WHEN YOU MISS THE WAY (Genesis 38)
"Please read through patiently"
When you read Genesis 38, you may seem to get confused and wonder why all these abnormal situations. I remember reading this chapter for the first time as a child, I was equally perplexed. What strange events.
It could arouse many questions and doubts in the mind and make you wonder who God is?
Let us look at it. Judah left home, or do I say, wondered away and made a Canaanite friend Hirah.
Genesis 38:1,11
About this time, Judah left home and moved to Adullam, where he stayed with a man named Hirah.
From this friendship he married a woman from Canaan, the daughter of Shua, he had three sons in succession, Er then Onan and then Shilah. He then took a wife for his first son Er called Tamar. Now the story turns soar:
Genesis 38:7
And Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD slew him.
And, his brother Onan:
Genesis 38:8-10
Then Judah said to Er’s brother Onan, “Go and marry Tamar, as our law requires of the brother of a man who has died. You must produce an heir for your brother.”
But Onan was not willing to have a child who would not be his own heir. So whenever he had intercourse with his brother’s wife, he spilled the semen on the ground. This prevented her from having a child who would belong to his brother.
But the Lord considered it evil for Onan to deny a child to his dead brother. So the Lord took Onan’s life, too.
Now just like typical human nature or African nature was, the blame had to go to the woman Tamar!
Genesis 38:11
Then Judah said to Tamar, his daughter-in-law, “Go back to your parents’ home and remain a widow until my son Shelah is old enough to marry you.” (But Judah didn’t really intend to do this because he was afraid Shelah would also die, like his two brothers.) So Tamar went back to live in her father’s home.
However when Shelah was grown Tamar was forgotten. The bible records that Shua's daughter Judah's wife died and Judah went with his friend to Tinnah to shear sheep, Tamar saw an opportunity!
(please follow patiently)
Genesis 38:14-19
Tamar was aware that Shelah had grown up, but no arrangements had been made for her to come and marry him. So she changed out of her widow’s clothing and covered herself with a veil to disguise herself. Then she sat beside the road at the entrance to the village of Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah.
Judah noticed her and thought she was a prostitute, since she had covered her face.
So he stopped and propositioned her. “Let me have sex with you,” he said, not realizing that she was his own daughter-in-law.“How much will you pay to have sex with me?” Tamar asked.
“I’ll send you a young goat from my flock,” Judah promised.“But what will you give me to guarantee that you will send the goat?” she asked.
“What kind of guarantee do you want?” he replied.She answered, “Leave me your identification seal and its cord and the walking stick you are carrying.” So Judah gave them to her. Then he had intercourse with her, and she became pregnant.
Afterward she went back home, took off her veil, and put on her widow’s clothing as usual.
When news was passed to Judah that his inlaw was pregnant, he immediately passed judgment on her, she was to be burnt!
Genesis 38:24
About three months later, Judah was told, “Tamar, your daughter-in-law, has acted like a prostitute. And now, because of this, she’s pregnant.”“Bring her out, and let her be burned!” Judah demanded.
When she informed Judah that he was the father of the children, hear his response:
Genesis 38:26
Judah recognized them immediately and said, “She is more righteous than I am, because I didn’t arrange for her to marry my son Shelah.” And Judah never slept with Tamar again.
Finally Tamar gave birth to twins, Perez and Zerah:
Genesis 38:28-30
While she was in labor, one of the babies reached out his hand. The midwife grabbed it and tied a scarlet string around the child’s wrist, announcing, “This one came out first.”
But then he pulled back his hand, and out came his brother! “What!” the midwife exclaimed. “How did you break out first?” So he was named Perez.
Then the baby with the scarlet string on his wrist was born, and he was named Zerah.
Now remember:
2 Timothy 3:16-17
All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.
God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.
How did this strange events start?:
Judah wandered away mixed up with the strangers in Canaan and went ahead to marry a strange woman.
2 Corinthians 6:14
Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
Judah was not able to bring his children up in the way of the Lord, his first son Er, was recorded to be a wicked man. You wonder the extent of wickedness for the bible to emphasize it, he had to die.
