Thursday Night Bible Study

-->

Genesis 38

"Gee It Was Just Getting Good!" • 7.8.10 • Thursday Night Bible Study

Intro

- Genesis 37 leaves us with a desire to continue following Joseph's narrative. Moses, not catering to our wishes, gives us a chapter focused on Judah, that to our minds is a sharp left turn.

- Chronologically, what occurs between chapter 37 and 38 fits between the time that Joseph was taken by the Midianites and when we next see him.

- The confusion comes to our mind when we think that we are reading Joseph's story. Moses is not providing us with Joseph's story. He is providing us with Jacob's story.

- As we go through this chapter, you are going to wonder about what it all means. Why is it here? Why are these post exilic Hebrews needing to read this?

- First, it reveals why it is that intermingling with the Canaanites was off the table and why the Lord decreed their destruction.

- Second, it speaks directly to why the Lord needed to move the original family to Egypt. This was why Moses wrote to them. To us, we understand that this is important because of Jesus.

- Joseph will be a type of redeemer for Jacob and indeed, for all of Israel's physical children. Judah's actions will actually continue the line of THE Redeemer of all Mankind!

Text

• Genesis 38:1-5 : "It came to pass at that time that Judah departed from his brothers, and visited a certain Adullamite whose name was Hirah. And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua, and he married her and went in to her. So she conceived and bore a son, and he called his name Er. She conceived again and bore a son, and she called his name Onan. And she conceived yet again and bore a son, and called his name Shelah. He was at Chezib when she bore him." : Judah was no longer in league with his brothers. We are not told why, but who would not want to leave that insanity!

- Unfortunately Judah was not leaving and living any better! He left his family and it appears, any vestige of godliness behind.

- He immediately makes friends with Hirah, a man who is an Adullamite. The Adullamites were another Canaanite people group.

- This friendship led to Judah's meeting and marriage to an unnamed Canaanite woman. Notice the phase, "Judah saw." Everytime we see that phrase, it seems to signal a poor choice.

- Lot lifted his eyes to see the plain. Shechem saw Dinah and seized her. Here Judah sees this woman. The attraction it seems from this wording was purely physical.

- There is no thought to the spiritual ramifications of this decision. He simply judges with external criteria.

- Three sons later, Er, Onan and Shelah, and Judah is ensconced in a mixed family. The first child is given a Hebrew name, while the next two have Canaanite names.

- That tells us a little regarding Judah's waning influence. This is the way that it always is. The believer believes that they can be the catalyst for change, but that is rarely the case.

- At this time, the Canaanite culture was not yet as vile and wicked as it would become. However, the seeds were there. Judah had no business flirting with this unbelieving culture.

- Flirting always leads to fitting in! Fitting in leads to frittering away God's ideals for our lives.

- What was Judah thinking? Perhaps it's a lot like what we think about the world around us. "Oh, they are not that bad. Really, they are no different than us! What harm would there be?"

- It starts exactly that way. But as time progresses, the differences begin to show and before someone knows it, they are way off course, fully compromised.

- God tells us repeatedly and leaves the scenes in the pages of scripture to remind us that our lives are precious, our purpose is perilously in danger of being compromised always!

- Turn over to James 4. It's the first century and James is already warning the new church.

• James 4:4 : "Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God."

- Does this mean that we don't have any friends that aren't Christian?

- Only in this respect: Our deepest relationships, our best friendships where there is mutual influence, can only be with Christians who believe as we do!

- If I have a friendship with someone, an acquaintance at work perhaps, my goal in that relationship is to share Christ! Otherwise, we will inevitably end up like Judah.

- Judah believed that friendship wouldn't hurt, but already, after marrying an unbelieving Canaanite, his influence was not enough to even be able to name his kids in a godly way!

• Genesis 38:6-11 : "Then Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord killed him. And Judah said to Onan, 'Go in to your brother’s wife and marry her, and raise up an heir to your brother.' But Onan knew that the heir would not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in to his brother’s wife, that he emitted on the ground, lest he should give an heir to his brother. And the thing which he did displeased the Lord; therefore He killed him also. Then Judah said to Tamar his daughter-in-law, 'Remain a widow in your father’s house till my son Shelah is grown.' For he said, 'Lest he also die like his brothers.' And Tamar went and dwelt in her father’s house. " : Two out of three children were killed by God. The first was wicked in the sight of the Lord, the second displeased the Lord.

