The prayer of Jabez may be expressed in four words, Grace, Growth, Guidance, Guardianship (George Willams).

Verses 1 through 23 take up the genealogy of Judah for the second time. Two names especially stand out in 1 Chronicles 2-4. First, that of David, for Judah's kingship is, as we have seen, the principal subject of Chronicles. Secondly, that of Caleb the son of Jephunneh who represents the energy and the perseverance of faith; Hur, who plays a prominent role in Israel's history (Ex. 17: 12; Ex. 24: 14), is a son of Caleb's (1 Chron. 2: 19, 50; 1 Chron. 4: 1, 4). Jabez (1 Chron. 4: 9-10) is of the same clan ( 1 Chron. 4: 9-10; 1 Chron. 2: 55). Rossier

In the books of 1 and 2 Chronicles, many little people of faith loom large, even to the point of overshadowing some of the kings. Jabez is one of those little people. He stands out because he was a person of prayer.

Unlike the rest of his neigbours, Jabez was not content to settle down and compromise with the Canaanites around who occupied the land God had given them. He wanted to make progress spiritually. He was marked by great faith in a great God who could do the impossible.

We must be like Jabez and by faith stand out from the crowd.

When the Lord asked Satan about Job, Satan did not ask, "who is Job?" There are millions of people, how do I know who Job is?"

Satan knew full well who Job was and tried to destroy him but God had put a hedge about him to protect His servant.

When the seven sons of Sceva tried to cast out demons from a man, the demons said, "Jesus I know, Paul I know but who are ye?" (Acts 19:15).

Are we know in hell? Are we know in heaven? Are we more honourable than others? Are we know for our great faith in a Great God and are we known for our unbelief and complaining?

John Newton had received from the Lord some almost unbelievable answers to his petitions, and so he often engaged in "large asking." In support of this practice he would frequently tell the story of a man who asked Alexander the Great to give him a huge sum of money in exchange for his daughter's hand in marriage. The ruler consented and told him to request of his treasurer whatever he wanted. So he went and asked for an enormous amount. The keeper to the funds was startled and said he couldn't give him that much without a direct order. Going to Alexander, the treasurer argued that even a small fraction of the money requested would more than serve the purpose. "No," replied Alexander, "let him have it all. I like that fellow. He does me honour. He treats me like a king and proves by what he asks that he believes me to be both rich and generous." Newton concluded the story by saying, "In the same way, we should go to the throne of God's grace and present petitions that express honourable views of the love, riches, and bounty of our King!"

Jabez’s life began with sorrow and sorrow was his name.

Jabez means, "he giveth pain" or "son of sorrow"

Jabez name was a reminder of God’s judgment upon Eve because of sin.

Jabez was a type of the Lord Jesus who is called the Man of sorrows (Isaiah 53:3)

The Saviour’s sorrows were not His own. They were the result of His sympathy with human suffering.

W E Vine says of Isaiah 53:3,

The special meaning of the word rendered "grief" is sickness, or disease. The former clause marks His life as one characterized by the inward smart of experiencing the effects of the sins and sorrows of those around Him; the latter clause marks Him as One uniquely capable of complete acquaintance with various forms of illness.

When rich give to the poor beggar they give a few coins and pass on but feel little for those in need. But not so our Saviour who healed by His great power but also felt all that the people were going through.

The Lord bare the people’s infirmities sympathetically. He could have healed with just a word but He often chose to touch those whom He healed. He touched the leper and made the leper know that all his sufferings were understood by the Great High Priest and that he was loved.

Jabez’s name was a constant reminder to him to love his mother who suffered so much to bring him into the world.

There is no gain without pain. Childbirth is a fitting illustration of how souls are saved and nurtured by servant of the Lord.

However, Jabez did not use his name or background as an excuse for not doing anything for God. He did not complain of his lot.

Jabez was an intelligent man and read his Bible. He knew how blessing is to be obtained.

Jabez calls on the name of the God of Israel. Our thoughts are taken back to the occasion when this name was first given.

The event that took place in Jacob’s life when at a time of great crisis, the Son of God appeared as an Angel and wrestled with Jacob in order to break him. Jacob prevailed by clinging onto the Lord when his strength was gone and he was a broken man. Jacob got his request and was blessed of God and named Israel. Earlier he had received the promise that he would inherit the land and that his seed would spread abroad. God had also promised that He would be with him.

Jacob seems to have had these blessings of Jacob and this event in his mind.

God then changed his name to Israel (variously translated as "God rules," "one who strives with God," or "a prince of God").

Years ago Time magazine, reporting in the sports section concerning the votes for the greatest wrestler, said that not a vote went to the most famous athlete in history, wrestling Jacob. Lo and behold, the magazine received a letter from someone who wrote asking them to tell something about this wrestler Jacob. The writer of the letter had never heard of him before! And evidently he had never read his Bible at all.

Jacob’s wrestling match with the Lord is an example of how to obtain blessing from the Lord.

Jabez like Jacob knows that the place of blessing is to be broken before God.

"Oh" tells us of his earnestness.

It is not the arithmetic of our prayers, how many they are: nor the rhetoric of our prayers, how eloquent they are; nor the geometry of our prayers, how long they be; nor the music of our prayers, how sweet our voice may be; nor the logic of our prayers, how argumentative they may be; nor the method of our prayers, how orderly they may be -- which God cares for. Fervency of spirit is that which availeth much.

