Paradise Lost – All Under Control – The Patriarch and the Prostitute – Genesis 38

Paradise Lost – All Under Control – The Patriarch and the Prostitute – Genesis 38

THE PATRIARCH AND THE PROSTITUTE – GENESIS 38

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“1 At that time, Judah left his brothers and went down to stay with a man of Adullam named Hirah. 2 There Judah met the daughter of a Canaanite man named Shua. He married her and lay with her; 3 she became pregnant and gave birth to a son, who was named Er.

4 She conceived again and gave birth to a son and named him Onan. 5 She gave birth to still another son and named him Shelah. It was at Kezib that she gave birth to him.

6 Judah got a wife for Er, his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. 7 But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the LORD’s sight; so the LORD put him to death.

8 Then Judah said to Onan, “Lie with your brother’s wife and fulfill your duty to her as a brother-in-law to produce offspring for your brother.” 9 But Onan knew that the offspring would not be his; so whenever he lay with his brother’s wife, he spilled his semen on the ground to keep from producing offspring for his brother. 10 What he did was wicked in the LORD’s sight; so he put him to death also..” (Genesis 38:1-10)

 

i) Women – be really careful about men

Men want ____ but don’t want responsibility

 

 

ii) God kills sinners!!

“Man’s days are determined; you have decreed the number of his months and have set limits he cannot exceed.” (Job 14:5)

“And the LORD God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.” (Genesis 2:16-17)

“all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” (Romans 3:23-24)

 

What Tamar discovers at the funeral… Shelah is now a _____

“Judah then said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, “Live as a widow in your father’s house until my son Shelah grows up.” For he thought, “He may die too, just like his brothers.” So Tamar went to live in her father’s house.  12 After a long time Judah’s wife, the daughter of Shua, died. When Judah had recovered from his grief, he went up to Timnah, to the men who were shearing his sheep, and his friend Hirah the Adullamite went with him.  13 When Tamar was told, “Your father-in-law is on his way to Timnah to shear his sheep,” 14 she took off her widow’s clothes, covered herself with a veil to disguise herself, and then sat down at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah. For she saw that, though Shelah had now grown up, she had not been given to him as his wife.” (Genesis 38:11-14)

 

iii) God calls us all to be holy

“Be holy, because I am holy” (1Peter 1:16)

When you hear God say “Be holy, because I am holy”, what is it you need to address? Make that a priority this week.

 

iv) Be full of grace and truth

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)

“Judah was told, “Your daughter-in-law Tamar is guilty of prostitution, and as a result she is now pregnant.” Judah said, “Bring her out and have her burned to death!” 25 As she was being brought out, she sent a message to her father-in-law. “I am pregnant by the man who owns these,” she said. And she added, “See if you recognize whose seal and cord and staff these are.” 26 Judah recognized them and said, “She is more righteous than I, since I wouldn’t give her to my son Shelah.” And he did not sleep with her again.” (Genesis 38:24-26)

 

v) God loves you and wants you in his family

““A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ: Abraham was the father of Isaac , Isaac the father of Jacob,  Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar, Perez the father of Hezron….… “Joseph – the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.” (Matthew 1:1-16)

 

  1. Make a decision to turn away from the wrong you’ve done and say SORRY to God
  2. Thank God for sending Jesus to die on the cross
  3. Ask God to come into your life and be your King.

 

For more information visit What is Christianity? 321 The Story of God, the World and You: https://youtu.be/tKyZjvK-d2M

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I want to know more:

  • What is Christianity? 321 The Story of God, the World and You: https://youtu.be/tKyZjvK-d2M
  • More on this story: The Skeleton in Judah’s Closet: Bob Deffinaugh, https://bible.org/seriespage/38-skeleton-judah-s-closet-genesis-381-30
  • Book: Where is God when it hurts? Philip Yancey
  • More about Shelley Lubben: shelleylubben.com/
  • Shelley’s full testimony: http://imaginecommunity.blogspot.co.uk/2009/07/shelley-lubens-story-english-version.html