this we get more names, some of which are famous. Othniel was the first +judge of Israel, after Joshua. And we finally see Caleb the son of Jephunneh. +Other names are linked with cities, clans, and trade-guilds. + +* * * + +Bless us, O Lord, according to Your good pleasure, for we are undeserving +sinners.