Two sections, Introduction and discussion and Genesis 38
Genesis 38  Want to know what God thinks about birth-control?  He wants to be the one to determine who lives or dies, in the same way, how do you think that He feels about abortion, considering what happened in the first few verses of this chapter.  Judah refused to part with a third son, according to his oath.  He seemed to have a moral problem, in the same way he refused to stand by his oath to Tamar, he went into a seeming harlot, committing in essence the same sin toward God as Onan did.  God was in control though and twins were conceived.  His sin found him out and he was faced with the penalty of his sin. 
Gen 38:

One of the important things to note about this chapter is that it shows us clearly what can happen when parents try to take responsibility for their children’s action. While the Bible doesn’t say what it was that Er did specifically, it does say that Er was "wicked before the Lord". Further, the second son, Onan, purposely disobeyed God’s design for procreation by spilling his seed so that Tamar could not conceive. This action also was displeasing to God, so Onan also died. Judah’s next action was to try to spare his 3rd son, Selah, by not allowing him to wed Tamar. In this way Judah felt he was sparing his son’s life. Understandable, but not excuseable; especially since he had already given his word to Tamar that when Selah became of age, he would wed Tamar (v. 11).

However, Judah also demonstrated that in addition to not being a man of his word, he was also one who could quickly be self-righteous. While no one knew of his intimacy with Tamar, but the two of them, when Tamar began to physically show, he was quick to overlook the fact that he could possibly be the father in question and suggest that she be burned for her immoral behavior. However, this was all dismissed once it became known that it was he that was the father of the child. Its also important to note that thru Tamar, the lineage of Christ was preserved, and she is listed in several times in the Bible in the genealogies, including in Matthew’s gospel.

Have you ever noticed that it is easier to address sin in others than to deal with the same sin in ourselves? When you find yourself leaning towards this tendency, consider the admonition of Jesus from John’s Gospel, Ch. 7: "Judge not, that ye be not judged. 2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. 3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? 4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? 5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye."

Reggie
Joe,
 
In Genesis 37, Was it not Reuben who intervened to save Joseph's life?
 
Thanks for the study in Acts 5.
 
IHG,
 
Erik
Joe,
I need to go on record.  So far, I have enjoyed and felt pure excitement from the discourse I've seen here.  I haven't always said I agreed, but they say to say nothing is to demure or imply agreement, so I'm safe.  However, I do disagree with your interpretation that God's sovereignty over life and death implies he would find birth control displeasing.  I think the same argument of sovereignty could be stretched into issues of taking medicines, drugs or vitamins.  (If God wanted me to be healthy, I wouldn't need drugs.)  I know I'm stretching the argument, however, birth control pills do not kill a fetus, just postpone it's delivery.  Anyway, had to put in my two cents.
Cathy
Aha!
 
Got you to respond!
 
I love it when you write in, even when we disagree.  Rather than open a real can of worms on this one, I am going to leave it open for discussion, I firmly disagree with you, and that is ok.  I praise God that they did not have birth control when I was born.  I think we may have gone off the deep end with it.  As to medicine, I believe God has ordained medicine, as always, we can use it for good or for evil.  Contrary to popular belief, some birth control methods do allow conception, and kill the baby shortly afterwards.  Birth control is not restricted by morals today.   Our doctors are not concerned with life, but with preventing it.  They do not have a moral issue with killing babies, for example, look at abortion.  Think back, would you have wanted your parents to have practiced it?
 
Thank you for your comment!
Joe.
Nothing like a good discussion...

While a case could be made against Birth Control in this instance, I think that that rendering is adding more to the text interpretively than it should.  The primary point here was not that Onan practiced birth control, but he purposely (and most likely continually) made a deliberate effort not to allow his sperm to enter Tamar to avoid conception. This is the real issue.  Onan was instructed by his father to raise up seed to his older (and also dead) brother Er (Gen. 38:8). While Onan had no problem complying with the marriage to Tamar to fulfill part of his obligation (the pleasurable part), because he knew the seed would not be his, but Er's, so Onan purposely ensured that he would not impregnate Tamar (his familial obligation) (Gen 38:9). 

