Issue link: http://denverseminary.uberflip.com/i/1056515
23 "I HAVE LEARNED TO BE CONTENT WHATEVER THE CIRCUMSTANCES." - PHILIPPIANS 4:11 Jabez, Jesus, and January Craig L. Blomberg, PhD Distinguished Professor of New Testament T he Gospel of Matthew starts with a genealogy to show that Jesus had all the ancestral credentials to be the Messiah. But it also shows that He would be a liberator not just for Jews but for all people. However, the longest genealogical section of Scripture by far is 1 Chronicle 1-9. First and Second Chronicles present a particularly positive take on David, his descendants, and the southern kingdom of Judah during the period of the divided kingdom. At the turn of the millennium, one small passage in the genealogies in 1 Chronicles 1–9 commanded huge attention due to a best-selling book called e Prayer of Jabez, by Bruce Wilkinson. In 4:9–10, one of the descendants of Judah, the tribe from which Messiah would come, prayed for and received territory that God blessed and enlarged. He asked for and was granted protection from harm and freedom from pain. e Prayer of Jabez encouraged modern Christians to make similar requests from God, expecting to receive them. But there is nothing prescriptive in these verses in Chronicles; they are merely descriptive. ere is nothing wrong with praying for property, protection, and prosperity. ere are many things wrong, however, with assuming one knows that those things are God's will for one's life or for anyone else's. ey may or may not be. During the Christmas season, we look forward to celebrations, often with family, surrounding the birth of Jesus. It can be a very happy time, though not necessarily— especially when families are broken in some fashion. Almost everyone heads into January, however, experiencing some doldrums after the holidays, especially if the weather is bleak. Jesus' life was a far cry from Jabez's. He did not experience financial prosperity. His property was not enlarged. In fact, whatever He might have inherited He left behind for an itinerant ministry. His life, especially toward the end, was scarcely protected from harm. e agony of the crucifixion was unspeakable. Sometimes God grants us great earthly blessings and comfort; other times not. Whether Christmastime is especially happy for you or not, chances are you'll have some January doldrums. at's when we need Jesus' experiences to encourage us far more than Jabez's. 18 December