Genesis-159 – Happy Person

Genesis 49:19–21

“Gad will be attacked by a band of raiders, but he will attack them at their heels. Asher’s food will be rich; he will provide delicacies fit for a king. Naphtali is a doe set free that bears beautiful fawns.” Amen.

 

Jacob’s Prophecy Contained in Symbols and Metaphors

Jacob’s prophecies generally take the literary form of symbols and metaphors. Consequently, it is by no means easy to grasp the profound implications held within each verse. How do you respond when you encounter such obscure passages while reading the Bible? Do you perhaps pass over them indifferently, intoxicated only by the flowing sentences? As one who studies the Scriptures deeply, I too sometimes find it overwhelming to draw out the inherent meaning before such symbolic structures.

 

This text is the final testament and prophecy Jacob left for his twelve sons just before his death. In the passage mentioning a 'band of raiders' toward Gad, it seems to imply he will become a courageous military officer in the future; and when he tells Asher to prepare 'delicacies fit for a king,' one might smile, wondering if he is to become a famous chef or a gourmet of today. Furthermore, by calling Naphtali a 'doe set free,' it appears to suggest he will perform like a track athlete roaming the wilderness.

 

Of course, these interpretations are not entirely misplaced. However, the core of what Jacob intended to convey while foreseeing the future of his three sons does not lie simply in their 'occupations.' These are words concerning the nature of the 'blessing' that God would later bestow upon the tribes of Israel. Jacob is now serving as a channel of blessing on behalf of God.

 

It keenly demonstrates how God blesses each of the twelve sons, and how severely Israel forgets the solemnity of those blessings or walks a path contrary to the essence of that grace. That distorted portrait is the very image of Israel, and it is also a self-portrait of us today, reflected like a mirror. Therefore, this text transcends the records of ancient Israeli tribes and can be called a holy revelation that allows us all, called as spiritual Israel, to re-examine our identity and mission.

 

The Name of the Tribe of Gad and the Background of Invasion

Today, through the lives of the two tribes, Gad and Asher, we wish to contemplate the meaning of the blessings given to us. Gad and Asher are sons Leah and Rachel obtained through their respective maidservants. Although four sons—from Dan to Naphtali—were born through maidservants, they were duly registered as the master's children according to the customs of the time. This was a universal method of family succession in the era of Genesis.

 

Among them, Gad is the son born to Zilpah, Leah’s maidservant. Previously, Leah had established the foundation of the family by bearing four sons, but when her younger sister Rachel first obtained two sons through a maidservant, Leah was seized by deep alienation and jealousy. After staying in the pain of being unable to conceive for a while, Leah finally obtains a son through her maidservant as well.

 

The name she gave, containing that overwhelming joy, is 'Gad.' It is a name that carries the exclamation, 'How fortunate!' Yet, Jacob throws an unexpected prophecy toward this blessed son: "You will be pursued by a band of raiders, and the army will attack you." Here, 'band of raiders' (army) signifies cruel 'invaders' beyond a regular military. It is an urgent declaration that invaders who break the peace of daily life will persistently pursue you.

 

In this passage, there is a special device hidden that is difficult to fully feel without knowing the nuances of the original Hebrew text. Reading this verse in the original language makes it sound like the rough sound of galloping hoofbeats. If we were to capture that feeling in our language, it is a rhythmic verse that strikes the ears like the sound of "clatter, clatter." Through sophisticated wordplay, the tension caused by the invasion of foreign enemies is maximized.

 

What does this symbolize? It is the sound of approaching hoofbeats. When rhythms such as 'Gadud, Yegudenu' are repeated in Hebrew, the people of Israel would have instinctively sensed it. Even through sound alone, they vividly experienced the solemn reality that an army of invaders was surging like a breaking wave and that their peaceful home was being swept into the whirlpool of war.

 

The Attacked Tribe and the Life of a Believer

As Jacob prophesied, the tribe of Gad had to suffer from constant foreign invasions throughout history. The land they were allotted as an inheritance was the region east of the Jordan River; understanding this geographical location is very important for grasping biblical history.

