The True and Complete Meaning of the "Prayer of Jabez"

An often way too misunderstood verse from the Bible is, 1 Chronicles 4:10, more commonly identified as the "Prayer of Jabez".

In the New King James version, the prayer reads; " And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, “Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!” So God granted him what he requested."

The introductory text is self explanatory, Jabez is asking God to bless him and enlarge his territory. That is, increased and manifold prosperity in his labors, health, wealth and sphere of influence. Jabez' request continues that he also be kept from evil, as in the Lord's Prayer, to be protected or that God would hedge Jabez from evil influences or consequence. It is in the latter part of the verse where we too often miss the higher calling... The Hebrew word 'atsav, which relates to the expression, "might not cause pain", or "might not cause me pain", as often translated, is at best incomplete.

The particular stem to the Hebrew word, 'atsav, as expressed in the context, is much more rich in its meaning. Jabez is not merely praying for wealth, health and success, but more importantly in an Ancient Near East tradition, Jabez is praying for something much more challenging and powerful.... Jabez is actually praying for legacy, permanence and fulfillment. Due to the richness and meaning of the Hebrew tongue, the latter part of the Jabez' prayer would more accurately be read as, "May I not be worn down or sorrowed by my toil, but find fulfillment and joy in my work and that my work would endure."

I don't know about you folks, but I was blown away by the true meaning of the Prayer of Jabez. As a direct result of this realization, I am now on this quest, and invite you all, to not merely seek and pray to find success, but to seek and pray to find Joy and Fulfillment on the path to it... Now does the challenge lie in finding fulfilling work or in changing my attitude towards my work? It is in the latter where we humanly put down our "grain of salt" by faith, but we can be rest assured that God will take notice and lead us to the first---rewarding and fulfilling work. Good day!

Learning to trust the Lord in troubling times such as this, when unemployed and actively seeking work, is a great opportunity to reinvent oneself and humbly ask for the Lord's guidance and meet the greatest challenge of all... finding rewarding and life-fulfilling work.

Statistics often show that 70% to 80% percent of folks hate their jobs. I have come to learn in the midst of our current hardships, that it is not as important to have a higher paying, prestigious job, but rather one where you find fulfillment, purpose and joy in the undertaking. My prayer in my quest is now more ambitious than ever... With my heart in hand I now share with you folks, that my strongest desire is now to find such fulfilling work, as well as direction for my life and I sincerely hope and pray you do too!

I might add that this fulfillment, in and through our labors, does not just relate to our wage-earning labors and our career, but also in our work for the Lord in our churches and in our personal witness work for Christ. We may also way too often be worn out by even the noblest of our labors when we are not laboring in His Strength. We need to pray for God's strength for all our endeavors, as our strength is limited, but God's Might is Infinite.

I now pray for legacy, permanence and fulfillment not only for my labors down in the plains of Mamre, in the wage-earning worldly toils, but also for my labors in God's vineyard in Jerusalem, Samaria and the ends of the Earth, as those who know the Truth have been commissioned to labor in by Christ himself in Matthew 28:16-20.

Let us not forsake the one, for doing the other.

Godspeed Freeper Family!!!

Related thread:
THE PRAYER OF JOB

Long hidden in an obscure part of the Bible just before the Psalms (you may have to consult the table of contents to find it), the Book of Job is a revelation to many churchgoers. The book is based on statements of Job recorded in Chapter 14: vss. 1, 10, 22: "Man that is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble. Man dieth and wasteth away; yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he? His flesh upon him shall have pain, and his soul within him shall mourn"....
...."I picked up 'The Prayer of Job' at the local Joshua's Book Store, and the next day an inspector told us our house was infested with giant Formosan termites and toxic black mold. It was amazing how the text of the prayer reminded me of a simple truth...things can always get worse"....
....The theology of The Prayer of Job has become a matter of debate. Despite it's growing popularity, some theologians warn the book is pandering to a sado-masochistic streak in American religion akin to Presbyterianism. "Soon we'll be having to explain every bad circumstance as being solely from the hand of God rather than blaming it on Satan, the TV networks, Bill Clinton or the IRS," said Pastor Sid Precious of Holy Trinkets Church of the Kudzu in Raleigh, N.C. With The Prayer of Job as their guide, "people might not even need or want professional counseling at all." Bishop S.T.D. Takes of Greater Bullion Community Church in Houston, agreed. "Half my sermons are spent reassuring the congregation that God really isn't behind the bad things that happen to them; that if they just behave, pray more and give more, God will snap to the fact that he made a mistake and go back to fix it."

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
I have not posted in a while, but yesterday I ran into several mind-blowing verses... no doubt God is working in my present drought and wilderness journey.

God takes note when we speak of these things and invoke His name into our conversations... and He records them in the Book of Remembrance!!!!

Please note what the following scripture is saying:

Malachi 3:16-18:

“Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another,
And the Lord listened and heard them;
So a book of remembrance was written before Him
For those who fear the Lord
And who meditate on His name.
“They shall be Mine,” says the Lord of hosts,
“On the day that I make them My jewels.
And I will spare them
As a man spares his own son who serves him.”
Then you shall again discern
Between the righteous and the wicked,
Between one who serves God
And one who does not serve Him.”

Powerful.

Thank you for this reminder.

I have very often said that all good gifts come from above and that all evil that may befall us is the result of the exercise of the unconsecrated free will of individuals, straggling consequences of past actions or in some isolated cases directly from the dark spiritual realm.

God in His Permissive, not direct, Will may permit these events, by trying our faith, with the sole purpose of furthering our spiritual growth and endurance.

We often however, and me personally, have made the grievous mistake in the past of believing God has it in for us. There is nothing we can do to make God love us more or make Him love us less.