Basically Onan's refusal to meet his family obligation was rebellion against what was directly from God (by way of Judah). And as we know, rebellion is something that God comes against very hard: "For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king." (1 Sam 15:23). This is what was displeasing to God, Onan's rebellious heart towards his obligation to raise seed for the dead brother (this familial obligation was so important that it was also part of the law of Moses [Deut. 25:5]).

One thing that maybe overlooked in all of his is that this is not just a isolated case in scripture to given to be pro or con for birth control. More importantly this situation directly affected the future of the lineage of Christ, as Christ was from the tribe of Judah, and with Er dead, Onan refusing to allow conception, and Judah refusing to allow the last son, Shelah, to wed anyone, the line of Judah was endanger of being eliminated almost before it began. God had a promise and a plan to bring the messiah and here was a rebellious heart almost succeeding in stopping it. Therefore, God in his sovergnity removed Onan, and used the unrighteousness of Judah to result in Tamar becoming pregnant and of the twins she carried (Pharez and Zerah), Pharez was the division of the tribe of Judah from which Christ was born.

Just my 2 cents,

Reggie
Joe,
 
I agree with Reggie and Cathy. The passage is not given to instruct the reader against birth control. (Note that if it did, it would be teaching against the least effective form of birth control!) Onan was judged for disobedience.
 
Consider this - more of the biblical accounts have to do with overcoming infertility rather than preventing pregnancy.  Couples who had not been able to conceive, but God opened the womb. What does that indicate about birth control methods and the will of God in bringing a child to conception? Is God sovereign over the process?
 
Abortion is sad and inappropriate.
 
IHG,
 
Erik
Hey well i guess i will give my opinion on birth control,
i  think that birth control is right because even with birth control if it
is God's will then the birth control would fail. and then again thin about a
husband and wife that are just starting out and cannot afford the birth a
child, maybe it would be God's will that they use birth control until they
can effectively have enough income to take care of a child and all the needs
that go along with it. Now on abortion i think that it is wrong in every way
shape or form, alot of people will try to put abortion into scientific terms
to make it not seem like it is killing another life but it is killing a soul
that had a chance to live and that is just like murder,
just a bit of my two cents,

 James
Let me just say their is a great range of belief on "divorce" and I as well believe this is true for birth control.  Sometimes we can't all come to some common denominator of thought, but hopefully at least individual insights into the scriptures.  I think that God definitely has an stance that will only be succinctly clear to us all when we are before Him and so enthralled with His presence, its import will seem rather mere.  :-)
 
     Shelley
Genesis 38

August 27, 2004

Reading through the Bible in one Year: Numbers 9-12

Weekly Memory Verse: John 1:12

Good Evening Brothers and Sisters,

I was digging through the archives and when we studied this during our Acts study last year it sparked quite a discussion.  It's worth looking into if you want to see a little more and read an interesting discussion look it up.  I moved all the information over to the new archive page which is easily accessed by going to either the archive on the website and clicking on the passage, or going to the schedule and clicking on the link.

Genesis 38:1-11 (NASB95)
1 And it came about at that time, that Judah departed from his brothers and visited a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah. 2 Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua; and he took her and went in to her. 3 So she conceived and bore a son and he named him Er. 4 Then she conceived again and bore a son and named him Onan. 5 She bore still another son and named him Shelah; and it was at Chezib that she bore him. 6 Now Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. 7 But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was evil in the sight of the Lord, so the Lord took his life. 8 Then Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife, and perform your duty as a brother-in-law to her, and raise up offspring for your brother.” 9 Onan knew that the offspring would not be his; so when he went in to his brother’s wife, he wasted his seed on the ground in order not to give offspring to his brother. 10 But what he did was displeasing in the sight of the Lord; so He took his life also. 11 Then Judah said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, “Remain a widow in your father’s house until my son Shelah grows up”; for he thought, “I am afraid that he too may die like his brothers.” So Tamar went and lived in her father’s house. [1]

As I read through this account I was impressed by the way that deception is still continuing through this family.  Judah deviated from the original standard that his father and ancestors had kept not to mix with Canaanite women.  He also chose her for himself according to the indication of the scriptures which deviated from the way that chosen women were picked according to the family heritage.  Why was there deviation from the original marriage where the woman was picked by the family?  I wonder if it was because of Jacob being thrust out on his own when he was a young man and being required to pick the wife as a result of being ran out of his country.

