The Story of Redemption (Genesis 36:1)

These are the generations of Esau (that is, Edom).
—Genesis 36:1

As I read that verse, I think about Edom and the Edomites who came from the line of Esau. With even a little historical research, we learn that the ancient kingdom of Edom was located in what most scholars believe is modern-day Jordan.

Genesis 36:1 reminds us that the gospel is grounded in real, verifiable history.

This is one of those places in Bible reading where it is helpful to remember, first, that the Bible is a historical book—a record of real events and real people. The Scriptures are not a collection of invented writings or abstract teachings. It is real history, verifiable history, and this is one of the things that sets the Bible apart from many other religious texts.

It is also helpful to realize that when we pray for the spread of the gospel among the nations today, the nations and people groups we are praying for have deep roots in history—ultimately going back to the very beginning of Scripture in Genesis 1 and 2, and specifically to stories like those of Jacob and Esau.

My mind also goes in the other direction—to the end of the Bible. Revelation 21:24 tells us that “by the light of the Lord God Almighty, the nations will walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into” the new creation. And Revelation 22 speaks of the tree of life, whose leaves are for the healing of the nations.

So when we read about nations and people groups—like the Edomites here in Genesis 36—let us connect them to God’s ultimate purposes in the world from the beginning of history to its consummation. Yes, we pray for nations and people groups in the world today. But we also recognize that this is the purpose of our lives right now: to make the glory of God known among all the nations—to pray for this, to give toward this, and to live for this—so that all peoples might experience the healing found in Jesus through the gospel.

That is a lot to take in from a single verse: “These are the generations of Esau, that is, Edom.” But I hope it helps us make connections—not only to God’s purposes in history and among the nations, but also to God’s purpose for your life and for mine.

A Prayer for Jordanian Arabs

So we pray, God, hallowed be your name in all the earth, among all the nations. Today, in light of the Edomites in Genesis 36, we pray specifically for the people of Jordan. We pray for Jordanian Arabs—more than four and a half million people—that the gospel would spread throughout Jordan and that your salvation would be made known.

We pray for your blessing on the church in Jordan. Lord, we ask that you would continue to raise up laborers for the spread of the gospel there. We think of people we know and love who live in Jordan, and we ask that the good news of Jesus would advance in this very geographic region referenced in Genesis 36.

And God, we pray that the gospel would spread to all the peoples of the world. Help each of us to play whatever role you desire for us to play in bringing about the healing of the nations in Jesus. Use our prayers. O God, use our resources. Use our lives.

Help us to share the gospel with the nations, people groups, and ethnic groups around us—right where we live. Most Uber rides we take, God, are with people from different nations. Help us to be faithful to share the gospel with the nations near us and far from us, as we look forward to the day when every nation, tribe, tongue, and people will gather before your throne to give you glory for your salvation.

May it be so, God. And please use our lives toward that end—especially in a world where billions of people still have little to no knowledge of who you are or how much you love them in Jesus.

We pray all of this in his name. Amen.