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Jabez Was More Righteous Than His Brothers

One final reflection on the prayer of Jabez.

In the scant bio for Jabez, it describes him as a good man, saying he “was more righteous than his brothers.”

Righteous is a word that we don’t use too often nowadays, but means to be morally upright. Jabez then was a good, morally upright person.

Now, consider that characteristic with the final phrase in this passage, “So God granted him what he requested.”

That begs the question of causality. Did God give Jabez what he asked for because Jabez was good or was Jabez good because God gave him what he asked for?

The answer, I suspect is “yes”—to both questions—which certainly gives us something to contemplate in respect to our prayers and relationship to God.

[Read more on The Prayer of Jabez; 1 Chronicles 4:9-10 NKJV]

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

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God Answers Jabez’s Prayer

After Jabez’s short and concise prayer comes encouraging words of confirmation and affirmation.The Bible simply notes that “God granted him what he requested.” How exciting!

Although I don’t know the mind of God, I suspect that had Jabez made his requests for selfish reasons, the results may have been different.

Indeed this is something to consider in our own prayers. If we see things through God’s perspective and pray accordingly, the outcome will likely be different than when we selfishly give God our list of “gimmes.”

[Read more on The Prayer of Jabez; 1 Chronicles 4:9-10 NKJV]

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Bogged Down Reading the Bible?

10 Essential Bible Reading Tips, from Peter DeHaan

Get the Bible Reading Tip Sheet: “10 Tips to Turn Bible Reading from Drudgery to Delight.”

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Jabez Asks God: Not Cause Pain/Do Good

The fifth and final line in Jabez’s prayer is

“that I may not cause pain.”

At first glance this is an unclear and somewhat wordy request. However, it can be reworded for clarity. To not cause pain, is simply to do good.

Here Jabez is reminding himself—as much as he is telling God—that the purpose of his prayer is not self-serving or self-centered, but to do good for others.

Indeed, his first two requests address this desire directly, while the next two are to provide for help and protection in doing so.

His motives are pure and his intentions are good. His prayer’s conclusion confirms that.

[Read more on The Prayer of Jabez; 1 Chronicles 4:9-10 NKJV]

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Bogged Down Reading the Bible?

10 Essential Bible Reading Tips, from Peter DeHaan

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Jabez Asks God: Keep Me From Evil

The fourth line in Jabez’s prayer is: “that you would keep me from evil”

If this request sounds vaguely familiar, there is good reason. In the best known prayer in the Bible, often called “The Lord’s Prayer,” there is the line “deliver us from the evil one.”

Just as Jesus taught his followers to pray, Jabez is doing the same, asking for protection from the attacks of the devil.

Remember that Jabez has just asked for more blessings to bless others and for more opportunities to help others. The devil, opposing both those initiatives, will go after anyone attempting to do so.

This is why Jabez next asked for God’s help, following it with this request for protection.

[Read more on The Prayer of Jabez; 1 Chronicles 4:9-10 NKJV, Matthew 6:13 NIV]

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Bogged Down Reading the Bible?

10 Essential Bible Reading Tips, from Peter DeHaan

Get the Bible Reading Tip Sheet: “10 Tips to Turn Bible Reading from Drudgery to Delight.”

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Jabez Asks God: Enlarge My Territory

After Jabez asks for blessings so that he could be a blessing to others, he then adds:

“and enlarge my territory”

In Bible times, territory meant power via increased authority, responsibility, and influence.

As, such, a request for “more territory” is not a petition for more “stuff,” as much as a metaphor implying greater authority, responsibility, and influence.

Again, this is for the purpose of benevolence, to help and aid others, not to be used selfishly or for personal gain.

Jabez wanted to have greater authority to assist those in need of an advocate, to be responsible to aid those who were less fortunate, and to positively influence his culture.

That is the good and proper use of power—and Jabez asked God to give it to him.

[Read more on The Prayer of Jabez; 1 Chronicles 4:9-10]

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Bogged Down Reading the Bible?

10 Essential Bible Reading Tips, from Peter DeHaan

Get the Bible Reading Tip Sheet: “10 Tips to Turn Bible Reading from Drudgery to Delight.”

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Jabez Asks God: Bless Me, Indeed!

The first line of the prayer of Jabez, is:

“Oh, that you would bless me, indeed…”

First of all, the word “indeed” is a way of adding emphasis, much like we would do with an exclamation point. It wasn’t enough for Jabez to merely make his request, he made it passionately and emphatically.

The request of Jabez is that God would bless him, really bless him. This is an entreaty for supernatural favor. The desire to be blessed, however, is not so that Jabez could have a better life or live in comfort and with ease.

He sought blessings so that he in turn could be a blessing to others. This is what God earlier promised to Abram (later called Abraham), when he said, “I will bless you…and you will be a blessing.”

Asking for blessings for ourselves would be selfish and self-serving and not likely to receive a favorable response from God.

However, once we realize that all we have is God’s, which can therefore be used to help others, a request for blessing is in reality a plea to be able to help others even more.

Indeed!

