The Forgotten Daughter In Law
Lessons To Heed
From An Overlooked Chapter
Gen. 38
Introduction
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It can be so overwhelmed by
others things that it goes unnoticed
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Adam => creation, first home, first sin
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Noah => salvation from judgment through
faithful obedience
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Abraham, Isaac, Jacob => recipients of the promises from God
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Joseph => faithful living under God’s
providential watch
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He is the predominant
character (more written about him than
any other)
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An account tucked away “in
obscurity” that, when read, provides valuable and practical lessons
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For God’s people even today
Gen. 38 records
the encounter between Judah and Tamar
When we study this, we learn
some basic lessons about sin and how to overcome it
A.
God is aware of all sin (vv. 7-10)
1. Judah’s 2 oldest sons illustrate this principle
2. No mention of Er’s evil
=> perhaps some moral evil
3. Onan apparently wanted the gratification of sex without
the responsibility of raising up children for his dead brother according to the
accepted custom
4.
Later became part of the
Law (Deut. 25:5-6)
5. Generation upon generation of God’s people continue to
struggle with this truth (cp. Heb. 4:12-13)
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Hebrews 4:12-13 NKJV 12 For
the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword,
piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and
is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 13 And there is no
creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes
of Him to whom we must give account.
B.
Our sins will always find us out (vv. 11, 15-18, 20-23)
1.
Judah intentionally
deceived Tamar (v. 11)
2.
Judah committed the sin
of fornication unknowingly with Tamar (v. 16)
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When his “attempt” to pay
her did not work out, he thought it no longer mattered
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Further attempts would only
end up embarrassing him (v. 23)
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In essence, he thought he
“got away with it”
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What this thinking does is
forget about point #1
3.
Generation upon
generation of God’s people continue to forget this (cp. Num. 32:23)
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Numbers 32:23 NKJV 23 "But if you do not do so, then take
note, you have sinned against the LORD; and be sure your sin will find you out.
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If not in this life,
certainly at judgment (cp. 2 Cor. 5:10)
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We do well to teach our
children this principle
C.
We can’t outplay the worldly in “the sin game” (vv. 12-14, 19, 25)
1. For starters, we shouldn’t want to
2. As the people of God, we live by principles He gives us
3. The people of the world are strictly “opportunists” => they’ll seize any opportunity to advance themselves in any way
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No consideration given to
principle => this is “situation
ethics”
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They always prove
themselves more unscrupulous (cp. Mk. 3:1-6; Lk. 6:11)
4. Tamar illustrates that no level is to low in which to
stoop
5. Judah illustrates that when we try to play their game,
they always win & we always lose
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Generation upon generation
of God’s people continue to flirt with this fire only to get burned (cp.
Jas. 4:2-4)
a.
James 4:2-4 NKJV 2 You lust and do not have. You murder and
covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do
not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may
spend it on your pleasures. 4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that
friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a
friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
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James teaches us that
trying to “win” in ways God doesn’t approve will always fail, and only puts us
at odds with Him
D.
Self-righteousness blinds us to our own sins (vv. 24, 26)
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Judah was quick to condemn
Tamar for unholy conduct while ignoring his own failures
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Often, we are quick to
judge, condemn the sins of others without first contemplating our own faults
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This shows just how
hypocritical we can be at times
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Generation upon generation
of God’s people continue to be guilty of this conduct (cp. Mt. 7:3-5)
a.
Matthew 7:3-5 NKJV 3 "And why do you look at the speck in
your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? 4 "Or
how can you say to your brother, 'Let me remove the speck from your eye'; and
look, a plank is in your own eye? 5 "Hypocrite! First remove the plank
from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your
brother's eye.
A. We always need
to be people of our word.
1. This is principled behavior
2. If Judah had just kept his word in v. 11a, look at what all would have been avoided
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His dishonesty
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His fornicating encounter
with Tamar
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Tamar’s behavior as a
harlot
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His self-righteousness
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We’re to be people of our
word, that when we say something, others know it is the truth
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Mt. 5:33-37; Jas. 5:12 => no need for swearing, “confirming”
oaths
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2 Cor. 1:15-20 => actions should always match words, not
hindering the gospel
B. We must
separate ourselves from sin.
1. This is
principled behavior
2. This may well be one of the reasons for this chapter in
the Genesis record
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Of Jacob’s family, it
appears Joseph was the most righteous
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He is now in Egypt
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All the rest of Jacob’s
sons are dwelling in Canaan
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Judah illustrates how they
were becoming more submerged into Canaanite culture.
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God needed to get them out,
and perhaps a stay in Egypt was part of His providential plan to maintain their
purity
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Remember…Egyptians loathed
shepherds (cp. Gen. 46:34)
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The Israelites would be
left relatively alone in their new home
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We’re to come out from
wickedness and be separate (1 Cor. 15:33; 2 Cor. 6:14 – 7:1)
a.
1 Corinthians 15:33 NKJV 33 Do not be deceived: "Evil company
corrupts good habits."
b.
2 Corinthians 6:14 - 7:1 NKJV 14 Do not be unequally yoked together
with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And
what communion has light with darkness? 15 And what accord has Christ with
Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement
has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As
God has said: "I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their
God, And they shall be My people." 17 Therefore "Come out from among
them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will
receive you." 18 "I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons
and daughters, Says the LORD Almighty." 1 Therefore, having these
promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh
and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
A.
This lesson shows us
again the abiding truth found in Rom.
15:4
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How much we do learn from
the people, events in the Old Testament!
B. Every chapter of the Scripture is important (2
Tim. 3:16)
C. None is to be overlooked
D. When dealing with sin, we’ll do well to remember that
1. God always sees everything we do
2. Our sins will always & eventually find us out
3. We cannot win at this game with dishonest players
4. We cannot judge the sins of others while ignoring our own
sins
5. The best way to avoid sin is for us to be people of our
word
6. The best hope for our future is to distance ourselves
from sin and its influence
May the Lord help us all be
faithful to Him, and resilient in our opposition to sin.