WEBVTT 00:00:00.560 --> 00:00:05.040 So, if you're if you're new, if it's your first time with us, um let me let you know what we're doing right now. 00:00:05.200 --> 00:00:07.519 This year, we're doing something called the whole story. 00:00:07.599 --> 00:00:08.800 This is something we've never done before. 00:00:08.960 --> 00:00:11.759 We are going through the entire story of the Bible in a year. 00:00:11.839 --> 00:00:16.480 We've broken the whole story of Scripture down into 14 different series. 00:00:16.559 --> 00:00:20.960 And we started this in February, we're gonna finish it in December, and we are in series two. 00:00:21.280 --> 00:00:23.679 We're actually ahead of schedule right now, which is amazing. 00:00:23.920 --> 00:00:31.359 And so uh we started it again in February, went through some of the first bits of the book of Genesis, and now we're wrapping that up right now. 00:00:31.760 --> 00:00:35.840 We are in a series today, actually, we're gonna wrap it up called Broken Homes. 00:00:36.000 --> 00:00:42.159 And so, if you've been here for the last few weeks, we've been talking about some of the earliest families and their stories that we have in the Bible. 00:00:42.240 --> 00:00:44.560 These are the people that God has chosen to use. 00:00:44.719 --> 00:00:52.960 These are the people that God has chosen to show himself to the entire world through, and you would think that he would pick people who have it together. 00:00:53.280 --> 00:00:54.640 It's actually something I hear a lot. 00:00:54.719 --> 00:01:02.000 There will be people who will sort of disqualify themselves from following God or maybe even going to church or getting baptized or taking some step in their faith. 00:01:02.159 --> 00:01:05.519 And the idea is like once I have it all together, then I'll do that. 00:01:05.840 --> 00:01:11.280 And the mistake we make when we think that is that we think God is looking for people who have it all together. 00:01:11.599 --> 00:01:14.159 We think that God is like, man, I would love to use you. 00:01:14.239 --> 00:01:16.640 The problem is you're not very useful right now. 00:01:16.879 --> 00:01:20.959 You've got some stuff, you've got some issues, you're a little crazy, you're a little messed up. 00:01:21.040 --> 00:01:22.959 So why don't you go deal with yourself? 00:01:23.200 --> 00:01:25.920 Why don't you go fix yourself up a little bit and then we'll talk? 00:01:26.079 --> 00:01:29.519 And that's if you read the Bible, you'll understand quickly, that is not how God operates. 00:01:29.680 --> 00:01:33.040 God is not looking for people who have it all together. 00:01:33.680 --> 00:01:37.599 He's definitely not looking for people who think they have it all together. 00:01:40.239 --> 00:01:46.640 God picks these people and he gives them these promises, and they are a broken mess. 00:01:47.760 --> 00:01:51.200 Story after story that we have of these families in the book of Genesis. 00:01:51.280 --> 00:01:56.480 It's just more family drama, more brokenness than you could even imagine. 00:01:57.040 --> 00:02:03.200 We joked last week there's this phrase in our culture, hold my beer, which basically says, Let me try to outdo your stupidity. 00:02:03.439 --> 00:02:05.359 And it's almost like they're playing a game of that. 00:02:05.519 --> 00:02:10.479 Like one family's messed up and the other family's like, hold my beer, I'm gonna do even better. 00:02:10.719 --> 00:02:11.599 It's crazy. 00:02:11.680 --> 00:02:13.520 But it teaches us some really important things. 00:02:13.599 --> 00:02:14.560 And this is so valuable. 00:02:14.719 --> 00:02:19.360 Number one, it teaches us how amazing and credible our scriptures are. 00:02:19.840 --> 00:02:24.479 I was having a conversation beforehand this morning talking about some of these stories that we're gonna read today. 00:02:24.639 --> 00:02:30.800 And it's like these are the kind of stories that if they happened in your family, you would all have a family meeting and say, we never speak of this again. 00:02:31.599 --> 00:02:34.960 No one hears about this, this fades into obscurity. 00:02:35.199 --> 00:02:37.759 We take this to our graves, right? 00:02:37.919 --> 00:02:39.199 That's what you would do. 00:02:39.520 --> 00:02:49.599 Especially if you were trying to, you know, put on a good front and impress people and convince people that you're the ones that know the real God, because look at your lives and how wonderful and together they are. 00:02:49.759 --> 00:02:56.719 Like you would never tell these stories, and yet these stories make it into our scriptures because the Bible doesn't lie to us. 00:02:56.800 --> 00:03:00.879 The Bible isn't trying to sell us anything, it's not trying to impress us. 00:03:01.120 --> 00:03:11.199 That's one of the powers of scripture is that it speaks to human nature in a way that is so genuine, authentic, and raw that we can trust it because it tells us the truth. 00:03:11.599 --> 00:03:14.400 Number two, it reminds us that God uses broken people. 