Abused? Cursed? God raises the dead!
The Face of His
Anointed
(Genesis
38:1-30, Preaching: Pastor Stephen Magee, July 19, 2015)
[38:1] 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.
[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.
The
beginning of the tribe of Messiah was disappointing. Sin and fear
were more obvious than obedience and faith.
[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.
[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.
Rather
than just accept her hopeless condition, one abused woman carried out
an outrageous plan.
[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.
The
tribe of Judah, including Jesus, would come from her, and her life
would be used as a blessing (Ruth 4).
Put
the Word to Work: Do not presume that your life is over just
because of the abuse you have suffered. God raises the dead. He loves
the face of His Anointed. Look to Him in the worst distress.
Old
Testament Reading—Psalm 132:10 For
the sake of your servant David, do not turn away the face of your
anointed one.
Gospel
Reading—Matthew 24:1-2 – Jesus
foretells the destruction of the temple
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