Hypocrites

Hypocrites

Bible: Genesis 38:16-26

She is more righteous than I (V.26).

Reading

“I’d be very disappointed if one of our team members did that,” said a cricket player, talking about a South African cricketer who’d cheated in a match. But only two years later, that same player was caught doing the same thing! Most of us hate hypocrisy: people making themselves out to be better, but actually being just as bad as everyone else. But in the story of Judah in Genesis
38, Judah’s hypocritical behaviour nearly got someone killed. After two of his sons died soon after marrying Tamar, Judah had ignored his duty to provide for her, seeing as she was his daughter-in-law (GENESIS 38:8-11). In desperation, Tamar disguised herself as a prostitute, and Judah slept with her (VV.15-16). When Judah learned that his widowed daughter-in-law was pregnant, he was murderous. “Bring her out and have her burned to death!” (V.24). But Tamar
had proof that Judah was the father (V.25). Judah could have lied. Instead he admitted his hypocrisy, and also accepted his responsibility to care for her, saying, “She is more righteous than I” (V.26). And God used this dark chapter of Judah and Tamar’s story in His story of
our salvation. Tamar’s children (VV.29-30) would become part of the family line that led to Jesus (MATTHEW 1:2-3). Why is Genesis 38 in the Bible? One reason is because it shows how
hypocritical we can be. The other is that is shows God can use even the worst moments of human history (and our own lives) for His good purposes.

JESUS CHANGES US FROM PROUD HYPOCRITES TO
PEOPLE WHO ARE HONEST ABOUT HOW MUCH WE
NEED HIM.

YouTh Edition – Our Daily Bread Ministries