Title: ASHER—IN PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS

Focus: The story of Asher and his tribe among God’s people points us toward the pathway of true happiness, which is centered in Christ and his work of salvation.

Function: To encourage the people to seek “Asher” or blessedness in Jesus Christi and all he stands for.

Texts: Judges 1:27-32; 5:17b; Luke 2:21-40 (Genesis 30:1-13; 49:1,2,20; Deut. 33:24,25)

In our western world, we tend to define happiness in terms of wealth and prosperity. This is true especially for us in the U.S.A. The so-called “American Dream,” for example, is high on the list of immigrants and U.S. citizens alike. Our nation never tires from rags-to-riches stories. They seem to be part of our national genetic make- up or DNA.

Last week, for example, the news media was quick to inform the public that Mr. Larry Ellison, founder of the Oracle Corporation is now worth about $ 25 billion. His 2008 fiscal pay package is valued at $ 84.6 million. Impressive! But is it?

The pursuit of happiness in the western world is mostly centered on financial prosperity. And I think we do well to admit to ourselves that we cherish and value the opportunities we have to pursue financial independence. In fact, I, for one, am grateful to live in this wonderful land of opportunities and to call it my home on earth.

The pursuit of happiness as centered on financial prosperity, however, also comes with a price. There is a downside to our pursuit of this kind of happiness. That’s why we do well to take note of the story of our brother, Asher. For you see, the story of Asher and his tribe among God’s people Israel points us toward the pathway of true happiness—a happiness that is centered in Christ and his work of salvation. Today I want to encourage us all to seek “Asher” or blessedness in Jesus Christ and all he stands for.

The story of Asher begins with his legal mother, Leah. Leah is married to Jacob; so is Leah’s sister Rachel. Jacob loves Rachel more than Leah. And Leah knows it. Leah is eager to win over Jacob’s love and loyalty. Leah does not want to play 2^nd fiddle. She wants to be the apple of Jacob’s eyes. Only then will Leah be happy. But how do you pull Jacob away from Rachel’s heart?

You do it by producing sons, so she (and also Rachel) thinks. Like a goose laying a golden egg on a regular basis, so Leah seemed to produce sons for Jacob: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah. How happy Leah was! But did Jacob love her now more than Rachel? No.

In the mean time, Rachel jacked up the rivalry between her and her sister a notch or two. While Leah stopped becoming pregnant, Rachel started to produce (legally acquired children) by having Jacob sleep with Rachel’s slave girl Bilhah. Bilhah produced Dan and Naphtali. Of course, Rachel’s success in expanding Jacob’s family tree with sons from Rachel’s slave girl only diminished Leah’s happiness. So, Leah adopted Rachel’s strategy and gave her slave girl Zilpah to Jacob. Jacob slept with Zilpah and produced another two sons: Gad and …Asher!

Imagine Leah’s delight. Surely, this last child produced by Zilpah must be called ‘Asher,’ because this child represents prosperity, happiness, luck.” Leah’s longing for marital bliss with Jacob and for playing first fiddle as Jacob’s primary wife is all transferred on this child as she gives him the name “Asher.” “What good fortune! How blessed, how lucky, how happy I shall be!” So thinks Leah.

On his deathbed, we find Jacob speaking, blessing and instructing his twelve sons. When dying Jacob pronounces a blessing on Asher, Jacob prophecies. With the eyes of faith, inspired by the Spirit of the Lord, Jacob captures and echoes Leah’s yearning for happiness. He says to Asher: “Asher’s food will be rich; he will provide delicacies fit for a king.” In other words, in the future Asher’s tribe will prosper materially. Asher’s descendants will have abundance and share in the “American Dream,” so to speak.

Centuries later, when the Israelites are about to inherit or conquer the land of Canaan, Moses speaks a final word to all the tribes of Israel. And when Moses comes to the tribe of Asher, Moses echoes Jacob’s blessing. Listen: “Most blessed of sons is Asher; let him be favored by his brothers, and let him bathe his feet in oil. The bolts of your gates will be iron and bronze, and your strength will equal your days.” In other words, Moses’ blessing ties in with the genetic DNA of Asher and his clan: they will live in Canaan, and they will be the producers of milk and honey; they will have safety, abundance, prosperity, the best of land. The tribe of Asher will be the producer of food for Israel’s kings; they will make up the economic engine of Israel in the Promised Land. Ah, such is the happiness found in Asher and his tribe! But….

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There are shadows that follow Asher’s descendants. I’ve seen these shadows also among us in Canada and America. As a pastor, I have spoken heart to heart with many first and second-generation immigrants, who came to this side of the Atlantic Ocean. They sought a better life for themselves and especially their children. And God blessed them with material possessions and prosperity.

But when you talk with many of these first and second-generation of immigrants, you’ll discover heartache. Many agonize over their sons and daughters. For the good life, their wealth and prosperity, their worldly “Asher,” have led them away from worshiping the Triune God, and from becoming committed followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Scriptures warn us about that shadow.

For example, when the Israelites entered the land of Canaan, they were supposed to conquer the peoples in that land. Battles must be fought; blood must be shed; tribal territory must be carved out. Some tribes of Israel were good and ardent at these conquests; others, such as Asher—why they preferred to sit back and enjoy the pleasantries of life in that particular neck of the woods. So it was that the prophetess, Deborah, in her leadership role during the days of judges, could chide or rebuke the tribes of Reuben and Dan and could say of the tribe of Asher: (Judges 5:17b) “Asher remained on the coast and stayed in his coves.” Why this rebuke? What was going on with the descendants of Asher?

