The Significance Of Our History And Future Series

How far can you go back with your family roots?

How many of you can name 2 grandparents??

How many of you can name 4 grandparents??

How many of you can name a great grandparent??

Many of us know our ethnic backgrounds, but isn’t it interesting that most of us have not much interest beyond our grandparents?

The reason for this of course is that most of us live for the present. But isn’t this statement true? Knowing what you inherited from your family roots and having a vision of your future will help you succeed in your present life!

Remember this Filipino Proverb? "Ang hindi tumitingin sa kanyang pinanggalingan ay hindi makararating sa kinaroroonan." One who does not think of where he’s been, will never get to where he needs to go!”

If you don’t learn from the mistakes in the past, you will repeat the same mistakes. And if you don’t have a vision of what your future will be like, you will be lost!

Please open your bibles to Genesis 35-36.

Genesis was spoken by God through the writings of Moses. Genesis and 4 other books is called the Pentateuch or the Torah. These books were written for God’s People Israel as they lived in the Promised Land. Remember Joshua reading these books publicly as they entered the Promised Land? God gives a history lesson in Genesis 35-36. Read along with me from Genesis 35:21…

What did God wanted the Israelites to remember?

God reminded the Israelites where they came from and the type of people they have to deal with.

Who was the person Israel?? Israel was Jacob.

Jacob and Esau were brothers and their father was Isaac. Who was Isaac’s father?? – Abraham.

And what is significant about Abraham??

In Genesis 12:1-3, “The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you. "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you."

God’s blessing started with Abraham, then passed on to Isaac, then to Jacob, and Jacob became the father of the Israelites.

We note at the end of Genesis 35, Abraham’s son Isaac dies and his sons Jacob and Esau were reconciled. But 2 nations emerged from Jacob & Esau: Israel and Edom.

We know that Esau sold his birthright to Jacob for food.

And Jacob lied to his father in order to receive the blessing. By God’s divine providence and wisdom, God’s promise was given to the line of Jacob.

God chose the nation Israel to reveal Himself and the Messiah to come.

But what can we note from Genesis 35:22??

There was sin in the nation of Israel and again Jacob lacked spiritual leadership.

And what can we note about the nation of Edom?

Edom started when Esau married Canaanite women for selfish reasons. But based on Genesis 36, what can we say about the Edomites??

The Edomites were:

- productive hard-working people

- enjoyed life

- good leaders (God noted chiefs and kings)

The Edomites looked like a good people. But, does the Bible give an indication that they were godly people??

We don’t read anything about the Edomites being godly.

Remember how Esau was when he was young. Esau was wild and ungodly till later on in his years. Do you think Esau’s children pick up on his bad traits?

Turn with me to Numbers 20:14…………

The Edomites were ungodly people and became an enemy of Israel. We can read in Jeremiah 49:17-18

"Edom will become an object of horror; all who pass by will be appalled and will scoff because of all its wounds. As Sodom and Gomorrah were overthrown, along with their neighboring towns," says the LORD, "so no one will live there; no man will dwell in it.”

And so, from this account in Genesis 35-36, what was God trying to say to the Israelites as they moved to live in the Promised Land?

Israel was not perfect but God was faithful to them anyway! God is gracious and chose a people, the Israelites. We read in Isaiah 65:9, “I will bring forth descendants from Jacob, and from Judah those who will possess my mountains; my chosen people will inherit them, and there will my servants live.”

And like the Edomites, there will be people in the world who look good on the outside, but if they refuse to follow God, they will bring trouble. Israel was to be careful of affiliating with secular people. But, did this mean the Israelites were not to relate to secular people like the Edomites?