Genesis 38 Devotional

Grace in an Ugly Family Tree

“Judah recognized the items and said, “She is more righteous than I, since I did not give her to my son Shelah.” And he did not have relations with her again.”Genesis 38:26 (BSB)

Genesis 38 interrupts Joseph's story with a chapter about Judah, and it is not flattering. Judah leaves his brothers and marries a Canaanite woman. Two of his sons are so wicked that the LORD puts them to death (38:7-10). Judah then withholds his third son from their widow, Tamar, leaving her with no future. She disguises herself, and Judah sleeps with her, thinking she is a prostitute. When he hears she is pregnant he orders her burned, until she produces his own seal and staff. Judah admits that she is more righteous than he is (38:26).

It is a story of sin, injustice and exposure, and it ends with twins. One of them, Perez, appears in Matthew's list of Jesus' ancestors, along with Tamar herself (Matthew 1:3). God did not hide this chapter from the family record of his Son. Jesus came from a line full of failure because he came to save failures. The first step is the one Judah took: admitting the truth.

To think about: Is there a wrong you need to stop covering and simply admit before God?