[Music] well good morning and welcome to free grace Baptist Church if you're visiting for the first time a special warm welcome to you and if you're a regular nice to see you again and of course nice to have Pastor Mike Curb Patrick and his wife Jessica with us and Pastor Mike from the Surrey Church will be preaching excuse me will be preaching both this morning and this evening pastor Butler is in Surrey and so they've basically swapped swap pulpits for it for today in regards to to pastor brother he he has been on vacation for the last two weeks so he's back in the office Lord willing on Tuesday of this week and Bible study will we'll announce it next week that I assume it's going to resume again on September 4th the the 1st September back in in September also on Tuesday Roger vanderzwaan will be moving from abbotsford to Rosedale and so an email I believe went out yesterday but just a reminder of anyone is able to help either on the loading end or the unloading end that would be much appreciated the loading end is going to be at 9 o'clock in the morning on Tuesday and the unloading in Rosedale at 5 o'clock and if you're able to help or you want more details speak to speak to Roger this morning or this evening ok I believe that's all the announcements we have and well let's begin worship today by turning to our Bibles please to Psalm chapter 6 Psalm 6 to set our hearts right for worship this morning as we consider the God with whom we come to have dealings with this day so I will begin psalm six to the chief musician with stringed instruments on an eight string to harp a psalm of David O Lord do not rebuke me in your anger nor chasing me in your hot displeasure have mercy on me O Lord for I am weak O Lord heal me for my bones are troubled my soul also is greatly troubled but you Lord how long return O Lord deliver me O save me for your Mercy's sake for in death there is no remembrance of you in the grave who will give you thanks I'm weary with my groaning all night I make my bed swim i drenched my couch with tears my eye wastes away because of grief it grows old because of all my enemies depart from me all you workers of iniquity for the Lord has heard the voice of my weeping the Lord has heard my supplication the Lord will receive my prayer let all my enemies be ashamed and greatly troubled let them turn back and be ashamed suddenly Amen well please turn with me to in your hymn books to him number 224 224 I'll ask you to stand please [Music] Oh amen you may be seated let's go to God in prayer and ask his blessing to be upon our meeting time here this morning let's pray our gracious and our loving Heavenly Father we come into your holy presence now through your son the Lord Jesus Christ we're grateful father that we can come before such a high king of a holy God a God who is altogether different from us and we recognize father that you are worthy of all worship you are the sovereign one you are above all of your creatures and all this that we see before us this day as we drive into church this day and see the mountains around us and the beauty that is that is that surrounds us father we we can't but give praise to you the God who spoke all these things into being in the space of six days and and all was very good and how we praise you father that you have gifted us with with the blessing of you know to see these things and enjoy these things and ultimately to give you the honor and the praise and the glory for them for father we thank you that we have a saving interest in in you through your son the Lord Jesus Christ that we would want to to praise you this day that we want to worship you this day as we come in we see others who who have who don't give a thought of the things of God and just would treat this day as any other day and father we as grateful as we are we pray that we truly would use our voices this day to to ring your praise it's the senior praises father to give glory to you that you've given to us an interest in eternal in eternal things that you've given us an interest in in worshiping the the thrice holy God father how we praise you for your son the Lord Jesus Christ who who left his throne them in heaven to come to this earth to die for sinners such as us Lord we are truly grateful for the blessing of our salvation and pray that as we as we as we participate in worship this day the things of Christ the Lord Jesus Christ Himself will be lifted up here in this place this day by the voices of your people and by the scriptures that are read by the by the hymns that are sung by the Word of God as it's opened up a little bit later on may all these things father resound to your praise and to your glory and to the lifting up of your son the Lord Jesus Christ thank you Lord for the Spirit of the Living God who comes and takes the Word of God and and and delivers it to to the to the hearts and ears of each person here this day we pray lo that we would know of a truth that that there is a that there is a God in heaven who has given to us his word his sixty-six books to to to be opened up for our edification for for our understanding how we pray though the spirit of Living God would come this day and and take that word and and minister to each said to each heart here this day we pray Lord that you would be pleased to give understanding give give give wisdom through your word and and we pray that we might be molded and fashioned into the image of your son the Lord Jesus Christ for any who would be unsaved here this day Father we pray that you would by your gracious Holy Spirit penetrate their hearts as well follow up those hearts father by your gracious Holy Spirit to receive the word that they might enter into eternal life this day for Lord we know that salvation is not of man it's rather it's of the Lord and and no true words were spoken than by than by by Jonah when he said those words so father we know it's not through the wisdom of man it's not through his words but rather it's through the Spirit of God who who comes and and and makes that makes things clear to the hearts of each individual so Lord we pray your blessing to be upon our time here today we we do think of those who perhaps are not with us due to illness of the sickness we pray Lord that you would strengthen them and the inner man and cause them to know your spirit your help your aid this day for those who have have perhaps deep-seated issues emotional issues whatever it may be father we pray that you administer to heart sustain cause your word ultimately to be a blessing to them may your may your righteousness be unto them this day may they benefit much from the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ Lord we do pray your blessing to be upon those in persecuting countries as well we we know Lord that there is a there there is an animosity towards the things of God there the the gospel is at enmity with those who who know nothing of it and how we pray Lord that you would put a hedge of protection around those who who are seeking to to bring your word and your gospel to to the in nations where there is much persecution and we pray though that you would give to them a boldness not their own a boldness a New Testament boldness like the Apostles had in the book of the Acts we pray below that they might know your strength and your rate from day to day to to declare your truth in places work there there there is much threat and persecution we pray Lord that you would be pleased to bless those who are in prison for the Gospels sake cause them to know some relief even this day Lord we prayed you'd bring to them a remembrance of the Word of God and remembrance of of their own salvation of the fact that that God loved them enough to send his son His only Son to this world to die for them and we pray that they might that they might find much much help in much aid as they think upon the things of that that are of eternal worth even in those prison cells Lord we do ask your blessing to be upon pastor Butler we thank you Lord for the the benefit that he has been to our church down through the years and the Word of God that has gone forth in this place we pray that he would you would equally benefit the the church in Surrey there this day from the Word of God we thank you Lord that that is your word and we pray that as he delivers your word that you would give him aid and help and strengthen whatever he stands in need of this day as he stands before the People of God there we pray they would receive the word that they would be Berean they would study the word in and consider these things to be true and that father they would improve upon the things that are brought to them this day we pray for the church and Vernon the same thing father bless pastor shifflett there as he brings the word we pray as you give to him strength and aid and help and we pray at the people there would receive it and that they would that they would no strength from your work this day we pray Lord that in due time you would give to them a pastor give to them a man who would lead them and Shepherd them as a flock there and and be there be their pastor week after weekend and attend to the needs therein in Vernon so Lord ooh bless them and cause them to know your help and your aid and we do pray that they would be strengthened by the word this day we do pray Lord your blessing upon Pastor Mike as well we thank you for his for his desires and we pray Lord that you would bless the the Word of God as it comes forth from this pulpit this day and we pray that you would receive all the honor and all the glory for for truly Lord you you you your word is worthy of preaching and and and it contains all that we need unto salvation to make us wise unto salvation so Lord we pray your blessing to be upon him and upon the word of God here in this place Lord we do praise you forgive us of all of our sins cleanse us afresh and the precious blood of your son the Lord Jesus Christ even this day father we've not loved you with our whole heart and mind and strength and we'd all Ord that that we truly do need that that that blood of the Lord Jesus Christ applied to each of our lives daily and we thank you for that blood and we pray that Boyd you'd be pleased to wash us afresh this day and cleanse us in that precious blood of your son the Lord Jesus Christ and some his precious name we pray amen well please turn with me in your Bibles to to our hymn 87a 87a and I'll ask you to stand [Music] amen you may be seated and please turn with me in your Bibles to Acts Acts chapter 4 Acts chapter 4 as we continue our reading of the New Testament in our morning so we're gonna read just verses one to 22 of Acts chapter 4 it was preached not long ago so it should be familiar to to most of us certainly we recognize it under the under the sovereignty of God that the events that we're gonna read of this day as well as all the events that have happened thus far in the book of Acts that these events ultimately were used by used to help mobilize the church under the sovereignty of God and so nothing happens by accident but rather it's that sovereign hand of God that was moving the church out of Jerusalem according to Acts chapter 1 verse 8 and we see just evidence of that here in the in the fourth chapter of Acts as well so let's begin at verse 1 now as they spoke to the people the priests the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them being greatly disturbed that they taught the people and preached in Jesus the resurrection from the dead and they laid hands on them and put them in custody until the next day for it was already evening however many of those who heard the word believed and the number of the men came to be about 5,000 and it came to pass on the next day that their rulers elders and scribes as well as anise the high priest caiaphas john and alexander and as many as were of the family of the high priests were gathered together at jerusalem and when they had set them in the midst they asked by what power or by what name have you done this then Peter filled with the Holy Spirit said to them rulers of the people and elders of Israel if we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man by what means he has been made well let it be known to you all and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth whom you crucified whom God raised from the dead by him this man stands here before you whole this is the stone which was rejected by you builders which has become the chief Cornerstone nor is there salvation in any other for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men they marveled and they realized that they had been with Jesus and seeing the man who had been healed standing with them they could say nothing against it but when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council they conferred among themselves saying what shall we do to these men for indeed that a notable miracle has been done through them is evident to all who dwell in Jerusalem and we cannot deny it but so that it spreads no further among the people let us severely threaten them that from now on they speak to no man in this name so they called them and commanded them not to speak it not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus but Peter and John answered and said to them whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God you judge for we cannot but Speak the things which we have seen and heard so when they had further threatened them they let them go finding no way of punishing them because of the people since they all glorified God