00:03:15.039 --> 00:03:18.319 The Bible is not the story of amazing men and women doing great things for God. 00:03:18.400 --> 00:03:30.560 It is a story of broken people who have a God that is so incredible and so amazing and patient and loving and forgiving and powerful that he will use anyone, no matter how broken their lives are. 00:03:30.639 --> 00:03:34.080 And that's really encouraging for me, and I hope it's encouraging for you as well. 00:03:34.240 --> 00:03:37.439 Unless, of course, you're one of the ones who has it all together, then you're good. 00:03:39.439 --> 00:03:48.719 But also in these stories, and this is maybe the most amazing part to me, is that you read these people's lives and it's so messed up and it's so broken. 00:03:50.560 --> 00:03:58.080 And yet you find these little nuggets of powerful, profound truth that you can learn from. 00:03:58.560 --> 00:04:04.479 You end up learning from people who are making worse mistakes than you've probably ever made. 00:04:05.280 --> 00:04:11.520 You see these qualities rise up in these people that have this incredible way of compensating for all their failures. 00:04:11.680 --> 00:04:20.560 And it reminds us that there are certain things, there are certain qualities that we can possess as human beings that can compensate for all of our mess in really amazing ways. 00:04:20.639 --> 00:04:26.160 And so even though their lives are just brokenness on display, we can learn from them. 00:04:26.240 --> 00:04:32.000 And so each week we've looked at a different person that this promise of God is going to come through. 00:04:32.720 --> 00:04:35.759 We started with Abram or Abraham. 00:04:36.160 --> 00:04:42.160 God makes him a promise in Genesis chapter 12, verses 2 through 3. 00:04:42.480 --> 00:04:48.560 He says to him, I will make you into a great nation, I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. 00:04:48.800 --> 00:04:52.240 I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. 00:04:52.480 --> 00:04:54.800 All the families on the earth will be blessed through you. 00:04:54.959 --> 00:04:56.399 This ultimately happens through Jesus. 00:04:56.720 --> 00:04:59.360 Every family on the earth is going to be blessed through you. 00:05:00.399 --> 00:05:02.240 And Abram believed. 00:05:03.199 --> 00:05:13.360 He was a believer, he was a man of faith, and his life was messy and broken, but he had faith, and when God asked him to go, he went, and that compensated for his brokenness in incredible ways. 00:05:13.680 --> 00:05:15.680 So we're challenged to be believers. 00:05:16.319 --> 00:05:19.680 And then last week we looked at Jacob, who is the worst. 00:05:20.240 --> 00:05:21.199 We spent a lot of time. 00:05:21.360 --> 00:05:24.319 If you weren't here last week, you can watch that message, listen to that message. 00:05:24.480 --> 00:05:26.959 Jacob is he's he's the worst. 00:05:28.399 --> 00:05:31.120 But he he was someone who wrestled with God. 00:05:31.759 --> 00:05:33.120 He was a wrestler. 00:05:33.600 --> 00:05:35.920 And God ends up changing his name to Israel. 00:05:36.079 --> 00:05:38.079 Israel becomes the namesake of his nation. 00:05:38.240 --> 00:05:39.759 And it means to wrestle with God. 00:05:39.839 --> 00:05:43.360 It doesn't mean to love God, to obey God, to follow God, to honor God. 00:05:43.519 --> 00:05:44.720 It means to wrestle with God. 00:05:44.800 --> 00:05:48.560 And that gives all of us permission to be wrestlers, to wrestle with God. 00:05:48.639 --> 00:05:55.839 And even when you're upset and angry and you feel like God's let you down or he wasn't there in a way that you thought he would be, you're confused, that's okay. 00:05:56.000 --> 00:05:57.519 Just don't let go of him. 00:05:58.319 --> 00:05:59.680 You can wrestle with God. 00:05:59.839 --> 00:06:02.800 In fact, God likes He likes wrestlers. 00:06:03.279 --> 00:06:07.040 And so today we're gonna look at some of Jacob's family. 00:06:07.519 --> 00:06:09.040 Because Jacob's interesting. 00:06:09.199 --> 00:06:11.920 Uh his grandfather Abram had two sons. 00:06:12.079 --> 00:06:18.800 One of those children was not with his wife, and so with his wife, he only had one, and that was the son that everything in that promise had to go through. 00:06:19.120 --> 00:06:21.439 But then Isaac, his son, had two sons. 00:06:21.519 --> 00:06:24.000 So it's kind of like a 50-50 thing, right? 00:06:24.079 --> 00:06:25.680 It's like a coin toss, it's a coin flip. 00:06:25.759 --> 00:06:32.240 And he's got Jacob and Esau, and which one's gonna be the one that God uses, and you think it might be Esau because he's the oldest, but it ends up being Jacob. 00:06:32.480 --> 00:06:34.720 Jacob, though, ends up having 12 sons. 00:06:34.959 --> 00:06:35.439 12. 00:06:35.519 --> 00:06:36.800 So he has options. 00:06:37.120 --> 00:06:42.000 Like, I got four kids, and one of my jokes is that I only need one of them to be successful, you know. 00:06:42.319 --> 00:06:44.079 It's kind of true though, right? 00:06:44.240 --> 00:06:45.680 Like, pressure's off. 00:06:45.759 --> 00:06:50.240 I just need one of you guys to have it together enough that when we're older, you can be there for us. 00:06:50.560 --> 00:06:52.160 Jacob has 12. 