When baby Asher was born, Leah was happy. When baby Jesus was born, Anna from Asher was happy.
Asher means “blessed” or “happy,” and the territory given to this tribe was a blessing indeed (Jos 19:24-31). Both Jacob and Moses spoke of a potentially bright future for this tribe. “Bread from Asher shall be rich, and he shall yield royal dainties” (Gen 49:20). “Asher is most blessed of sons; let him be favored by his brothers…as your days, so shall your strength be” (Deut 33:24-25). But blessings offered by the Lord must be secured by faith, or we never enjoy them. Such was the history of Asher. They were given a large swath of mountains from Carmel up into Lebanon, running parallel to the Mediterranean coast. There the land rises from sea level to mountain peaks of 6,600–9,800 feet (2,000–3,000 m) in less than 25 miles (40 km). The terrain is ideal for guerilla warfare, as modern history has proven. However, east of this range is the Bekaa Valley, an extremely fertile flatland about ten miles wide, protected on both sides by mountains. It seemed to be ideal territory for the Israelites to capture and hold, yet the men of Asher never capitalized on its prospects. “Nor did Asher drive out the inhabitants of Acco or the inhabitants of Sidon, or of Ahlab, Achzib, Helbah, Aphik, or Rehob. So the Asherites dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land; for they did not drive them out” (Jdg 1:31-32). But wait! Would you like to meet a happy Asherite? “There was one, Anna…of the tribe of Asher” (Lk 2:36). She’d certainly had her mountain and valley experiences! A widow for many years, yet “she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption” (v 38). She had found the two-fold secret! Speak to the Lord in thanks, and speak of the Lord in testimony—that’s the formula for HAPPY.