for what had been done for the man was over forty years old on whom this miracle of healing had been performed amen well let's pray our gracious that our loving Heavenly Father again we see as evidence here in this previous chapter that Lord you the Lord Jesus Christ went about doing much good and healing healing the sick and and healing the blind and healing the lame and so his disciples here in the New Testament continued in that same Ministry of of healing and we praise you Father for all for the beginning of the of the local church the beginning of that shirts in Jerusalem and father did you that that that gave much wisdom much power to even the preached Word of God there in Jerusalem and we praise you Father but that same preaching that went on back in the days of Peter and John continues today father because of the help and aid of your Holy Spirit thank you we now have the word of God to be opened up thank you Lord for the blessing of of that word that that is able to make us wise unto cell ovation truly Lord these were men of God who preached the Word of God clearly who preached Christ and Christ only in and just identified the uniqueness of the person of Christ in Salvation and Lord how we praise you that same preaching continues even to this day and empowered by your Holy Spirit still has that same effect upon the hearts of men and women and boys and girls and we pray Lord your blessing to be upon it here in this place this day that you would be pleased Lord to to open up the word and cause it to to to be to be understood this day and we pray at the Lord Jesus Christ would be glorified and lifted up and you would be worthy of all worship and we pray these things in Jesus precious name Amen well please turn with me for your last ham before we go to the preaching and that be to him 245 245 and I'll ask you stand please [Music] well good morning everyone it's a blessing to be with you this Lord's Day you can turn with me in your Bibles to Genesis 38 Genesis 38 we're gonna look at Judah and Tamar this morning Genesis 38 we're gonna look at the entire chapter so we'll begin reading at verse 1 and it came to pass at that time that Judah departed from his brothers and visit visited a certain a doula might whose name was Huayra and Judah saw there a certain daughter a daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was schewe and he married her and went into her so she conceived and bore a son and he called his name ere she conceived again and bore a son and she called his name Onan and she conceived yet again and bore a son and called his name Shailja he was that kiss Eve when she bore him then Judah took a wife for her his firstborn and her name was Tamar but her judas firstborn was wicked in the sight of the Lord and the Lord killed him and Judah and Judah said to Onan go into your brother's wife and marry her and raise up an heir to your brother but Onan knew that the heir would not be his and it came to pass when he went into his brother's wife that he emitted on the ground lest he should give an heir to his brother and the thing which he did displease the Lord therefore he killed him also then Judah said to Tamar his daughter-in-law remain a widow in your father's house till my son Shailja is grown for he said lest he also die like his brothers and tame our went and dwelt in her father's house now in the process of time the daughter of shua judah's wife died and Judah was comforted and he went up to his sheep shearers at Timna he and his friend Huayra Thea doula might and it was told to tame our saying look your father-in-law is going up to Timna to shear his sheep so she took off her widow's garments covered herself with a veil and wrapped herself and sat in an open place which was on the way to Timna for she saw that Shayla was grown and she was not given to him as a wife 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 into 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 into me and he said I will send a young goat from the flock 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 into 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 adoulin might 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 man of the place said there was no harlot in this place then Judas said let her take them for herself lest we be ashamed for I sent this young goat and you have not found her and it came to pass about three months after that Judah was told saying tame out your Tamar your daughter-in-law has played the harlot furthermore she is with child by harlotry so Judas said bring her out and let her be burned but when she was brought out she sent to her father-in-law saying by the man to whom these belong I am with child and she said please determine who's these are the Signet and cord and staff so Judah acknowledged them and said she's been more righteous than I because I did not give her to shayla my son and he never knew her again now it came to pass that at the - at the time for giving birth that behold twins were in her womb and so it was when she was giving birth that one put out his hand and the Midwife took a scarlet thread and bound it on his hand saying this one came out first but then it happened as he drew back his hand that his brother came out unexpectedly and she said how did you break through this breech be upon you therefore his name was called Perez afterward his brother came out who had the scarlet thread on his hand and his name was called Sara amen well let us pray our great God we're thankful that we come into your house this Lord's Day we're thankful that we come to sing your praises and we're thankful o God we come here about you in your word come here about your amazing grace know God we are thankful that you are faithful we're thankful o God that you were the Covenant Lord who does what he says we're thankful O God that even when there is wickedness even when there's concern for your covenant we see your faithfulness to the promises of Abraham the promises of Isaac the promises of Jacob or thankful O God that we see this fulfilled in the Lord Jesus Christ who is the Lion of the tribe of Judah who is the root of Jesse who is the one according to this line o God that Messiah who has come and we're thankful that he lived died and rose again on behalf of his people or a thankful Oh God that you came to save sinners like us if you came not to save the righteous but sinners who were thankful O God many of us we have we are all sinners and fallen short of the glory of God yet were thankful for the gift of faith we're thankful for the gift of repentance we're thankful for the things that Christ has purchased for us we're thankful for righteousness in your sight justification we're thankful God for sanctification how you cause us to die into sin day by day