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Big Things in Small Packages

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1 Chronicles 4:9-10 Jabez was honorable above his brothers; but his mother named him Jabez [sorrow maker], saying, Because I bore him in pain.10 Jabez cried to the God of Israel, saying, Oh, that You would bless me and enlarge my border, and that Your hand might be with me, and You would keep me from evil so it might not hurt me! And God granted his request.

It’s hard to believe that 25 years ago a tiny book was written by Bruce Wilkinson titled The Prayer of Jabez: Breaking Through to the Blessed Life. A Wikipedia article about the book noted: In the book, Wilkinson encourages Christians to invoke this prayer for themselves on a daily basis: I challenge you to make the Jabez prayer for blessing part of the daily fabric of your life. To do that, I encourage you to follow unwaveringly the plan outlined here for the next thirty days. The book became an international bestseller, topping the New York Times bestseller list and selling over nine million copies by 2002.

What strikes me most about this passage of Scripture is that it emerges from amidst three chapters of genealogies. Many a new years resolution to read the Bible through has ended abruptly when encountering what appears to be an endless genealogy. Yet, Psalm 25:2 states clearly that it’s the Glory of the Lord to conceal a matter – but the glory of kings is to search out a matter. God conceals these hidden gems to see if those who are destined to be kings and queens in His Kingdom are willing to persist in the search for His hidden treasure. One pastor wrote that Jabez was the unknown who became well known.

Not only was Jabez a nobody, his birth and arrival was cursed by his mother, and his dad was non-existent. There wasn’t a blessing to be received from either parent. Chuck Swindoll, noted: The English rendering is Jabez, but the Hebrew is pronounced yah-betz (the second syllable sounds like the word baits.) His mother had the Hebrew word ah-tzav in mind when she chose her son’s name. The term ah-tzav refers to anguish, intense sorrow, or pain. To arrive at his name from the Hebrew word, you transpose two letters. So it’s a pun based on sound play. This would be like someone who hates cottage cheese, which is made from milk curd, saying, “I don’t prefer milk crud, thanks.” Somehow, his birth was associated with intense pain, though we have no idea how or what that pain might have been.

Jabez overcame, in spite of his curse, becoming a honorable man. Chuck Swindoll adds that: “The Hebrew word for honorable literally means “heavy.” We use that same concept in English when we say, “This is a weighty matter.” When used of a person, it conveys the idea that he or she is impressive or noteworthy.” What made him honorable or noteworthy is not specifically mentioned in Scripture. Yet, anyone reading this passage can see what is inferred: Jabez cried to the God of Israel,…In a polytheistic culture this was uniquely, and distinctly different from the average inhabitant of Canaan. Jabez chose Yahweh to be his God, and God chose to answer his prayer.

Jabez prayed a mountain shaking prayer. Filled with faith and desperation, he cried out saying, Oh, that You would bless me and enlarge my border, and that Your hand might be with me, and You would keep me from evil so it might not hurt me! And God granted his request. In Jewish tradition the phrase, “your hand might be with me” when referring to God means that God’s protection, guidance, and support are with you. Essentially it signifies that you are not alone and God is actively involved in your life, providing strength and assistance. The “hand” metaphor represents God’s power and presence in a tangible way. What’s truly amazing about his prayer is that he was not born-again. He did not have the indwelling Presence of the Godhead living in him. He did not have the testimony of Jesus’ life, or Resurrection, yet he has the boldness to pray that God’s Power and Presence would be with him in a tangible way. Modern, western-minded, church attenders are typically waiting to die and go to Heaven in order to “know” God in a tangible way. Jabez was not having any of that. He was in pursuit of the “Prize” – the “Pearl of Great Price.” He refused to allow his circumstances, or the spiritual climate that surrounded him to determine the altitude he was desiring to ascend to.

