(Chapter 10)

"Asher"

Asher was the eighth son of Jacob and the second son of Zilpah, which in itself indicates some of the earmarks of the nature of Asher. Eight is the number of new beginnings, and two is the number of witness. Putting the two figures together, you arrive at the meaning of a "witness of a new beginning." Those of the Tribe of Asher always bear within themselves the witness of a new beginning. They are not people who give up readily or lose hope easily. They are always assured that there is a new beginning beyond their complete failures. They are convinced that there is a daybreak after their dark night of trail and a rainbow of promise in their every storm.

The name ASHER means HAPPY and this very meaning goes along with what we have already said of Asher. Aherites are not happy because they have everything they want or because every prayer is answered according to their thinking or because they have pleasant surroundings. Their happiness springs from deep within and they rejoice in the Lord their God in spite of all hard situations in which they find themselves. Their joy is an inward disposition that looks above and beyond the momentary irritations and troubles to behold the hand of God working in sovereignty.

Jacob prophesied in Gen 49:20,

Notice the opening words of this prophecy--OUT OF ASHER. We have already mentioned that Asher has an inward joy and hope which flows out to those around him. Out of the abundance of Asher's heart there flows bread which is fat.

In Matt. 4:4 you will see that Jesus compares the Word of God to bread for He said,

The bread that comes out of Asher is the Word of God. The word 'fat' literally means oily or anointed. The Asherites who are being matured of God have the blessed reality of having the Word of God come forth from out of them with the anointing of God upon it. These Asherites are not just hearers of the Word but the Word is a living force within them which bears them through the trying places with confidence. And when it comes forth out of them with the anointing and blessing of God it becomes real even to others.

Asherites have this rare quality of having joy and hope and faith even in the dark places. In addition the Word of God is so real to them that they believe it even if others don't. And when they speak the Word out of themselves, it is not only with a calm assurance but with the oil of the Holy Spirit on it.

Jacob further said that Asher "shall yield royal dainties."

The word YIELD comes from the Hebrew word NATHAN which means to GIVE--give without restraint, without stinting, without being asked. What the royal dainties that Asher gives is the word. ROYAL literally means KINGLY or OF THE KING. The word 'DAINTIES' it is more easily understood from the primitive root of the Hebrew which means SOFT or PLEASANT. Harshness is not a part of a true Asherite's nature, but they yield, as fruit in season, the pleasantness and softness of the King of Kings.

Moses, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, said of Asher in Deut. 33:24-25,

The first part of this blessing upon Asher has to do with children, literally, SONS, mature sons, or we could go even further and say "sonship." There are many who have children who are not blessed with them, but rather such are a heartbreak to them, but this is not so with Asher. The promise of God to Asher is that he shall produce sons, mature sons, grown-up sons. This in the natural looks like an impossibility to everyone but it is not, for God's promise is true. Then shall there be a blending together of the soft nature of Asher, the more boisterous nature of Judah and Gad, and the more judging nature of Dan, and the more worshipful nature of Levi. God shall blend and cause to flow together the various natures of the various tribes until not only Asher but every tribe shall be acceptable to every other tribe.

Now comes the statement that gives us the key to Asher's position in Israel as represented by the figure of a man: "let him dip his foot in oil." The Hebrew word for oils is Shemen and means to shine. Anything that is oily is shiny. Oil is a type f the anointing to the Holy Spirit and for Asher to dip his foot in oil speaks of his walk being anointed of God. If a person dips his foot in oil and then walks there is going to be a trail wherever he goes, for he will leave the mark of oil everywhere he steps.

This does not mean that Asherites do a lot of talking or so-called witnessing, but their very walk of life is anointed of God. Which is something which cannot be hidden from the eyes of others. We can plainly see that Asher belongs in the feet of Israel because Asher moves along quietly and joyfully in the anointed walk before God and men.

Paul said in Romans 10:15,

The next statement further confirms Asher's position, "Thy shoes shall be iron and brass."

When the anointed foot is shod, the shoes become anointed also. Asher's shoes are to be of iron and brass--iron meaning strength and brass meaning judgment. Asher's nature is not to judge anyone, but Asher's very walk before God beings judgment upon people. This is not vindictive judgment but judgment unto life. This very judgment is anointed in such a manner that many do not even realize it is judgment at all. Asher is granted to walk in shoes of iron and strength unto which an anointed foot has been placed and which speaks of the strength of God being granted unto him.

The last phrase of Moses' blessing on Asher is one that has been quoted over and over again and which has been a real blessing to many, "As thy days, so shall thy strength be." God grants unto His Asherites that enviable quality of walking a day at a time in the strength of God. They do not try to cope with tomorrow's problems until tomorrow comes. They know there will be the strength of God for whatever the day holds in store. This quiet confidence sees them through each day regardless of its pressures or its joys.

A bit of Asher's history is interesting here. Asherites helped Gideon in his fight against the Midianites. They also came to David in Hebron to make him King. And they came to keep the Passover under the reign of Hezekiah when the King sought to bring Israel back to God. Always at a time of crisis you will find the God-elected Aherites on the side of righteousness. They may have to contend along with Gideon against Median which means STRIFE for Asherites hate strife as they hate poison.

They also recognize God's man, like David, and they will go to all lengths to see that God's man comes into his God-given position. They likewise are ever on the job when the restoration of God's order of worship is to be accomplished. These favored Asherites who walk with hope, joy, and peace are always on hand when God is about to bring forth His purpose on earth.

When Mary and Joseph brought the infant Jesus into the Temple where Simeon prophesied over Him there was one Anna a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the Tribe of Asher. She was of a great age and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity. She was a widow of eighty four years and never left the temple but worshipped night and day, fasting and praying. Anna come in while Simeon was prophesying over the infant Jesus, and she recognized the Christ and gave forth thanks. When she saw the baby she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.