but O God and all that we do we must be reminded of your grace day in and day out the you are a God who is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love so help us this day OCAD to be reminded of your kindness be reminded of your goodness be reminded of who you are being reminded of your power or thankful O God that you do what you say you will do for we are weak and feeble and we do not do what we say we will do so God if there any here today who needs strengthening we pray that you'd strengthen them then I hear today that need to be convicted convict them there any here today who do not know you we pray that you would save them O God they would confess their sins and come to life in Christ you know God we know that this only happens by your strength and by your power and we pray O God that you be with us now be pleased to bless the preaching as it goes forth give us illumination by your spirit and we do pray in all things O God that you would be glorified we pray these things in the name of Christ amen well in this section of Genesis the focus is on Jacob as the patriarch yet it is primarily focused not on Jacob it's primarily focused on his sons and even in the section beginning at Genesis 37 we think it's primarily about Joseph and yes Joseph is a major player in the story but it's not just about Joseph it's about all 12 of the sons because you see throughout the patriarchs Abraham Isaac and now Jacob there are two key themes the themes of seed who will be the one to come who will be the one to carry on the line and the theme of land and we've seen threats to both those things or you would have seen we've seen them at SRI threats to those things in the book of Genesis but that theme continues for us here in Genesis 37 and 38 specifically as we look at judah and the question is who's next out of the 12 sons reuben the firstborn as shown he is not a leader he tried to usurp jacob by grabbing Bilhah Rachel's maidservant that was a power play in that event trying to assert himself as that firstborn it did not go well that means there's two options Joseph and Judah and as you know from Genesis 37 at the end of the chapter Joseph has been sold into slavery that leaves Judah as the focus primarily that's why we have 37 and 38 together to discuss this issue of who with the seed would come from now in Genesis 37 it's important for us to see and be reminded of who Judah is and who Judah was you see Joseph had those dreams about his psycho brothers bowing down before him his brothers didn't like that very much so what the brothers do they sold him into slavery well first they wanted to kill him then they said let's sell him into slavery guess who the ringleader was Judah he's our brother we can't kill him let's send him into slavery instead Judah was the one who can I've those things he was the one who made that plan and he sent his brother into slavery and thus the tape the page turns to focus on who would supposedly be the next leader in line this one named Judah now we see a very clear problem in the text profaning the Covenant promise you see one the Papa the concerns of the patriarchs at least primarily Abraham was not intermingling Canaanites with Israelites Judah doesn't have that concern instead Judah puts the Covenant promise in jeopardy with his marriage to a Canaanite with his Canaanite boys and with grabbing a Canaanite lady he's unequally yoked he should not have done that it's a big problem the question will be where will the seed come from but thankfully God intervenes and thankfully God supersedes because you see in Genesis 38 the main idea is that God protects the seed against the wickedness of Judah God's protection of his covenant God's faithfulness to do what he said he would do to Abraham supersedes Judah's wickedness and attempts to profane the Covenant promise so we'll look at this idea under three headings this morning first of all marriage with Canaanites verses 1 through 11 secondly conduct like Canaanites verses 12 through 23 and then thirdly Redemption through a Canaanite in verses 24 to 30 so marriage with Canaanites conduct like Canaanites and redemption through a Canaanite so let's first look at marriage with carat Canaanites in verses 1 through 11 notice we see the setting set for a same time that Joseph was sold into slavery and we see what Judah does it came to pass that the at that time that Judah departed from his brothers he goes away from the promised land he thought the key right ladies were pretty he goes to hang out with a certain friend who perhaps influenced him in a wrong way he visited a certain Abdullah might whose name was Huayra now we're not surprised or we should be surprised that Judah goes away from Canaan based on his actions in Genesis 38 but nonetheless he still goes away from the land of Canaan goes from his father goes sorry goes towards Canaanites more so rather than his brothers and hangs out with this one named Hiram and what does do to do he hangs out with Huayra hangs out with high-risk friends he sees a lady a Canaanite a certain one in verse 2 and Judah saw their a daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shula and he married her and went into her and so she conceived and bore a son and called his name herb now the language here is not that of a loving marriage it's the idea of he saw he took and he went into language of lust much like Esau he saw the ladies of Canaan he saw he took and he went in to not very good leadership material is he not one through whom the Covenant would come from one who is not concerned with the Covenant line the Covenant seed rather he wants to engage with adult or gauge in in in in in in relations with Canaanites which is a major problem because again as I said what was the concern of the patriarchs specifically Abraham when he wants to find a wife for Isaac what does he say to his servant he says don't take a wife from Canaan go back to my land go back to tow to go back to my brother her of my brother her on that specifically Laban is there as well go back to my land get a lady from there what about Isaac and Rebekah hey what's the plan to get away from Esau go to Laban get a wife there don't marry the Canaanites like Esau did because there's daughters-in-law or big headaches but Judah doesn't care about that you know what Jacob didn't really care about that either in Genesis 34 that incident with Dina you know what the biggest problem is yes the rape was terrible yes the brothers vengeance is terrible but you know what the most disgraceful thing is Jacob's response what does he say he's not concerned with his daughter's rape he's not concerned with his brother's anger he's not concerned with the fact that the Shechem i'ts wanted to intermingle together and to absorb them which is