Life of Joseph 5

The Worst Chapter in the Bible

Genesis 38

The Worst Chapter in the Bible

Genesis 38:1–30 ESV

1 It happened at that time that Judah went down from his brothers and turned aside to a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah. 2 There Judah saw the daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua. He took her and went in to her, 3 and she conceived and bore a son, and he called his name Er. 4 She conceived again and bore a son, and she called his name Onan. 5 Yet again she bore a son, and she called his name Shelah. Judah was in Chezib when she bore him. 6 And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. 7 But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord put him to death. 8 Then Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife and perform the duty of a brother-in-law to her, and raise up offspring for your brother.” 9 But Onan knew that the offspring would not be his. So whenever he went in to his brother’s wife he would waste the semen on the ground, so as not to give offspring to his brother. 10 And what he did was wicked in the sight of the Lord, and he put him to death also. 11 Then Judah said to Tamar his daughter-in-law, “Remain a widow in your father’s house, till Shelah my son grows up”—for he feared that he would die, like his brothers. So Tamar went and remained in her father’s house. 12 In the course of time the wife of Judah, Shua’s daughter, died. When Judah was comforted, he went up to Timnah to his sheepshearers, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite. 13 And when Tamar was told, “Your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep,” 14 she took off her widow’s garments and covered herself with a veil, wrapping herself up, and sat at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah. For she saw that Shelah was grown up, and she had not been given to him in marriage. 15 When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute, for she had covered her face. 16 He turned to her at the roadside and said, “Come, let me come in to you,” for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. She said, “What will you give me, that you may come in to me?” 17 He answered, “I will send you a young goat from the flock.” And she said, “If you give me a pledge, until you send it—” 18 He said, “What pledge shall I give you?” She replied, “Your signet and your cord and your staff that is in your hand.” So he gave them to her and went in to her, and she conceived by him. 19 Then she arose and went away, and taking off her veil she put on the garments of her widowhood. 20 When Judah sent the young goat by his friend the Adullamite to take back the pledge from the woman’s hand, he did not find her. 21 And he asked the men of the place, “Where is the cult prostitute who was at Enaim at the roadside?” And they said, “No cult prostitute has been here.” 22 So he returned to Judah and said, “I have not found her. Also, the men of the place said, ‘No cult prostitute has been here.’ ” 23 And Judah replied, “Let her keep the things as her own, or we shall be laughed at. You see, I sent this young goat, and you did not find her.” 24 About three months later Judah was told, “Tamar your daughter-in-law has been immoral. Moreover, she is pregnant by immorality.” And Judah said, “Bring her out, and let her be burned.” 25 As she was being brought out, she sent word to her father-in-law, “By the man to whom these belong, I am pregnant.” And she said, “Please identify whose these are, the signet and the cord and the staff.” 26 Then Judah identified them and said, “She is more righteous than I, since I did not give her to my son Shelah.” And he did not know her again. 27 When the time of her labor came, there were twins in her womb. 28 And when she was in labor, one put out a hand, and the midwife took and tied a scarlet thread on his hand, saying, “This one came out first.” 29 But as he drew back his hand, behold, his brother came out. And she said, “What a breach you have made for yourself!” Therefore his name was called Perez. 30 Afterward his brother came out with the scarlet thread on his hand, and his name was called Zerah.

INTRODUCTION

Why is this story here?

What a contrast to Joseph. A brother that goes for the pleasure of now over the reward of eternity.

Joseph suffered the present and gained a reward in the future.

Many of the truths we find in the story of Joseph we find here.

I. The Providence of God

A. God is in charge of Judah

He was working everything out. God wanted Joseph out of Canaan, for there were grave moral dangers there. God’s people never remained pure in the land of Canaan.

B. The Sin of Judah

1. Judah was the one who suggested selling Joseph.

2. He then leaves home and marries a pagan wife.

a. Three sons: Er, Onan, and Shelah.

b. These children become the scourge of his life.

(1) Er– so wicked the Lord had to kill him.

(2) Onan– told he would be responsibile and marry Er’s wife, Tamar. He refused to have a child with her. God was so angry with him that He killed him too.

