February 23, 2023

THE DIVINE PLAN OF GOD

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

About three months later, Judah was told, “Tamar, your daughter-in-law, has acted like a prostitute. And now, because of this, she’s pregnant.” “Bring her out, and let her be burned!” Judah demanded. But as they were taking her out to kill her, she sent this message to her father-in-law: “The man who owns these things made me pregnant. Look closely. Whose seal and cord and walking stick are these?” Judah recognized them immediately and said, “She is more righteous than I am, because I didn’t arrange for her to marry my son Shelah.” And Judah never slept with Tamar again.

Genesis 38:24-26 NLT

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TODAY’S THOUGHT

Another crazy story of a messed-up family. Let me give you the short version of Genesis 38. Judah, one of the twelve sons of Jacob, moves away from his family, gets married and has three sons. The oldest son gets married to Tamar. He is wicked and dies. Then Judah goes to his second son and tells him to marry his brother’s widow and have heirs that will carry on his brother’s name. (This was the legal custom of the day to keep a family line going.). The brother didn’t like the idea of creating heirs for his brother, so he takes her as his wife but is careful not to produce children with her. God gets mad at him also and he dies. Then Judah has one son left but he is too young to marry. Judah sends Tamar back to her father’s house to live as a widow until the third son is old enough to marry her and carry on the lineage. Years pass and Judah doesn’t make any plans for the third son to marry Tamar. One day Judah travels near where Tamar lives with her father to shear his sheep. Tamar hears Judah is around and goes to see him. She dresses up like a prostitute and Judah propositions her for sex. He promises to pay her a goat but since he doesn’t have the goat with him, he gives his family seal and walking stick as pledge. After he leaves, he sends a friend to take her the goat and get his stuff back. The friend can’t find the prostitute and everyone in the area say they have never had a prostitute in that area. Three months later it is discovered that Tamar is pregnant. Judah tells everyone they must burn her according to the law. They take her to prepare for the public burning. Tamar sends the seal and walking stick to Judah with a message that the man who owns these things is the man who made her pregnant. Judah realizes he was deceived and is more guilty than she is because he didn’t give her his third son. The rest of the story is that Judah takes her as his wife. (He is a widower) She has twins—Perez and Zerah. If the name Tamar sounds familiar it should because it shows up in the New Testament in Matthew, chapter one, in the genealogy of Jesus. She is one of five women named. Her son, Perez, is in the linage of Jesus. Out of crazy, messy, deception and sin God works His divine plan. Judah doesn’t do what he should have done. Then Tamar deceives him into thinking she is a prostitute. Then Judah has sex with a woman he thinks is a prostitute. And yet, through all the deception and sin God works out part of His divine plan for the Messiah to come into the world through the tribe of Judah. God really can work all things together for good. He has a divine plan that can work through our worst. Let God redeem your mess and see His divine plan in your life.

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TODAY’S PRAYER

Holy Spirit come and work in my life. Help me to see Your plan for me.

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