1 Chronicles

1 Chronicles 4: Jabez calls and God answers

Begin in prayer

Before we read about Jabez and his prayer, let us take a quiet moment and pray together. Ask the LORD to show us that He hears those who call on Him, and to lead us to Christ.

Out of my distress, I called on Yah. Yah answered me with freedom.

Psalm 118:5

Father in heaven, please open our eyes as we read Your Word. Show us that You hear those who call on You, and show us Jesus, the way to You. Make us more like Jesus. And please bless our family as we worship You together. In Jesus' name, Amen.

See where we're going

Chapter 4 lists more families of Judah, and then the family of Simeon. In the middle, the writer stops to tell about one man, Jabez, who was more honorable than his brothers (verse 9). His mother had named him in sorrow, saying she bore him with sorrow. Jabez called on the God of Israel and asked for blessing, a larger border, God's hand and protection from evil (verse 10). God granted what he asked. The chapter then names workers, such as the king's potters (verse 23), and Simeon's families and land (verses 24 to 43).

As you read 1 Chronicles 4, look for the answers:

Reflect together

Key truth

God hears and answers a man who calls on Him.

In the middle of a family list, the writer tells of Jabez, whose mother named him in sorrow (verse 9). Even so, Jabez was more honorable than his brothers (verse 9). The text gives only his prayer, and it says he called on the God of Israel (verse 10). He asked for blessing, for more land, for God's hand with him and for protection from evil (verse 10). Then the text says only that God granted what he requested (verse 10). This teaches that the God of Israel hears a person who calls on Him, and that the answer comes from God. Nothing here says that the same words will always bring the same answer, because God answers as He chooses. Jesus taught His disciples to pray that God's will be done (Matthew 6 verses 9 to 13). He is the one go-between for God and people (1 Timothy 2 verse 5).

How does 1 Chronicles 4 show us that God hears and answers a man who calls on Him?

Jabez called on the God of Israel.

His mother had named him in sorrow (verse 9). Even so, the text says Jabez was more honorable than his brothers (verse 9). When he prayed, he called on the God of Israel (verse 10). His prayer was a cry to God for blessing, for God's hand and for keeping.

God granted what Jabez asked.

Jabez asked God to bless him, to enlarge his border, to be with him and to keep him from evil (verse 10). Then the text says, “God granted him that which he requested” (verse 10). The answer came from God. Other prayers in the Bible are answered in other ways, and God decides how.

Jesus Christ is the way to the Father.

Jabez called on the God of Israel, and God granted his request (verse 10). Jesus told His disciples to ask the Father in His name (John 16 verses 23 and 24). He taught them to ask to be kept from evil (Matthew 6 verse 13). Jesus said no one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14 verse 6). There is one go-between for God and people, the man Christ Jesus (1 Timothy 2 verse 5).

Memorise

God granted him that which he requested.

1 Chronicles 4:10

Looking to Jesus in my life

Ask yourself in your heart, do I call on God, and do I come to Him through Jesus?

Jabez “called on the God of Israel,” and “God granted him that which he requested.” God heard a man who cried out to Him. Jesus said that no one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14 verse 6).

Our sin stands between us and God, and no prayer of ours can remove it. On the cross Jesus carried His people's sin and bore its punishment, and His death paid the whole debt. He rose from the grave, and He lives to plead for His people (Hebrews 7 verse 25).

No prayer of ours can earn a hearing, because sin stands in the way. Turn from your sin and trust Jesus, and then pray to the Father in His name. Those who trust Him are forgiven, and God hears them as His own children.

Parent's note

Tell your children that God heard Jabez and granted his prayer, and that Jesus is the way to the Father. Parents, please do not teach Jabez's words as a magic prayer, because God answers as He chooses. Please do not tell them they are saved just because they grew up in a Christian home. Call each child to turn from sin and trust Jesus, and pray that God would give them a new heart.

Pray together

Now please close your time together in prayer. Thank God that He hears those who call on Him, and bring the heart question to Him. Every child can pray, so let each one say a short prayer if they want to.

This is the boldness which we have toward him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he listens to us.

1 John 5:14

Father, thank You that You hear those who call on You, as You heard Jabez. Please turn each of us from sin to trust Jesus, and teach us to come to You in His name. Amen.