A humbled and open heart is fertile soil for God’s seeds of wisdom to be planted. Establishing deeper roots requires analyzing God’s word to discover truths, values, and lessons for application to our lives. Periodically, a scripture or passage calls for further exploration, like Genesis 36.
Our Deeper Roots passage in Genesis shows worldly greatness comes swifter than spiritual greatness, but endurance yields spiritual blessings. Our scripture selection begins with a recounting of the descendants of Esau. Esau had three wives with foreign backgrounds and five sons as a result of those marriages. Due to limited resources in Canaan, Esau settled in the hill country. There he and his descendants grew into a great nation. As the lineage is discussed, we see kings or rulers with direct ties to Esau.
When lineages are discussed, there are important observations that can be made. In Chapter 36, we see where Esau married women that came from the Hittites and Hivites, which was looked down upon and caused strife with his parents. He also married one of Ishmael’s daughters. Ishmael was the older brother of Isaac, who was the result of Sarah offering up her servant to Abraham. Esau joined himself with those who were outside of the covenant given to Abraham and Isaac. Then, he moved out to the hill country, Seir, because Canaan was not big enough for him and his brother Jacob (Israel). This act is the fulfillment of the ‘blessing’ that his father Isaac gave him after Jacob tricked him out of his birthright. As we read further, we see the growth of the descendants of Esau, also known as the Edomites. There are numerous references to rulers and kings, which indicates a level of wealth and status had been acquired.
Esau’s descendants experienced swift worldly greatness. They operated outside of the covenant and still experienced growth. Yet, they lacked one thing, the promise of God. As time progressed, they were eventually dominated by the Israelites. Thus fulfilling the promise given to their mother, Rebekah. The older would serve the younger.
It can be challenging to wait, and waiting while others prosper is even more difficult, but waiting while others experience prosperity is a test. It’s a reminder to remember the promise. Receiving a spiritual blessing requires patience and faith. Keep that in mind, even when others are seemingly glowing up all around. The blessing is coming, just wait on it.