00:06:52.560 --> 00:07:05.920 He's got 12, and so this promise from God that this family is going to be used to bless all the nations of the world that surely, of the twelve, there's got to at least be one that's a good candidate for that, and it turns out there is. 00:07:06.319 --> 00:07:09.040 In fact, Jacob is fortunate. 00:07:09.199 --> 00:07:11.600 He has like a superstar of a son. 00:07:11.920 --> 00:07:13.759 He has this son named Joseph. 00:07:14.079 --> 00:07:16.160 And Joseph's amazing. 00:07:16.800 --> 00:07:24.720 Like, actually, Joseph's one of the few characters that we have in all of Scripture that we don't really have a story of true failure. 00:07:24.959 --> 00:07:32.720 Like, there's little things you can sort of pick apart and read between the lines, but there's not really some glaring mistake or moral failure. 00:07:32.800 --> 00:07:36.240 Like, he is someone that appears to have it all together. 00:07:36.720 --> 00:07:39.360 There's so many qualities about Joseph that we could we could talk about. 00:07:39.439 --> 00:07:40.399 Joseph was a dreamer. 00:07:40.560 --> 00:07:42.480 Like, literally, he had dreams from God. 00:07:42.639 --> 00:07:45.519 Genesis chapter 37, verses 5 through 8. 00:07:45.600 --> 00:07:48.720 One night Joseph had a dream, and when he told his brothers about it, they hated him more than ever. 00:07:48.800 --> 00:07:51.120 Oh, by the way, Joseph, his brothers didn't like him. 00:07:51.600 --> 00:07:53.040 Listen to this dream, he said. 00:07:53.120 --> 00:08:00.240 We were out in the field tying up bundles of grain, suddenly my bundle stood up, and your bundles all gathered around and bowed low before mine. 00:08:00.319 --> 00:08:02.160 I wonder why they didn't like it. 00:08:04.000 --> 00:08:13.360 So again, maybe you can read between the lines and say, okay, maybe, maybe Joseph has some pride in sharing a story like that, sharing a dream, because then he goes, I wonder what that means. 00:08:13.839 --> 00:08:16.639 But here's the thing: that story proved true. 00:08:16.879 --> 00:08:18.560 That dream, that that happened. 00:08:18.720 --> 00:08:20.079 God was speaking to him. 00:08:20.240 --> 00:08:22.079 Joseph is someone who hears from God. 00:08:22.160 --> 00:08:23.439 He's a dreamer. 00:08:24.959 --> 00:08:25.519 That's amazing. 00:08:25.680 --> 00:08:27.360 Joseph is a man of character. 00:08:27.600 --> 00:08:30.399 His brothers hate him for a variety of reasons. 00:08:30.480 --> 00:08:37.519 One of those reasons being his dreams, and the fact that his father clearly loves Joseph more than the other brothers, so they conspire. 00:08:37.679 --> 00:08:48.960 Originally they're going to kill him, but they just decide to sell him as a slave to Egypt and act like he's dead and present his clothes to his father and say he's been killed by a wild animal, and all the while he's out of their lives. 00:08:49.120 --> 00:08:49.919 That happens. 00:08:50.080 --> 00:08:52.480 It's a messy, broken family, like I said. 00:08:52.960 --> 00:08:56.159 But while he's there, he ends up rising through the ranks of slavery. 00:08:56.240 --> 00:09:02.639 He becomes the basically the lead administrator in the household of this man named Potiphar, who's a very important man in Egypt. 00:09:02.720 --> 00:09:04.639 He's someone who works directly with Pharaoh. 00:09:04.799 --> 00:09:05.919 It's a big deal. 00:09:06.080 --> 00:09:13.600 And Potiphar has this wife, and the problem for Joseph is that not only is he talented and he's someone that hears from God, he's apparently very good looking as well. 00:09:13.759 --> 00:09:21.360 And so in Genesis chapter 39, verse 6 begins by saying Joseph was a very handsome and well-built young man. 00:09:21.600 --> 00:09:25.200 And Potiphar's wife soon began to look at him lustfully. 00:09:25.360 --> 00:09:27.440 Come and sleep with me, she demanded. 00:09:27.519 --> 00:09:29.120 She didn't ask, she didn't request. 00:09:29.200 --> 00:09:30.320 It is a demand. 00:09:30.559 --> 00:09:31.679 But Joseph refused. 00:09:31.840 --> 00:09:35.039 Look, he told her, My master trusts me with everything in his entire household. 00:09:35.200 --> 00:09:37.120 No one here has more authority than I do. 00:09:37.360 --> 00:09:40.240 He's held back nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. 00:09:40.320 --> 00:09:41.679 How could I do such a wicked thing? 00:09:41.759 --> 00:09:43.519 It would be a great sin against God. 00:09:43.759 --> 00:09:49.840 She kept putting pressure on Joseph day after day, but he refused to sleep with her, and he kept out of her way as much as possible. 00:09:50.000 --> 00:09:53.360 One day, however, no one else was around when he went in to do his work. 00:09:53.519 --> 00:09:57.120 She came, she grabbed him by his cloak, demanding, Come on, sleep with me. 00:09:57.279 --> 00:10:02.320 Joseph tore himself away, but left his cloak in her hand as he ran from the house. 00:10:02.559 --> 00:10:05.440 So Joseph has character. 00:10:05.759 --> 00:10:08.080 Like it, I'm that's a lot of character. 