 

Typically, the center stage where Jesus performed His ministry, which we call Palestine, is the west side of the Jordan. On the other hand, the east side of the Jordan includes areas like Bethany, where John the Baptist later cried out in the wilderness and performed baptisms. The tribe of Gad settled on this vast land east of the Jordan, called 'Gilead.' This was an exquisitely fertile land, a natural pasture perfect for raising livestock. God indeed granted them a truly prosperous inheritance.

 

However, behind the prosperity, an unavoidable tension followed. The fertile territory was an object of envy for surrounding Gentile tribes and, at the same time, a target for plunder. Greedy invaders constantly sought to ravage that land. Eventually, as in Jacob’s prophecy, the tribe of Gad lived out the paradox of 'the blessed' exposed to ceaseless attacks.

 

A more fatal threat was the subtle cultural and religious infiltration rather than military invasion. Living adjacent to Gentile nations, the tribe of Gad gradually became tainted by their idolatry and pagan customs. Spiritual syncretism occurred, where the purity of faith was diluted through intermarriage and exchange. This was the most essential and dangerous invasion that the tribe of Gad faced.

 

The Narrative of Counterattack: He Who Pursues the Heels

Nevertheless, Jacob prophesies that the tribe of Gad will not collapse helplessly under that invasion. The text records, "but he will attack them at their heels" (or "pursue them"). To translate this more clearly and literally, it means, "Gad is attacked, but he, in turn, will attack the invaders' heels."

 

Here, we encounter the word 'heel,' a very familiar symbol in the Bible. When one thinks of a heel, the person who definitely comes to mind is Jacob himself. Born clutching his brother Esau’s heel, he lived a life as a 'supplanter' who intercepted and deceived others, just as his name implies. Should Gad's attack on the heel then be understood in the same context as Jacob's?

 

Last week, as we meditated on the tribe of Dan, we confirmed that the life of Dan—who tried to carve out his destiny with his own strength only to be frustrated—resembled the old image of Jacob. However, the narrative of Gad is of a completely different fabric. Jacob’s life was always a history of active plunder that he 'first' initiated. He deceived first, he grasped first, and he tried to snatch first.

 

But Gad begins as 'one who is attacked.' Unexpected tribulation finds him first, and only in response to that painful intrusion does he commence a counterattack. This illuminates the existential mode of a believer dealing with suffering on a completely different level, not just the beginning of the event. This is because Gad's counterattack was not a preemptive strike for his own desire, but a desperate spiritual response to protect the given blessing.

 

Obstacles to Faith and the Attack of Condemnation

There are two unique points in the narrative of Gad that contrast with Jacob’s life. The first, as mentioned earlier, is the 'precedence of attack.' This is also a spiritual phenomenon that appears immediately in the life of a believer who decides to follow Christ. The moment we harbor a sincere heart toward the Lord and resolve, "Now I will truly believe properly," paradoxically, we face the reality that we are exposed to countless attacks.

 

The patterns of attack are indeed multi-layered. As we strive to deepen our faith and love the Lord more passionately, unexpected obstacles emerge from everywhere. What is the greatest threat faced by those striving in good works? As the Bible warns, it is 'discouragement.' It seems that applause and cheers should follow when one shows goodwill, but the reality is often that coldness or sarcasm-laced criticism returns. This is why the Lord, enduring that harsh contempt, constantly exhorted us: "Do not grow weary in doing good."

 

What is more frightening is the inner attack, which is stronger than external persecution. The moment we struggle to live according to the Lord’s will, a persistent accusation echoes from deep within our souls: "Can you even call yourself a believer acting like that?" "Do you dare hope for heaven with your current state?" While we might ignore the criticism of others, this sharp self-reproach rising from within leaves us helpless. The Bible defines such an intimate voice that gnaws at our soul as the 'attack of condemnation.'