- Moses lets us know that God is responsible for their deaths. What they did offended God.

- Er's death is a complete mystery. What was it that he could have done that would have prompted this response from the Lord, especially given what we will discover later about Judah!?

- The lack of information demands that we fill our mind with speculation, but none of that is inspiration! We simply are not told.

- One of my favorite Bible college profs used to say, when confronted with what you do not know, fall back on what you do know!

- God is just and merciful as well as severe and powerful. Everything that He does is righteous, for He can never be tempted by evil.

- This will not be the only time that we see something like this. There will be others that will suffer the direct wrath of God for their actions.

- Onan's death is a little easier to comprehend. He was commanded by Judah to raise an heir to his dead brother.

- In these days, women were not career women as they are today. When they were married, the husband would care for her needs and if he died, his family would take over.

- It was well practiced even in this ancient time, that brothers would inseminate their deceased brothers widow and name any male child after the dead brother.

- If this did not happen, the woman would be destitute!

- Later this would be codified in Mosaic law and that is covered in Deuteronomy 25.

- If Onan did fulfill this, part of the inheritance that he stood to receive would go to Er. That was untenable to him.

- Additionally, Onan used Tamar for his own sexual pleasure without delivering the goods. This was his own twisted fantasy.

- This displeased the Lord, 1) that he disobeyed a clear order, 2) that he dishonored a widow and 3) that he dismissed his societal demand!

- For Judah's part, he seems to be somewhat clueless. This is why he withholds Shelah from her. Tamar had a right to expect this from him.

- Shelah was not old enough yet to marry, so this bought Judah some time.

- Tamar went back to her Father's house having been widowed twice and promised a chance for a third time! However, Judah had no real intention of fulfilling his word to her.

• Genesis 38:12-19 : "Now in the process of time the daughter of Shua, Judah’s wife, died; and Judah was comforted, and went up to his sheepshearers at Timnah, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite. And it was told Tamar, saying, 'Look, your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep.' So she took off her widow’s garments, covered herself with a veil and wrapped herself, and sat in an open place which was on the way to Timnah; for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given to him as a wife. When Judah saw her, he thought she was a harlot, because she had covered her face. Then he turned to her by the way, and said, 'Please let me come in to you'; for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. So she said, 'What will you give me, that you may come in to me?' And he said, 'I will send a young goat from the flock.' So she said, 'Will you give me a pledge till you send it?' Then he said, 'What pledge shall I give you?' So she said, 'Your signet and cord, and your staff that is in your hand.' Then he gave them to her, and went in to her, and she conceived by him. So she arose and went away, and laid aside her veil and put on the garments of her widowhood." : In the process of time refers to years of time. Shelah is grown up and good to go. Still, Judah refuses to do the right thing for Tamar.

- In the meantime, Judah has suffered greatly, losing two sons as well as his wife. Where does he find comfort? In his godless Canaanite friend Hirah!

- He was always "Hirah" for him, especially when the party was on!

- Judah, beyond the time of grief, goes out for a sheep shearing party. This was a time to enjoy the fruits of your labor, a holiday weekend type environment.

- Tamar has been waiting and waiting. Shelah was now all that he had, his only remaining family. Tamar knew that she was out, so she disguises herself as a prostitute.

- She is not just any prostitute. This word here denotes a temple prostitute. Canaanite worship included sexual activity. To worship their false gods included involving oneself sexually.

- One commentator mentioned that women actually spent some time in their lives donating this service as a part of their consecration to these false gods!

- Not only was this debaucherous behavior, it was done with a religious context in mind!

- Sadly, Tamar knew exactly how to trap Judah. She knew what went on at these parties and she knew that he would respond.

- This seedy conversation ensues and Judah becomes a father again through his own daughter in law!

- Notice that Judah knows his way around this situation. He does not stammer or stutter. He knows exactly the protocol.

- What he gives are akin to our driver's license, auto registration and Mastercard. These items were easily identified as Judah's.