00:10:08.320 --> 00:10:09.440 That's resilience. 00:10:09.679 --> 00:10:16.080 He is so committed to God, so committed to doing the right thing, that he resists that temptation even when it's risky for him. 00:10:16.159 --> 00:10:22.159 I mean, she literally has his clothes in her hand and he runs away so fast that the clothes stay behind. 00:10:22.799 --> 00:10:27.200 Like he's a man of character, he's a dreamer, he has character, he has wisdom. 00:10:27.440 --> 00:10:35.279 This doesn't work out well for Joseph in the short term because she gets so angry that he has refused her that she accuses him of rape. 00:10:35.440 --> 00:10:40.240 And she uses the fact that she has his clothing as evidence, and so he's thrown in prison. 00:10:40.480 --> 00:10:44.399 And while he's in prison, some important people from the government are also thrown in prison. 00:10:44.480 --> 00:10:46.720 You know, that actually happens sometimes. 00:10:46.879 --> 00:10:48.960 And uh, so I don't know why. 00:10:49.279 --> 00:10:50.080 Sorry. 00:10:54.480 --> 00:10:59.120 I'm literally not commenting on anything happening in the world at all right now. 00:10:59.600 --> 00:11:04.799 So I just realized as I said that, someone's gonna take that and think I'm talking about, no, no, we'll we're good. 00:11:04.879 --> 00:11:06.000 We'll talk about politics later. 00:11:06.240 --> 00:11:15.600 Um so while he's in prison, these men are there, and and he interprets their dreams and it proves true. 00:11:15.840 --> 00:11:24.240 And so years later, Pharaoh has this dream, and it's a really frightening dream, and one of these guys who's back in the palace realizes, oh, I know someone who can interpret your dream. 00:11:24.399 --> 00:11:26.320 And so Pharaoh summons Joseph. 00:11:26.480 --> 00:11:36.399 Joseph interprets his dream, and it's basically this warning saying, Hey, uh, there's about to be this massive famine, and everyone's gonna starve unless we take action now and we prepare for it. 00:11:36.480 --> 00:11:38.480 And so this is what happens. 00:11:38.799 --> 00:11:43.759 Genesis chapter 41, after he interprets Pharaoh's dreams, it says, Therefore, Joseph speaks. 00:11:43.919 --> 00:11:48.000 Pharaoh should find an intelligent and wise man and put him in charge of the entire land of Egypt. 00:11:48.159 --> 00:11:54.399 Pharaoh should appoint supervisors over the land and let them collect one-fifth of all the crops during the seven good years that are coming. 00:11:54.639 --> 00:12:02.960 Have them gather all the food produced in the good years that are just ahead, bring it to Pharaoh's storehouses, store it away, and guard it so there will be food in the cities. 00:12:03.120 --> 00:12:06.960 That way there will be enough to eat when the seven years of famine comes to the land of Egypt. 00:12:07.120 --> 00:12:09.519 Otherwise, this famine will destroy the land. 00:12:09.759 --> 00:12:13.440 Joseph's suggestions were well received by Pharaoh and his officials. 00:12:13.600 --> 00:12:18.159 So Pharaoh asked his officials, Can we find anyone like this man, so obviously filled with the Spirit of God? 00:12:18.399 --> 00:12:26.559 And then Pharaoh said to Joseph, Since God has revealed the meaning of the dreams to you, clearly no one else is as intelligent or as wise as you are. 00:12:26.799 --> 00:12:30.159 You will be in charge of my court, and all my people will take orders from you. 00:12:30.320 --> 00:12:34.320 Only I, sitting on my throne, will have a rank higher than yours. 00:12:35.039 --> 00:12:45.919 So Joseph is a dreamer, he has character, he has self-control, he's a man who has clear talent, he's handsome and well built, that's a plus. 00:12:46.480 --> 00:12:57.039 And he happens to be so wise that Pharaoh says, You are the wisest man in this kingdom, and I'm gonna make you in charge of everyone but me, and you'll be the one that runs things in Egypt. 00:12:57.200 --> 00:12:58.799 Joseph is a superstar. 00:12:58.879 --> 00:13:00.639 So here we we finally have someone. 00:13:00.799 --> 00:13:02.399 We finally have someone who fits the bill. 00:13:02.480 --> 00:13:08.000 God has made this promise to Abraham I'm gonna bless the whole world through you, through your family, I'm gonna bless everybody. 00:13:08.159 --> 00:13:15.279 I'm gonna I'm gonna bring myself into this world, reveal myself to the world, and surely Joseph is the guy because who could be better than him? 00:13:15.519 --> 00:13:24.399 But oddly enough, Joseph isn't the son that the promise of God actually goes through. 00:13:25.279 --> 00:13:28.320 Like Jesus does not come from Joseph's line. 00:13:29.759 --> 00:13:32.159 Even though Joseph is awesome. 00:13:32.480 --> 00:13:34.240 Like he's the he's the man. 00:13:34.559 --> 00:13:35.679 He's great. 00:13:36.159 --> 00:13:46.080 He's not the one that God ultimately uses to fulfill this prophecy about blessing the entire world through this family line. 00:13:46.240 --> 00:13:50.240 That would actually belong to one of his brothers, a man named Judah. 