 

The Limits of Self-Reflection and the Answer of the Cross

However, the Bible clearly and firmly declares to us: God never condemns His children, and there is absolutely no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Satan wields condemnation, the most powerful tool of temptation, to drag us into the abyss of despair, but that accusation can never be upheld. This is because Jesus Christ, our Mediator, has already paid the full price.

 

In today's courts, even if a lawsuit is filed, there are countless cases where it is dismissed for failing to meet requirements. Satan's accusation against a believer is just like this. Before the perfect defense of the blood of Jesus Christ, Satan’s claim is dismissed without even reaching the judge's bench. Of course, Satan can subtly harass us and disturb our hearts. He cannot destroy the essence of our faith, but he tries to steal our peace and interfere with our fellowship with God.

 

When observing why many saints suffer through a plateau in their faith, it is discovered that a significant number are excessively preoccupied with their own problems. They become buried in questions like, "Who am I?", "Why do I repeat this sin?", and "How can I assure my salvation?" But remember: faith is not a structure where an answer emerges by turning yourself inside out and analyzing it.

 

Of course, it is a precious thing to reflect on the self and repent for mistakes. However, even at the end of that deep reflection, the answer to salvation does not exist within the human self. The more I analyze myself, the clearer it may become what kind of being I am, but the power to solve the problem lies solely outside. The answer is only in the Cross, and only in Jesus Christ. When our gaze is fixed only on ourselves and not the Lord, the soul becomes eroded by depression or falls into the swamp of self-abandonment. This is the tragic conclusion intended by the attack of condemnation.

 

An Impoverished Faith Unable to Enjoy the Gospel

When the gaze is fixed on oneself rather than Christ, the believer loses the essential joy and delight of the life of faith. While it is fitting for the soul's ecstasy to overflow and the heart to burn before the Word upon believing in Jesus, in reality, only heavy self-reproach weighs down the shoulders. The more one faces the Word, the more one drives oneself into a spiritual corner, saying, "Why am I so powerless?", "Why can't I keep my place of prayer or even read the Bible?"

 

Reflection to look back on oneself is absolutely necessary for spiritual maturity. However, self-reflection excluding Christ is extremely dangerous. Repentance without the grace of the Gospel is akin to imprisoning oneself in the jail of condemnation. It only constricts and destroys the soul, like the 'self-criticism' practiced within the shackles of ideology. Regrettably, this legalistic method has deeply infiltrated the foundation of Christian faith today.

 

If you have looked back at yourself while longing for a holy life, the end of that reflection must lead to a craving for Jesus Christ and a return to God. However, many sink into the mire of self-pity instead of coming to the Lord. They are submerged in self-reproach: "Why am I in this shape?" This is the image of the attacked tribe of Gad, and simultaneously, our own portrait.

 

There is a second characteristic to note in the narrative of the tribe of Gad. It is the 'counterattack.' However, the Bible describes this as a 'counterattack that grabs the heel.' It is a situation where one only follows the enemy’s rear and cannot face them head-on. Lacking the ability to fight, being overwhelmed by fear, or losing confidence, one cannot face the immediate problem directly. Lacking the courage to face the painful truth, one simply lingers around the periphery.

 

Grabbing the heel may look like a partial achievement, but essentially, it is nothing more than a 'failed victory.' It is like throwing a sidekick to overpower an opponent but striking the ground because it missed into thin air, only hurting one's own foot. Our faith, too, ends up in such ineffective struggles when we become buried in self-centered battles, forgetting who the Lord is and who I am in Christ.

 

As a result, we lose the spiritual wildness to fight against sin even to the point of shedding blood, and we become trapped in a passive attitude of simply 'trying not to do something.' Rather than delighting in God, we are anxious and fretful to stay in His good graces. Eventually, reaching the defeatist conclusion that "I am still lacking," we fall back into self-pity. This is because we have forgotten our authority as children of God, our identity as those liberated from sin who can now be victorious, and the assurance of complete forgiveness. This is Satan’s most subtle strategy: making the saint preoccupied only with the 'problem' itself, thereby blocking at the source the channel of grace to move past that problem toward God.

