Lies and Deception

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

LIES AND DECEPTION

Gen 38:12-23

12 After a long time Judah's wife, the daughter of Shua, died. When Judah had recovered from his grief, he went up to Timnah, to the men who were shearing his sheep, and his friend Hirah the Adullamite went with him. 13 When Tamar was told, "Your father-in-law is on his way to Timnah to shear his sheep," 14 she took off her widow's clothes, covered herself with a veil to disguise herself, and then sat down at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah. For she saw that, though Shelah had now grown up, she had not been given to him as his wife. 15 When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute, for she had covered her face. 16 Not realizing that she was his daughter-in-law, he went over to her by the roadside and said, "Come now, let me sleep with you." "And what will you give me to sleep with you?" she asked. 17 "I'll send you a young goat from my flock," he said. "Will you give me something as a pledge until you send it?" she asked. 18 He said, "What pledge should I give you?" "Your seal and its cord, and the staff in your hand," she answered. So he gave them to her and slept with her, and she became pregnant by him. 19 After she left, she took off her veil and put on her widow's clothes again. 20 Meanwhile Judah sent the young goat by his friend the Adullamite in order to get his pledge back from the woman, but he did not find her. 21 He asked the men who lived there, "Where is the shrine prostitute who was beside the road at Enaim?" "There hasn't been any shrine prostitute here," they said. 22 So he went back to Judah and said, "I didn't find her. Besides, the men who lived there said, 'There hasn't been any shrine prostitute here.'" 23 Then Judah said, "Let her keep what she has, or we will become a laughingstock. After all, I did send her this young goat, but you didn't find her."

NIV

Is there no end to dysfunction within this family? Now, it is the son of Israel who has betrayed or simply lied to his daughter-in-law, Tamar. First, we see his father Jacob, now known as Israel, betray his brother and father Isaac or merely lie to him, and then Laban deceives Jacob regarding Rachel and Leah. Now another generation is still doing the same thing. Judah had promised Tamar that when his youngest son was old enough he would give her as his wife, but he failed to fulfill his promise which resulted in Tamar deceiving him. Without going any further recounting all the events unfolded to us within this narrative, we are back at the basic truth of our lives as believers. Although God is absolutely faithful in keeping his promises, and extremely faithful to always speak the truth, we, in our weak and frail human condition may not be as faithful in keeping our promises or in always speaking the truth. We do not think that we fail both permanently, and on a premeditated basis, it is we simply fail. It is best to let our yes be yes and our no be no rather than to promise something we may not be either able or willing to do when the time comes to be fulfilled. Of course, our vow to our spouse is a promise we will keep to our last breath, but we have witnessed within the church that some have broken that promise. It would be a sad thing for any believer to also become a laughingstock because of our failures, and consequentual behaviors. We are supposed to speak the truth to each other, rather than being deceptive in any way, which could result in one of us being hurt all the more. Once again, let our yes be yes and our no mean no, being truthful and forthright in our interactions, at least that should be our goal. We may fail, but hopefully not intentionally or deceitfully. Both Judah and Tamar failed intentionally, and deceitfully. Let us make every effort to do which leads to peace and mutual edification, as we live in truth.