Gen 36:6 And Esau took his wives, and his sons, and his daughters, and all the persons of his house, and his cattle, and all his beasts, and all his substance, which he had got in the land of Canaan; and went into the country from the face of his brother Jacob.

Genesis 36 is a detail account of the descendants of Esau. It is not an interesting chapter. The only words familiar in this chapter are perhaps Esau and Edom. Esau is Edom (v.8). What lessons are there for us in this chapter? 1. It informs us where the Edomites came from.  Esau is the father of the Edomites in Mount Seir (v.9). We will never know who the Edomites were if we don’t have the generations of Edom recorded here. 2. God is faithful in keeping to His promises. We see the promises of God concerning Esau fulfilled. In giving Esau the leftovers, Isaac said: “Behold, thy dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above; And by thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother” (Genesis 27:39, 40). Esau was promised great earthly prosperity. This chapter shows us how completely it was fulfilled: “For their riches were more than that they might dwell together; and the land wherein they were strangers could not bear them because of their cattle” (v.7). God is faithful. 3. We see the unbelievers tend to be more successful in this world. Moses wrote here: “And these are the kings that reigned in the land of Edom, before there reigned any king over the children of Israel” (v.31). The Edomites were a great nation. They grew and prospered long before Israel became a nation. They had kings long before Israel appointed its first king. If you envy the unbelievers who are rich and ask why we Christians are not as them, fret not, for David said: “Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased; For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away: his glory shall not descend after him. Though while he lived he blessed his soul: and men will praise thee, when thou doest well to thyself. He shall go to the generation of his fathers; they shall never see light” (Psalm 49:16-19). They trust in riches that will corrupt. They shall bring nothing yonder and they shall not see light. 4. Be patient with God’s promises. Jacob had the promises. If he were to compare his family with Esau then, he would be asking God if He had made a mistake and blessed the wrong people. And, this is where faith comes in: Faith caused him to wait on God. Faith should cause us to wait on God’s promises to be fulfilled in us. God’s delay serves for the trial and strengthening of faith: “Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience” (James 1:3). Faith grows by enduring trial. 5. Esau left Canaan (v.6). Esau and Jacob parted ways and Esau went to mount Seir. Canaan was the Promised Land. Esau would have heard from his father about God’s promise to give this land to his ancestor Abraham and his descendants (Genesis 13:14, 15). But Esau chose to leave Canaan’s land. Are we on the road to Canaan? I like the hymn, To Canaan’s land I’m on my way. Christ has promised us a mansion in heaven (John 14:1-3). Unfortunately, some have decided they are not going to collect the keys to that mansion. How about you? Is your mansion up there?