00:13:50.720 --> 00:13:53.919 Judah's name actually becomes synonymous with God. 00:13:54.159 --> 00:13:58.559 Years later, after Israel has become a nation, they have a split. 00:13:58.799 --> 00:14:09.279 And they've really gone away from following God, and the part of Israel that no longer worships God, and they started worshiping all these idols, they're not being faithful to God at all, they they remain called Israel. 00:14:09.360 --> 00:14:17.679 But the part of Israel that splits off and stays faithful to God longer, that nation is called Judah. 00:14:17.919 --> 00:14:24.480 In fact, the Jewish faith is also known as Judaism, which comes from Judah's name. 00:14:24.559 --> 00:14:30.480 So Judah's name, Judah's apparently so important, his name becomes synonymous with the worship of God. 00:14:30.720 --> 00:14:40.159 It's not Joseph, this amazing superstar that's the one that everything works through, it's it's Judah, and so maybe Judah is just better. 00:14:40.879 --> 00:14:44.240 Maybe Judah's just better than even Joseph. 00:14:44.320 --> 00:14:51.440 I mean, if Joseph is that good, that amazing, that wise, that talented, that well-built and handsome, then Judah must be like even better. 00:14:51.600 --> 00:14:52.960 Well, let's let's find out. 00:14:53.200 --> 00:15:00.799 The very first moment we have Judah step into the story is actually the moment that Joseph is about to be killed by his brothers. 00:15:00.960 --> 00:15:07.360 They've kidnapped him, they're hiding him in basically like a deep well, they're figuring out what they're gonna do with him, and they want to kill him. 00:15:07.440 --> 00:15:10.639 And this is where we see Judah step up to the plate. 00:15:10.879 --> 00:15:11.679 Here we go. 00:15:11.919 --> 00:15:13.679 Genesis 37, verse 26. 00:15:13.840 --> 00:15:17.039 Judah said to his brothers, What will we gain by killing our brother? 00:15:17.200 --> 00:15:18.559 That's really wise. 00:15:18.879 --> 00:15:20.960 We have to cover up this crime. 00:15:21.200 --> 00:15:25.519 Instead of hurting him, let's sell him to those Ishmaelite traders. 00:15:25.600 --> 00:15:28.080 After all, he's our brother, our own flesh and blood. 00:15:28.240 --> 00:15:29.519 And his brothers agreed. 00:15:29.679 --> 00:15:32.080 So that's that's our introduction to Judah. 00:15:32.480 --> 00:15:33.759 Let's not kill our brother. 00:15:33.840 --> 00:15:34.720 Guys, think about that. 00:15:34.799 --> 00:15:36.240 That would be blood on our hands. 00:15:36.399 --> 00:15:37.039 We don't want that. 00:15:37.120 --> 00:15:38.559 Let's just sell him. 00:15:40.000 --> 00:15:45.360 You know, then he's alive, that's a good thing for him, and then we have more money, that's a good thing for us. 00:15:46.240 --> 00:15:53.279 So far in the whole Joseph versus Judah debate, Joseph is clearly winning. 00:15:53.519 --> 00:15:54.879 It's not a good start for Judah. 00:15:55.039 --> 00:16:02.080 But thankfully, most of Genesis chapter 38 is actually all about Judah, and so maybe Judah is going to do better. 00:16:02.240 --> 00:16:03.840 Like, there's no way it could get worse, right? 00:16:03.919 --> 00:16:08.000 You couldn't go worse than selling your brother into slavery. 00:16:08.240 --> 00:16:12.960 But remember, this family takes hold my beer very seriously. 00:16:13.200 --> 00:16:15.759 So let's read Genesis 38. 00:16:16.000 --> 00:16:17.440 Now here's the setup. 00:16:17.840 --> 00:16:22.720 Judah has some sons, and his oldest son has married a woman named Tamar. 00:16:22.960 --> 00:16:25.279 But then his son has died, and they don't have any kids. 00:16:25.360 --> 00:16:34.799 And in their culture, and this is again, we're talking ancient culture, 3,000 plus years ago, really messy, really weird, and sometimes we read things, we're like, that's ugh, and just be grateful that you don't live back then. 00:16:34.879 --> 00:16:36.159 Okay, that's the takeaway. 00:16:36.399 --> 00:16:37.679 Different time, different world. 00:16:37.840 --> 00:16:47.919 In their culture, if if your older brother died and hadn't had any kids with his wife, you then married her so that you could hopefully carry on the family line through your brother. 00:16:48.000 --> 00:16:50.320 Like your brother's family name could carry on through you. 00:16:50.480 --> 00:16:58.240 And so uh a younger brother of Tamar's husband uh marries her, but he he's not into her, and so it doesn't really work. 00:16:58.480 --> 00:17:07.759 And so basically, Judah just tells Tamar, hey, look, go and live as a widow, and I have a younger son who's not old enough to get married yet, but once he's old enough, I'll have him marry you. 00:17:08.640 --> 00:17:10.799 And that never ends up happening. 00:17:11.039 --> 00:17:18.480 He he basically just forgets about her, ignores his promise, and so she is living in obscurity as a widow. 00:17:18.559 --> 00:17:21.200 She's not being taken care of, it's a really bad situation. 00:17:21.759 --> 00:17:23.599 Okay, so here we go. 00:17:23.680 --> 00:17:25.759 We picked it up in Genesis chapter 38, verse 11. 