What can we learn from the tribe of Asher?
The tribe of Asher was one of the twelve tribes of Israel that descended from the sons of Jacob. Asher was the son of Jacob and Zilpah, the handmaid of Leah (Genesis 30:13). The name Asher means “happy” or “blessed.”
When Moses pronounced blessings on the tribes before his death, he said of Asher, “May he dip his foot in oil…may the bolts of your gates be iron and bronze, and your strength last as long as you live” (Deuteronomy 33:24-25 ESV). This blessing indicated that the tribe of Asher would be prosperous and secure in their land.
The inheritance of the tribe of Asher was in the western Galilee region, stretching along the Mediterranean coast from Mount Carmel to the city of Tyre. Their land was fertile and suitable for agriculture and growing olive trees. Deborah prophesied that the tribe of Asher would experience “rich food” in their land (Judges 5:17 ESV).
During the time of King David, the tribe of Asher was counted as having 26,000 valiant warriors (1 Chronicles 7:40 ESV). They lived on the northern border of Israel and helped provide defense against invaders coming from the Phoenician cities to the north. The Chronicler reported that the tribe of Asher had many skilled warriors and was able to hold its ground against the invading Philistines during the days of King Hezekiah (1 Chronicles 7:40 ESV).
The tribe of Asher, like the other northern tribes, seemed prone to falling into idolatry. After the kingdom divided, Asher was part of the northern kingdom of Israel. The prophets Hosea and Amos condemned the people of the northern kingdom for worshiping idols at Beth Aven and other high places (Hosea 4:15; 5:1; 10:8 ESV; Amos 4:1 ESV). But the tribe of Asher did contribute descendants like Anna the prophetess (Luke 2:36 ESV), who served the Lord faithfully.
What lessons can we learn from this northern tribe of Asher? Here are some key insights.
1. God desires to bless and prosper His people. The blessings promised on Asher picture the abundant life God wants for all of His people.
2. God also wants to give His people security and strength. Asher was promised military might to guard their territory. Spiritually, God wants to strengthen us to withstand spiritual attacks from the enemy.
3. Prosperity and security can lead to complacency. Asher seems to have become complacent in their fertile land of plenty. As a result, they were enticed by false gods and idols. We must guard our hearts in times of comfort and prosperity.
4. God values skilled service for His Kingdom. The warriors of Asher were noted for their skill in battle. We should seek to be skilled servants for God’s glory.
5. Idolatry will undermine the prosperity God intends. The idolatry of the northern tribes like Asher robbed them of God’s full blessing. We must be alert to subtle idols that promise prosperity and refuge apart from the true God.
6. Even when most people drift from God, a faithful remnant can stand strong. Anna of Asher never lost her devotion to the Lord. We can still live godly lives even when surrounded by ungodliness.
7. God is patient and forgiving with His people. Despite their idolatry, God did not utterly forsake the tribe of Asher. His love reaches out to restore repentant sinners.
These insights from Asher remind us of timeless spiritual truths for all believers. Though Asher ultimately drifted from the Lord, we can still glean lessons from their history recorded in Scripture. We serve a faithful God who desires to bless us, prosper us, strengthen us, and use us for His Kingdom. May we live in such a way that these blessing become evident in our walk with Christ.
The tribe of Asher provides some valuable perspectives for modern Christians. Though they struggled with idolatry, their story reinforces God’s patience, faithfulness and steadfast love. Asher’s inheritance of agricultural prosperity pictures the abundant life God offers. Their skilled warriors point to the importance of using our talents and abilities for God’s work. Asher provides a sobering warning about the dangers of complacency and drifting from the Lord. Yet even in their disobedience, God spared them from destruction and preserved a remnant like Anna. As we reflect on the tribe of Asher, we can praise God for His mercy and recommit ourselves to wholehearted service to Christ.
One of the main lessons we can take away from studying the tribe of Asher is the danger of complacency and drifting away from the Lord, especially during times of prosperity. The tribes of northern Israel in general fell into idolatry, likely because their wealth and comfortable lifestyles led them to become spiritually complacent. Rather than relying on God, they turned to false gods thinking that idolatry would preserve their prosperity. The book of Amos graphically warns the northern tribes, including Asher, against this complacency and idolatry which would lead to their ruin.
We need to be wary that in times of prosperity, wealth, and comfort, we do not become lax in our walk with God. Prosperity can sometimes blind us to our need for God. We start relying on our comfortable lifestyles rather than relying on the Lord and seeking Him wholeheartedly. The example of Asher reminds us that no matter our lot in life, we must keep our eyes fixed on the Lord. He alone is the source of true rest, prosperity and blessedness. We should consistently cultivate gratitude, devotion and reliance on Him.
Though the tribe of Asher struggled with idolatry and conformity to the ways of the wicked northern kingdom of Israel, their inheritance still reminds us of God’s great desire to generously bless His people. The land Asher inhabited was lush, fertile and renowned for its abundance of agricultural produce like olives and rich oils. This picture of prosperity points to God’s generous heart. He wants to lavishly bless His children even when we do not deserve it. Asher provides a glimpse of the “exceedingly abundantly above” blessings the Lord promises to His faithful people.
However, in order to experience the fullness of God’s blessing, Asher would have needed to walk in wholehearted obedience and reliance on the Lord. Though God showered prosperity on them, their idolatry hindered the full measure of what He desired for them. Likewise, God has amazing blessings in store for His people today, but we only experience His full abundance when we surrender everything to Him and give Him first place in our hearts. The example of Asher reminds us to remain steadfast in faith to enjoy the richness of fellowship with Christ.
