GENESIS
Chapter 38
If you don’t have a Bible handy, click this link for Genesis Chapter 38.
Verses 1-5 Judah leaves the family – picks a Canaanite woman for a wife and has 3 sons (Er, Onan, Shelah).
Verses 6-7 Fast forward – Judah’s son Er gets married to Tamar. But he was wicked and the Lord slew him.
Verses 8-10 Tamar is given to Onan . Onan realizes that an heir would not be his so he makes sure she does not get pregnant with his child. God was not happy with Onan and he dies as well.
Verse 11 Judah tells Tamar to wait for his younger son (Shelah) to be old enough to get married. But Judah was being deceitful and did not want Selah to marry Tamar.
Verse 12 Judah’s wife dies.
Verse 13 – 19 Tamar finds out that Judah is in town and plans a trap for him (she dresses as a harlot). Judah falls for it.
Verses 20-23 Later, Judah tries to pay the harlot but she can’t be found (Tamar gets rid of the harlot clothes and puts her widow clothes back on).
Verses 24-26 3 months later Judah finds out that Tamar is pregnant and then he finds out that he is the father.
Verses 27-30 Tamar has twin sons (Perez, Zerah). Note: Jesus will come thru Perez’s line (thru Tamar and Judah). Zerah is the ancestor of Achan (Joshua 7:1)
Discussion:
-- Does Judah leave because he feels guilty about Joseph?
-- Judah gets married but he is unequally yoked. Good idea? Bad idea?
-- Judah’s sons are wicked and 2 die because of their wickedness. Did Judah teach them about God? Was he being a godly influence?
-- Tamar decides to be deceitful (a running theme in this family) Was this a good idea? Jesus will come thru Judah’s line – did God take something bad and turn it to good?
-- Judah wanted Tamar to be burned – until he found out he was the father. Why did that matter?
-- Zerah was going to be born first but somehow he switched places with his twin and Perez was born first. Was there a reason that Perez needed to be the first born?
-- Would you consider this family as being dysfunctional?
-- Why would God choose this family as the ancestors of His Son?
-- Have you researched your family tree and found that you have some bad ancestors? You and Jesus have that in common!
-- God put Leah (Judah’s mom) in the ancestor line of Jesus. Why did He pick Leah? Was it because she was unloved?
-- Do you feel unloved or second best? Do you feel like you don’t matter? Well, you do matter! Just look at Leah and Tamar and how God used them for His glory.
