QT 11/28/2025 Gen 36:31-43, The secret to spiritual greatness

Genesis 36:31–43 (ESV) —

31 These are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom, before any king reigned over the Israelites. 32 Bela the son of Beor reigned in Edom, the name of his city being Dinhabah. 33 Bela died, and Jobab the son of Zerah of Bozrah reigned in his place. 34 Jobab died, and Husham of the land of the Temanites reigned in his place. 35 Husham died, and Hadad the son of Bedad, who defeated Midian in the country of Moab, reigned in his place, the name of his city being Avith. 36 Hadad died, and Samlah of Masrekah reigned in his place. 37 Samlah died, and Shaul of Rehoboth on the Euphrates reigned in his place. 38 Shaul died, and Baal-hanan the son of Achbor reigned in his place. 39 Baal-hanan the son of Achbor died, and Hadar reigned in his place, the name of his city being Pau; his wife’s name was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, daughter of Mezahab.

40 These are the names of the chiefs of Esau, according to their clans and their dwelling places, by their names: the chiefs Timna, Alvah, Jetheth, 41 Oholibamah, Elah, Pinon, 42 Kenaz, Teman, Mibzar, 43 Magdiel, and Iram; these are the chiefs of Edom (that is, Esau, the father of Edom), according to their dwelling places in the land of their possession.

 

NOTE: At the time of Moses, no kings had arisen in Israel, although God had promised kings to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Israel). My guess is that these are the line of Kings to Esau up to and including the 40 years of wilderness. Edom has many successes including the defeat of Midian in Moab. As noted earlier, secular greatness develops faster than spiritual greatness. God takes his time to train up men and his people.

 

As an example, Paul (Saul of the time during Jesus), spent probably years training under Gamaliel before meeting Jesus on the road to Damascus. Paul immediately starts sharing the gospel, but God has to remove him from the scene. He then spends another 13 years in the desert learning from God directly. I think we want to be spiritual giants directly once we truly know the Lord. We don't want to take the slow boring steps of discipleship. We think we already know 90 percent of what we need to know. Someone once told me (although I find I only agree with it in part), that after a few years of intensive seeking God, you know 90 percent of all you ever will know about the bible, but you will spend the rest of your life seeing how it applies to your life. I'm not sure I completely agree.

 

What have I found to be true about spiritual growth? You will feel you have learned 90 percent of the basics within a few years of a spiritual birth. As the years continue, you will reach a point where you will realize how little you know (it can take 10-20 years). Then each year after, you will learn new things you did not realize that you did not know. And yes, you will continue to see new areas where the word of God should be applied to your life.

 

Someone once did a study on Paul's growth. After his training by Gamaliel, and his 13 years in the desert with the Lord, he says in Philippians that he has not perfect yet, in his first letter to the Corinthians, he says he is the least of the Apostles because he persecuted the church, in his second letter to the Corinthians, he talks about a thorn given him in the flesh to keep him from being conceited and how he felt weak, and finally in his first letter to Timothy, he calls himself the foremost of sinners, the worst. Saul's 20 years of active ministry, 33 years after his rebirth, had taught him how sinful he was.

 

I think we get spiritual growth wrong. It is not what you know, but it is who you know. And as you know God more, you realize how little you know and how sinful you are, and you cry out like Isaiah: "Woe is me ..."

 

Isaiah 6:1–5 (ESV) — 1 In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one called to another and said:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;

the whole earth is full of his glory!”

4 And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. 5 And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”

 

PONDER:

1. Am I in this (a walk with God) for the short run or the long run?
2. Am I willing to wait upon God as he trains me and prepares me?

 

PRAYER: Father, I am certainly guilty of pride and running to get ahead. Unfortunately, I was getting ahead of you, and you had to slow me down to listen. Thank you for these days to remember and I pray to continue to learn from you.