Today's Reading:

Genesis 38
Genesis 39
Genesis 40

 
Jacob had 12 sons, and each with their own account of family lineage by Leah, Rachel and both their servant maids. Reuben, son number one, slept with his father’s concubine and lost his birthright, Simeon and Levi, the second and third born, avenged Dinah and massacred Shechem and were then cursed with scattering, while Judah the fourth son, sold his brother Joseph into slavery and withheld justice from Tamar eventually fathering her twin sons through a scandal. Yet right in the middle of this slew of failures, God plants the scarlet thread on the wrist of Zerah (Genesis 38:28-30). While the “worthy” firstborns disqualify themselves, the Messianic line of Jesus slips through to the fourth son- the one whose greatest sin becomes the stage for repentance and God’s greatest mercy. Long before kings or crowns, the seed of the Woman, the seed of Abraham, then the seed of Judah’s shame are covered in grace.

Chapter 38 of Genesis shifts the focus to Judah, one of Jacob’s (Israel’s) twelve sons. Judah is the same brother who, years earlier, had suggested selling Joseph into slavery rather than killing him (Genesis 37:26-27). By this time, Judah has three grown sons of his own. When his firstborn, Er, dies without children, Er’s widow, Tamar, should—according to the custom of Levirate marriage—be married to one of her late husband’s brothers. This practice was intended to preserve the deceased husband’s name and ensure the continuation of his family line (see Deuteronomy 25:5-10 for the later clarification of this law).

After the second son died as well, Judah did not want to give his only son left to Tamar out of fear that he might also die. Judah became superstitious that Tamar was somehow responsible and brought bad luck to the family, so he lied and told her to stay at her own father’s house as a widow for a while. Eventually Tamar realized that Judah was not going to follow through and she tricked Judah into thinking that she was a prostitute to get him to sleep with her. Tamar became pregnant with her father-in-law’s children, twin boys.

In Chapter 39, we go back to Joseph again, now in Egypt and working for the captain of guard. Joseph was prospering under God’s blessings, and he was put in charge of the entire household and all of Potiphar’s possession. Joseph, being handsome, caught the attention of Potiphar’s wife and she tried to seduce him. Joseph fled due to the false accusations but was thrown into the king’s prison (one for political/elite offenders). Being that the Lord was with Joseph, the jailer put Joseph in charge of the other prisoners. Joseph’s integrity and refusal of sin stood out and elevated him.

The Pharaoh became angry with two of his top officers, the chief cupbearer (responsible for testing Pharaoh’s wine) and the chief baker (responsible for food). Both were placed in the same prison where Joseph was captive and in charge, and they each had troubling dreams. In those days the ancient Egyptians felt that dreams were direct messages from the gods. Joseph, the dream-whisperer interprets the dreams. The cup bearers dream was cheerful, and he would be back to working for the Pharaoh again. The baker shared his dream, but with a brutal outcome that the Pharaoh would be executing him and the baker would become a snack buffet for the birds while hanging on a pole. Once let out of prison, the cup bearer forgot the one person who literally saved his life the moment he was free. God’s accuracy with the dreams coming true exactly three days later to the very detail and with such precision shows of

God’s divine work through Joseph. It also shows human ingratitude, especially when someone is no longer useful to you. Why do we only remember someone’s worth when they have already walked away and we finally need them again?

Today's Discussion question: 
Why do we only remember someone’s worth when they have already walked away and we finally need them again?

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