God brought judgment upon Er for some reason, that is not made clear to us.  Wickedness covers a broad area, it was enough to where God struck him dead.  Follow that with Onan failing to take responsibility for fathering a child according to the custom of the land.  God also struck him dead.  We need to consider the reason behind that one in America, it was because Onan took the place of God in making the decision whether a child was born or not.  When people in America make the decision to have abortions, aren't they playing god?

Deuteronomy 25:5-10 (NASB95)
5 “When brothers live together and one of them dies and has no son, the wife of the deceased shall not be married outside the family to a strange man. Her husband’s brother shall go in to her and take her to himself as wife and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her. 6 “It shall be that the firstborn whom she bears shall assume the name of his dead brother, so that his name will not be blotted out from Israel. 7 “But if the man does not desire to take his brother’s wife, then his brother’s wife shall go up to the gate to the elders and say, ‘My husband’s brother refuses to establish a name for his brother in Israel; he is not willing to perform the duty of a husband’s brother to me.’ 8 “Then the elders of his city shall summon him and speak to him. And if he persists and says, ‘I do not desire to take her,’ 9 then his brother’s wife shall come to him in the sight of the elders, and pull his sandal off his foot and spit in his face; and she shall declare, ‘Thus it is done to the man who does not build up his brother’s house.’ 10 “In Israel his name shall be called, ‘The house of him whose sandal is removed.’ [2]

The third son's name is revealing, "shelah" meant "a petition, request, or an appeal for solicitation..." (Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains).  Tamar was requesting him as one to fulfill the duties of her husband.  God had set up the ordinance to preserve the people.  Judah was understandably worried about losing another son.  Although this custom is not clearly dictated by God before the law, it is implemented into the law. 

Genesis 38:12-23 (NASB95)
12 Now after a considerable time Shua’s daughter, the wife of Judah, died; and when the time of mourning was ended, Judah went up to his sheepshearers at Timnah, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite. 13 It was told to Tamar, “Behold, your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep.” 14 So she removed her widow’s garments and covered herself with a veil, and wrapped herself, and sat in the gateway of Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah; for she saw that Shelah had grown up, and she had not been given to him as a wife. 15 When Judah saw her, he thought she was a harlot, for she had covered her face. 16 So he turned aside to her by the road, and said, “Here now, let me come in to you”; for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. And she said, “What will you give me, that you may come in to me?” 17 He said, therefore, “I will send you a young goat from the flock.” She said, moreover, “Will you give a pledge until you send it?” 18 He said, “What pledge shall I give you?” And she said, “Your seal and your cord, and your staff that is in your hand.” So he gave them to her and went in to her, and she conceived by him. 19 Then she arose and departed, and removed her veil and put on her widow’s garments. 20 When Judah sent the young goat by his friend the Adullamite, to receive the pledge from the woman’s hand, he did not find her. 21 He asked the men of her place, saying, “Where is the temple prostitute who was by the road at Enaim?” But they said, “There has been no temple prostitute here.” 22 So he returned to Judah, and said, “I did not find her; and furthermore, the men of the place said, ‘There has been no temple prostitute here.’ ” 23 Then Judah said, “Let her keep them, otherwise we will become a laughingstock. After all, I sent this young goat, but you did not find her.” [3]

Tamar was patient and waited for Shelah to grow up.  Judah did not prove to be true to his word.  I puzzled over the actions of Tamar when she heard that Judah was going to sheer the sheep.  The chance of a woman getting pregnant the very first time that intercourse is made is very slim.  There are a lot of things that have to be working right, along with timing and other considerations.  Doesn't it make you wonder what the motive of Tamar was when she played the harlot?  I wonder if she was getting revenge on Judah by having him use her as a prostitute.  She could have entertained the idea of getting pregnant, or could have had a revelation or knowledge that if she had intercourse she would become pregnant.  She could have also been trying to gain some of his things in order to use them later to force Judah's hand. 