As a northern tribe, Asher faced the constant threat of invasion and warfare. They lived in a vulnerable geographic location compared to tribes like Judah which were more inland and insulated. Therefore, Asher developed skillful warriors and remained vigilant against attack. God blessed them with strength and fortitude to stand their ground. There is a lesson here about the importance of remaining alert and on guard against spiritual attacks from the forces of darkness in this world.
As believers, we live behind enemy lines and need to constantly watch out for assaults from the devil. Like Asher, we can ask for and rely on God’s power to remain strong in the faith. We are blessed to have the full armor of God for protection, as described in Ephesians 6. By staying alert and equipping ourselves spiritually, we can stand firm just like the warriors of Asher did in the physical realm. The tribe’s example encourages us to take the spiritual battles seriously and utilize all the resources from God that ensure victory.
It is noteworthy that one of the most devout followers of Jesus mentioned in the New Testament, Anna the prophetess, came from the tribe of Asher. Though most of Asher fell into grievous sin and idolatry, God preserved a faithful remnant even from this rebellious tribe. Anna served God day and night in the temple with fasting and prayers. Her steadfast devotion ministered to many and she was one of the first to testify about Jesus as the promised Messiah.
The account of Anna encourages us that even if those around us are unfaithful, we can still choose to wholeheartedly serve the Lord and make an impact for His Kingdom. God uses faithful individuals like Anna to accomplish His will in each generation. Asher’s example reminds us that God always preserves a remnant people for Himself who follow Him with all their hearts. We can identify with Anna and those like her who stand as beacons of light amidst the darkness. Their courage compels us onward in our walk with God.
Perhaps one of the most sobering lessons we learn from Asher’s history is the seriousness of idolatry and the danger of falling away from the Lord. Though God desires to richly bless His people, Asher’s idolatry hindered them from receiving all that God intended for them. They compromised and conformed to the wicked culture around them which tolerated idolatry and syncretism. In forsaking the Lord, Asher positioning itself for judgment, though God had been incredibly patient.
Could we be tolerating “respectable” idols in our lives today that we excuse but which displace God from His rightful place? Career ambition, chasing wealth, sports obsessions, seeking social media fame, and technology addictions can all become idols that undermine wholehearted devotion to Christ. Asher stands as a warning that we must eliminate all rivals to Jesus’ lordship. We should examine our hearts for any priorities that might supplant God. Then rely on His grace to realign our lives to His purposes.
The name Asher means “happy” or “blessed”, which is a reminder of the delight, comfort, and abundance God desires for His people. Even though the tribe of Asher failed to walk in God’s ways at times, He still guided them and gave them a blessed inheritance in the Promised Land. Similarly, God wants each of us to live blessed, happy, and spiritually prosperous lives as we follow His ways. Through faith in Christ, we have an “Asher experience” of delight available to us. As we walk closely with God each day and surrender everything to His leadership, we align ourselves to receive the fullness of blessing that He promises.
Asher’s inheritance near the Mediterranean coast was prime land for agriculture and growing olive trees. This speaks to us of how God longs to plant His people in places where we can be fruitful and prosperous for His Kingdom. He has promised abundant spiritual crops and harvests for those who sow according to His principles of righteousness and justice. As long as Asher followed the Lord, they experienced great fruitfulness and provision. But they limited their blessings by tolerating idolatry and sin. Their example reminds us to remain firmly planted in the Lord so we can bear fruit to the glory of God. He desires to cultivate spiritual prosperity in and through us.
The tribe of Asher serves as a crossroads in the history of Israel. They inherited abundant blessings yet lived on the edge of wicked influences. They possessed mighty warriors yet also fell into times of idolatry. They received a fruitful land yet failed to walk in the full light God provided them. In many ways, Asher encapsulates both the amazing blessings of following the Lord as well as the consequences of drifting away from Him. For these reasons, the tribe of Asher serves as a relevant object lesson for modern readers. There are profound risks and rewards for us as well. How will we choose to respond? By God’s grace, may we learn from Asher’s mistakes and fully embrace the Lord through faith in Christ so that God’s purposes are accomplished in and through us.
Perhaps one of the clearest lessons from the tribe of Asher is that following the Lord wholeheartedly leads to blessing, fruitfulness and prosperity. When summarizing the various tribes of Israel and commenting on Asher in particular, Moses said, “Blessed above sons be Asher; let him be the favorite of his brothers, and let him dip his foot in oil…” (Deuteronomy 33:24 ESV). Then Moses declared, “There is none like God, O Jeshurun, who rides through the heavens to your help, through the skies in his majesty” (Deuteronomy 33:26 ESV). In context, we see that faithfully following the Lord brings immense blessing and prosperity, because He is the only true God who cares for His people and lavishes good gifts upon them.
Likewise for us today, as we maintain an intimate relationship with Christ, walking in His ways through the power of the Holy Spirit, we will experience the richness of His blessings. He will cause us to prosper and be fruitful in every good work. Our heavenly Father wants to bless His children and see us enjoy the abundant life found in Jesus Christ. The example of Asher reminds us of the joy, fulfillment, and prosperity that coming to God on His terms provides. May we follow the Lord wholeheartedly so that His intended blessings flow through our lives.
Overall, by looking at the example of the tribe of Asher, both their successes and their failures, we can gain some valuable perspectives for our walk with God today. When they followed the Lord, Asher experienced the delight, prosperity, and security that comes from trusting in God’s favor. Yet they also demonstrated the folly and consequences of complacency giving way to idolatry. Asher’s history in the Promised Land reinforces many spiritual truths.
As modern day Christians, the lessons from Asher encourage us to rely completely on Christ, value God’s abundant blessings, remain vigilant against idolatry, serve God with our talents and abilities, stand firm in spiritual battles, and delight in the joy of fellowship with God. By adhering closely to these lessons, we will live in the “Asher experience” of blessedness that comes from wholehearted reliance on the Lord and His unfailing grace.
