Today’s passage: 1 Chronicles 4:1-43
Helpful thoughts:
- Judah’s and Simeon’s descendants are featured in today’s passage.
- Simeon’s allotted land in Israel was land-locked and entirely surrounded by the tribe of Judah.
- Jabez had been a pain to his mother and thereafter desired blessing…to be a blessing. The pain he was asking God to keep him from was the pain of being further harm to others.
- The greatest blessing Jabez received was his relationship with God.
- To use this verse to “pray the prayer of Jabez” to get rich and healthy, in accord with prosperity gospel theology, would be a misapplication.
- The Amalekites were a people Israel was to have defeated in God’s judgment as they came to the promised land. Even during the reign of Hezekiah and after, the children of Israel were still fighting against them (Verses 41-43).
Questions to consider:
- In what ways can we see God’s sovereign hand moving throughout these generations?
- Why is the motivation of Jabez’s prayer so important? If God gives His children wealth and health, how would He desire we use it? If God gives His children weakness, if there are times of need, how does He want us to use it?
- What blessings has God bestowed on His children? What blessing have you been blessed with that you could turn to blessing for others? For the lost? For the church?