Genesis 38 - Praying God's Word

 

Please read Genesis 38.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/gen/38/1/s_38001

Meditate on verse 7.

 

But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was

evil in the sight of the LORD,

 so the LORD took his life.

 

Joseph’s life story foreshadowed the coming of Jesus Christ.  Why would God include such scandal in the middle of it?  

Genesis 38 begins with God killing two men because they were evil and displeasing to Him (vs. 7, 10).  The story continues with Tamar, the wife of the dead men, tricking Judah, her father-in-law, into having a physical relationship with her.  He thought she was a prostitute, so he paid to have sex with her.  Amazingly, God did not kill Judah and Tamar for their wickedness.  In fact, God allowed Tamar to get pregnant by Judah.  She gave birth to twins and named them Perez and Zerah.

The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah ...

 Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar;

 Perez was the father of ...

—Matthew 1:1, 3

 

Genesis 38 is the graphic story about people in the lineage of Jesus, and it poignantly describes the reason we need the Savior.  Without Christ, we all are Er and Onan, Judah’s two sons struck dead by God because of their sin.  We, too, deserve to die because of our sin.  But God extends His mercy to us, even when we deserve it the least, just like He did to Judah and Tamar.  The LORD redeemed their hopeless situation, and they became the great, great, great ... grandparents of Jesus Christ.

Pray Genesis 38:7 and 26 over someone for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman, who needs the righteousness of Jesus Christ.

“LORD, please give ________ more time on

earth to turn from evil to You.


Make them righteous.

In Your name, Jesus~”

 

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, - Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell