Jabez was more honourable than his brothers

1 Chronicles 4.9-10

Over the years there has been a lot of fuss around Jabez, the guy who asked for a new Ferrari and got it. Perhaps the patron saint of prosperity teachers?

The focus is often on the fact that he said, "Oh that you would:

1. bless me
2. enlarge my border [the part we love: more turf]
3. that your hand might be with me
4. and that you would keep me from harm

... so that it might not bring me pain."

But what was his starting position, before he said that?

1. First, he was more honourable than his brothers
2. He called upon the God of Israel

But

1. He was cursed by his parents (borne in pain)

This from the ESV Expository Commentary:

Rather than having his future determined by what his mother "called" him, he "called" to God – and God answered his prayer. Rather than his name being regarded as a bad omen, he was "honoured"

As the commentary continues, we need to remember that Chronicles was written after the exile to trace the history of God's chosen people. "Enlarge my border" was now relative to a land in ruins that had been eaten away at (e.g. Northern Kingdom lost). The request for protection was a reminder that God would protect his people even if the walls of Jerusalem were not repaired (in the Ezra-Nehemiah sequence, the Temple was rebuilt first – a bit like us Christians, complete spiritually in Christ but waiting for the actual City of God).

So before we pray for blessing, prosperity (from an unselfish perpective), God's enabling in our lives and protection, let's align our behaviour with that of Jabez (more honourable than the rest) and call on God as our only solution in life.