All About Asher

Today we are looking at a blessed tribe, the tribe of Asher. Which comes from the eight son of Jacob. Born to Leah’s Maidservant, Zilpah. Leah named him “Happy” because “How happy am I! The women will call me happy” (Genesis 30:13) . This happy shepherd will give rise to Asher a blessed Tribe.

Joshua 19:24-31

Joshua 19:24–31 LEB

24 The fifth allotment fell for the tribe of the descendants of Asher according to their families. 25 Their border was Helkath, Hali, Beten, Acshaph, 26 Allamelech, Amad, and Mishal; it touches Carmel to the west, and Shihor-Libnat. 27 Then it turns eastward to Beth-dagon and touches Zebulun and the valley of Yiptah-El to the north to Beth Emeck and Neiel; it continues to Cabul from the north, 28 and Ebron, Rehob, Hammon, and Kanah up to Great Sidon; 29 then the border turns to Ramah, and up to the fortified city of Tyre, where the border turns to Hosah; it ends at the sea, from Hebel to Aczib. 30 Included were Ummah, Aphek, and Rehob; twenty-two cities and their villages. 31 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the descendants of Asher according to their families, these cities and their villages.

Map of Israel

When Jacob/Israel prophesied his blessing over Asher, He stated, “As for Asher, his food shall be rich, and he will yield royal Dainties” (Gen 49:20)

Later when Moses blessed the tribe, “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” (Deuteronomy 33:24)

Washing one’s feet in oil was a sign of prosperity, and Jacob’s reference to Asher’s food being “rich” indicated that Asher would possess fertile lands. The tribe of Asher will settle along the northern coast of Canaan, which ran north from the Carmel mountain range. The Mt. Carmel agricultural region was on of the best in Palestine. It received rain first and more often. This region was located on a trade route, giving inhabitants and opportunity to export and import many royal delicacies.

This sounds really good. A lot of us this is what we are pursuing. this is what we want to hear. You are going to be richly blesses. And if you are there is nothing wrong with this. Asher was not wrong in being blessed. Some times we look at the bible as see things like

Matthew 19:21 LEB

21 Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give the proceeds to the poor—and you will have treasure in heaven—and come, follow me.”

And we think I need to be poor to be in the kingdom of God. There is nothing wrong with being blessed.

Got Questions? Bible Questions Answered What Should We Learn from the Tribe of Asher?

Despite all its blessings, the tribe of Asher failed to drive out the Canaanites, and “because of this the people of Asher lived among the Canaanite inhabitants of the land” (Judges 1:31–32). In the time of Deborah and Barak, “Asher remained on the coast and stayed in its coves” rather than join the fight against Jabin, a Canaanite king (Judges 5:17). This failure to aid their fellow tribes could indicate a lack of reliance on God, a lack of effort, a fear of the enemy, or a reluctance to upset those with whom they did business. Thus, the example set here is a negative one: although Asher was richly blessed, they did not behave admirably; when the time for action came, they failed to trust in God and honor His plan.

Later in Judges, Asher does respond to Gideon’s call to repel the Midianites, Amalekites, and others from the East (Judges 6:35). In another important gesture, Asher accepts Hezekiah’s invitation to the tribes from the Northern Kingdom to join the Passover celebration in Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 30:11). This was considered an act of humility, proof of a contrite heart before God.

Blessings require Obedience

In the end, we find that Asher received many great blessings from GDo. Having received a blessing, they were expected to Obey the Lord’s commands. In this they sometimes succeeded and sometimes failed.

We, Too have been blessed by God and the Lord expects us to obey His commands.

Some of you know you are blessed. some of you wonder. Ephesians 1:3 Tells us

Ephesians 1:3 LEB

3 Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,

And being blessed we are expected to bless others. and obey his commandments.

John 14:15 LEB

15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

It is wonderful to be blessed by God and we all are in one way or another. Some financial. Some with wisdom, some with guidance, some with mercy, some with grace, some with knowledge. and the list could go on but yet with the blessing of God comes the responsibility to bless others.

Next Steps

How can you bless others with your gift today?

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