[Read more on The Prayer of Jabez; 1 Chronicles 4:9-10 NKJV, Genesis 12:2 NIV]

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Bogged Down Reading the Bible?

10 Essential Bible Reading Tips, from Peter DeHaan

Get the Bible Reading Tip Sheet: “10 Tips to Turn Bible Reading from Drudgery to Delight.”

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The Prayer of Jabez

The prayer of Jabez is a short prayer and is found in 1 Chronicles 4:9-10; it is also the subject of a recent popular book by the same name.

After a short, very short, bio of Jabez, his equally short prayer is given, followed by a concise commentary.

Jabez’s five line prayer is:

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!

The prayer concludes with the affirmation that God answered this prayer.

There is much that can be learned from his petition, as well as wrong assumptions that can be made. Check out this short prayer and meditate on it.  In upcoming posts, we will look at it more closely.

(Jabez is alternately pronounced with either a long “a” sound or a short “a”.)

[Read more on The Prayer of Jabez; 1 Chronicles 4:9-10, the New King James Version is quoted]

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Bogged Down Reading the Bible?

10 Essential Bible Reading Tips, from Peter DeHaan

Get the Bible Reading Tip Sheet: “10 Tips to Turn Bible Reading from Drudgery to Delight.”

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What Gender is God?

What gender is God? Although I’m not sure how important the answer is in the overall scheme of things, it is nonetheless often debated and speculated.

Here is a smattering of responses to this query:

  • God is male since the Bible refers to God the Father (male) and God the Son (male), who came to earth as Jesus (male).
  • God is portrayed as male in the Bible because that is how the culture of that day could best comprehend a supreme being.
  • God is neither male nor female. Although the predominance of references and inferences in the Bible are masculine, there are also feminine allusions given to the Godhead.
  • God transcends gender. As a spiritual entity, there are no male or female distinctions; as the creator there is no need for procreation.
  • God is both male and female.

Although I refer to God in the masculine, it is more out of convention and for ease of communication. In reality, I see viability in each of the preceding viewpoints.

While it is not my intent to end the debate with this reflection, I do want to point out an intriguing passage in the Bible, the implications of which are usually overlooked.

In Genesis 1:27 it says that God created man (people) “in his own image,” “male and female he created them.”

That suggests that God is both male and female or alternately that God transcends gender, with both maleness and femaleness reflecting his character and reality.

Either way, this is a profound and beautiful image to expand our understanding of who God is.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Bogged Down Reading the Bible?

10 Essential Bible Reading Tips, from Peter DeHaan

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Peter: Disciple, Confidant, and Leader

It’s interesting that we tend to equate writing prolificacy with profundity.

  • As such, the numerous writings of Paul, which account for about one third of the New Testament, are highly esteemed.
  • The two books of Dr. Luke (Luke and Acts) account for about 25% and are also highly valued.
  • Then there is John, whose five contributions make up another 20%. His gospel is frequently praised, while his “revelation” sends our imaginations soaring.

After these three, the reminding New Testament authors, especially those of shorter letters, fade into obscurity and are barely noticed by most readers of the Bible.

Such is the case of Peter, whose two short letters comprise but 2.5 percent of New Testament content.

However, consider Peter’s stellar credentials:

  • One of only 12 disciples of Jesus, having spent three years with him and an eyewitness of his ministry.
  • Part of Jesus’ inner circle of three (comprised of Peter, James, and John).
  • The first leader of the movement after Jesus died.

As such, Peter has a special vantage from which to write.

This is not to diminish the other writers of Biblical text, but rather to elevate Peter’s writings to the place they deserve.

If you’ve never read First and Second Peter—or if it has been awhile—check them out; he has much to say that is worthy of careful consideration.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Bogged Down Reading the Bible?

10 Essential Bible Reading Tips, from Peter DeHaan

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The End of John the Baptist

John (referred to as John the Baptizer) was Jesus’ cousin and a couple of months older. John preceded Jesus in ministry, pointing people to Jesus.

John did his work admirably and without fault, albeit amidst criticism. He was eventually imprisoned because of what he said.

With all the amazing things Jesus did and the miracles he performed, you’d think that he would have freed John from jail. He could have, yet he didn’t.

At least he could have visited his cousin, yet that doesn’t appear to have happened either.

So, John is sitting in jail, pondering his fate (he would soon be executed); his faith in Jesus begins to waiver.

We know this because in what is likely the darkest days of his life, he sends his followers to Jesus, asking if Jesus is the “one” or if they should be expecting someone else.

John seemingly wants validation for his work and confirmation that his life of service to Jesus was not in vain.

Jesus replies, providing John with the assurance that he sought.

Sometimes God acts strangely, not giving us what we want or expect, but he does give us what we need—just like he did for John.

[Read through the Bible with us this year. Today’s reading is Matthew 11-13, and today’s post is on Matthew 11:3-6.]

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Bogged Down Reading the Bible?

10 Essential Bible Reading Tips, from Peter DeHaan

Get the Bible Reading Tip Sheet: “10 Tips to Turn Bible Reading from Drudgery to Delight.”

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