Happy
Part I

Read Time: 9 Minutes

Definition:
1. delighted, pleased, or glad, as over a particular thing,
2. characterized by or indicative of pleasure, contentment, or joy.

I can name off many times that I have been happy. There are many things that make me happy. There are even varying degrees of happiness. But that which really tickles my fancy is happiness that I experience at the hand of God our Father. I have seen the word "happy" in the bible a few times, but not often, so I wanted to see what God had to say about being happy. I am particularly interested in the God provided happiness.

One of the earliest records in the Word of God where 'happy' is used is when Moses, by inspiration, delivered a blessing from God to Israel prior to his death.

Deuteronomy 33
:26 There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun,
        who rideth upon the heaven in thy help,
        and in his excellency on the sky.
:27 The eternal God is thy refuge,
    and underneath are the everlasting arms:
    and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee;
    and shall say, Destroy them.
:28 Israel then shall dwell in safety alone:
    the fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine;
    also his heavens shall drop down dew.
:29 Happy art thou, O Israel:
    who is like unto thee,
        O people saved by the LORD,
    the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency!
    and thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee;
    and thou shalt tread upon their high places.

The same God that provided for Israel is my God. I am happy that I know the most high God who is my refuge, whose everlasting arms support me and remove my enemies from before me. I am happy that God protects me and supplies all of my needs. Jehovah has saved me and is my shield and help, my enemies now fall before me.

The same Hebrew word for happy, esher, is also translated blessed. Aha! We are quite happy then; there are 42 occurrences of the Hebrew word esher translated 'happy' and 'blessed' in the KJV Old Testament and a lot of them pertain to God's blessings upon man. So here are some of the reasons we are blessed/happy.

Psalms 1
:1  Blessed [esher] is the man that walketh not in the counsel for the way of sinners,
    nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
:2  But his delight is in the law of the Lord;
    and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
:3  And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water,
    that bringeth forth his fruit in his season;
    his leaf also shall not wither;
    and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

When we delight ourselves in God's Word we are happy, we are blessed. God gives us this great analogy. I can just picture this in my mind. During the hot dry spell of the summer the grasses turn brown and all the green bushes get dull and are stressed but the trees by the canal, those great cottonwoods, reach with great strength towards the heavens because their roots are well nourished and water is always available. We are that way; when we delight ourselves in God's Word we are nourished, and made strong, and we drink from the fountain of living water. When troubles or persecution arise we are always strong and upright.

We are beginning to see that the 'happy', that our Father provides is a bit deeper then the 'happy' that we experience from the world's pleasures. Blessed is truly a better translation.

Psalm 84
:4 Blessed [esher] are they that dwell in thy house:
    they will be still praising thee. Selah.
:5 Blessed [esher] is the man whose strength is in thee;
    in whose heart are the ways [macillah - thy high road] of them.
:6 Who passing through the valley of Baca [weeping] make it a well; [a place of springs]
    the rain [the early rain] also filleth the pools.

Ahh, to dwell in God's house, to be part of His family, we sing praises to be here. We are blessed when we recognize where our strength comes from, and our heart is pointed to God's highway, even though we may at times pass through the valley of weeping God brings forth what we need to recover and prosper. The springs and early rains were necessary for life to continue.

God not only can bless us individually but as a nation.

Psalms 33
:8  Let all the earth fear [reverence and respect] the Lord:
    let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.
:9  For he spake, and it was done;
    he commanded, and it stood fast.
:10  The Lord bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought:
    he maketh the devices of the people of none effect.
:11  The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever,
        the thoughts of his heart to all generations.
:12  Blessed [esher] is the nation whose God is the Lord:  
    and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.

Our nations can be blessed when God is their Lord. When the people of the land return to the one true God they are prospered and the nation reaps the benefits. When the Children of Israel were carried away to Babylon there were some people that kept God in their hearts and maintained His Word in their conviction. They were surrounded by Gentiles and idolatry, yet they remained faithful to God and guarded the Word in their hearts. The effect of the stand for God that Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, Esther, Mordecai, and Ezra (and probably many others) took effected the entire nation of Babylon through the reign of three kings. God blessed the nation when the kings, Nebuchadnezzar, Darius, and Cyrus, recognized God as the one true God. (see footnote for corresponding teachings) God blessed the nation of Babylon by protecting Babylon from enemies and prospering them. The inhabitants were able to lead a good life free from war and with abundance.  Let us continue reading in Psalms, it talks about the ability of a king.

:13 The LORD looketh from heaven;
    he beholdeth all the sons of men.
:14 From the place of his habitation he looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth.
:15 He fashioneth their hearts alike;
    he considereth all their works.
:16 There is no king saved by the multitude of an host:
    a mighty man is not delivered by much strength.
:17 An horse is a vain thing for safety:
    neither shall he deliver any by his great strength.

God is the one who always delivered the kings and the children of Israel. It was never by the strength of their armies and great number of soldiers. Horses represent the might of a king, the more horses or mounted armies they had the stronger they were. Yet it is a vain thing because God is the deliverer.

:18 Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear [reverence and respect] him,
    upon them that hope in his mercy;
:19 To deliver their soul from death,
    and to keep them alive in famine.
:20 Our soul waiteth for the LORD:
    he is our help and our shield.
:21 For our heart shall rejoice in him,
    because we have trusted in his holy name.
:22 Let thy mercy, O LORD, be upon us,
    according as we hope in thee.

The nation is blessed when they make God their Lord, and their strength is not in their armies but in God.

Several times God has told us to trust Him. The result is being blessed, happy God's way.

Psalms 40
:1 I waited patiently for the LORD;
    and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.
:2 He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay,
    and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.
:3 And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God:
    many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.
:4 Blessed [esher] is that man that maketh the LORD his trust,
    and respecteth not the proud,
    nor such as turn aside to lies.
:5 Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done,
    and thy thoughts which are to us-ward:
        they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee:
        if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.

Blessed is that man that makes the Lord his trust. Oh how wonderful are the works He has done. Without God I would not be alive. Without God I would not have three wonderful kids. Without God I would not live where I do in a great house and enjoy the health that I have. Without God my husband would have died before we met.

Psalms 128
:1  Blessed [esher] is every one that feareth [reverence and respect] the LORD;
    that walketh in his ways.
:2 For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands:
    happy [esher] shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee.

Blessed and happy are the same Hebrew word esher. To reverence God and live according to His Word will result in happiness God's way, being blessed, you will profit from your labor, and it shall be well with you.

____________

Teachings regarding the carrying away to Babylon,