(3) Shelah– Promised Tamar that he would marry her when he was old enough.

3. All these problems happened because he married somoeone God forbade.

4. Sin has consequences.

C. The Shame of Judah

1. Judah did not keep his word to Tamar that she would marry Shelah.

a. Genesis 38:15-19 “15 When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute, for she had covered her face. 16 He turned to her at the roadside and said, “Come, let me come in to you,” for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. She said, “What will you give me, that you may come in to me?” 17 He answered, “I will send you a young goat from the flock.” And she said, “If you give me a pledge, until you send it—” 18 He said, “What pledge shall I give you?” She replied, “Your signet and your cord and your staff that is in your hand.” So he gave them to her and went in to her, and she conceived by him. 19 Then she arose and went away, and taking off her veil she put on the garments of her widowhood.”

2. Background: Judah was in the area because it was time for shearing the sheep, the time when all the farmers and ranch hands threw a wild party. Judah had just lost his wife, and he was partying with an old friend when he saw Tamar and thought he’d like to have a good time with a woman.

a. She asked for his signet ring, bracelets and staff. All bearing his mark.

3. Tamar was finally pregnant and she disappeared. The consequences of his shameful behavior were about to catch up to him.

D. The Sons of Judah

1. 3 months later Judah heard that Tamar was pregnant. He ordered her to be burned. Hypocrit!– Failed to keep his promise for her to marry his son and he was sleeping around himself.

2. Genesis 38:25 “25 As she was being brought out, she sent word to her father-in-law, “By the man to whom these belong, I am pregnant.” And she said, “Please identify whose these are, the signet and the cord and the staff.””

– imagine the look on Judah’s face when this came.

3. Tamar had twins.

a. Similar to Jacob and Esau

II. The Purpose of the Chapter

A. Why is this story stuck right in the middle of the righteous life of Joseph.

Consistent Message of Joseph and This Chapter

1. The Concern of God for His People

a. While Joseph was being sold to Potiphar, Judah was moving in with the Canaanites.

b. This is why God is working to move them all out of the area and to Egypt.

c. The Lord was preparing a place for them, where they would spend the next four hundred years in a rather sequestered situation, free from the evil influences of Canaan, until they could grow into a nation and one day head back to conquer the promised land.

2. The Contrast Between the Spirit and the Flesh

a. Contrast chapter 38 and 39

(1) 38, Judah sleeps with a Canaanite woman and someone he thinks is a prostitute. 39, Joseph refuses to sleep with Potiphar’s wife.

(a) Just because everyone is doing it does not mean we have to join them.

(b) When we see a Joseph contrasted with a Judah, we can appreciate what the Spirit of God can do in a man’s life.

b. The world wants us to believe that everyone is involved in sexual immorality, but the Bible makes it clear that everyone is not. There are some Josephs around today, willing to take a stand for morality.

3. The Corruption of Sin in a Family

a. Sinful man effects his family.

(1) Jacob’s boys grew up seeing their deceiving father.

(a) Reuben slept with one of his father’s girlfriends and refused to save Joseph.

(b) Simeon and Levi were deceitful killers.

(c) Judah was completely disobedient, unable to stand in the face of temptation.

(2) Jacob spent more time accumulating his fortune than raising his sons. Left his boys with no pattern to follow.

b. In contrast godliness blesses not only a man, but a family.

c. We can choose to allow sin to corrupt us, or the Spirit to control us.

4. The Continuing Story of God’s Grace

a. “The grace of God is absolutely unbeleivable in chapter 38. God took the ruined lives and began to weave them into His plan. First he dealt with Judah, transforming his life. Then He dealt with Tamar, using this awful situation for good. Remember, the first child out of her womb was Perez, who was the ancestor of King David, and therefore the ancestor of jesus Christ. God is more forgiving than we can imagine. His continuing grace can take the sorry elements of a human life and use them for His blessed purposes. There is nothing more marvelous in all the world than the power of God’s grace. He forgives, he lifts up, and He transforms.” - Dr. Jeremiah

b. Only a God of grace could take a rebellious man like Judah and a wicked woman like Tamar and somehow use them in the line of our Blessed Redeemer.