People Who Have It All

People Who Have It All

Esau took his wives and sons and daughters and all the members of his household, as well as his livestock and all his other animals and all the goods he had acquired in Canaan, and moved to a land some distance from his brother Jacob.

Genesis 36:6

The account of Esau’s family is appropriately included in the history of Isaac and Jacob. In this passage, we see that unbelievers have honor and fame on earth. They are wealthy and successful, and they rule the world. They either look down on believers or oppress them, as Esau’s descendants did. Because of their arrogance, they despised and oppressed Jacob and his descendants in later years.

On the other hand, Jacob had God’s blessing. He was an important leader in the world and among God’s people. Yet he had to endure many tragedies in his life. He had so many problems and so much misery that it seemed as if all spiritual blessings and even God’s favor had been taken away from him. Yet in the end, God worked out everything the way Mary described in her song: “He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble” (Luke 1:52). Christ described the end for the godless when he said, “But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort. Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry” (Luke 6:24–25). And Christ described the end for believers when he said: “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted” (Matthew 5:4).

Unbelievers will be fortunate for a while. But in the end, they will be destroyed. Believers, on the other hand, will have to suffer for a while. But they will find protection, help, and comfort in God. He sustains sad people and relieves their misery. In the end, God will take his little flock away from their suffering and reward his people with eternal life and happiness.