what Abraham said they shouldn't do and which God does not want them to do and it's a good application for the people of Israel because they did that all the time what does he say you've troubled me by making me obnoxious among the inhabitants of the land he made me look bad sons and the Canaanite I'm in the Canaanites and the perizzites and since I am through you a number they will gather themselves together against me and kill me I shall be destroyed my household and I his concern was not so much with the covenant promise but looking good that so that he was not killed and Judah learned a few things from his dad in Genesis 38 like father like son he has three boys Joshua or she conceived again and bore a son and she called his name Onan and she conceived yet again and bore a son and called his name Shayla he was at Kasim when she bore him so he's got three boys now at that time it was the place of the father it was the task of the father to find wives for their sons much like Abraham does so what does Judah do he goes and gets a Canaanites then Judah took a wife or his firstborn and her name was Tamar but a Judas firstborn was wicked in the sight of the Lord and the Lord killed him you see he had wicked sons to the Lord strikes down her no indication as to what her dead but he's a Canaanite it was probably something very grave he did evil in the sight of the Lord's the Lord strikes him down now what is this how what happens here it leaves tame are childless there is no air for her and the idea of fee of the theme of firstborn and heir comes up again for us in verses 6 through 10 and so what does Judah say Judah says to the second son Onan in verse 8 go into your brother's wife and marry her and raise up an heir to your brother you see this is what's called the lever right lure the lever right marriage a brother was obliged to marry the widow of his brother to raise up an heir for him so his name would continue on the law does forbade marriage mean a brother and a brother's wife except for this ground you see this in Deuteronomy 25 and we'll look at this and a little bit later it will see this in Ruth as well so the second brothers task was to raise up a seed for her Onan was supposed to do this but Onan czar wretch - you see own uns only concerned with himself Onan is only concerned his air and so verse nine very very clear own and knew that the air would not be his and that came to pass and he went into his brother's wife that he emitted on the ground lest he should give an air to his brother he wants the inheritance all to himself he doesn't want to give any to his brother who has died and instead wants to keep it we see his greed we see a sin same fate the Lord the thing displeased the Lord therefore he killed him also but notice Judah's response now there's some contrast I think with Jacob in Genesis 37 when Joseph supposedly or when he's Jacob thinks that Joseph has died he mourns for his son there isn't any indication of that with Judah here but notice what he does he says to Tamar his daughter-in-law remain a widow in your father's house till my son Shayla is grown seems good but or he said lest he also die like his brothers he's blaming Tamar he thinks Tamar some sort of you know unlucky charm he thinks Tamar's the reason that they're dying and so what does he say get out of my house lest you kill Shayla get on my host I should kill my other son go back to your house go back to that place and go be with your father as a widow until Shayla grows up let but the key problem is lest he also die like his brothers and Tamar she obeys she went and dwelt in her father's house so that's marriage with Canaanites let's then look secondly at conduct like Canaanites verses 12 through 23 notice in verses 12 through 14 we see Judah the Canaanite now what's interesting is verses 1 through 11 that's 20 years have gone by 20 we years fly by just like that it's really setting the stage for verse 12 and verses 12 - the end is only about a year that go go that passes by so the story you know slows down for us to see what's going on and so what happens verse 12 the process of time the daughter of Shia judah's wife dies Judah loses his wife what does he do so you go he was comforted he goes up to his sheep shearers at Timna he and his friend Huayra via doula might know Huayra has not been a good influence and he's probably still not a good influence and the language of sheep shearers there it was actually a festival it's not like they just all went and shoosh they do all sheer sheep at that time but it wasn't meant to be a big party you actually see this in 2nd Samuel 13 when Absalom tries to kill his brother Amnon what does he do it's the sheep shearer festival to get a mannan a little Mary so that he can take him out well same here there's going to be a lot of wine a lot of partying going on and he wants to go to that place with his four Huayra the Abdullah might to be comforted and so he goes he goes to Tim now he goes with his friend he goes to this party and notice verse 13 Tamar knows she sees it was told Tamar saying look your father-in-law is going up to Timna to shear his sheep and then notice verse 14 she took off her widow's garments why is that important you see Tamar does what she's supposed to do Tamar all this time has obeyed she went to her father's house and remained a widow she go find another husband gingka find another mate she remained a widow on during that time and so what she does it's important for us to see that she does what his right throughout this entire section and you probably will be like Mike that's a little scary but we'll deal with that as we get to the unsavory bits in just a moment but she took off her widow's garments she's done what she's supposed to remain there but she covers herself with a veil wraps herself and sat in an open place that was on the way to Tim that why for she saw that Shayla was grown and she was not given to him as a wife Juna doesn't care once again about the Covenant seed Juna doesn't care again about passing the line along Shayla is grown she's supposed to give Tamar to him he doesn't do that meanwhile all this time Tamar has done what she's supposed to be doing he's evidence this his lack of concern by not by even marrying a Canaanite who even see it here with his lack of concern for Tamar during her barrenness you see throughout the patriarchs what's a key theme Baroness not by choice for some but for Tamar it is not by her choice who by the the negligence of Judah not to provide a seed for her and so this sets the stage for the unsavory part that we sometimes our tummies gets you know kind of grumbly we kind of get a little nervous when we read it but it's there it's in the Bible we must read hint and so Judah verse 15 when Judah saw her