 

Assurance in God’s Sovereignty and Guidance

Dear saints, do you truly believe that even through the harsh storms of life, incomprehensible suffering, and all those moments of beating your chest and asking, "Why did this happen to me?", you are under the sovereign hand of God? If our lives are within the good providence of the Creator, are you certain that God’s goodness will surely bear fruit at the end of every process?

 

If you are certain of this fact, you must confess that the tribulation you face now is by no means the final chapter of your life. If you believe that God’s good will will be fulfilled through suffering, our response should be praise, not discouragement. There is nothing more tragic than having gained salvation yet not enjoying the thrill of that salvation.

 

True faith is enjoying daily life within the assurance of salvation. When you open your eyes in the morning, do you rejoice because of the grace that saved you? When you go to bed at night, even if the day's life was not perfect and you repeated many mistakes, do you find rest by confessing God’s hand that guided and protected you through every moment? This is the rightful privilege that a saint should enjoy.

 

Satan’s attacks can never topple our salvation. Therefore, they focus all their efforts on one goal: preventing the saint from enjoying the joy of salvation. The Apostle Paul cried out even inside a cold prison, "I am joyful because of the Lord." However, when we are in a place of suffering, we long only for 'escape.' We are busy denying and avoiding the situation, saying, "I am not a person who should be here."

 

It is our weakness that we, with lips that just a moment ago responded with 'Amen' saying everything is a gift from God, think only of ways to run away in the face of actual trials. Whether it comes as discipline, as testing and suffering, or sometimes as tears and joy, trust that every moment is God’s holy process of shaping me. I hope you become not one who runs away, but one who stays there with the Lord and witnesses God’s working.

 

Enjoying Life Together as the Bride of Christ

The question we should ask at the scene of suffering is not "How shall I escape?" Rather, we must ask, "What is God’s will toward this situation, and how shall I obey the Word in this pain?" We must first seek what kind of heart the Lord wants me to have as I face this situation, and how I will come to know the Lord more deeply and share in loving fellowship through this process of refinement.

 

Comrades who have shared life and death or a couple who has endured storms for many years mean more to each other than simple colleagues. Just as there is an expression for a wife who shared hardships, the trust and love built while passing through suffering are firmer than anything else. Dear saints, you are those who have already written such a history of love with the Lord. This is because you are all the glorious 'Bride of Jesus Christ.'

 

Christ does not remain merely an assistant staying by your side. The Lord has made you a participant in His life and has called you to enjoy together His working that occurs in all the journeys of life. From the Lord’s perspective, you are like a spouse who has shared joys and sorrows. Therefore, the Lord desires to feel ultimate joy and delight as He looks at you.

 

The Lord considers you to be those whose hearts truly connect. It is because you hurt together, shed tears together, and passed through that pitch-black tunnel of suffering together. There is not a single event in your life that occurred by chance. Even those tears you shed were never shed alone. Christ shed tears beside you, and the Lord was always there in that place of wailing. Even if staggering things difficult to bear assail us, we must hold on to this supreme truth—that the Lord is with us—until the end. Regrettably, our soul's greatest illness is that we forget this precious fact all too often.

 

The Balm of Gilead and the True Healer

The one who testified to this through the circumstances of the land of Gilead, where the tribe of Gad settled, is the prophet Jeremiah. In Jeremiah chapter 8, he laments: "Since my people are crushed, I am crushed; I mourn, and horror grips me. Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then is there no healing for the wound of my people?"

 

At that time, Gilead was a major producer of 'balm,' a fragrance that was a precious medicinal ingredient, and there were also many skilled physicians. If one fell ill, they only needed to find a physician and be prescribed balm, yet Israel forgot what blessings they already possessed and who their identity was. The essential purpose for which the Lord called us lies in "making My joy full in you." But today, are we fully enjoying that joy? Or are we considering the entire journey of faith that we should enjoy with the Lord as a heavy burden? Have worship and service, Bible reading and prayer, unwittingly degenerated into burdensome 'homework' or 'duty'?

