Genesis: The Beginning
God, Judah, Tamar, Dishonor 2-3-16
Genesis 38
Yesterday, we read about how Joseph and his dreams caused such hatred among his brothers they sold him into slavery. While Joseph is enslaved in Egypt, our reading shifts our focus off from Joseph and onto Judah. We travel to Adullam where we watch the unrolling life choices of Judah, his sons, and his daughter-in-law, Tamar. The life stories in Chapters 37-38 reveal a moral contrast between Joseph and Judah.
This evening I will be teaching and sharing on Chapter 38. I will post the completed devotional following our Wednesday Worship time. In the meantime, please read the lesson’s scriptural passage and consider the following questions:
- Does it seem to you prostitution is acceptable in our reading during Israel’s (Jacob’s) culture? Why or why not?
- Judah was responsible for seeing that Joseph was sold into slavery; he really is quite despicable. Even though he has sex with a shrine prostitute, he is ready to stone Tamar when he hears she is pregnant out of wedlock. What is your take on his character and spiritual devotion?
- We cannot really identify with the law that says a brother must marry a deceased brother’s wife in our culture. Why do you think the law required it? When the third brother was not sent to marry Tamar, how do you feel about her actions of tricking her father-in-law?
- Once again a goat is involved in the story of Isaac’s descendants. Do you think it is symbolic? If so, what do you think the goat symbolizes?