“The Lord Killed Him” (Gen 38-39:10)

vs7-10, “But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD, and the LORD killed him. And Judah said to Onan, "Go in to 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 in to 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 displeased the LORD; therefore He killed him also.

First, the Lord Jesus is the only remedy for the monster of sin (vs7-10). Sin causes death, destruction, and the wrath of God. It destroys homes, wrecks peace, and brings misery to saint and sinner. Christ's atonement and God's gift of the Spirit for Christ's sake is the hope that we have. We can be forgiven and cleansed. The Psalmist said, “If You, Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with You, that You may be feared”, so that pardon reconciles us to God to get power from God to sin no more (Ps 130:3-4).

Secondly, the gospel is a promise the Lord has given to us, it is received by faith, and we have the down payment or guarantee of the Spirit (Gen 38:25-26). Judah accused Tamar of harlotry and demanded she be burned with fire. Yet, he found out that she did what she did in order to have Christ, the promised seed. When he saw the tokens that he gave her, it reminds us of the token of the Holy Spirit, given to us by the Lord Jesus, as the proof that we'll be saved come Judgment Day and nothing shall be held against us (Eph 1:13). This Spirit has given us God's word, God's love, and God's power. We read, “By the man to whom these belong, I am with child. And she said, Please determine whose these are – the signet and cord, and staff. So Judah acknowledged them and said, She has been more righteous than I, because I did not give her to Shelah my son. And he never knew her again” (vs25-26). We'll be known as those who took the kingdom by force, because God predestined us to it (vs27-30).

Thirdly, flee from wickedness; it is not worth it. Don't use the gospel to sin, but use God's grace to sin no more.

Joseph pictures the Lord, who is our Savior and Example. He overcame temptation by receiving the gifts and promises His Father gave. He says, “Look, my master does not know what is with me in the house, and he has committed all that he has to my hand. There is no one greater in this house than I, nor has he kept back anything from me but you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God”, so that MERCIES remembered gives us incentive and power to conquer sin (Gen 39:8-10). Don't say, “I'm saved, so I can sin”. Say, “I'm saved, so why should I sin, when God is only withholding me from what is wrong?”

The grace of Christ conquers sin. Trust in Him.