Genesis 38

Scripture:  Genesis chapter 38

Observation:  Judah, Jacob's fourth son, comes into the picture almost as an interlude.  He has 3 sons, Er, Onan and Shelah.  The oldest son, Er, takes a wife, Tamar.  Er was a wicked man, and God ends his life early and with no children.  So Judah tells Onan to take Tamar as his wife so as to give Er descendants, but Onan doesn't like the idea of having children for his brother, so he does what he can to keep Tamar from getting pregnant.  For his wickedness Onan is also put to death.  Judah must now give Tamar to Shelah as his wife, but he doesn't want to; he blames Tamar for the death of his sons and decides it's best to keep Shelah from Tamar.  He uses the excuse that Shelah is too young, and Tamar must go to her father's house and wait for Shelah to grow up.  Tamar soon realizes her father-in-law has no intention of marrying her to his son.  She hears that Judah's wife has died, and that he is in Timnah with his sheepshearers, and she acts.  She takes off her widow's clothes, dresses as a prostitute with her face covered, and sits by the road where she knows Judah will pass.  When he sees her, he comes over and asks her for her services.  He promises to pay with a young goat, and she asks for security - his signet, cord and staff.  He agrees, and sleeps with her. She then goes home and dresses again in her widow's garb.  Judah tries to send the young goat but finds that no one knows who this prostitute is that he seeks, so he decides to keep quiet about the matter.  In time Judah hears that his daughter-in-law is pregnant, and he calls for her to be put to death for immorality.  But Tamar has proof of who got her pregnant, and Judah realizes he's been tricked because of his own unrighteousness.  Tamar gives birth to twins, Perez and Zerah.  Perez is in the genealogical lineage of Christ (Matthew 1:3).

Application:  It's easy to try and blame others for the unrighteousness of ourselves or our loved ones, but God sees the truth and acts justly.  We should never question God's justice, because He knows all and is righteous.  He will take that which is wrong and make it right, and He will use the unlikely to fulfill His purpose.

Prayer:  Father, no one is good on this earth.  Even the most godly person is still a sinner.  Help me to see people as You see them, not better or worse than myself, but all worthy of compassion and forgiveness, because Jesus died for all, and all who call upon the name of Jesus are saved.  You will carry out judgement and punishment; it's not for me to decide who is worthy in Your eyes.  I ask only that You find me worthy, and show me those areas in my life that need correcting and changing so that I too may be found righteous.  In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.