he thought she was a harlot because she'd covered her face there were other garb for prostitutes at that time one key distinguisher was the veil but she doesn't say that she I mean she's doing it on purpose as to look like a harlot and he thinks she's a harlot she covers her face he comes to her he expects with her this is where it slows down even more than he turned to her by the wayside and said please let me come into you for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law this were like Judah do you know what you're doing right now do you know what your what's about to happen do you know who that is you see incest is incest even though it's his daughter-in-law even our confession in nude lunda Baptist confession 25 on marriage speaks against what's called consanguinity that just means by blood you can't marry someone who you're related to by blood but then it says a affinity means by law that means you can't marry someone whom you're related to by law and so he's engaging and incest here and he doesn't know it yeah I mean she knows it but he doesn't know it just yet but there's something important the way she does it yet it's still unsavory we'll get there in just a minute but he has no idea what's about to happen so they give the verbal exchange so she said what will you give me that you may come in to me that is what's the payment gonna be what will you grant me and he said I will send you a young goat from the flock okay he seems like a good payment but he doesn't have it with him and so she says will you give me a pledge till you send it will you give me a down payment to make sure I receive it and he says he asks probably should have done that either what pledge shall I give you and she said your signet and cord and your staff that is in your hand that is the things that clearly identify who you are your signature signs in pen so you can't I guess you could wait it out but you can't erase it it's there his initials carved on his staff his signatory his special seal the sign of authority all those things that show that you are you give those things to me as that pledge and Judah must have been struggling real bad he does it then he gave them tor went into her and she conceived by him verse nineteen she arose and went away and laid aside her veil and put on the garments of her widowhood of her sadness of her difficulty and puts them back on now Judah probably has some shame because he tries to cover it up verses 20 through 23 and so look first warned a Judas sent the young goat by Huayra again he's back the Adila might to receive his pledge from the woman's but he did not find her you know what the irony is Judah is willing to fulfill his obligation to a harlot but he won't fulfill his obligation to his daughter-in-law he wants to make sure the harlot is paid for the harlot is provided for but his daughter-in-law he forgets you see Judah throughout this narrative does not look like a leader does not look like a godly man not even he doesn't look like a godly man he is not a godly man he's not someone you would think the line would come from Abraham had his problems but yeah Abraham trusted Isaac had his issues but he had some good things there too Jacob yeah there are difficulties would take up there too he deceived his blind dad and did some terrible things against his brother you don't do certain things like that there are some good things there Judah there's no redeeming quality with Judah at this point there's nothing good about Judah at this point there's nothing you know Basile savoury about Judah at this point and so she goes Theodore he goes the Abdullah mite goes his friend to find her 21 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 man of the place said there plus no harlot in this place man that would make someone go white then verse 23 Judah said let her take them for herself lest we be shamed for I sent this young goat and you have not found her stop looking lest our sham be exposed stop looking less what I did be uncovered stop looking lest I be found out his sing at ring his chord his staff is much like losing your credit card at a brothel and that's a key identifier of who he is and he loses those things with this harlot or with this Tamar and he says let's cover it up let's not keep looking let's keep things quiet Judah is very much acting like a Canaanite at this point so that's the second point let's then look thirdly and finally at redemption through Canaanites verses 24 through 30 time passes three months she can't hide the pregnancy anymore little bumps began to show and it's not-it's found out verse 24 it came to pass about three months after that Judah was told saying Tamar your daughter-in-law has played the harlot furthermore she is with child by harlotry that also prison testament to the fact that she stayed in her father's house stayed in her father's area was engaged as that Widow but here we see she she she's found out as one of the pregnant and the only way that could be as if she's with or it be through harlotry and so it's found out and what does Judas say notice his response here bring her out and let her be burned now he's concerned with righteousness now he's concerned with keeping the law now he's concerned with with doing what is right and so he does bring her out let's burn her even under the Mosaic law adultery was punishable by death and burning is one of the ways in which they did that and so he says let's bring her out and let's burn her and this is one of those places in Scripture where I love to be a fly on the wall when it happens you see it's almost like what happened or it is like what happened with Nathan and David after David did that wretched thing by killing her I the hittites and Nathan comes to find David he tells the parable about the rich man with a big herd the poor man with only one little sheep and the rich man takes the poor sheep and then David gets fired up and the Nathan says you are demand that's a similar situation here 25 when she was brought out she sent to her father-in-law saying by the man to whom knees belong I am with child and she said please determine who's these do these are the Signet and cord and staff she rebukes him she exposes him not just for his harlotry but also for his lack of concern with the Covenant seed and noticed Jews as responds in verse 26 suit acknowledged them and said she has been more righteous than I because I did not give her to Shayla my son this section is so difficult for us isn't it the incest that goes on and what I'm about to say in no way condones incest you shouldn't engage you know have relations with your brother sister someone you related to by blood or by law but what she does here is an act of faith brethren as we consider the theme of seed as we consider the