Daily Devotions
Genesis
"You are near, O Lord, And all Your commandments are truth." Psalm 119:151
Text: Genesis 36:1-43
THE RICHNESS OF THE LORD’S BLESSINGS
Yes, the Lord had promised to bless! But just how rich was the blessing outpoured? The following text gives us a glimpse of the abundance of blessing the Lord poured out on both Esau and Jacob.
“Then Esau took his wives, his sons, his daughters, and all
the persons of his household, his cattle and all his animals,
and all his goods which he had gained in the land of Canaan, and
went to a country away from the presence of his brother Jacob.
For their possessions were too great for them to dwell together,
and the land where they were strangers could not support them
because of their livestock. So Esau dwelt in Mount Seir.
Esau is Edom.” GENESIS 36:6-8“Their possessions were too great for them to dwell together”
This is the first statement that described that both brothers were greatly blessed by the Lord, not just one!
“The land where they were strangers could not support them because of their livestock”
Their livestock had grown so huge that the land had trouble supporting them. Flocks and herds need plenty of grazing ground. If both had large flocks and herds, wisdom dictates that one must give way to the other.
“So Esau dwelt in Mount Seir”
Esau and Jacob were now happily reconciled. Esau no longer felt threatened by Jacob. He wanted his brother to thrive as much as he had. Esau had already established himself in Edom before Jacob returned to Canaan. It did not seem too difficult a task for him to allow Jacob to settle down in Canaan while he developed his position in the land of Edom.
“Esau is Edom”
This statement must be carefully interpreted. How may we read this statement?
1. Esau had established himself in Edom as a powerful presence
There were tribes existing in Edom prior to his entrance into the land (Genesis 36:20-29). But over time, Esau exerted a powerful presence there.
2. Esau became the leading power in Edom
With time, Esau had become the leading tribe in the land of Edom! The past history of Edom was eclipsed with the presence of Esau and his sons (Genesis 36:9-19). Esau’s sons had become powerful chieftains in the land of Edom (Genesis 36:40-43). The Lord’s promise that Esau would become a nation was fulfilled!