In Genesis, chapter thirty-six, verse six, Esau prospered materially, yet he did not spiritually. His life characterizes by little regard for spiritual things. Esau was a cunning hunter, and he had a craftiness for the outdoors. To become crafty, a person would need to spend quite a bit of time gaining experience to find their niche. Esau’s outdoor quality shows the priority he placed on the external and not much time on the internal.
Esau himself is called Edom. This name perpetuates the remembrance of the foolish bargain made when making the trade of his birthright for that red pottage. This simple example begins the carnal direction Esau takes by focusing his attention on the physical and not the spiritual. When men do an external thing, they are responsible for their actions, whether good or bad, when it is long afterward, remembered against them to their reproach. The results indicate why Esau and his family are turned off from the spiritual nature and live for the ungodly things.
Esau’s family begins with his wives and the children they bore in the land of Canaan. He had three wives, and by them, all had five sons. Esau’s indirect courses he takes to build up his family begin with the daughters of Canaan. Adah, the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and Aholibamah, the daughter of Anah, the daughter of Zibeon the Hivite; And Bashemath Ishmael’s daughter, sister of Nebajoth. Esau takes his wives, daughters, sons, and all the persons in his house, cattle, other beasts, and the rest of his substance, which he got in the land of Canaan, and dwelt in Mount Seir.
Esau’s riches developed over time because he focused on the external, where he prospered materially. There are people like Esau today whose mission is only to succeed materially and not spiritually. Nothing wrong with having prosperity. However, God gives life that allows those to enjoy success. People like Esau not including or acknowledging the Creator are wrong.