True Aherites recognize what God is doing even when it is in its infancy and true to their nature they give thanks for it knowing the fruition of the small beginning is sure. And being assured of what God is doing they will be quick to tell it to those who are looking for God's redemption in Jerusalem. She didn't tell those who were not looking for looking because it would be like casting pearls before swine. She only spoke to those who were ready to hear it. Asherites speak a word in season to those who have ears to hear but otherwise keeps the secrets of God tucked quietly away in their heart.

7. The gate of Asher is the ninth gate of the Holy City. If you experience the ninth gate on your way into the City, you will be content in every circumstance. This contentment comes from a peace within you from the Christ nature. The proof of this contentment within is the flow of worship. It is not natural to be content. The world is going crazy with fear and worry and doubt and unbelief. In the midst of all this, God is preparing a people with the spirit of Asher and a City so the nations can walk in the light of the nature that God is producing in them.God is releasing in us His nature and we are learning to be content with every circumstance we are faced with. You won't hear us Asherites gripping and complaining about it.

Principal There is no prison door, there is no chain, there is no circumstance that can bind a nature. God is wanting us to come into a walk where we can be absolutely content in every circumstance.

Paul says in II Tim. 2:10,

Paul said in Romans 8:38-39,

Jesus had passed through Gate 9, Asher, and he understood what real joy was all about. Jesus was the happiest man who ever lived. Because Jesus loved righteousness and hated wickedness He was anointed of God with the oil of joy. We have been told about Jesus that He was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. But it was your grief He was acquainted with, because He didn't have any!

Those who are walking in Him, who have passed through Asher, are burdened with your grief's, not theirs. Simply, because they don't have any. They are content. You see, if I cast all my care upon him, I don't have any. The purpose for the Asher experience in Jesus is so you can lay aside all your grief's and care and devote your time to being an intercessor for others. An intercessor is one who has a burden for another and is free to spend their time praying for someone else.

There are people who have walked through this gate and they are happy. We are beginning to see what happens as the remnant stands up stands up and declares to everyone that we can't be destroyed because, I am. I cannot be worried, because I am. I cannot be anything else but happy, because I am. I am always content, because I am.

The world and most Christians can't understand someone like us. That is OK because the nature of I am is being developed in them and they will come to know that all is well despite the circumstance. We who have passed through this Ninth Gate have been delivered from worry and once we get this far in our maturing process, nothing will get the best of us because we know who we are.

There will flow from the man who has walked through the experience of Asher, a rich ministry to the body of Christ.

Jesus said in Jn. 7:37, "Out of your belly shall flow rivers of living water."

Proverbs 15:15 says, "All the days of the oppressed are wretched, but the cheerful heart has a continual feast."

If you have come through Asher, you have a merry heart. Proverbs 17:22 says, "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine."

There is a healing ministry coming out of Asher and is binding up the wounds in the body of Christ. As we have seen in Gen 49:20 it says, "He will provide (or yield) delicacies fit for a king."

Who stood up in the midst of the storm and said, "Be of good cheer!" Jesus ! Those who are worried, "Cheer up!" God is love. There is no fear and no worry in love. What does perfect love do to fear and worry? Casts them out.

Asher was the eleventh stone on the breastplate. The stone Asher was engraved on is an onyx stone. There were two stones on the shoulders of the high priest as well as the twelve on the breastplate. The two stones that were on the shoulders of the high priest had engraved six tribes on each stone and were onyx stones. Onyx is the color of flesh.

God is looking for some shoulders in this man he is creating that he can put government on. He is looking for some people who are responsible to rule.

Do you know why Asher fell from the eighth place to the eleventh place on the breastplate? Because he didn't share that happiness. Asherites of today don't allow your inheritance to slip away because you fail to take the time to share your happiness with others.

Asher, was prophesied to have ministry flow out of him and to give unto others that which would bring pleasure and delight to them. But when called upon in the time of war, the time for battle, he did not respond. He said, "Go fight the enemy yourselves." "I'm content to stay home." "Why should we get involved in that, anyway?" "Let someone else do it." "We are too busy maintaining the status quo!"

Jesus was content and happy before we came along. Why did he want to mess with us? He didn't have to get involved. But praise God He did. The reason why He did is explained by His nature. His nature is love and to love is to give oneself to another.

As we have seen, Moses said of Asher, "Most blessed of sons, is Asher,"

Asher, because of his happy, contented nature will be highly blessed among his brethren. They will respect him and favor him because of his happy, loving, giving nature. His immature brothers, however, are envious and jealous of him because he is blessed and they can't understand why. Because they will not allow the loving, giving nature of God to flow out of them. They are takers.

If you get this far into the city there will be people who envy you. There will be people who will want to condemn you and make you as miserable as they are. There will be those who will want you to come and feel sorry for them and want you to mourn with them because they have it so rough. We are certainly supposed to have compassion on those who are having difficult times. However, there is a big difference between those who have no desire to change their circumstances and those who truly need help.

Let us summarize these thoughts on Asher: Asher's position is in the feet where his foot is dipped in oil, or the anointing of the Holy Spirit. He is of a joyful nature in spite of present circumstances. Hope fills his breast knowing that a new day will dawn. Asher is always present at times of spiritual crisis and puts his shoulder to the wheel to do what he can. He sees the embryonic formation of God's moving and rejoices therein and speaks with assurance to those who have ears to hear.

O Asher, blessed is your position in Israel and your nature in God! You shall be recognized in these momentous days and cherished for your unique p leasantness and faith.