 

When grace is forgotten, vitality withers and joy disappears in all areas of the life of faith. When Israel became covered in wounds and groaned, God encouraged them, saying, "Is there not a physician and balm in Gilead?" Furthermore, God Himself declares who the true Physician is: "Is the Lord not in Zion? Is her King no longer there?" It is a declaration that the true Healer is God and the balm of healing is also only with the Lord. Yet He asks sorrowfully why they do not seek Him and why they do not return to Him.

 

Even though we have received blessings, we often live obsessing over the 'blessing' itself in our hands or gazing only at the 'wounds' we have suffered, rather than looking at the Lord who is the source of those blessings. As we become buried in wounds, saying, "Why am I hurting so much? Why is my life not improving?", the pain of the soul only intensifies. Healing cannot occur in a faith that only puts blessings in a gift box without using them and boasts only of the exterior. We must turn our gaze and look at the true King, the true Physician, who is among us.

 

Spiritual Poverty That Has Forgotten the Owner of Blessings

There is no interest in what is contained inside the box because the box has never been opened once. What use would it be even if a huge sum like a million dollars were inside? If it has never been taken out and used, it is not a blessing but merely a heavy load carried on one's back. Today, God speaks to us solemnly: "You are carrying blessings in your hands, yet you are forgetting the One who gave those blessings." This is the tragedy of a soul that has received blessings but lost the Owner of those blessings. Dear saints, what is incomparably more precious than the blessing itself is the One who bestowed that blessing.

 

Yet our gaze is not fixed toward the Lord. Is God not among us? Is Christ, who loved us to the point of dying for us, not with us now? You who groan and feel frustrated because you are wounded, does Jesus Christ not dwell within you? I ask with the heart of Jeremiah. Why then do you not return to the Lord? While priding yourselves on being wise and acting smart as if you know so much, why do you not turn and repent? We swear countless times to live according to God’s Word, but our reality is truly shabby.

 

Perhaps we are still only clutching the heel of sin. We know the imperative that we must fight sin, but our method of dealing with it stays at the level of 'not doing something.' We try to decorate and prove our faith with external acts, such as living a bit more virtuously than others or not missing worship.

 

How impoverished a faith is this? This is a situation of only hanging onto the heel of sin, and it is by no means an image of enjoying true blessings. Despite having spiritual balm and a true Physician nearby, that healing is not experienced. This is because we constantly forget the fact that Christ, who overcame the world, is my Lord and dwells within me. The answer is clear: please do not be submerged only in your own wounds; look at the Lord.

 

Look at the One who not only knows your pain but personally carried those wounds with you, who can make you whole, and who loved you to the point of shedding His blood for this. In the place where you scream that the wound in your heart is so deep that blood is flowing, face Jesus Christ, who shed His precious blood unto death for us. Only Christ is the unique Life that truly saves you.

 

Asher’s Happiness and the Fertile Blessing

Following the tribe of Gad, the story of Asher gives even more interesting insights. The name Asher itself means 'Happiness.' True to the meaning of his name, Asher received a very fertile land as an inheritance. As the text expresses that the food made from Asher’s produce is rich, that land was indeed a symbol of abundance.

 

In fact, the tribe of Asher was later allotted the fertile coastal plains of the Mediterranean. Although historical records of whether he actually prepared a king’s delicacies with the produce of that land are minimal, the message God intends to convey to us through this metaphor is clear. It is to show what kind of blessing Asher, who had the name 'the Happy One,' received and how he implemented a life worthy of that blessing.

 

According to Moses’ blessing, Asher is one who received a truly special grace. Among Jacob’s sons, he was blessed more, became a joy to his brothers, and received the blessing that his feet would be dipped in oil. In truth, such overflowing blessing is not easy to handle. This is because someone enjoying an unrivaled blessing inevitably provokes envy and jealousy around them.

 

Suppose that in a family with many siblings, the parents favor only one child or leave a larger inheritance to them. Like the case of Joseph, it is human nature to be sold by brothers or be swept into extreme antagonism. Even among three or four children, if there is a difference in the distribution of inheritance, they become lifelong enemies and wail, saying, "Father, what did I do wrong that it is only this much?" It is the way of the world.