Big things are made up of small things. Big destinies are typically shaped by small, ordinary, everyday choices – when nobody is watching and no one cares. BUT GOD. What little thoughts have you been having; what tiny choices have you been making? Are you willing to turn life’s stumbling blocks, and curses into stepping stones of advancing into the reality of God?


Significance of Sukkot (Tabernacles)

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Deuteronomy 16:16 states: Three times a year shall all your males appear before the Lord your God in the place which He chooses: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread,(Passover) at the Feast of Weeks, (Pentecost) and at the Feast of Tabernacles or Booths. They shall not appear before the Lord empty-handed.

Exodus 23:14–17 Three times in the year you shall keep a feast to Me.15 You shall keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread; seven days you shall eat unleavened bread as I commanded you, at the time appointed in the month of Abib, for in it you came out of Egypt. None shall appear before Me empty-handed.16 Also you shall keep the Feast of Harvest [Pentecost], [acknowledging] the first fruits of your toil, of what you sow in the field. And [third] you shall keep the Feast of Ingathering [Booths or Tabernacles] at the end of the year, when you gather in the fruit of your labors from the field.17 Three times in the year all your males shall appear before the Lord God. 

Significant events occurred during two of the three mandatory feast days – of God’s Biblical Calendar: Feast of Unleavened Bread or Passover = Jesus was crucified, and resurrected. Feast of Firstfruits, Feast of Weeks or Pentecost = Jesus Baptized His Followers in the Holy Spirit and Birthed the Church.

What significant event could happen around the Feast of Tabernacles-Sukkot? Like Passover and Pentecost, Sukkot has a dual significance: historical and agricultural. The holiday commemorates the 40 year period the children of Israel wandered in the desert, living in temporary shelters. Sukkot also celebrates the harvest, and is sometimes referred to as Chag Ha-Asif, the Festival of Ingathering. During the days of Jesus’ ministry on earth, Sukkot, was celebrated through sacrificing 70 oxen, corresponding to the 70 nations, and praying for peace and harmony among all the nations of the world. As a religious Holy Day – it follows the Feast of Trumpets, 10 Days of Awe, and Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement). The time of judging yourself, confession of sin and repentance becomes a time of celebration at Sukkot. Lev. 23:42-43 You shall dwell in Sukkot for seven days…So that your future generations shall know that I had the children of Israel live in Sukkot when I brought them out of Egypt. Today the Jewish people around the world build temporary shelters to participate in this Holy Day. During this 7-day event – families will eat and sleep in their sukkah.

Hebrews 11:13-16 states: 13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 14 For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. 15 And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them. NKJV

Sukkot or Tabernacles reminds us we are only passing through this life. This earth is not our home – Jesus is. All followers of Jesus, are strangers and pilgrims in this land. We are looking forward to a Heavenly City – actually seeking it out, desiring, and longing for it. And why shouldn’t we? Have you ever stopped to think that most of us will be forgotten after just three generations. No one will really know who we were. My Dad has done extensive genealogical research on our family. He has traced our roots all the way back to the highlands of Scotland. He has the names of ancestors going back all the way to the 1600’s. I know many of their names. But guess what? In reality I have no idea who they were. Nobody does – but Jesus. Jesus has our names written in the Palm of His Hand (Isa. 49:16); He has the hairs of our head numbered (Mt. 10:30); He saves our tears in a bottle and records them in a book (Ps. 56:8); He saves our prayers in a bowl (Rev. 5:8); He records in a book when we have conversations about Him (Mal. 3:16) He knew us before we were born (Jer. 1:5). I’ve said it often: What gift do you give a rich man who owns everything in the world? The one thing He doesn’t have: you. You are God’s Treasure, His pearl of great price, and His lost coin. My Mom still has my baby book. If my Mom thinks I am that special to save a scrap book of memories about me – how precious is it that we have a God Who hasn’t just saved our baby footprints and handprints? He has saved every trace of who we are – from beginning to new beginning. Remind yourself of these things during these seven days.