- After Judah inseminates Tamar, she returned to her widow's clothes.

• Genesis 38:20-23 : "And Judah sent the young goat by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive his pledge from the woman’s hand, but he did not find her. Then he asked the men of that place, saying, 'Where is the harlot who was openly by the roadside?' And they said, 'There was no harlot in this place.' So he returned to Judah and said, 'I cannot find her. Also, the men of the place said there was no harlot in this place.' Then Judah said, 'Let her take them for herself, lest we be shamed; for I sent this young goat and you have not found her.'" : What a strange thing to have happened. The people of that area don't know of any temple harlot?"

- Hirah returned with Judah's goat, but not with the other items that he had left.

- He decides to leave well enough alone, as there is really nothing that he can do. Judah is confused, but there is a large revelation coming.

• Genesis 38:24 : "And it came to pass, about three months after, that Judah was told, saying, 'Tamar your daughter-in-law has played the harlot; furthermore she is with child by harlotry.' So Judah said, 'Bring her out and let her be burned!'" : Judah had forgotten all about his episode in Timnah. He had forgotten about how he had been with a harlot during the sheep shearing party.

- Here, he hears of this offense and immediately is ready to dispense punishment!

- I think that it's telling that the most severe people are often the ones who have gotten away with something themselves.

- Judah reminds me of David, who was ready to kill the man who stole the one lamb in Nathan's fictional story.

- The punishment for harlotry was far less severe than burning, but Judah wanted her burned, even though he had withheld his son from her and had engaged in the act with a harlot himself.

• Genesis 38:25,26 : "When she was brought out, she sent to her father-in-law, saying, 'By the man to whom these belong, I am with child.' And she said, 'Please determine whose these are—the signet and cord, and staff.' So Judah acknowledged them and said, 'She has been more righteous than I, because I did not give her to Shelah my son.' And he never knew her again." : This was the moment of truth. When Judah saw his effects, he was caught.

- He stands corrected, fully understanding what had happened. He made a confession to the group that had been gathered to watch her burn.

- He acknowledged the effects and acknowledged where he had failed. Tamar was more righteous that Judah was.

- He should have given her to Shelah, but he did not. Now he had fulfilled his responsibility to her by giving her the children that would serve as her protectors.

• Genesis 38:27-30 : "Now it came to pass, at the time for giving birth, that behold, twins were in her womb. And so it was, when she was giving birth, that the one put out his hand; and the midwife took a scarlet thread and bound it on his hand, saying, 'This one came out first.' Then it happened, as he drew back his hand, that his brother came out unexpectedly; and she said, 'How did you break through? This breach be upon you!' Therefore his name was called Perez. Afterward his brother came out who had the scarlet thread on his hand. And his name was called Zerah." : Moses records this unusual birth for us. The twins were about to make their entrance into the world.

- A hand protruded from Tamar's body and the midwife quickly put a scarlet cord on his hand. Then, he decided he was going to head back in and the other brother came out first.

- It's almost as if Perez pulled the legs of his brother and ended up coming out first. He came out breached, ie. legs or butt first.

- Perez became the first born technically, but the cord was on the hand of Zerah. It's interesting what this signals. Judah has been living a mess of a life.

- He has compromised his faith. He is living among godless people, partaking in vile sexual sin, which was readily available to him.

- The promise of the Messiah is long out of his mind. The hope of his people, the hope of the entire world is presumably being wasted.

- Then through these strange circumstances, Perez breaks through. He violently emerges from Tamar's womb.

- Later, we find the name of Perez in the direct descendancy to Christ in Matthew 1!

- I want to say that this whole chapter is a direct reminder to us of a very simple truth: When we are faithless, He is Faithful!

- Thankfully, you and I are not trusting in any human agency to bring about our salvation. Thankfully on this occasion, God broke through!

Conclusion

- I want to encourage you tonight: Jesus is able to break through. He is not bound by your mistakes and your past. He is able to break through and bring salvation out of the jaws of death!

- Tonight, I pray that we are awakened again to our worth, and the worth of what our choices mean in this life. We literally straddle between choosing life and death. Be warned and be wise.