00:17:25.839 --> 00:17:31.200 Judah says, Tomorrow, his daughter-in-law, go back to your parents' home, remain a widow until my son Shalah is old enough to marry you. 00:17:31.279 --> 00:17:36.319 But Judah didn't really intend to do this because he was afraid Shellah would also die like his other two sons. 00:17:36.400 --> 00:17:38.640 Oh, yeah, the other brother that she married died too. 00:17:38.720 --> 00:17:40.400 So he thinks she's bad luck. 00:17:40.640 --> 00:17:42.880 So, again, messy, broken families. 00:17:42.960 --> 00:17:45.200 If you think you have family drama, just read the Bible. 00:17:45.279 --> 00:17:46.400 It's so encouraging. 00:17:46.480 --> 00:17:47.839 It's not that bad. 00:17:48.160 --> 00:17:50.319 So he doesn't intend to do this. 00:17:50.400 --> 00:17:51.599 He's lying to her. 00:17:51.839 --> 00:17:52.160 Right? 00:17:52.319 --> 00:17:53.920 He's giving her false hope. 00:17:54.240 --> 00:17:57.119 He says, so Tamar went back to live in her father's home. 00:17:57.279 --> 00:17:59.839 Some years later, Judah's wife died. 00:18:00.000 --> 00:18:08.640 After the time of mourning was over, Judah and his friend Hera, the Adalamite, went up to Timrah, or Timnah, there's so many words here that I'm mispronouncing, to supervise the shearing of his sheep. 00:18:08.720 --> 00:18:12.720 Someone told Tamar, look, your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep. 00:18:12.880 --> 00:18:17.039 Tamar was aware that Shalah had grown up, but no arrangements had been made for her to come and marry him. 00:18:17.119 --> 00:18:21.599 So she changed out of her widow's clothing and covered herself with a veil to disguise herself. 00:18:21.839 --> 00:18:27.039 Then she sat beside the road at the entrance to the village of Anam, which is on the road to Timnah. 00:18:27.279 --> 00:18:30.400 Judah noticed her and thought she was a prostitute since she had covered her face. 00:18:30.559 --> 00:18:32.640 So he stopped and propositioned her. 00:18:42.319 --> 00:18:46.400 Let me have sex with you, he said, not realizing that she was his own daughter-in-law. 00:18:46.480 --> 00:18:47.839 How much will you pay to have sex with me? 00:18:48.000 --> 00:18:48.720 Tamar asked. 00:18:48.799 --> 00:18:51.279 I'll send you a young goat from my flock, Judah promised. 00:18:51.359 --> 00:18:53.680 But what will you give me to guarantee that you will send the goat? 00:18:53.839 --> 00:18:54.160 She asked. 00:18:54.240 --> 00:18:55.279 What kind of guarantee do you want? 00:18:55.440 --> 00:18:55.920 He replied. 00:18:56.079 --> 00:19:00.799 She answered, Leave me your identification seal and its cord and the walking stick that you're carrying. 00:19:00.880 --> 00:19:03.119 It was basically like your driver's license. 00:19:03.200 --> 00:19:05.039 It's like some way to identify you. 00:19:05.119 --> 00:19:05.440 Okay? 00:19:05.839 --> 00:19:09.839 So Judah gave them to her, then he had intercourse with her, and she became pregnant. 00:19:10.079 --> 00:19:14.319 Afterwards, she went back home, took off her veil, and put on her widow's clothing as usual. 00:19:14.480 --> 00:19:20.480 Later, Judah asked his friend Hera the Adalamite to take the young goat to the woman and to pick up the things he had given her as his guarantee. 00:19:20.559 --> 00:19:22.160 But Hera could not find her. 00:19:22.400 --> 00:19:27.920 So he asked the men who live there, where can I find the shrine prostitute who was sitting beside the road at the entrance to a name? 00:19:28.079 --> 00:19:30.880 We've never had a shrine prostitute here, they replied. 00:19:31.200 --> 00:19:34.559 Just your classic shrine prostitute mix-up, you know. 00:19:36.319 --> 00:19:40.480 So Hera returned to Judah and told him, I couldn't find her anywhere. 00:19:40.640 --> 00:19:43.359 And the men of the village claim they've never had a shrine prostitute there. 00:19:43.440 --> 00:19:45.440 Then let her keep the things I gave her, Judah said. 00:19:45.599 --> 00:19:47.839 I sent the young goat as we agreed, but you couldn't find her. 00:19:48.000 --> 00:19:50.960 We'd be the laughing stock of the village if we went back again to look for her. 00:19:51.119 --> 00:19:53.440 Yeah, that's that's what to worry about in this scenario. 00:19:53.519 --> 00:19:54.640 That's the thing to focus on. 00:19:54.799 --> 00:19:55.119 Okay. 00:19:55.920 --> 00:20:03.519 About three months later, Judah was told, Tomar, your daughter-in-law, has acted like a prostitute, and now because of this, she's pregnant. 00:20:03.759 --> 00:20:07.440 Bring her out and let her be burned, Judah replied. 00:20:07.599 --> 00:20:13.359 So again, it's not looking good for Judah. 00:20:13.839 --> 00:20:18.480 And look, guys, I know, I want a quick side note, I know as we read these stories, they're shocking. 00:20:18.640 --> 00:20:25.839 Keep in mind, this is one of the most amazing things about the Bible, is it tells us the ugly, real truth. 00:20:26.480 --> 00:20:29.440 Again, who would keep stories like this in their family line? 00:20:29.519 --> 00:20:33.359 Who would make sure that future generations remember this? 00:20:34.160 --> 00:20:36.400 It's one of the most incredible things about our scriptures. 