We get some insights from the Scripture reading in Judges 1:31-32. Listen: “Nor did Asher drive out those living in Acco or Sidon or Ahlab or Aczib or Helbah or Aphek or Rehob, and because of this the people of Asher lived among the Canaanite inhabitants of the land.” Here we learn that Asher’s descendants allowed themselves to become secularized. They embraced Canaanite “niceties;” they huddled with their pagan neighbors in practicing Canaanite culture; they acclimatized and acculturated themselves to the Canaanite way of living; they did business with the Canaanites; they married Canaanite sons and daughters—and in the process their devotion and loyalty to Israel’s God began to wane and flounder. For the Asherites to be happy in the Promised Land, God’s Word and will and ways had to take second place. The pursuit of material wealth and prosperity plays first fiddle. Open, deliberate secularization became the downfall of Asher’s tribe. So much so that one Bible scholar could say (ISBE): “The tribe [of Asher] seems to have taken no important part in the subsequent history (of Israel). It raised no hero, and gave no deliverer to the nation. In the time of David it was of so little consequence that the name (Asher) is not found in the list of (Israel’s) chief rulers.”

The shadow of secularization, with its pursuit of material prosperity, is a warning. The psalmist in Psalm 1warns all God’s people about that shadow of secularization. For Psalm 1 begins with these words: “Ashere-Ish-Asher” which means, literally translated: Double-blessed is the man…who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.” Asher—that is, true blessedness, true riches, the pathway of true happiness is found when you walk in the ways of the Lord. The story of Asher and his tribe among God’s people points us toward the pathway of true happiness, which is centered in Christ and his work of salvation.

Thank God for the story of Anna, the prophetess. Anna is like a candle of light shining in the midst of the darkness of the secular “Asher” or happiness of our western world today. For Anna refuses to pursue worldly “Asher.” She pursues happiness by living Psalm 1. Anna rejects the secular ways or worldly happiness; Anna will not be robbed from the riches of God.

Anna means “grace of God.” Anna is from a godly home. Her father’s name is mentioned: Phanuel: It means: “I have seen God.” Anna grew up in a home where the light of God was shown and held high. We also learn that Anna is from the tribe of Asher. Thank God for this picture of this Asherite called “Anna!” You know why?

Take a look. Asher and his tribes sought material and financial prosperity and they got it. But they lost their way with God. Anna has the Word of God on her lips; she is God’s mouthpiece. She is a prophetess. Take a look: Anna’s tribal ancestors lived among the Canaanites—and allowed themselves to become secularized, where God played 2^nd fiddle in their lives. Like so many immigrants, the Asherites thought they had hit the jackpot of wealth, but in reality they had become impoverished. Not so Anna! Anna does not live in a palace or mansion; she is as poor as a church mouse, so to speak. But where does she live? The Bible says “She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.” Anna dwells in the house of the Lord. And the Lord of all creation makes his dwelling with Anna, so much so that Anna has become the mouthpiece of God, announcing good news to us today.

What does Anna say? Listen to the text (Luke 2:38). “Coming up to (Mary and Joseph and the Christ child with Simeon standing right by them) at that very moment, (Anna) gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.”

Anna is speaking to us and she points us to the way of true happiness. She points us to Jesus; and Jesus is the one who will bring about the “redemption of Jerusalem.” That is, Jesus will bring restoration, renewal, new life, true happiness to all God’s people. The key to happiness is found in Jesus. He is life! And in him we find life in full abundance. Jesus’ work of salvation—his life, death, his resurrection, his ascension and his final coming again—is the pathway for us to walk today. “Blessed—double blessed—is he or she who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers,” but who trusts in the work and person of Jesus Christ, and who walks in the ways of the Lord.

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“So what?” you say. “What is God telling us today?” I think that God is warning us and telling us to avoid these particular dangers:

(1) Avoid focusing on material things as the essence of a happy, prosperous life. Be careful NOT to get caught in the trap of material possessions at the expense of living a life of love and loyalty to the triune God. True happiness is found in Christ and in his work of salvation. The way of Christ is to way to live.

(2) Beware of the trap of Secularism. It’s true: Christian living takes place in this world, in this culture of ours. But the Christian lifestyle must take on a distinctly different style than the world’s lifestyle. Secularism with its many material and physical pleasures has a way of killing our devotion and worship of the living God. Beware of secularism.

(3) Be careful. Let’s not place our confidence and trust in material things, in financial assets, in military strength, in personal savvy or wit. Rather, we must learn to place our ultimate trust and confidence in Jesus Christ and his work of salvation. For Jesus has begun (and will finish) the renewal of all things.

Really, the pursuit of true happiness comes down to this:

Live joyfully, patiently, and with contentment, centering your life on serving and worshiping the triune God. Live with Christ at the center of your life.

On your radar screen of daily living, hold before you the work of Jesus, always focusing on his “restoration of all things.”

And remember your brother Asher and his tribal story. Learn from Asher. Learn especially from Anna, the prophetess. She, of all people, teaches us to sing and live Psalm 1 “Ashere-Ish-Asher”—Double blessed are we indeed when we walk in the ways of the Lord!

Glory be to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and always shall be: world without end. Amen.