Genesis 36:40–43
And these are the names of the dukes that came of Esau, according to their families, after their places, by their names; duke Timnah, duke Alvah, duke Jetheth, Duke Aholibamah, duke Elah, duke Pinon, Duke Kenaz, duke Teman, duke Mibzar, Duke Magdiel, duke Iram: these be the dukes of Edom, according to their habitations in the land of their possession: he is Esau the father of the Edomites.
There is something striking about the way this chapter closes. All these names. All these dukes. All these places. All this possession. It sounds strong. It sounds settled. It sounds impressive. The flesh always does.
The flesh is pious at times. It can look religious. It is prolific. It keeps producing. It is prosperous. It knows how to build and gather and accumulate. It is persuasive. It can sound right and look convincing. It is pernicious because it corrupts everything it touches. It is powerful in appearance. And it is proud all the way through.
But in the end, it is pitiful.
That is the lesson of Edom.
Once the Edomites looked untouchable. Petra looked secure. The rock city seemed unmovable. Men could point to its strongholds, its chiefs, its territory, and say, “Look what we have built.” But go there now and what do you find? Silence. Emptiness. Ruins. A ghost town. All the noise of the flesh ends there.
That is always where the flesh goes.
It makes promises. It boasts loudly. It presents itself as strength. But when all is said and done, whatever is born merely of the flesh ends up empty. It cannot carry life. It cannot produce peace. It cannot stand the test of time. It cannot please God.
That is why Paul says in Romans 8:
Romans 8:6–11
For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
I love that. The answer is not found in trying harder in the energy of the flesh. The answer is the Spirit of God. The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you. Think about that. Not just to raise you someday, but to lift you presently. To pull you out of that old carnal way of thinking. To lift you above the traps that keep snagging you. To give life where the flesh only brings death.
That is the hope of the believer.
So what do we do? We come to the Lord and say, “No more flesh.” We stop defending it. We stop dressing it up. We stop pretending it will somehow improve if we give it enough time. No, the flesh has to be refused. And then the Spirit begins to lead. Quietly. faithfully. moment by moment.
He will tell you what to do.
He will check you when pride rises.
He will restrain you when anger burns.
He will redirect you when the flesh starts making its case again.
And no, that does not mean there will be no obstacles. There will be plenty of them. But the Spirit of God is stronger than every obstacle set in front of you, if you choose to obey Him.
That is the choice before us every day.
Carnally minded is death.
Spiritually minded is life and peace.
Edom stands as a warning. Romans 8 stands as an invitation.
One ends in emptiness.
The other ends in life.