00:20:36.480 --> 00:20:37.759 They just do not lie to us. 00:20:37.839 --> 00:20:38.640 But this is messy. 00:20:38.720 --> 00:20:42.160 Like, what could be worse than selling your brother as a slave? 00:20:42.720 --> 00:20:44.720 If this isn't worse, it's a tie. 00:20:45.039 --> 00:20:47.200 Like this is this is really bad. 00:20:48.160 --> 00:21:05.279 So we have this this man, Joseph, and he's amazing, he's he's a character, he's incredible, he's godly, he hears from God, he's wise, and and we've got Judah, and he sells his brother as a slave, and he impregnates his own daughter-in-law, albeit accidentally. 00:21:06.559 --> 00:21:09.519 And yeah, right, like, as if that makes it better. 00:21:09.680 --> 00:21:11.039 I don't think it does. 00:21:11.519 --> 00:21:19.359 And he's the he's the one that this promise of Abraham is gonna go through. 00:21:20.640 --> 00:21:28.319 Like, he's the one who whose name is gonna become synonymous with following God, Judaism, the tribe of Judah. 00:21:28.480 --> 00:21:31.359 Jesus is often called the Lion of Judah. 00:21:32.640 --> 00:21:35.920 This is actually the lowest moment in his life. 00:21:36.319 --> 00:21:39.200 But as we're about to find out, the most important moment in his life. 00:21:39.279 --> 00:21:43.359 Because for all of this mess, for all of this brokenness, there is a lot there. 00:21:43.920 --> 00:21:45.200 There's a lot there. 00:21:46.799 --> 00:21:48.640 There's about to be a turn. 00:21:49.599 --> 00:21:53.839 There's about to be a turn in his story that's gonna change things and it's gonna change him. 00:21:55.359 --> 00:21:56.000 Let's pick it up. 00:21:56.160 --> 00:21:58.079 Genesis 38, verse 25. 00:22:00.400 --> 00:22:06.559 But as they were taking her out to kill her, she sent this message to her father-in-law. 00:22:07.200 --> 00:22:09.440 The man who owns these things made me pregnant. 00:22:09.599 --> 00:22:10.160 Look closely. 00:22:10.240 --> 00:22:13.519 Whose seal and cord and walking stick are these? 00:22:13.920 --> 00:22:17.920 Judah recognized them immediately and said, She is more righteous than I am. 00:22:18.240 --> 00:22:21.680 Because I didn't arrange for her to marry my son Shalah. 00:22:21.839 --> 00:22:24.240 And Judah never slept with Tamar again. 00:22:25.519 --> 00:22:27.039 It's a big statement. 00:22:28.960 --> 00:22:31.440 He says, She is more righteous than I am. 00:22:32.400 --> 00:22:34.079 He spares her life. 00:22:35.119 --> 00:22:36.960 Never sleeps with her again. 00:22:37.839 --> 00:22:51.440 For the first time in his story, he does some semblance of the right thing, but there is a humility there that we see bubble up in Judah when he says, She is more righteous than I am. 00:22:53.279 --> 00:22:55.039 Abraham was the believer. 00:22:55.680 --> 00:22:57.359 Jacob was the wrestler. 00:22:59.039 --> 00:23:02.079 Judah, I would call him the owner. 00:23:03.839 --> 00:23:05.279 Judah owns it. 00:23:06.799 --> 00:23:08.559 He owns his failure. 00:23:09.599 --> 00:23:12.160 He calls it what it is, he owns his mistake. 00:23:13.839 --> 00:23:15.839 And he does everything he can to make it right. 00:23:16.079 --> 00:23:19.839 And that is actually an incredibly rare quality. 00:23:21.039 --> 00:23:24.799 It's actually hard to find people who will who will own it, if you know what I mean. 00:23:25.119 --> 00:23:34.640 Like when most people are confronted with some mistake, some failure, the human tendency is to deflect, to blame. 00:23:35.839 --> 00:23:37.759 I mean, Judah could have said, Oh, it's not my fault. 00:23:37.839 --> 00:23:43.440 Like she she was dressed like a shrine prostitute on the side of the road, like she trapped me. 00:23:43.599 --> 00:23:44.640 It's her fault. 00:23:45.200 --> 00:23:46.400 He could have said that. 00:23:48.480 --> 00:23:49.200 But he doesn't. 00:23:49.759 --> 00:23:51.519 He says, She is more righteous than I. 00:23:51.599 --> 00:23:52.559 He owns it. 00:23:52.640 --> 00:23:56.480 He doesn't deflect, he doesn't excuse, he doesn't make himself out to be the victim. 00:23:56.640 --> 00:23:59.599 He just says, I've messed up. 00:24:00.079 --> 00:24:01.839 She is more righteous than I am. 00:24:02.319 --> 00:24:03.440 This is on me. 00:24:04.240 --> 00:24:06.640 It's an incredibly rare quality. 00:24:08.640 --> 00:24:17.279 One of my favorite things is when something in pop culture nails human nature, like just gets gets it so right. 00:24:18.799 --> 00:24:23.680 I don't know if you guys, uh there's always a large group of people who have watched the show The Office, if you're in a room. 00:24:23.759 --> 00:24:25.759 Are you guys how many of you are familiar with the show The Office? 00:24:25.839 --> 00:24:27.599 The Office is you know a really popular show, okay? 00:24:27.680 --> 00:24:31.920 Um I'm not advocating that you watch The Office, I'm just saying that I I have. 00:24:32.160 --> 00:24:36.160 And uh there's this one episode of The Office, my favorite episode, and I'm gonna spoil it for you. 00:24:36.240 --> 00:24:40.559 So if you're like, we're holding out to watch The Office, then just cover your ears or whatever. 