Are you “happy”? Are you supposed to be “happy”? What is “happiness”?
“Happy” as 1st seen in the Holy Scriptures is in Genesis 30: 12-13:
Zilpah Leah’s slave-girl bore Jacob a 2nd son, and Leah said, ‘How happy [in Hebrew, ‘asher] I am! Women will say I am happy!’ and called him Asher.
Asher derives from the primitive Hebrew root ‘asher: to be straight, be level, right, or happy , to go forward, be honest, prosper, as also in Job 29:11, Psalms 72:17, Proverbs 31:28, and Malachi 3:12, 15.
So, Asher is pronounce ‘ happy’ or call blessed, one who is honest and prosperous in right level way of living! If so, you are happy!
“Asher” or happy is son #8, after Reuben #1 [see, a son]; Simeon #2 [Shi’mon, hearing]; Levi #3 [joining, attaching]; Judah #4 [Y’hudah, praise]; Dan #5 [He judged]; Naphtali #6 [my wrestling]; and Gad #7 [good fortune].
- Message in the 8 sons of Jacob:
See [that God is good] +Hear [His Word ] +Join or Marry [to God] +Praise [His Name] +Reason [Together with God, Isaiah 1:16] +Contend [fight the good fight of faith]—> Good Fortune and Happiness!
- In Hebrew the number eight is (Sh’moneh), from the root (Shah’meyn), “to make fat,” “cover with fat,” “to super-abound.” “Fatness” symbolizes the blessing of abundance and oils and fats become poured out & sacrificed by Jacob in chapter 28 and by the Levites later on.
- Of Asher Moses says in Deuteronomy 33:24-25:
May Asher be most blessed of sons [out of Reuben, Judah, Levi, Benjamin, Joseph, Zebulon, Gad, Dan, Naphtali; Simeon (hearing) and Issachar (reward) not mentioned; ] , May he be the favorite among his brothers and bathe his feet in oil. May your bolts be of iron and bronze and your strength last as long as you live.
- Moses continues to teach “Yeshurun” the beloved one that there is “no one like God, riding through the heavens to help you [v.26]! “
The God of old is a dwelling-place, with everlasting arms beneath. He expelled the enemy before you and He said, “Destroy!” So Israel lives in security…Happy [‘asher, O thy happiness] are you, Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by Yehovah, your defender helping you and your sword of triumph. Your enemies will cringe before you, but you will trample down their high places [Dt. 33:27-29].
The queen of Sheba was breathless when she saw the wisdom and prosperity of Solomon in 1 Kings 10. In verse 8 she states how “happy your people must be, how happy these servants of yours who are always here attending you and get to hear your wisdom! 9 Blessed be Yehovah your God, who took pleasure in you to put you on the throne of Israel.” She gave him 4 tons of gold!
How happy [‘asher] are we when we receive the Father’s spirit, the 7 as in Isaiah 11: 1-2: the same spirit of Yehovah which rested on Yeshua Jesus the Messiah rests on and in us if we believe: with His Spirit of wisdom, understanding, counsel, power, knowledge, and fearing [revering] Yehovah!
David sang in a song [Psalms 144:15] : “How happy the people who live in such conditions [the blessings]! How happy the people whose God is Yehovah!”
Happy is he whose help is Jacob’s God, whose hope is in Yehovah his God [Psalms 146:5]
Happy the person who finds wisdom, the person who acquires understanding, for her [wisdom’s] profit exceeds that of silver, gaining her [wisdom] is better than gold, she is more precious than pearls–nothing you want can compare with her [wisdom] [Proverbs 3:13-15].
How happy is everyone who fears Yehovah, who lives by His ways. You will eat what your hands have produced, you will be happy and prosperous [Psalms 128:1-2].
There was also a prophet named Anna [Hannah] daughter of Penuel of the tribe of Asher [happy] . She was a very old woman [84= 10 x 8 , complete abundance +4 corners of earth]…She never left the Temple grounds but worshipped there night and day, fasting and praying. She came by at that moment [Mary & Joseph brought baby Jesus] and began thanking God and speaking about the child to everyone who was waiting for Jerusalem to be liberated [Luke 2:36-38].
“Now if I , the Lord and Rabbi, have washed your feet, you also should wash each other’s feet. For I have set an example, so you may do as I have done to you…If you know these things, you will be blessed [happy] if you do them [John 13:14-17]”.
- This ‘happy‘ is in Greek : “makarios“, supremely blest, fortunate, well off, blessed! Blessed is he who obeys and follows as taught.
Look, we regard those who persevered as blessed [happy]. You have heard of the perseverance of Job, and you know what the purpose of Yehovah was, that Yehovah is very compassionate and merciful [James 5:11].
How happy [asher] the person whom God corrects! So don’t despise Shaddai’s [the Almighty’s] discipline. For He wounds, but he bandages the sore; His hands may strike, but they also heal [Job 5:17-18].
There is power in contentment, to choose to be happy over sad, to “count your blessings one by one and see what God has done” in your life. Look not to others. Choose not to be discontent. We are created to worship Yehovah [Psalm 150]. This journey is “not about us but about Him”. We are here to glorify God:
Romans 11:36″ For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever! Amen”.
Once we submit our lives to Him, He fills us with the abundant life, the fatness, the #8, the ‘asher, happiness. Shalom
Sword of Triumph 