carrying on of the Covenant promise she has more concern for it then Judah does and you see this in the fact that Judah doesn't do what he's supposed to do and rather she takes matters into her own hands as woke he says normally Canaanite woman absorb Israelite men and 2 into their two based into their two based culture you see this throughout the theater the the the Old Testament you see this perhaps even in life as well you can't conversion date that just never works you can't say I love that person but they're not believers I'm gonna dick now that doesn't that that never happens usually you're dragged down that's typically what happens now with Tamar Tamar he acts more like a Israelite then Judah ever does while he continues on in that light her deception as a Canaanite prostitute to snare her widowed father in law into fathering covenant seed should be evaluated as a daring act of faith her faithful deception wins her a place in the Messianic linen lineage along with the faithful treachery of Rahab she does what is right again that's difficult for us but throughout the series throughout what happens here she never marries she remains loyal to Judah and she's concerned with the Covenant seed takes matters into her own hands when Judah doesn't you see it's difficult for us but Judah commends her and later on a redemptive history she is also commanded as well not yes in Matthew but in Ruth in Ruth we see another lever right marriage happen another lever right plan happened that is actually Ruth raises up a seed for Naomi but we see as we see with respect to Boaz redeeming Ruth in verse 11 of Ruth for and all the people who were at the gate and the elders said we are witnesses the Lord make the woman who's come into your house like Rachel and Leah the two who built the house of Israel and may you prosper never Thoth and be famous in Bethlehem may your house be like the house of Peres whom Tamar bore to Judah because of the offspring which the Lord will give you from this young woman her act is commended in Scripture her act of faith is commanded in Scripture as a way to keep the Covenant line going forward Judah she is more righteous than I because I did not gave her to Sheila my son he confesses his sin he realizes his wrongdoing and he makes amends he never went into her again and even though it's not in the text I do think that there is forgiveness for Judah here walk you again as when the formerly self-righteous David is confronted with the sin of fathering illegitimate child and owns up to it so also judah's true character emerges with his confession we may assume that just as Lord forgives the repented David he also forgives Judah and we'll see this throughout but we'll see a transformation in Judah later the one who connived the one who sold his brother into slavery the one who engaged in marriage with Canaanites the one who engaged in prostitution the one who had no concern for the Covenant seed the one who had so much concern for himself changes doesn't he in 43 in Genesis 43 he becomes the spokesman for his brothers in Genesis 44 he assumes leadership in 46 he spearheads migration and throughout that section he says he says take me instead to be the want instead of Benjamin take me instead this is so different from Reuben Reuben tries our but he fails miserably in one of the sections with respect to Benjamin and not Rio Jacob does not want to send Benjamin to Joseph Reuben says kill my two sons what does that do kill my grandsons how is that going to help anything he doesn't offer himself but Judah does Judah emerges as the champion Judah emerges as the faithful one Judah m-- emerges as the one through whom the promised line would come especially with Joseph in Egypt now what's interesting is Judah and Joseph both receive blessing 1st chronicles 5 speaking about Reubens line it shows that the line the seed comes from Judah the blessing is given to Joseph so they both win in the end but the primary Messianic lineage will come through Judah and you see this in Genesis 49 with the promise to Judah verse 8 of Genesis 49 Judah you are he whom your brother shall praise your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies your father's children shall bow down before you you Judah is a lion's whelp from the prey my son you have gone up he P boughs down he lies down as a lion and as a lion who shall rouse him the scepter shall not depart from Judah nor a lawgiver from between his feet until Shiloh comes and to him shall be the obedience of the people binding his donkey to the vine and his donkey's Colt the choice fine and he washed his garments and wine and his clothes and the blood of grapes his eyes are darker than wine and his teeth whiter than milk but that Royal scepter shall not depart the Royal offspring of kingship shall come to him it was promised to Abraham in Genesis 17 the kingship was promised to Jacob in Genesis 35 and Judah receives the promise of the king in the line as well and so we see in verses 27 through 30 the promise fulfilled and God's grace magnified verse 27 now it came to pass at the time for giving birth that behold twins were in her womb and so it was when she was giving birth that the one put out his hand and the Midwife took a scarlet thread and bounded on his hand saying this one came out first then it happened that as he drew back his hand that his brother came out unexpectedly and she said how did you break through this breech be upon you therefore his name was called Peres afterward his brother came out who had the scarlet thread on his hand his name was called Zahra this is where we see the grace of God towards Judah Judah doesn't deserve anything does he especially with his conduct but he confesses his sin and what does God do notice Tamar is barren she now has children Perez and zerah God gives her the seed that she should have had a long time ago that the brothers should have engaged in but now he provides it for her and then notice the grace given to Judah two sons killed two sons born God restores it God brings back or not bring them back from the dead but restores the the the line through the one of Perez through Zahra and it is through Perez the younger and Zahra the older that God would bring forth the seed bring forth the lineage bring forth the covenant one bring forth the Davidic son who would come from him you see the whole point of Genesis 38 is God's grace yeah we could talk about how we should be unequally yoked yeah we could talk about how we shouldn't act like Canaanites those are all good things the main idea is the grace of God God protecting and keeping his covenant God doing what he said he would do and God's plan what man means for evil God means for good you know Genesis is driving to that point that's the main idea what