 

However, the blessing of God that came upon Asher achieves a marvelous harmony. Despite him receiving an exceptional blessing, the Bible records that "his brothers were pleased with him." It is truly a beautiful sight. Asher was a possessor of an extraordinary character. While enjoying a massive blessing alone, he was a being who became a source of joy to all his brothers.

 

Even compared to Joseph, Asher’s life is wondrous. By the biblical record alone, he lived a truly blessed life. Moses prophesied that he would enjoy a safe and peaceful life. Since he was guaranteed a life so prosperous that his ankles would be soaked in oil, he was unmistakably a 'man of blessing.'

 

A Way of Life That Acknowledges the Master’s Sovereignty

I recall memories from my childhood. When I went to buy oil on my mother's errand, the most precious sesame oil was carefully brought in a small container like a Bacchus bottle. On the other hand, peanut oil was not that expensive even if a large bottle was filled, so in my young mind, I wondered, "Why is there such a price difference for the same oil?"

 

In fact, in our ordinary lives, it was an unimaginable luxury to even dare soak a single toe in that cheap peanut oil. If by any chance the sesame oil bottle broke on the way and spilled on the dirt ground, it was so precious that one had to desperately scrape up even the top part with dirt on it. Yet the Bible describes the blessing Asher enjoys as 'to the extent that his ankles are soaked in that precious oil.' This symbolically shows that the prosperity he enjoys is not simply a level of sufficiency, but God’s overwhelming grace that transcends imagination.

 

Behind this feast of rich blessings, Jacob adds a 'punchline' that marks the pinnacle of the prophecy. After declaring that Asher’s produce would be rich, he says, "he will provide delicacies fit for a king." This is not simply an instruction to present good food to a king. The true implication of this verse lies in the fact that "Asher lived while enjoying all these blessings, but there was a clear 'King' over his life."

 

The fact that he lived serving the sovereign King is also directly related to the peace with his brothers. What would be the only secret for a child who monopolized the parents' inheritance to maintain friendship with their siblings? It is to confess, "All of this is not my possession, so I will share it with my brothers." Such was Asher’s life. He was granted fertile land and abundant produce, but he did not regard it as his private property and acknowledged it only as 'the King’s.' Because he confessed that the true King was over him, he could be a joy to his brothers rather than an object of envy and jealousy.

 

A life with a King and a life without a King have different trajectories from the start. The reason we emphasize the Lord’s Lordship so much is that this is the most vulnerable and easily misunderstood point in our faith. We often intellectually agree that "Jesus is my Lord," but we do not deeply contemplate how that confession should revolutionarily change our way of life and our perspective on possessions. If there is a true Master, how can one speak carelessly in His presence and wield the Master’s possessions as one pleases? It is the proper duty of a servant to first ask for the Master’s intention in everything.

 

The Responsibility and Rest as a Servant of the Lord

The ultimate task of a good servant is to fully fathom the Master’s heart and uphold His will. Therefore, above all, a servant must strive constantly to know the Master’s heart. The purpose for which we wholeheartedly contemplate God’s Word also lies here. It is by no means to boast of biblical knowledge or to stand in spiritual superiority over others. Only the confession, "Because I am the Lord’s servant, I must know the Lord’s will to follow that path fully," must be the foundation of our learning.

 

When one possesses such a thorough 'servant consciousness,' the attitude toward life fundamentally changes. Beyond the dimension of worrying because it is my possession, one feels a holy responsibility because it belongs to God. Instead of a weary life struggling to take responsibility for one's own life, it changes into a life of doing one's best as a good steward before God, acknowledging it is His possession. The realization that "All of this belonged to God" completely overturns the way and content of our living.

 

Then, whose responsibility is the anxiety that weighs us down? It should no longer be our own. Now, even that anxiety must be entrusted to the sovereign Lord. The reason servants can enjoy peace is that the final responsibility for guarding the house lies with the Master. When an external enemy invades, the one who fights at the risk of his life is not the servant but the Master. The reason Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd, gave His life for us is also that He is our true Master. The Lord seals our lives as His possession, accompanies us on the eternal path, and promises to eventually give us His kingdom as an inheritance.

