The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Chronicles — Section 75

on some "unknd vn God "-some almighty abstraction whom we are for ever groping after, but whom we can never know. No; this is the atheist's god, the Socinian's god, the rationalist's god, the god of all men who know not God in Christ. Jabez knew better. He "called on the God of Israel "-the covenant God, the God of his fatr,ers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The saints of the Old Testament bad one expres- sion with regard to God which corresponded exactly with the expression used by the saints of the New Testament. The latter knew God as "the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ;" the former knew God as the "God of Israel," the "God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob." And these two meant exactly the same. The God in covenant, and keeping that covenant for ever; the God who called bis people out of the idolatry of heathenism; who" accounts" them righteous before him; who separates them from the world to be his people; who loves them, and keeps them, and causes them to inherit the land; and who does all this, not because of their deservings, but because of his own rich mercy. This is the "God of Israel," the "God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." And Jabez knew this God. He addresses him as One with whom he is familiar; he values his blessing above all others; he feels the need of his "band," his presence, continually; he feels the need of being "kept," and feels that God only can keep him; he feels his own liability to evil, and casts himself, in the conviction of his weakness, upon him. Oh, surely Jabez was no ordinary child of God !-W. Ver.10.-Jabez's prayer. I. Mark the first line of his prayer: "Oh that thou wouldcst BLESS ME INDEED!" He needs the blessing of his covenant God. He pleads for it. He pleads f',arnestly. It is real prayer. It is S'll,Ch prayer God hears, such prayer he loves to bear and to answer. But oh! there is many a blessing which may not be a blessing "indeed." Of this Jabez is aware. He asks not for a blessing, but a blessing indeed- for that which will be a real blessing. He asks not for that which may come in tho form of a blessing and in the end prove a curse. He asks for that to come which will be a real, permanent, abiding blessing. "Let it come in what shape it may. That, Lord, I leave to thee. Let it come in darkness or in light, in suffering and sorrow or in health and gladness, in the abundance of wealth or the desolation of poverty- any way as best may seem to thee, Lord ; only let it be a blessing to me, a blessing 'indeed.'" Ah, this is prayer, and the right sort of prayer. There was something like it, only in an infinitely higher degree, in the Garden of Gethsemane: "Father, thy will be done.'' There was just this difference between the Son of God in the bosom of the Father and those who are sons of God only by adoption. He did not need the strengthening angel from heaven to give him that submission of will. It was not till after that submission the angel appeared to strengthen him. The angel was sent, not to produce submission of spirit, but for the weakness of the body, and to carry out the work of redemption. His holy soul was always submissive. It was his nature to be so With us, however, it is different. We need the strengthening angel to help us to sub- mission to the Father's will as well as to do the work of God. Our nature is essentially rebellious. We require the discipline of God's hand to bting us to submit. His holy soul was submissiou itself. There is a passage in the New Testament which corresponds exactly with this distinction I have drawn in the prayer of Jabez between a blessing and a blessing "indeed.'' Our Lord said to the Jews (John viii. 31, 32), "If ye continue in my Word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the •truth shall make you free.'' It is one thing to be a "disciple," it is another to bo a "disciple indeed." Many were "diHciples" in our Lord's time ; how few were the "disciples indeed" I Many followed him, but from what motives? How few" continued in the Word," "knew the truth" with that deeper knowledge of the heart, and were "made/ree" by that knowledge-" free" from the bonda~e of guilt and sin, "freo" from the power of sin over their lives, "free" from all that which they felt was contrary to the glory of God! Ah, how little of this freedom there may be with all our discipleship I This is what it is to be a "disciple indeed.'' '!'bis is what it is to bo "blessed indeed.'' Reader, are you a" disciple indeed"? II. Mark the next petition: "And wouldest ENLAROE MY COAST.'' Probably the coast which he prays may be enlarged was some earthly possession. Ho speaks as ono who had to recover from the hand of the enemy his portion of the promised land. For the recovery of this he was about to engage in war. Aud what a spiritual lesson we learn I. CHRONlCLES. I' 66 THE FIRST BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES. [err, 1v. 1-43.