Do Not Envy the Kings of the World

Genesis 36, 1 Chronicles 1

Dear saints, yesterday in Genesis 35, we saw Jacob go up to Bethel and experience a spiritual revival. But then, all of a sudden, the Bible shines a spotlight on Esau’s story for the entire 36th chapter.

Reading through this genealogy, we might ask ourselves, "Why did God record the family tree of Esau—who seems to have been cast aside—in such great detail?" Well, there is a solemn message and deep insight from God for us right here.

1. The Back of the One Leaving: Choosing Abundance Over the Promise

Look at Genesis 36:7. The reason Esau left Canaan and went to the hill country of Seir was that "their possessions were too great for them to live together." On the surface, it looks similar to when Abraham and Lot parted ways. But the essence is completely different. Esau has absolutely no lingering attachment to the "Promised Land" (Canaan). To him, the most important thing was "maintaining and increasing my possessions."

People today often "leave" God not because they deny His existence, but because He gets in the way of their prosperity and comfort. Esau loved a bowl of stew more than God's birthright, and now, he chooses a spacious land to feed his livestock over the land of the covenant. This is the typical pattern of unbelief.

2. Worldly Success Happens Fast (The Fast Growth of Weeds)

1 Chronicles 1:43 is a painful record. "These were the kings who reigned in Edom before any king reigned over the Israelites." You need to underline this verse. While Jacob’s descendants were living as slaves in Egypt and wandering through the wilderness, Esau’s descendants had already set up "kings" and built a powerful nation.

We often feel skeptical about our faith. "God, I am struggling so hard to live by Your Word, so why am I still in the wilderness? Look at them—they are winning and succeeding without You; they’ve already become kings!"

But remember this: Weeds grow faster than oak trees. Kingdoms of the world are built quickly and look flashy because they are made by human strength. But God’s Kingdom takes time because it is about true, eternal life growing. Edom got their kings quickly, but they disappeared from history. Israel got their king slowly, but at the end of that lineage came the "King of Kings, Jesus Christ."

3. The Seed of Compromise: Amalek

There is a ticking time bomb hidden in Esau’s genealogy. It is "Amalek" (Genesis 36:12). Esau compromised his spiritual purity by marrying foreign women. Amalek was born as a result of that mixture. Later, Amalek became the first to attack Israel after the Exodus, becoming the force of Satan against whom God declared, "I will be at war with Amalek from generation to generation." That small sin you compromise on for immediate comfort today will come back as your most terrifying enemy, attacking your children and your soul later on.

As we live through 2026, do not envy the fast success and flashy resumes of worldly people. Esau's genealogy in Genesis 36 is a tombstone showing the emptiness of a "life successful in the world but without God." On the other hand, Jacob’s life looks exhausting, but it is a life held up by God.

Choose the suffering of Israel rather than the crown of Edom. Rather than being a flower that blooms and withers quickly, I bless you in the name of the Lord to grow into God’s mighty tree that remains forever, even if it takes time.