Season 4 Genesis 38 (Joyelle Lee)
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The most uncommon story preached)
Most undervalued chapter in the Bible
this is one of the MOST IMPORTANT chapters in the Bible!!!!
This happens over 20 yr timeline (while Joseph’s in Egypt for 22 years)
1. He LEFT(38:1)
⁃ ‘way-ye-red’
⁃ “To come down.”
Judah “came down’ the mountain of his spiritual journey— not up!
Judah left the HIGH GROUND in Hebron to the lower southern part in Adullam.
And the LOWER to Kezib (w/ wife & 3 sons)
⁃ Col 3:2: “Set your minds (eyes, heart) on things above, not on earthly things. (below)
⁃ Psalm “lifter of head”
pagan friend he “stayed with” =Hiram
“Pitched a tent” w/ him!
“Bad company corrupts good character” (1 Cor 15:33)
“Show me your friends & I’ll show you your future!”
• My only friend was Jesus for a season
• “Who speaks INTO me is much more important than who speaks ABOUT me!”
• Temple example (holy of Holies)
• “We can become so affected that we become ineffective
2. He SAW (38:2)
• “Way-ar”
Same word used when David “SAW” Bethsheeba on roof bathing (2 Sam 11:2)
Your eyes are the window of your soul
• Matt 5:29: “If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.“
(Radical step required!)
3. He LOST (Er & Onan) (38:7-10)
• God “killed” both sons due to wickedness
• Adam & Eve “You will die” (they DIED spiritually & relationally & intimately)
• story of Ananias (acts 5)
• ONAN was “UNWILLING” (disobedient)
• Matt 16:25 (onan): “For whoever wants to save their life (onan) will lose it, but whoever loses their life (SURRENDER) for me will find it.”
Sin brings death!!!
4. He DECEIVES (son/Sheila —fear) (38:11)
• unbelief= fear= deception (control tactics)
• ALL SIN IS ROOTED IN UNBELIEF!
• “My sin TODAY is due to sin done against me YESTERDAY.”
5. He NUMBS (grief of wife’s death) (38:16)
• Tamar was “used” as counterfeit comfort to numb Judah’s grief.
• In our unhealed pain— we’re more interested in what that person can do for me then adding value to their life! (“Love” becomes selfish)
• “We often don’t stop-sin, we swap-sin!”
6. He GIVES AWAY identity (38:18)
chose temporary pleasure over long-term blessing
signet ring w/ cord & staff (his identity)
• soup story/ Esau & Jacob (Gen 25:31)
• Six times in scripture, the Lord Jesus is declared the first-born of God
• of course, SATAN wanted Judah to trade his identity — knowing the FIRST BORN SON would be coming through his line!
7. He CONDEMNS Tamar (38:24)
• “My sin looks worse on someone else.”
8. He REPENTS (38:26)
This entire story HINGES on Judah’s repentance
Judahs NOT making excuses for his wicked behavior.
Judah’s HONEST w/ God & himself about his sin.
• There is repentance, a turning. —- next time we see Judah, he’s different. (FRUIT!!)
• Repentance BEFORE revival (Billy Graham tent revivals were a “call to repentance!”)
• “Bear fruit in keeping with repentance”(Matt 3:8)
9. He RECEIVES double (38:27)
• Jacob had TWO twin boys (perhaps replacing the boys he lost?) Perez (PEER-EZ) & Zerah
• Is 61:7 ‘double for trouble’ (“Instead of your shame you will receive a double portion of honor.”)
• 2 Kings 2:8-15 “Elisha has asked a HARD thing.” (Asked for a double portion of Elisha’s spirit on him)
Matthew genealogy;
The Ancestors of Jesus the Messiah
Matt 1:1 This is a record of the ancestors of Jesus the Messiah, a descendant of David and of Abraham:
2 Abraham was the father of Isaac. Isaac was the father of Jacob. Jacob was the father of Judah and his brothers.
3 Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah (whose mother was Tamar). Perez was the father of Hezron. Hezron was the father of Ram.
Matt 1:16 Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Mary gave birth to Jesus, who is called the Messiah. “
these 2 children born out of wedlock from prostitution—
ended up in the lineage of the MESSIAH!!!!!
“God takes our broken-pieces (through gift of repentance)
& turns us into His
master-pieces.