Genesis 38: 14 -30

The truth about mankind and his fallen state is not pretty. Even men that we would consider good men are driven by selfishness, greed and lust. The world we live in does not want to admit this even when it is self-evident. To admit it would mean admitting that all mankind is in need of redemption. It would require admitting the truth about those we love. It would require us to admit the truth about ourselves.

The bible makes no attempt to hide the slimy dirty side of life. Judah was not a saint. He sometimes was not even a very good man. When his wife died he observed an official time of mourning. As soon as that time of mourning was passed he was considered recovered from his grief. On his first trip out of town he sought a temple prostitute.

When men involve themselves in sexual sin they often try to hide it. They do it while on trips out of town. Someone I know who travels a lot on business was shocked to learn the way married men behave when out of town. I’m not sure why they were shocked. Men in their fallen state are sinful.

Men in their fallen state are judgmental. Judah was ready to burn Tamar in punishment for her sin. When she presented him the proof of his sin he recognized his unrighteousness was greater than hers. To forgive himself required him to forgive her.

Judah is in the lineage of our savior Jesus Christ. His son Perez was born to Tamar who had become pregnant while acting as a prostitute with Judah. None of this story is pretty, but it is real. God recognizes the ugliness of sin. God recognizes the ugliness of human nature in its fallen state. Salvation is not possible while pretending sin does not exist. Salvation requires we recognize the ugliness of sin. Only then can we recognize the true beauty of God’s love.