It is vital that we spend time in God’s Word.

But it’s not always easy.

We read a chapter and we don’t know what to get out of it or even how to start to understand it.

I thought I could try to help you get a little something out of what you are reading by providing you with some questions to ask as you look at the text.  Good questions are a good start to understanding. Sometimes there will be more questions, sometimes less.

You can do this!

So, get a notebook, a pen, your Bible, and if you would like some help, take some time to answer the questions, and you may be surprised by all God teaches you.

Genesis 36

1. You may not want to read this chapter just glancing down. I mean a list of names! But, before we move past it too quickly, let's see what we can learn. He tells us that he is going to give us the account of who in verse 1? And then he immediately gives an explanation, of who that is. What nation is he talking about? What does he say in verse 9 about Esau? And what does he say at the end of verse 40 about Esau? So what does he probably want you to know about Edom?
2. Two nations descend from Isaac and Esau. What has he already told you about those nations in 25:23?
3. Edom and Israel weren't just any two nations. They were brother nations. And yet, as Moses is writing these books, what has Edom just done to Israel. Look at Numbers 20:14-21. So, there's tension in their relationship for sure! But, later in the Bible, in the book of Obadiah, we will see that God has plans for Edom. When the Messiah rules, He is going to rule over the region of Edom, and that is an illustration of how He is going to rule from Israel over all mankind.
4. But now, back to Genesis. What does he tell us that Esau did in verse 6 and 7? What story does that remind you of?
5. Whether you pay much attention to all the names in this chapter, one thing you should notice is that there are a lot of names. How does this connect back to God's promises to Abraham and what is this telling you about God's faithfulness? It may seem tedious, but the reality is, we need to be reminded over and over that God keeps His promises because we have such a hard time believing it.
6. In verse 31, what did Edom have before Israel? They weren't the ones through whom the Promised Seed was going to come, but at first, they seemed to be more powerful than Israel. God always keeps His promises, but sometimes He may seem slower about keeping those promises then we might like.