 

We have a King who is our Ruler. Therefore, a saint’s life is protected under God’s good sovereignty even in any extreme situation. Even when suffering unfair attacks or groaning from deep wounds, and even when collapsing helplessly due to unexpected tribulation, God’s hand does not let go of us. In the shadow of poverty and disease, or at the peak of wealth and health, we invariably stay under the King’s rule. It is because we have the eternal King, my living Lord.

 

How to Live in the Name of the Lord of Hosts

Why do we look at David’s life with admiration? Do you remember the lion-like roar uttered by the young boy David standing before the giant Goliath? “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty.” The secret of this great declaration did not lie in David’s youthful vigor. The confession 'Lord of Hosts' was not a beautiful modifier, but a humble entrustment of one who thoroughly acknowledged his own helplessness. It was an expression of absolute trust: “I am a weak being who has neither the qualification nor the ability to handle this war, but I go forth relying on the authority of my King.”

 

But why do we, living today, remain in such a powerless faith? While calling the name of Jesus with our lips, why do we not enjoy the heart-fluttering power and ecstasy that the name carries? At the moment we confess, “I pray in the name of Jesus Christ,” our hearts ought to throb. We should tremble at the fact that we are spiritually breathing with Christ, the King of kings, and participating in His holy will. Yet a deep gap still exists between Jesus and me. This is the decisive reason our faith has stopped growing and the point where we are misunderstanding the essence of the Gospel.

 

Christianity is not a religion that practices a way to reach a state of self-effacement by transcending the storms of the world. It is not a place that creates iron-like humans who can roughly pass over all suffering with tall talk. Rather, Christianity is a place where one stares at one's own shabbiness—unable to overcome even one's pride as years pass. It is a place where one poignantly realizes weakness, saying, “I thought I would become somewhat whole after believing this much, but I am still tripping over the same spot.” Yet, at the very end of that despair, we discover ‘the name of the Lord of Hosts.’ We confirm the embrace of the ‘Cross’ where we can return and be held at any time.

 

Even if it is a life that is lacking and disappointing even to oneself, we can rise again because of Christ. Because the Lord is there, we walk through the middle of life not in our own name but in the Lord’s name. If our prayers were concluded in our own names, how unstable a petition would that be? If our lives ended with just three letters of a name engraved on a tombstone, how poor and futile a life would that be? The Bible declares that God has engraved the names of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit upon your life. A saint’s life does not end with their own name but is completed in the name of Jesus. Asher is great precisely because he knew the true ‘King’ was over his life.

 

The Worldly Blessings That Are Not Eternal and the Boundary of Compromise

Regrettably, however, that abundant oil Asher enjoyed did not last forever. Entering the period of settlement in Canaan, the tribe of Asher failed to fully conquer the fertile coastal land granted to them. Then, they laid out a poor excuse: “Because military power was lacking, we could not win without the help of neighboring tribes.”

 

God had commanded early on: “This battle does not belong to you but to Me, so I will fight on your behalf.” Although the key to victory lay in the depth of trust toward God rather than the size of military force, they put excuses first and evaded responsibility. In reality, it was not that they 'could not' drive out the Canaanites, but that they 'did not' drive them out. It was because the glamorous agricultural culture and Bronze Age civilization of Canaan, encountered after forty years of wandering in the wilderness, and the richly prepared Gentile tables blinded their eyes.

 

The desire to eat well and dress flamboyantly like the people of the world eroded their holy mission. This inappropriate compromise became the spark of tragedy repeated throughout Israeli history. It led to spiritual adultery—intermarriage with Gentiles and idolatry—and eventually, their lives, which started within God’s blessing, became constantly tangled and twisted. When they forgot the Owner of the blessing and became buried in the blessing itself, that prosperity instead became a poison that sank the soul.

