# 42 2023 Dev. Ge.38:1. God In Control! Read all of chapter thirty eight first . We invite you into God’s space, to read His Word, to think on and interact with. This is God’s story. Do you believe that this may also be part of our story, in our time? All passages are taken from the NIV.
Ge.38:1 “At that time, Judah left his brothers and went down to stay with a man of Adullam named Hirah.”
Ch.38 is basically about Judah. Remember, Judah is the one who pushed his brothers to sell Joseph into slavery instead of killing him. One wonders why Judah left his brothers and his father’s house. Did he disapprove of his brothers actions? Perhaps he was running out of pasture for his flocks. Obviously he did not hook up with one of the captives from Shechem.
Vs. 1-11 Judah moves away from his brothers and from Jacob’s household. It appears to have been a temporary move since Judah is back with his brothers when they go to Egypt for grain. While Judah was living near his friend Hirah, Judah married a Canaanite women named Shua and she bore him three children.
Judah must have lived there for 25 or more years. His first born Er marries Tamar but before they had children he dies. Scripture tells us that God took him because of his wickedness. A common practice in those days was “Lavirate Marriages” The brother of the husband is required to marry his widow, especially if childless. This is still practiced today in the Middle East and Africa.
Onan, Judah’s second child is married to Tamar, but he refused to impregnate her, this displeases God and He takes him also. Judah, afraid of loosing his younger son sends Tamera back to stay with her father with the promise the younger son would marry her when fully grown. Judah had no intention of allowing Shelah to marry Tamara.
Vs.12-23 After a long time Judah’s wife died. Tamera sees an opportunity, she knows that Judah will not fulfill his promise to her. Widowed twice, no children, and no husband to care for her, she takes desperate action. She pretends to be a prostitute to tempt Judah to sleep with her, she is successful in her ruse. She keeps his seal and staff as proof.
Vs.24-27 Three months later Tamar is found pregnant, You can’t make up a story like this, obviously God is in control. Apparently, it is OK for Judah to prostitute himself but not for Tamar, “bring her out and burn her”, Judah says. But when he has to admits that she is pregnant by him, he declares her more righteous than him.
Tamar gave birth to twins boys, Perez and Zerah. Zerah appears to be born first but Perez comes first. Perez is in the line of David, ultimately in the line of Christ. Judah was chosen but he married the wrong women, God corrected it in a very human and a very unorthodox way. Thanks be to God!
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