01.16.2015 Old Testament: Gen 38.15–23

To read the Bible in a year, read Genesis 38–40 on January 16, In the year of our Lord 2015

By Don Ruhl

Judah’s wife died, and his daughter-in-law lost her first two husbands to death, the sons of Judah. The third son should have been given to her, and when Judah did not give the third son to her, she disguised herself as a harlot, and knowing that he had lost his wife and may have desired a sexual encounter, she placed herself in a place where he would pass,

When Judah saw her, he thought she was a harlot, because she had covered her face. Then he turned to her by the way, and said, “Please let me come in to you”; for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law.  So she said, “What will you give me, that you may come in to me?” And he said, “I will send a young goat from the flock.” So she said, “Will you give me a pledge till you send it?” Then he said, “What pledge shall I give you?” So she said, “Your signet and cord, and your staff that is in your hand.” Then he gave them to her, and went in to her, and she conceived by him. So she arose and went away, and laid aside her veil and put on the garments of her widowhood. And Judah sent the young goat by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive his pledge from the woman’s hand, but he did not find her. Then he asked the men of that place, saying, “Where is the harlot who was openly by the roadside?”  And they said, “There was no harlot in this place.” So he returned to Judah and said, “I cannot find her. Also, the men of the place said there was no harlot in this place.” Then Judah said, “Let her take them for herself, lest we be shamed; for I sent this young goat and you have not found her” (Genesis 38.15–23). 

She had waited for the third son, keeping herself from marrying another man, but when Judah did not give the third son to her in marriage, she figured this was a way to get at him, and so she tricked him. They both did what was wrong, but she knew the power of sexual lust in a man and used it against her father-in-law.

Yet, the Lord used the encounter to give us the Christ centuries later, because He can use anyone in any situation of life to fulfill His will. He can use you. He is using you.