00:24:40.720 --> 00:24:56.720 Um there's this one episode where Michael, who's the manager of the office, has this idea that he thinks is brilliant, and he's gonna give these this big discount to a client, and it backfires because the discount's way too big, he messes some things up, it's it's a whole funny story. 00:24:57.039 --> 00:25:02.240 And come to find out, his boss is gonna come in to see him, and his boss seems pretty upset. 00:25:02.480 --> 00:25:08.079 And so he convinces another one of his employees to take the fall for him, to convince his boss that it was his idea. 00:25:08.319 --> 00:25:12.319 That way, when the boss comes, that guy will get fired and not Michael. 00:25:12.720 --> 00:25:33.119 But the boss comes and turns out he's not mad, he's actually excited because the client was so amazed by the discount that they're gonna give even more business to the company, and so he wants to shake the hand and celebrate whoever's idea this was, but Michael has convinced this other guy to say it was my idea, and now Michael's mad because this guy's getting celebrated, and it was really his idea. 00:25:33.279 --> 00:25:35.359 And so he's in this, you know, funny situation. 00:25:35.440 --> 00:25:50.799 And there's this moment where he's he's like trying to convince his boss that actually it was his idea, and his boss is confused because you said it was his idea, and what's going on, and he his boss looks at Michael, and it's one of the most amazing, just boil it down to how human nature often works, statements I've ever heard. 00:25:50.880 --> 00:25:52.240 He says, Michael, what do you want? 00:25:52.400 --> 00:25:56.559 And Michael just says point blank, I want all of the credit and none of the blame. 00:25:59.039 --> 00:26:00.640 And that's I think it's so profound. 00:26:00.799 --> 00:26:04.400 I want all of the credit and none of the blame, and that is what most people are looking for. 00:26:04.640 --> 00:26:07.920 Most people are perfectly happy to own success. 00:26:09.039 --> 00:26:11.119 They want to own the good stuff in life. 00:26:11.200 --> 00:26:19.119 They want to own the moments where they shine, they want to own the good decisions, they want to own the wisdom, but they don't want to own the failures, and they don't want to own the mistakes. 00:26:19.279 --> 00:26:23.759 When it comes to that stuff, it's like it was someone else's fault or deflect it, or we minimize it. 00:26:24.880 --> 00:26:28.480 But Judah is a true owner, he owns it all. 00:26:30.480 --> 00:26:33.680 And this moment we find changes Judah. 00:26:34.000 --> 00:26:37.680 When he becomes an owner, even of his deepest failures. 00:26:39.119 --> 00:26:45.519 You fast forward in the story a little bit, this famine that Joseph discerned happens. 00:26:45.920 --> 00:26:51.920 And Judah and his family, his brothers, his father Jacob, all their family, they're starving. 00:26:52.160 --> 00:26:54.240 But they find out that Egypt has food. 00:26:54.319 --> 00:26:57.920 And so they go to Egypt and they see Joseph, but they don't know that it's Joseph. 00:26:58.000 --> 00:27:03.200 They have no reason to think he would be there and would have risen to some position in government, and he's dressed like an Egyptian. 00:27:03.359 --> 00:27:08.000 And so they don't recognize him at all, but he recognizes them, but he doesn't see his little brother Benjamin. 00:27:08.160 --> 00:27:10.160 I talked about this a little bit last week. 00:27:10.319 --> 00:27:11.359 He doesn't see Benjamin. 00:27:11.440 --> 00:27:15.599 And so he says, Okay, uh, I think you guys are spies. 00:27:15.839 --> 00:27:17.200 I think you're spies. 00:27:17.519 --> 00:27:19.200 I think you're here to spy us out. 00:27:19.279 --> 00:27:20.079 He's actually testing them. 00:27:20.160 --> 00:27:21.920 He wants to see if maybe they've changed. 00:27:22.160 --> 00:27:25.359 He says, so why don't you go bring Benjamin here? 00:27:25.440 --> 00:27:33.920 And he takes one of the brothers, Simeon, and he says, I'm gonna put him in prison unless you bring Benjamin, this youngest brother of yours, to prove to me that you're telling the truth about your family. 00:27:34.079 --> 00:27:39.759 So they go back, they try to get Jacob to let Benjamin come, but Jacob's like, no, I don't love you guys, but I still love Benjamin. 00:27:39.839 --> 00:27:42.480 I used to love Joseph, now I have Benjamin, he's the only one I have left. 00:27:42.640 --> 00:27:43.599 We talked about that last week. 00:27:43.680 --> 00:27:46.079 It's awful and horrible, but he will not let Benjamin go. 00:27:46.160 --> 00:27:48.799 So they're just they're just there. 00:27:49.599 --> 00:27:52.400 Simeon's in Egypt, apparently in prison. 00:27:52.640 --> 00:27:56.000 Jacob's fine with that, and they're trying to just hold out. 00:27:56.079 --> 00:27:57.920 But it gets to the point where they have no food at all. 00:27:58.079 --> 00:27:59.440 And so they've got to go back. 00:27:59.519 --> 00:28:00.240