February 3
Genesis 35-36: More Than a Name In a List
Genesis 35–36; Mark 6; Job 2; Romans 6
Within the list of descendants of Esau here there is a name which may provide helpful light on an entirely different book of the Bible. Esau is the firstborn son of Isaac, the grandson of Abraham, the “patriarchs.”
Esau married Canaanite women that Jacob’s mother detested (Genesis 27:46-47). Esau and Jacob each became numerous and prosperous, with Esau becoming a great nation called Edom (36:8). So then, like their grandfather and uncle Lot before them, they had to separate. Prosperity does that (7). So Esau took his people to the hill country, a land already occupied by a people called the Horites. It’s very possible that the worship of Yahweh was then “infused” and diluted by this pagan religion.
Because Jacob swindled Esau of his birthright, the rest of the Bible’s narrative will continue through Jacob, whom God renames Israel (Genesis 32:24-30). And Edom will serve as spoiler and enemy to Israel from here on. When the people of God return after the Exodus, Edom will refuse them passage (Numbers 20:14-21). Later the prophet Balaam will prophecy that Israel will conquer Edom (Numbers 24:18).
When Israel conquered the Promised Land, the land apportioned to the tribes went right up to the borders of Edom (Joshua 15:1). Saul fought against Edom (1 Samuel 14:47), and David would fulfill Balaam’s prophecy and conquer them (2 Samuel 8:13-14).
Now, back to Genesis 36, verse 33. One “Jobab” is named who was a king of Edom, “before any king reigned over the Israelites.” Does that remind you of another biblical name? Is this the same “Job” of the book of Job?
The timeline fits. So does the fact that Job’s situation seems to exist outside the main storyline of the Bible, yet still in the same “universe.” It also would explain more of what’s happening in that story. It would especially explain why Job’s friends are so interested in figuring just what he had done wrong to invite God’s ugly wrath.
For if Job is not just a successful businessman but the king of Edom, then their fortunes rise and fall with his. Yet something of the old faith of Abraham must have stuck and been transmitted through Esau. For Job knows this God lives and is good.
Yet He does not always tell us the reasons for His actions. So we must walk by humble, enduring faith in Him:
“For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. My heart faints within me!” Job 19:25-27