The Prayer of Jabez

Popular theology has made "much ado about nothing" in regards to the prayer offered by Jabez before the Lord.

And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow. 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. (1 Chronicles 4:9-10)

They have published books on this prayer and have offered it as the "silver bullet"—the guaranteed way to get blessed from God. They have postulated that if this prayer is said daily, great blessings will flow. In other words, they are suggesting that Christians use vain repetitions to get answers from God. Vain repetition comes into play because we are repeating a prayer that "worked" for one person and expecting God to honor the prayer again. The prayer is not magic, the use of magic is an abomination to God, rather, the prayer worked because "Jabez was more honourable than his brethren." Besides, God looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7): "The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD: but the prayer of the upright is his delight" (Proverbs 15:8). What's more, "He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination" (Proverbs 28:9). Thus, using a prayer like the prayer of Jabez in an attempt to manipulate God amounts to sorcery; especially given that its use amounts to covetous practices (2 Peter 2:14).

Only a Christian steeped in ignorance would use the prayer of Jabez to fulfill covetousness. Any Christian, of full age, knows that Jesus Christ fulfilled all the law and the prophets. "And [Jesus] said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me" (Luke 24:44). "But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe" (Romans 3:21-23). Let us examine the four requests made in the prayer and the New Testament scriptures that testify of their fulfillment.

Bless Me

In some sense, it is superfluous for a Christian to pray to be blessed. They are automatically blessed "in Christ": "they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham" (Galatians 3:9).

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. (Ephesians 1:3-6)

That is, those that "hath [God's] commandments, and keepeth them" (John 14:21) are blessed: "the generation of the upright shall be blessed" (Psalm 112:2). "Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin" (Romans 4:7-8).

Enlarge My Coast

Similarly, Christians already have an enlarged coast promised to them: "Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ... Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth" (Matthew 5:3, 5). If an enlarged spiritual coast is not enough or not timely, then heed what Jesus says, "Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's, But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life" (Mark 10:29-30).

Thine Hand Might Be With Me

What's more, mature Christians already know that to have the hand of God with them is to be in Christ: "Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God" (John 13:3) tell us:

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one. (John 10:27-30)

The question then is "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:35-39).

Keep Me From Evil

Finally, mature Christians know that "For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil" (1 John 3:8). Jesus himself prayed that God "shouldest keep [the men which thou gavest me out of the world] from the evil" (John 17:15).

For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee. And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me. Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. (Hebrews 2:11-15)

Thus, there is no need for Christians—washed in the blood of Jesus Christ—to use vain repetition to pray for what is theirs by adoption, by inheritance, and by promise. They have but to "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you" (Luke 11:9). "And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him" (1 John 5:14-15).

DRAFT V2010-08-13T12:18:24 PM