-- William Lee

Jabez sought the blessing or happiness that comes from the Lord alone.

The kind of blessing Jabez sought is shown in the request that follows. He sought only what he knew was the will of God for His people Israel.

This is the true path to real happiness.

Jabez wanted to fight the enemies of God. His request was in keeping with the will of God who had promised Israel the land of Canaan. He was not content with his spiritual progress. He wanted more of what God had to give him.

He had the faith of Caleb, Othniel and Achsah who conquered the enemy and extended their territory with the help of God.

Unlike Israel, we do not have an earthly inheritance but a heavenly.

When we realise what we shall be and how we shall reign over this whole universe with Christ in the glory, it should humble us and amaze us. It should draw our hearts away from this world to the world to come.

However like Jabez, we have enemies that would seek to rob us of its enjoyment. Satan would have us to be miserable, earthly minded, and full of doubt.

Jabez had to face the Canaanites and we have to face the powers of darkness.

But we are also to enlarge our coast by preaching the gospel and seeing souls saved. We are to take the battle to the gates of the enemy.

We are to be a spreading people and pass on this blessing to others.

When Israel ceased to spread, then the nations around started taken away what they had. This has a solemn lesson for us today. There is not sitting down and relaxing in the work of God that marked British assemblies when times were good.

Being now filled and satisfied, the four men began to think of others. They said one to another: "We do not well; this day is a day of good tidings, and we hold our peace." Accordingly they arose and reported the matter to the porter of the city, and presently the news reached the king himself. Those whom God has blessed have a deep responsibility resting upon them. Do we realise that the world is perishing for lack of the knowledge that we possess? The four lepers felt they dare not settle down to the enjoyment of their abundance and leave others to their fate.

How do we feel about this! Sometimes it happens that the saints who are the best fed are poorest workers. They would Prefer endless Bible readings to a vigorous Gospel campaign. Is this right Peter and John were so Profoundly convinced of the importance of the facts of the Gospel that when they were told to proclaim them no more, they replied: "We cannot but Speak the things which we have seen and heard" (Acts 4: 20). As well bid the sun to cease its shining and the river its flowing as tell such men to be quiet.

Are not our assemblies dwindling in numbers? Are we not in the same situation spiritually as Israel in the book of Judges? It is in times like these that we should be like Jabez, and be more honourable than our brethren by taking hold of the promises of God and acting on them.

The devil finds work for idle minds and idle hands. Those who are busy enlarging their border will not be the source of trouble in the assembly.

Jabez recognises that the battle is the Lord’s and unless the Lord’s hand be upon him, all will be a failure.

Jabez is willing to be used of God as a vessel meet for the Master’s use, as a tool in His hand.

Our Lord is clearly not pleased with powerlessness.

The early Church had little machinery, but they had power. A young woman, a member of my church, worked in a large umbrella factory in Philadelphia, at that time considered the largest umbrella factory in the world. She said to me one day, in a discouraged manner, "Pastor, I'll have to hunt another job." "What's the matter?" I asked her, "have they discharged you?" "No, they haven't discharged me." "Well, hasn't your factory enough orders to keep going all the time?" "No, not that at all. They have more orders than they can fill; but they haven't enough electricity to keep all the machines going at once, and my machine has to lie idle part of the week, and I lose so much time and pay. The trouble with the factory is, they have more machinery than power." --L. B. Bauman

In his book Harvest of Humanity, John Seamands told this story:

A German soldier was wounded. He was ordered to go to the military hospital for treatment. When he arrived at the large and imposing building, he saw two doors, one marked, "For the slightly wounded," and the other, "For the seriously wounded."

He entered through the first door and found himself going down a long hall. At the end of it were two more doors, one marked, "For officer" and the other, "For non-officers." He entered through the latter and found himself going down another long hall. At the end of it were two more doors, one marked, "For party members" and the other, "For non-party members." He took the second door, and when he opened it he found himself out on the street.

When the soldier returned home, his mother asked him, "How did you get along at the hospital?"

"Well, Mother," he replied, "to tell the truth, the people there didn't do anything for me, but you ought to see the tremendous organisation they have!"

The soldier's comment describes many churches in our day: really organised, but accomplishing little.

Jabez was anxious to avoid what his brethren were doing all around him. They were mixing in with the Canaanites and compromising with them. They would be a thorn in their side. Jabez wanted to be free of sin and sorrow.

This is the same prayer that the Lord Jesus prayed for us.

It is what we are told to pray.

"And lead us not into temptation" - He who has the assurance of sins forgiven in the past will strive to avoid committing them in the future. This is a desire that God will not lead us into trials where we might easily sin.

This is illustrated in chapter 26:41. If the disciples has prayed they would not have sinned in forsaking the Lord.

"but deliver us from evil" - This term is comprehensive and includes the Devil.

Sin is the only thing that can rob a child of God of his joy in the Lord.

To be grieved by sin in indeed the height of spiritual progress. As believers we can become like the world and think little of sin.

Jabez did not want the sorrow that he brought to his mother when he was born.

This prayer was answered for it glorified God in its answer. It lay hold upon the promises of God. There was no confidence in the flesh. There was a desire to be holy.