SCRIPTURE: Genesis 38
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
(Read my reflection from 2008)
About three months later Judah was told, “Your daughter-in-law Tamar is guilty of prostitution, and as a result she is now pregnant.”Judah said, “Bring her out and have her burned to death!” [Genesis 38:24]
At that time, a widow without a son was helped by being impregnated by a brother- in-law, so that the heir would still be family, but would be her heir and support.
Onan’s crime in that culture was to leave Tamar destitute, without hope for the future.
Judah’s responsibility was to make sure Tamar was taken care of… but it seems that he had other things on his mind.
Righteous Jacob, sleeping with e shrine prostitute while away from home.
Righteous Jacob, demanding that she be burned to death when found pregnant.
Fortunate for Tamar, she was smart enough to get proof of the father; also fortunate was that he was honest enough to admit his sin when exposed.

The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” [John 8:3-5]
Here the religious leaders, like Jacob want to punish this sinful woman for her sin!
But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. [John 8:6-8]
We do not know what Jesus wrote in the sand, but it had something to do with what was going on, and with what He said to them – anyone who is without sin.
I once heard someone suggest that He was writing the names of women they had sinned with, and this makes sense – like Jacob they were exposed.
At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. [John 8:9]
Note, the older ones left first because their list was longer!

Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” [John 8:10-11]
In the end, Tamar is not condemned, she is vindicated.
More than that, we discover that God includes her is Jesus’ family tree, to make a point [Matthew 1:3].
The point is this: Jesus came for all of us, not to condemn us but to help us.
No one in Jesus’ family can claim to be without sin.
Like Jacob and the religious leaders, we have our own sin issues to deal with.
And thankfully we can hear the same wonderful words from Jesus: neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” [John 8:10-11]

PRAYER:
Lord, forgive me for being more worked up about the sin of others than about my own sin. Expose me, not to shame me, but to help me realize how wonderful Your grace is!