Genesis 38:7
But Er was a wicked man in the lord’s sight, so the lord took his life.
Proverbs 2:22
But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it.
His second son was also recorded to be evil,
Genesis 38:10
But the Lord considered it evil for Onan to deny a child to his dead brother. So the Lord took Onan’s life, too.
Now we may assume that it was the Heavenly Father taking this actions however, let me say nothing about it, but read this scriptures:
Acts 12:21-23
and an appointment with Herod was granted. When the day arrived, Herod put on his royal robes, sat on his throne, and made a speech to them.
The people gave him a great ovation, shouting, “It’s the voice of a god, not of a man!”
Instantly, an angel of the Lord struck Herod with a sickness, because he accepted the people’s worship instead of giving the glory to God. So he was consumed with worms and died.
Then read this:
John 1:18
No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared [him].
(the Lord give us understanding)
Finally we see Judah displaying irresponsible character, he went in to a prostitute and still had the audacity to pass judgment on his daughter inlaw for playing a prostitute. Eventually he found out he was the culprit and tried to hide the shame. Tamar would have died!
(stay with me!)
Romans 2:1-3,21-22
You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things.
And we know that God, in his justice, will punish anyone who does such things.
Since you judge others for doing these things, why do you think you can avoid God’s judgment when you do the same things?
Well then, if you teach others, why don’t you teach yourself? You tell others not to steal, but do you steal?
You say it is wrong to commit adultery, but do you commit adultery? You condemn idolatry, but do you use items stolen from pagan temples?
You cannot afford to live your life carelessly and expect that all would be well. An Igbo proverb says: "you cannot bring in insect infected wood into your house and wonder why you have so many lizards in your house".
We must live carefully, our decisions and choices matter, both for us and those under us.
WE CANNOT AFFORD TO MISS THE WAY AND THUS LEAD OTHERS AMISS.
Don't turn around ro blame God for your own mistakes, choices, actions and inactions. Instead seek his guidance.
The Lord will help us. We will not miss the way. Help us Good Lord.
He calls us blessed.
Love
@the watcher.
When you read Genesis 38, you may seem to get confused and wonder why all these abnormal situations. I remember reading this chapter for the first time as a child, I was equally perplexed. What strange events.
It could arouse many questions and doubts in the mind and make you wonder who God is?
Let us look at it. Judah left home, or do I say, wondered away and made a Canaanite friend Hirah.
Genesis 38:1,11
About this time, Judah left home and moved to Adullam, where he stayed with a man named Hirah.
From this friendship he married a woman from Canaan, the daughter of Shua, he had three sons in succession, Er then Onan and then Shilah. He then took a wife for his first son Er called Tamar. Now the story turns soar:
Genesis 38:7
And Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD slew him.
And, his brother Onan:
Genesis 38:8-10
Then Judah said to Er’s brother Onan, “Go and marry Tamar, as our law requires of the brother of a man who has died. You must produce an heir for your brother.”
But Onan was not willing to have a child who would not be his own heir. So whenever he had intercourse with his brother’s wife, he spilled the semen on the ground. This prevented her from having a child who would belong to his brother.
But the Lord considered it evil for Onan to deny a child to his dead brother. So the Lord took Onan’s life, too.
Now just like typical human nature or African nature was, the blame had to go to the woman Tamar!
Genesis 38:11
Then Judah said to Tamar, his daughter-in-law, “Go back to your parents’ home and remain a widow until my son Shelah is old enough to marry you.” (But Judah didn’t really intend to do this because he was afraid Shelah would also die, like his two brothers.) So Tamar went back to live in her father’s home.
However when Shelah was grown Tamar was forgotten. The bible records that Shua's daughter Judah's wife died and Judah went with his friend to Tinnah to shear sheep, Tamar saw an opportunity!
(please follow patiently)
Genesis 38:14-19
Tamar was aware that Shelah had grown up, but no arrangements had been made for her to come and marry him. So she changed out of her widow’s clothing and covered herself with a veil to disguise herself. Then she sat beside the road at the entrance to the village of Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah.