man means for evil God means for good and it's seen very clearly here with Judah Judah meant evil Judah meant wrong Judah sinned but God exposed that sin God showed him in Sisson and God demonstrated his grace to him and forgave his sin and he forgave him sin and sin based on the one who had come the Lord Jesus Christ but before we get there at the end of Ruth it ends with a genealogy and that genealogy is the genealogy of Paris Ruth for like in Turner Ruth for verse 18 actually verse 13 you see that Boaz takes Ruth she became his wife when interest she conceives she bears a son woman I only has a son lever right no me took the child and laid him on her bosom and became a nurse to him also a neighbor woman gave him a name saying there is a son born to Naomi and they called his name Obed he is the father of Jesse the father of David verse 18 now this is the genealogy of Peres Peres begot hezron hezron begot Ram brown B got a minute AB I'm in adhabi got nahshon nahshon be caught salmon salmon begot Boaz Boaz begat obed Obed begat Jesse and Jesse begat David it is through Judah that David would come and it's through Judah that Christ would come and we see this in Matthew 1:1 the Lord Jesus is David's greater son the Lord Jesus is the Lion of the tribe of Judah but we see in the genealogy where the Lord comes and what's interesting all four women all four women mentioned in the genealogy are what their Canaanites brethren redemption through Canaanites salvation through Canaanites and what's interesting is all forth and have some unsavory kind of part to the story Rahab the harlot traoré sorry Tamar's technically first Tamar you know there's that incest going on yet its commended before protecting the line but it's still unsavory and not quite great and then Rhea ABS a harlot and then you know with bad web with Ruth she's a Moabite s and you know this you know there's some you know some interesting things there and then with Bathsheba that's just terrible in and of itself but through all those things through all those difficulties through all those sins God brings forth to Christ God brings forth the Lord Jesus Christ it's because of his covenant keeping his faithfulness his righteousness his goodness that you and I that Judah that David that Rahab that all those ones in the line that all those who believe might have life might have peace the whole point of Genesis 38 is to marvel at the grace of God that he saves wretched sinners like us that he saves vile men like Judah that he protects and keeps and saves a man yet David is a man after God's own heart but he engages in a grave sin yet God saves sinners he did not come to save the righteous but sinners you know come to save perfect but the imperfect and I think you see what David some 51 David second Samuel 12 and with Judah in Genesis 38 we see the confession of faith of the confession of forgiveness she is more righteous than I brethren we must walk through life marveling at the grace of God that he is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love that he would save sinners like us and as we realize who we are and who he is that we would be before him always marveling at His grace grace doesn't stop once we believe grace continues on throughout the Christian life we must always lean on our Lord who is faithful to guide us and keep us until the end now if you're an unbeliever here today don't wash your hands and come to Christ come to Christ and be cleansed maybe there's certain sins you think you can't shake maybe you think you're vile and the reality is you are vile but come and find forgiveness in the Lord Christ believe on him believe that he has lived died and rose again believe that he is perfect believe that he is the perfect sacrifice confess your sins to him and asked for forgiveness and God is a God who forgives God is a God who gives grace turn to the Lord in faith and trust and find life and hope in the Lion of the tribe of Judah well that's pray definitely father we thank you a lot for your amazing grace and we're thankful O God that you do save sinners in Christ we know God that one wicked thought is enough to put us in hell for ever and ever you know God yet we're thankful that Christ did not engage in one sin one wicked thought one wicked deed and he is righteous in every way you know God we're thankful for your promises we're thankful for your faithfulness or thankful for your goodness O God and we're thankful for the promise that what man me and surival you truly do mean for a good Oh God and so we are thankful for your promises that David did come for thankful for your promises that Christ the second the the the David's greater son came we're thankful O God that he is the root of Jesse he is the one promised of old the seed of Abraham the seed of the woman and he is righteous in every way we're thankful that he is our king we're thankful he was our prophet we're thankful that he is our priest or thankful O God that he speaks to us through the word we're thankful O God that he is our perfect sacrifice praying for us now we're thankful that he's our king who went on conquest for us and will help us die to sin day by day and so god help us to cling to your promises help us to cling to your grace day by day even as we see salvation of wretched sinners even in your Old Testament and we're thankful O God you save wretched sinners in the New Covenant era and O God we do pray thee be pleased to save sinners this Lord's Day whether it's here in other parts of the world that your word would go forth and sinners would come to life sinners would confess their sins and find hope in Christ find forgiveness in him find Grace in him we're thankful O God that you are God who is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and O God we do pray that you keep us and protect us as we go to the world and we pray that you help us to always be before you always marvel at your grace always have it before our eyes you might cause us to die to send day by day and love the things that you love O Lord help us to put on the mind of Christ day by day and oh God we do pray that all that we do we pray that all that we say you would be glorified we pray these things in the name of Christ amen well for our final hymn we're going to sing hymn 564 so you can turn with me in your Psalter hymnal to him 564 we'll stand and sing together 564 [Music] now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead that great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the everlasting covenant to make you complete and every good work to do his will working in you what is well pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ whom be glory for ever and ever amen we'll close with a brief time meditation when the panel's finish you are dismissed
