January 13th Readings

Today's readings from the Chronological Plan are from Genesis 36:1-19, 1 Chronicles 1:35-37, Genesis 36:20-30, 1 Chronicles 1:38-42, Genesis 36:31-43, 1 Chronicles 1:43 - 2:2. You can read the passages online by clicking here. If you find it to be distracting to flip back and forth so much - simply read Genesis 36 and then 1 Chronicles 1:35-2:2. If you'd prefer to read it this way online you can click here.

I am excited about this passage of scripture!

Assuming you've read the passage, I bet that was not how you expected this post to start. And, if we went by my original feelings after reading this chapter, you'd be right! Just another boring genealogy. What in the world am I going to say about this chapter?! And this is exactly the reason I am so excited to be on this journey with you. Before, I would've read it, thought it was boring and left it at that. Now, because I had to write something about this chapter, I decided to try to find something at least somewhat interesting to say about it.

And guess what?! I found it! Click here if you're interested in reading the entire commentary.

If God thought the genealogy of Esau was important enough to be in the Bible, then there must a reason it's there and there must be something we can learn from it as well.

Here are four reasons given in the commentary....

To record the fulfillment of God’s promises to Esau. Despite the fact that Esau forfeited his birthright and blessing, God ensured that he would have his own identity, nation, and family history (17:5-7). God is a faithful God that can be trusted to keep His promises.

To protect the descendents of Esau. The first readers of this chapter were the Israelites who were about to cross over the Jordan River to possess the land of Canaan and to annihilate the Canaanites (Deut 1:8, 20:16-18). There were, however, some people who were not to be attacked or annihilated. Among those whom God protected were a people called the Edomites, the descendants of Esau (Deut 2:2-5). And so, to prevent this command from being violated, it was essential for those Israelites of Moses’ day to know who the Edomites were and to have a carefully documented record of the generations of Esau.

To prove that the Messiah would come from a particular family. The biblical genealogies include some people and eliminate others, ultimately stopping at the only remaining branch of the family of David. This is the family that Jesus was born into. All of the genealogies help include and exclude those who will be a part of His line. Note: In the early first century, no one attempted to deny the claim that Jesus was a descendant of David. There were clear records kept until A.D. 70 and the destruction of Jerusalem. Thus, the foundation stands as sure today.

To remind us that every person counts in God’s eyes. Someone else’s genealogy may not be of any interest to you, but to the people and families it represents, it is precious. Each of these names represents the life of a man or woman—individuals made in the image of God who had hopes, dreams, and aspirations just like you and me.

Sounds like four good reasons to me!

And there's more that we can learn from this passage. Who knew genealogies could be so enlightening?

Success in the eyes of the world does not equal success in the eyes of God. This passage tells us that Esau married Canaanite women. First off, he shouldn't have married a Canaanite woman, and secondly he shouldn't have married more than one woman! God's design for marriage was clear in the Garden of Eden. There was Adam and Eve and they clung to each other. There was no Eva or Evette, just Eve.

According to the names of his wives, Esau chose according to looks.

• Adah (“ornament,” “the adorned one”),
• Oholibamah (“tent height,” i.e., “tall, stately”),
• Basemath (“the perfumed one”)

Yes, we need to be attracted to our spouse, but that should not be the reason we marry them. And it certainly shouldn't be a condition of loving them after we marry them!

To Esau's credit, this passage shows us that he was generous and not greedy. He was willing to move once his and Jacob's possessions became to big for the area they were living. He seemed to accept that Canaan belonged to Jacob as God had said.

We need to also remember that God's ways often seem so confusing to us because we're looking at them through the lens of society. According to society, Esau had the better family tree. He had 5 sons while Rachel struggled with fertility (as did Rebekah and Sarah before her), his descendants were chiefs and and kings, while Jacob's sons remained lowly shepherds for generations.

It's often how it seems to us nowadays as well - the world seems to be winning while God's people are losing. But political power and power with God are two different things. We will reign with Christ someday, but we have to remember to wait patiently for God's timing.

Consider this quote...

While Esau’s descendants were mighty chieftains, famous in their day, Jacob’s descendants were down in Egypt, enslaved to Pharaoh. By Moses’ day (over 400 years later), Israel was a fledgling nation of slaves, recently escaped from Egypt, owning no land of their own. Edom was an established kingdom that had the power to refuse Israel passage over their land. But this tour through Genesis 36 shows us that God, not man, writes the final chapter of history. These once-famous names don’t mean a thing to our world today, but Israel’s name is in the news almost daily. These men, successful by the world’s measure, passed off the scene and were soon forgotten as others clamored to take their place. Today, we don’t know anything more about them than is written here. Fame is a fleeting thing. The Edomite race endured until the time of Christ, when they were known as Idumeans. They disappeared from history in A.D. 70, when Jerusalem was destroyed.

Was Esau a believer? It's hard to say. It is possible - he did extend forgiveness to Jacob, and he submitted to God's plan by leaving Canaan to Jacob. But whether you are a believer or an unbeliever, it's possible for you to waste your life on things that don't matter - power and prestige included.

Esau didn't seem to have a need for God. He was wealthy, he had beautiful wives and several sons. He was a success! Abraham, Isaac and Jacob absolutely needed God. They certainly weren't fulfilling the prophecy by their own efforts.

God is a faithful God who can be trusted to keep His promises - and that is just as true for us today as it was then.

God is the source of our strength, God is the one we can rely on, it's not about us, it's all about God and His glory.

YOU are important to God and He remembers you. It doesn't matter how many generations came before and how many are yet to come, He knows you by name. Not only does He know you by name, He knows every hair on your head! It doesn't matter whether you are the Queen of England, or the poorest soul in Africa. It doesn't matter if your name is known to millions of people or to only your friends, family & aquaintances. It doesn't matter if your name is in the history books, or if your memory will disappear within a few generations. What matters is this - God knows your name. Your life matters to God. God remembers you! And the only book you need your name written in is the Lamb's Book of Life!

Under closer scrutiny, this passage certainly teaches us a lot more than meets the eye at first glance!

Tomorrow's readings are Genesis 37:1-38:30, 1 Chronicles 2:3-6,8, Genesis 39:1-23. Click here to read this passage online. To read without flipping, read Genesis 37-39 and 1 Chronicles 2:3-6,8. Click here to read it this way online.