 

Anna of the Tribe of Asher and the Anointing of the Holy Spirit

Despite the solemn lesson left by the Book of Judges, Asher’s narrative does not end in tragedy. At the threshold of the New Testament, which marks the finale of the Bible, Asher’s name shines brilliantly again. You will remember Simeon, who sang the thrill of salvation while holding the baby Jesus in his arms: “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation… a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.”

 

There was another witness at this glorious scene along with Simeon. It was a woman named Anna. While the Bible is silent on Simeon’s lineage, regarding Anna, it clearly records her origin as “the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher.” As a descendant of the tribe of Asher, she thanked God and boldly declared that Jesus was the Christ who would save all mankind.

 

Contrast this Gospel truth—that the Lord sits on the throne of our hearts, pours holy oil, and fills us with the Holy Spirit—with the prophecy of Asher, whose oil reached his ankles. Between one who only slightly wets their feet at the water’s edge and prides themselves on having finished swimming, and one whose whole body is submerged from head to toe in deep water, who would truly know that mysterious depth?

 

It is often misunderstood that only pastors have received a special ‘anointing.’ But that is only a half-correct answer. All of you in this place are God’s anointed servants. God the Holy Spirit has poured out an immeasurable oil of grace upon each and every one of you.

 

It does not stay at the level of simply wetting the ankles. God has sealed you as ‘the anointed,’ ‘set-apart saints,’ and ‘precious children.’ You have received God’s ultimate love and are set apart as those who do not belong to the world but belong to the eternal kingdom of heaven. Therefore, we must no longer settle for a shallow faith that barely wets the ankles. For we are not beings who should stay satisfied with a meager victory like grabbing the enemy’s heel.

 

The Victory That Overcame the World and Eternal Blessing

Jesus declared firmly: “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” The Apostle John also testifies: “for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.” Everyone, saints are those granted the authority to overcome the world. In the past, the people of Israel, even with the promise “Do not be afraid” in their hearts, became intoxicated with the result of bringing down just one City of Jericho in the land of Canaan. If you go there yourself, you will see that the City of Jericho is just a small town, small enough to finish by walking around it once.

 

However, the promise the Bible guarantees us is far more magnificent than that. We are not simply at the level of capturing a small castle, but those who overcome ‘the whole world.’ Even the sorrow and tears that weigh down life, the obstacles that block the path, and the fierce inner conflicts encountered on the journey of faith cannot subdue us. Amid trials in the home and workplace, the Lord still says: “I have overcome the world, so take heart.”

 

Because we are such victors, the Bible calls us truly ‘happy people.’ Completing the blessings for the twelve tribes, Moses left this great declaration toward all of Israel in Deuteronomy 33. I want us to receive this Word together as the voice of our souls.

 

“There is no one like the God of Jeshurun, who rides on the heavens to help you and on the clouds in his majesty. The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms… Blessed are you, Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord? He is your shield and helper and your glorious sword. Your enemies will cower before you, and you will tread on their heights.”

 

Dearly beloved saints, please do not live while keeping this amazing blessing God has allowed only inside your bag. Do not let that blessing degenerate into a decorative item just to show off to the people of the world. Instead, walk together with the One who gave that blessing. Connect your lifeline to the Source of blessing and live looking only at the Lord. Then, the blessing you enjoy will finally become an eternal blessing that does not grow old.

 

If you only look at the blessing in your hand and are preoccupied only with enjoying it, that blessing will disappear along with the short life on this earth. However, if you choose a life of fearing God, who gave the blessing, and walking with Him, I believe you will surely enjoy the eternal blessings of heaven.

 

Let us pray.

Dear Lord, we have prostrated before You. Because You have allowed spiritual blessings of heaven, we have come to hear Your detailed voice today as well.

 

We earnestly petition: let us deeply realize once again what our lives are currently tripping over. Let us fully know and be thankful for the abundant blessings You have bestowed, and for You, the Lord, who is the true Owner who gave those blessings. Now, let us not settle for the grace of the splashing ankles, but let us look only at the Lord and follow the path of faith to the end.

 

In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.