KEY TEXT: 1 Chronicles 4:9-10 (KJV) – “9 And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow. 10 And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that Thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that Thine hand might be with me, and that Thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.”
Isaiah 43:20 (KJV) – “The beast of the field shall honour Me, the dragons and the owls: because I give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to My people, My chosen.” The beasts of the field honour God because God provides for them.
Philippians 2:8-10 (KJV) – “8 And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;”
Christ is honoured highly above everyone and everything else because of saving humanity through His death and resurrection.
Christ showed the highest level of humility, so God raised Him to the highest level. Myles Munroe says that “The way up is down.” If you want to go up, you must go down first. In other words, you need to be humble. Matthew 5:5 (KJV) – “Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth.”
Having read these two verses in Isaiah and Philippians, we can see that honour is not given to anyone due to doing nothing. For one to be honoured, they have to do something.
Verse 9 says that Jabez was more honourable than his brethren. He was more respected than the people around him. He was a highly distinguished man in his community.
To be honoured above others, one needs to do something above what others are doing. They need to be humble and always willing to serve. They need to stand out and be more extraordinary than everybody else.
The most remarkable men and women in history who are highly esteemed are honoured because they offered significant contributions in their respective fields to this world. That significant contribution came as a result of their excellent service to people.
Therefore, even though the Bible does not explicitly give a specific reason why Jabez was honoured, we can conclude that he was honoured because of his outstanding service to the people around him. It is also essential to note that it is not the world that has called Jabez honourable. It is the Word of God that has given him that stupendous attribute.
Therefore, if the Bible (the highest book in the universe) called Jabez honourable, we can conclude that he lived according to the Word of God because that is the only way God can call someone honourable.
Having been honourable in the sight of God, he offered a prayer and asked for the following things:
1. For God to bless him
2. To enlarge his territory.
3. For God’s hand to be with him.
4. For God to keep him from evil so that he may not experience pain.
The Bible says that God granted him what he requested. Many people wish that God would answer their prayers but don’t know how to go about it.
“I have been shown angels of God all ready to impart grace and power to those who feel their need of divine strength. But these heavenly messengers will not bestow blessings unless solicited. They have waited for the cry from souls hungering and thirsting for the blessing of God; often have they waited in vain. There were, indeed, casual prayers, but not the earnest supplication from humble, contrite hearts.” – Our High Calling, Page 129, Ellen G. White.
Many envy the prayer of Jabez, and some think that it was by luck that God was able to give Jabez all that he asked for. No, it was not luck.
God gave Jabez what he asked for because Jabez lived according to God’s Word. He lived a life that was different from the rest of the world. That is why he was honored more than his brethren.
Secondly, all that he asked for was according to God’s will. He asked God to bless him. God desires to bless us. That is why he gave us the Decalogue. There are rich blessings in the Decalogue, there are rich blessings in the Sabbath Commandment (Isaiah 58:13-14).
Deuteronomy 8:1 (KJV) – “All the commandments which I command thee this day shall ye observe to do, that ye may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers.”
Deuteronomy 28:1-2 (KJV) – “1 And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all His commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: 2 And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God.”
God wants to bless us, so He bids us severally to listen to his voice and obey it.
“Prayer is both a duty and a privilege. We must have help which God alone can give, and that help will not come unasked. If we are too self-righteous to feel our need of help from God, we shall not have His help when we need it most. If we are too independent and self-sufficient to throw ourselves daily by earnest prayer upon the merits of a crucified and risen Saviour, we shall be left subject to Satan’s temptations…. Earnest, sincere … prayer would bring strength and grace to resist the powers of darkness. God wants to bless. He is more willing to give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him than are parents to give good gifts to their children. But many do not feel their need. They do not realize that they can do nothing without the help of Jesus.” – Our High Calling, Page 129, Ellen G. White.
Secondly, Jabez asked God to enlarge his territory. It is God’s will to enlarge our territories. In Genesis 1:27-28, after created man, God commanded man to replenish the earth and subdue it. God punished the people building the tower of Babel in Genesis 11 because they did not want to enlarge their territory. They wanted to stay in one place (Genesis 11:4). They went against God’s will.
God confused them by bringing languages so that they could be scattered to various parts of the earth. God brought languages to enlarge their territory.
Jabez prayed for God to protect him. God desires to protect us. In Exodus 14:14, He says that He shall fight for us. Jabez prayed for God to keep him from evil. God wants to keep us from evil because He is a God who is righteous and holy. Psalm 145:17 (KJV) – “The Lord is righteous in all His ways, and holy in all His works.”
Jabez prayed that he might not experience pain. God’s desire is for His children not to experience pain. Matthew 11:28 says, “Come unto Me, and I will give you rest.”
Jabez asked for everything according to God’s will because he knew God’s will.
Many people desire to know the will of God and to pray prayers that are according to the will of God. To understand the will of God, one needs to be acquainted with His word because God’s will is in His word. God says in John 15:7 (KJV) – “If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.”
God’s Word is powerful since he has exalted it above His name. Psalm 138:2 (KJV) – “For Thou hast magnified Thy Word above all Thy name.”
May God answer all your prayers!
GOD BLESS YOU!
Prayer
Dear God, I come before You with humility, asking You to bless me. I also ask You to enlarge my territory beyond what I can ask or imagine. Let Your mighty hand be with me always. Please keep me from evil and free from pain. In Jesus name, Amen.
Activity
- Reflect on Jabez’s Prayer
Read 1 Chronicles 4:9-10 and meditate on Jabez’s requests. Consider why he prayed for blessings, expanded territory, God’s presence, protection from evil, and freedom from pain. - Personalize Your Own Prayer
- Take a few moments to think about your own life.
- What blessings do you desire from God?
- How do you want Him to expand your territory (influence, opportunities, service, etc.)?
- In what areas do you need His protection?
- How can you align your requests with God’s will?
- Write Down Your Prayer
Using Jabez’s prayer as a model, write a personal prayer that reflects your needs and desires according to God’s will. - Pray Your Prayer Aloud
Once you’ve written it, find a quiet space and pray your prayer to God with faith and sincerity. - Daily Commitment
- Read and pray your Jabez-inspired prayer daily for the next week.
- Observe how God moves in your life and journal any insights or answered prayers.
- Share
Share this message with someone else.
Author: Mark Alex
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