Joseph--The Adulterer

Today our series studying the life of Joseph takes a twist. We leave Joseph in Potiphar’s house, and we focus instead on Judah. Authors, not just Biblical authors, diverge in their story telling from the main character to tell about another character. Moses does the same thing here. Before getting further into Joseph’s story, he wants us to know something more about Judah.

1. The Contrast

Moses interjects this story of Judah in order to contrast Joseph’s heart, mind, character and integrity with Judah’s. These brothers are very different from each other. One is self-serving, and the other is God-serving. And yet, as we will see in this series, there are aspects of Judah’s heart and character that sets him apart, even though he is the older, but lesser brother.

By telling this part of Judah’s story here, out of chronological order, Moses wants us, God wants us to know that there are consequences in life. As we continue in today’s message, as you think about the fate of Er and Onan, I want you to keep these words from the law in mind, “visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me” (Ex 20.5b). Consider how Judah’s sin impacted his sons, Er, Onan, and Shelah, or even his grandsons, Perez and Zerah. Consider how Judah’s sins impacted Tamar. Consider also, what God chose to do in spite of Judah’s sins.

Joseph stands in contrast to Judah already in his attitude toward their father, his attitude toward God. But in a couple weeks, we’ll see just how strong Joseph’s character is, providing yet a further contrast to Judah. God created these two different men in order to show us the two ways of living in this world. The easy, natural way, that is, the sinful way, or the impossible, super-natural way, that is the way of righteousness in Christ. But we’ll come back to that in point four.

2. The Sin

Our passage begins with Judah departing from his brothers. In leaving his family, Judah was also leaving his commitment to God. Oh, it is possible, perhaps even likely, that Judah thought he was strong enough on his own. But by leaving, he opened himself to temptation and sin.

This why family, why church family is so important. Our family helps us stay on the narrow way, God’s way, the good way, the way to everlasting life. When we depart from our families, in a determined effort to strike out on our own, we may consciously or unconsciously risk leaving more behind.

The first thing that Judah does is he starts hanging around with a certain Adullamite named Hirah. No doubt, Hirah started teaching Judah all about his religious customs, about his understanding of how the world works. Judah would have shared about his as well. But the desire to please Hirah, to fit in is strong. No longer in the positive company of his own family, he is free to allow his mind to wander, and to be changed by the circumstances, fall under the influences of Canaanite thinking and decided to marry a Canaanite woman. By doing so, Judah broke covenant with his father and his grandfather and his great grandfather. They were not to marry Canaanite women. That was his first sin.

His wife bore him three sons, Er, Onan and Shelah. Judah found a Canaanite woman for his first son, Tamar. Interesting that Judah chose his son’s wife, but Judah didn’t want Jacob to choose his wife?

Judah’s firstborn was wicked in the Lord’s sight. The sin of the father was on the next generation. Er’s wickedness is seen in his willingness to take Tamar as his wife—because she was a Canaanite. Now, he may have been ignorant of God’s law not to marry a Canaanite, but that doesn’t make him less guilty. While his marriage compounded Judah’s sin, we must also conclude that Er was thoroughly wicked in other ways also. The Lord killed him for his wickedness.

Onan sinned because though Tamar was legally his wife, and he was required to provide her with an heir in his brother’s line, he took steps to prevent that from happening. He didn’t want his son to be his brother’s heir. In this, Onan was thinking too small. He could have potentially had the greater portion, for his son could have been Judah’s heir, and eventually the king of Israel. Onan’s sin, his unfaithfulness, his greed, his disregard for Tamar, for his own body, angered the Lord, and He killed him also.

Judah, seeing that his first two sons were dead, feared the same fate would fall to Shelah if he married Tamar, told her to return to her father’s house. Judah should have stopped to inquire of the Lord. He did not. He was afraid Tamar was cursed, and Shelah would die also. He sent Tamar away for good measure, probably hoping she’d forget. And, it seemed like she did. Eventually, she stopped pestering him, even when the boy grew older.

Some time later, Judah’s wife died and he was comforted in her death. After the time of grieving had passed, he went up to the sheepshearers at Timnah. Basically, what that meant was a huge party with all kinds of food and entertainment.

Upon hearing that Judah would be heading her way, Tamar concealed herself as a prostitute in order to tempt him to lie with her. Maybe Tamar along the way had become a true follower of God, and desired to be part of the promise, to be the mother of the messiah. Or maybe she was simply trying to honour her dead husband. Maybe she thought Judah would bring Shelah with him, and give her to him. We don’t know what her motivations were.

Judah, feeling in an expansive mood, in anticipation of the indulgence of food and fun, saw Tamar and desired her. He didn’t know that she was his daughter-in-law. He didn’t care that it was sin to commit fornication. He didn’t remember his commitment to the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Many commentators suggest that Tamar was dressed as a shrine prostitute, and in sleeping with her Judah was also trying to appease/worship a false god—that the shearing would be especially good this year. His sins: fornication, worshipping other gods, and incest.

Notice for a moment how sin works. Judah saw her. He recognised her as a harlot, a prostitute. He allowed the vision to permeate his mind. His mind then dwelt on that information and decided to approach her. He decided it was good to purchase her. What is a woman’s body worth? What is her chastity and honour worth? A young goat, isn’t enough. Young men, all the gold in the world is enough. Old men, what value do you put on women? No one ought to lose their souls for another. Let us not think so lowly of others. In pursuit of the things of the flesh, let us beware, the costs are very great.