God in His Sovereignty tempts no one, but in His permissive will only allows certain undesirable events, whether they be brought on by exterior forces or we bring it upon ourselves, always in His Love and with His perfect intention for us in mind.

Thank you for this reminder.

Francis Schaeffer's son-in-law Os Guinness wrote a book called In Two Minds: The Dilemma of Doubt. One of the central themes of the book was that we start to doubt God, when we stop acknowledging Him and stop thanking Him for what He's done.

If I understand it right, you are facing a loss of work and income. After awhile, the temptation will be to say "God, why didn't You given me another job?" So every day, thank God for putting food on your table, whatever that food might be. Thank God for the food in your pantry for the next day. Thank God for the skills He gave you, which could be used to provide for your family tomorrow. Thank God for all of the things that you still own, that you could sell tomorrow if needed, to feed your family.

We often however, and me personally, have made the grievous mistake in the past of believing God has it in for us.

As have I, many many times. Things can always get worse, even to the point of death, meaning if God hasn't killed you yet then He still has plans for you. Those plans might be to live in poverty for awhile, but that's better than being dead (and on the other hand, Paul tells us that "to live is Christ, but to die is gain")! When I go through hardships like this, I keep these four verses in front of me at all times to remind me that if I'm not dead, there's still hope that things can change:

"Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?"
-- Genesis 18:26
"Though he slay me, I will hope in him; yet I will argue my ways to his face."
-- Job 13:15
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
-- Romans 8:28
...giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ...
-- Ephesians 5:20

Alex - thank you for your ministration.

Doubt is definitely a hindrance not only to our spiritual progress, but also to our earthly or physical endeavors.

I also have stood in awe of Job’s timeless oowords, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him...” Job 13:15. I soon realize how dwarfed my faith is at times in the face of giants, but I am comforted to know that the One who began the good work in me, will also finish it and that are all work in progress. We will always have room to grow.

I am amazed by how much we receive, when we are willing to share.

God is good, all the time. :)))

It's not quite that simple. Just remember that Jabez was righteous before God in knowing the law and living by it:

1Ch 4:9 Jabez was more honorable than his brothers; and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, "Because I bore him in pain."

Translation:

I doubt that I'll ever achieve the status of a Abraham, Moses, or Jabez.

doubt that I'll ever achieve the status of a Abraham, Moses, or Jabez.

I definitely understand where your coming from on this and admire your respect for these patriarchs of old.

The Bible does not tell us the humanly faults of Jabez, although the prayer itself hints to a moment of need in the life of Jabez. Very seldom do we come to God in this way when things are going well. Typically, when we are right before God, we pray many more intercessary type prayers on behalf of others in need around us, when we know God has our back and the Spirit points us in the way of being prayer warriors in the spiritual battle and we partner with God in breaking strongholds.

However, we do know Moses and Abraham had their not so modest humanly faults as well. Moses had comitted murder, and was prone to rage that ultimately lead Moses to basicaly fowl up an important messianic typology God had intended at Horeb by striking the rock more than once and by not merely speaking to it.

We know Abraham succombed to doubting God's promise and it is well documented that he also lied, became drunk and had improper relations, all of which the details are not important to this discussion.

The point of all this is that although we can agree the work God acheived through these men was monumental, we should not put them on a pedestal and believe that God could not do equally great things, in and through us. No one is worthy. Only God makes one worthy in His calling for His purposes and although the canon of scripture is closed, the Book of Acts in the New Testament does not end like the other books of scripture, but rather remains as an open register or work in progress of the "acts" of Christ's disciples. All of these good works in the advancement of Christ's Kingdom are however faithfully being registered in God's Book of Remembrance according to Malachai 3:16-20.

The beauty of God's story of redemption, as registered in the Bible, is that God wrought this work by partnering with frail human elements such as us. This is the mystery of redemption when God has called that which isn't, as if it were. God justifies the unjust through faith and God has mercy on whom He will have Mercy irrespective of persons. God is an awesome God and you and I are his most prized piece of work.

Take care that evaluating the meaning of Jabez' prayer does not become a fulcrum to lever forward the "prosperity gospel." which is not The Gospel of Christ's blood sacrifice, reconciliation, faith, salvation, and rewarded richness of Spirit-controlled works.

Is The God's response to Jabez one which binds Him to perform likewise in each and every instance submitted, as an entitlement?

How does that compare with Holy Spirit/Pauline doctrine?

"Not that I speak in respect of want; for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry; both to abound and to suffer need" (Philippians 4:11,12).

"And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But thou, O man of God, flee these things and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness" (1 Timothy 6:8-11).

"Let your conversation be without covetousness, and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee" (Hebrews 13:5).

"In every thing give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you" (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

Do not these New Covenant teachings override any self-serving appeals heard by Jehovah-Jireh, concerning temporal progress in the preceding Mosaic/Davidic Covenant? of which Jabez was a participant? What saith Jesus himself regarding our plight?

"... your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take no thought fpr the morrow; ..." (Matthew 6:32b, 33, 34a).

Worthy of very careful meditation as to what one is asking for, and why --

I do understand and agree with your emphasis, although the prosperity gospel didn’t really jump out at me in the comment.

We are at a point in time where many people realize and see through the facade of material prosperity as being an all in all marker of realization or a sign of God’s blessing. Given the recent instability of the times in this post-modern, lack luster era, many people, christian and non-christian alike, are looking more for purpose and self-fulfillment.

The fact that the Prayer of Jabez is much more than a simple success formula or the expressed desire for prosperity, is what makes it so fascinating to me. I find it to be more a yearning of the soul for finding one’s true calling and purpose in life according to God’s will.

We are best served to steer away from any inkling and falsity of a watered-down “name it and claim it” gospel that the loaves and fishes followers pursue to themselves convey to the unfortunate misleading of many.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.