Judah noticed her and thought she was a prostitute, since she had covered her face.
So he stopped and propositioned her. “Let me have sex with you,” he said, not realizing that she was his own daughter-in-law.“How much will you pay to have sex with me?” Tamar asked.
“I’ll send you a young goat from my flock,” Judah promised.“But what will you give me to guarantee that you will send the goat?” she asked.
“What kind of guarantee do you want?” he replied.She answered, “Leave me your identification seal and its cord and the walking stick you are carrying.” So Judah gave them to her. Then he had intercourse with her, and she became pregnant.
Afterward she went back home, took off her veil, and put on her widow’s clothing as usual.
When news was passed to Judah that his inlaw was pregnant, he immediately passed judgment on her, she was to be burnt!
Genesis 38:24
About three months later, Judah was told, “Tamar, your daughter-in-law, has acted like a prostitute. And now, because of this, she’s pregnant.”“Bring her out, and let her be burned!” Judah demanded.
When she informed Judah that he was the father of the children, hear his response:
Genesis 38:26
Judah recognized them immediately and said, “She is more righteous than I am, because I didn’t arrange for her to marry my son Shelah.” And Judah never slept with Tamar again.
Finally Tamar gave birth to twins, Perez and Zerah:
Genesis 38:28-30
While she was in labor, one of the babies reached out his hand. The midwife grabbed it and tied a scarlet string around the child’s wrist, announcing, “This one came out first.”
But then he pulled back his hand, and out came his brother! “What!” the midwife exclaimed. “How did you break out first?” So he was named Perez.
Then the baby with the scarlet string on his wrist was born, and he was named Zerah.
Now remember:
2 Timothy 3:16-17
All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.
God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.
How did this strange events start?:
Judah wandered away mixed up with the strangers in Canaan and went ahead to marry a strange woman.
2 Corinthians 6:14
Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
Judah was not able to bring his children up in the way of the Lord, his first son Er, was recorded to be a wicked man. You wonder the extent of wickedness for the bible to emphasize it, he had to die.
Genesis 38:7
But Er was a wicked man in the lord’s sight, so the lord took his life.
Proverbs 2:22
But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it.
His second son was also recorded to be evil,
Genesis 38:10
But the Lord considered it evil for Onan to deny a child to his dead brother. So the Lord took Onan’s life, too.
Now we may assume that it was the Heavenly Father taking this actions however, let me say nothing about it, but read this scriptures:
Acts 12:21-23
and an appointment with Herod was granted. When the day arrived, Herod put on his royal robes, sat on his throne, and made a speech to them.
The people gave him a great ovation, shouting, “It’s the voice of a god, not of a man!”
Instantly, an angel of the Lord struck Herod with a sickness, because he accepted the people’s worship instead of giving the glory to God. So he was consumed with worms and died.
Then read this:
John 1:18
No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared [him].
(the Lord give us understanding)
Finally we see Judah displaying irresponsible character, he went in to a prostitute and still had the audacity to pass judgment on his daughter inlaw for playing a prostitute. Eventually he found out he was the culprit and tried to hide the shame. Tamar would have died!
(stay with me!)
Romans 2:1-3,21-22
You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things.
And we know that God, in his justice, will punish anyone who does such things.
Since you judge others for doing these things, why do you think you can avoid God’s judgment when you do the same things?
Well then, if you teach others, why don’t you teach yourself? You tell others not to steal, but do you steal?
You say it is wrong to commit adultery, but do you commit adultery? You condemn idolatry, but do you use items stolen from pagan temples?
You cannot afford to live your life carelessly and expect that all would be well. An Igbo proverb says: "you cannot bring in insect infected wood into your house and wonder why you have so many lizards in your house".
We must live carefully, our decisions and choices matter, both for us and those under us.
WE CANNOT AFFORD TO MISS THE WAY AND THUS LEAD OTHERS AMISS.
Don't turn around ro blame God for your own mistakes, choices, actions and inactions. Instead seek his guidance.
The Lord will help us. We will not miss the way. Help us Good Lord.
He calls us blessed.
Love
@the watcher.
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