Judah’s final sin is to hide the fact that a woman, posing as a prostitute has made away with his signet, cord and staff. He was more concerned that his shameful behaviour be found out, than that he do the right thing. This speaks to why Joseph gave bad reports about his brothers. They knew how to take the easy, corner cutting way, and they hated to be found out.

3. The Righteousness

Having dealt with the sins listed in our passage, we turn now to examine the righteousness. Indeed, Judah seems to be the righteous one, when Tamar was found to be with child, apart from her husband, Shelah—for they were pledged to be married. “Bring her out, and let her be burned!” says Judah. This is not a burning unto death, but a burning of her cheek or forehead, as a sign of her being a harlot—of prostituting herself with another man.

The irony, of course, is that his supposed righteousness, proven by his strong condemnation, is for something he himself is guilty of doing. Loud are those who condemn others what they themselves are guilty of doing. Tamar, by producing his signet, cord and staff proved that Judah is the father. He was found as guilty. No sin will remain secret. Better to go without and not sin, than sin in order get what you desire. Better to delay gratification than to find it by way of sin. Also some have linked the presentation of Judah’s belongings to Judah being the one who showed Joseph’s cloak to his father! Another sinful, shameful act that will come to light.

Judah demonstrates his true character in his response to Tamar. He openly and quickly admits his sin. In essence, he is saying, “I take responsibility for Tamar’s prostitution, the mark will not go on her, it ought to go on me. Indeed, that’s exactly what happened. This story is told to every generation. Judah is seen as the one who prostituted himself. But we must see also that he truly repented of his sin, for he never knew her again. I think it would also indicate that he would think twice before hiring a prostitute, or committing false worship again.

As it is, Tamar does become the great ancestor of Jesus the Messiah. In a way similar to Esau and Jacob, Perez and Zerah are born. While it seemed Zerah would be the firstborn, Perez beat him to it. Into this family, a family of lies, deception, murder, incest, indeed all manner of sin, Jesus was born.

4. The Response

So, in light of all this, what is the response? What shall our response be? Let us look at the beginning, Judah left his family—their teaching, their influence. Let us not do the same. Let us not despise the good gift God has given to us who are born into His family—as children of believers, you are holy. You are set apart, you are given a great privilege.

Let us not be swayed by the opinions of the world. Judah was led astray further by his friend Hirah. Compared to our families, our friends have their own interests at heart, their advice cannot be trusted as completely as we can trust our family. Young people, trust your parents far, far more than you trust your friends. Your parents will always have your best interests at heart, even to the point of breaking theirs. Your friends, not so much.

Do not be swayed by the world. Don’t believe the world. The world will not call sin, sin. Our society today would have applauded Tamar, they would lift her up as someone who socked it to the man, who bucked the system, who fought her way to victory. They also would have applauded Judah for acting on his needs, fulfilling his wants and desires, for finding pleasure after the death of his wife. They also would have simultaneously condemned him to death for taking advantage of poor innocent Tamar. Our society would have applauded the act of incest, saying it was necessary on Tamar’s part, suggesting that laws against it are all about the subjugation of women. Which makes me wonder, how long will it take before the laws against incest are struck down? It was accepted in the past, just as homosexuality, transgender, and all kinds of things were accepted, and are accepted now.

If you don’t think it will happen, then I must quote from Bill C4 which recently passed in Canada: “Whereas conversion therapy causes harm to society because, among other things, it is based on and propagates myths and stereotypes about sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, including the myth that heterosexuality, cisgender gender identity, and gender expression that conforms to the sex assigned to a person at birth are to be preferred over other sexual orientations, gender identities and gender expressions.” In this statement, our government has rendered Christianity as nothing more than a myth and stereotype.

Let us be clear about two things. First the Bible reveals that God created this world. As creator, He determines how it runs, as creatures, we do not. In the beginning he created marriage as being between one man and one woman. Judah sinned, he rebelled against God’s plan for marriage when he hired a prostitute. Jesus taught, “Whoever looks at another person lustfully, commits adultery in his heart.

Second, our society is willing to try all kinds of things, without any regard to the long-term costs. This will catch up in the end. No sin goes on forever. Biological science agrees with God’s word with regard to human sexuality—there are only two genders. Though social scientists are trying to suggest otherwise, gender confusion is more accurately treated in the same way body dysmorphia (anorexia/bulimia) is treated.

How shall we respond? We obey God, and conform to His Word, and do not conform to the pattern of the world. We submit to him, and confess that all of us, each one of us has sinned in thought, word, and deed. No one is perfect. No one is more or less guilty than another.

We respond by putting our hope in Christ. For whoever has sinned, whether it is sexual sin or any kind of sin, Jesus is the one who forgives. He became sin to set us free from our sin. He took Judah’s sin, He took Tamar’s sin. He redeemed them because they repented and turned from their sin. He willingly does the same to any and all who come to him in repentance and faith. Amen.

Father, we come to you in repentance and faith. We confess our sin, sexual sin, any kind of sin. All sin is rebellion against you. We confess it is easier to live according to the world than it is according to your commandments. It is easier in the short term-but far more difficult, far more painful in the long term, as Judah and Tamar found out. Forgive us in Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord. Help us to know your perfect loving kindness, how you absolutely desire what is best for us. Out of the fear and dread of the tomb, into the joy and light of Thy home, out of the depths of ruin untold, into the peace of Thy sheltering fold, ever Thy glorious face to behold, Jesus, we come to you. Amen