Leviticus 16:8-10 (NASB95)
8 “Aaron shall cast lots for the two goats, one lot for the Lord and the other lot for the scapegoat. 9 “Then Aaron shall offer the goat on which the lot for the Lord fell, and make it a sin offering. 10 “But the goat on which the lot for the scapegoat fell shall be presented alive before the Lord, to make atonement upon it, to send it into the wilderness as the scapegoat. [4]

Tamar requested a goat as a payment for her services, yet she dissappeared before the payment could be made.  Later the goat is used to bear the sin of the people and to be set free into the wilderness.  I wonder if this commemorates this event where injustice was done and a goat was allowed to live as a result of the sin of Judah. 

Genesis 38:24-30 (NASB95)
24 Now it was about three months later that Judah was informed, “Your daughter-in-law Tamar has played the harlot, and behold, she is also with child by harlotry.” Then Judah said, “Bring her out and let her be burned!” 25 It was while she was being brought out that she sent to her father-in-law, saying, “I am with child by the man to whom these things belong.” And she said, “Please examine and see, whose signet ring and cords and staff are these?” 26 Judah recognized them, and said, “She is more righteous than I, inasmuch as I did not give her to my son Shelah.” And he did not have relations with her again. 27 It came about at the time she was giving birth, that behold, there were twins in her womb. 28 Moreover, it took place while she was giving birth, one put out a hand, and the midwife took and tied a scarlet thread on his hand, saying, “This one came out first.” 29 But it came about as he drew back his hand, that behold, his brother came out. Then she said, “What a breach you have made for yourself!” So he was named Perez. 30 Afterward his brother came out who had the scarlet thread on his hand; and he was named Zerah.[5]

Judah's sin found him out.  He was furious when he found out that she was pregnant, enough to burn her to death.  Isn't it interesting that when he found out that he was the one responsible that the tables turned back on him.  His lack of integrity was revealed for everyone to see. 

Matthew 1:3 (NASB95)
3 Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez was the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram. [6]

The child of Tamar by an illicit relationship with her father-in-law became one of the fathers in the line of Joseph, who the kingly lineage was passed on to Jesus through.  God ordained the child of sin to become a father of the line of the Child of God!  What would have happened if she were burned at the stake?  God does not like sin, but will use the product of sin to form our lives, and in this case He used one of the children born to be a father of the Savior.  The next time that you hear about someone who is contemplating abortion, pass this story along.

When you consider this chapter, it teaches us a few things about human nature.  First it teaches us about integrity.  God does not expect Christians to live a double standard, the way that we live in our homes should also be the way that we live when we are away from our homes.  How often people will be working away from home and go to bars, clubs, and dabble in other things they would not consider while they are at home.  Those of us who live and work on the railroad have seen this happen over and over again.  Usually the people get away with their stupid behavior away from home, but occasionally a girl will get pregnant, or the word gets back home in some manner.  Judah demonstrated for us the importance of spiritual integrity, even if he was trying to cover the loss of his late wife. 

The second thing that I see in this chapter is the way that sin grows in the life of believers.  Tamar used the sin of the family to deceive Judah.  She used cunning deception to get what she wanted.  This wasn't an accident, Tamar had to travel, change the way she looked and intentionally place herself in the path of Judah.  It was a deliberate and intentional deception which involved lots of planning. 

Time is up for today, the beeper got me.  If you have any comments that you would like to add be sure to write in.

Questions for thought:

Would you consider Tamar to be right in her use of deception to take advantage of Judah?

Why did Judah react to the news of Tamar's pregnancy the way that he did?

Father, as we consider Your word, and consider the tremendous truths that we are confronted with in this study, make each person in this study a beacon of light in a dark world.

In Him,

Joe Turner.

[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] New American Standard Bible : 1995 update. 1995. LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
Last changed: 09/17/08