Tamar, Daughter-in-law of Judah: Who Is the Righteous One?

Today in my reading of the book of Genesis,  here is the somewhat disturbing story of Tamar, the daughter-in-law of Judah, the son of Jacob. 

Chapter 38 begins with Judah leaving his brothers  and seeing a daughter of a Canaanite whose name was Shuah.  By her Judah had two sons, one named Er and the other named Onan.  After this Shuah bore to Judah another son called Shelah.

In the process of time, Judah took a wife for his firstborn Er, and her name was Tamar.  But the bible tells us that Er was "wicked in the sight of the LORD, and the LORD slew him."  Judah told his next son Onan to marry Tamar that  he should "raise up seed to thy brother."  Because Onan knew that any child would not be considered his, he denied Tamar a child by him.  But what he did "displeased the LORD: wherefore he slew him also."

Next Judah tells Tamar to stay as a widow in her father's house until his youngest son Shelah reached  adulthood,  but Judah fears "lest peraventure he die also, as his brethren did"  Tamar obeys and went and dwelt in her father's house.

Time passes and Tamar is still in her father's house when she hears that Judah is coming to shear his sheep, so she puts off her widow's garments and veils herself.  Next she sits in open view where Judah will pass because "she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given unto him to wife."

Jacob's Daughter Dinah: Choosing the Wrong Path

I am reading through the book of Genesis at this time.  Today I read about Dinah, the only daughter of Jacob who was the son of Isaac, who was the son of Abraham.    This is a very sad story of what happened to Dinah when she went out on her own from her family.  I wrote this piece in 2002 and want to post it here today.

Jacob's Daughter Dinah

Genesis 30:21 "And afterwards she (Jacob's wife Leah) bare a daughter, and called her name Dinah"  (judgment)

Genesis 33: 18 "And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padanaram; and pitched his tent before the city.  And he bought a parcel of a field, where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem's father, for an hundred pieces of money. "

In Genesis chapter 33 we have the reconciliation of Jacob and Esau who had been separated since Jacob deceived his father Isaac into believing that he was Esau, and thus took the blessing that was meant for Esau.  At Jacob's mother Rebekah's urging, Jacob left his home and journeyed to Paddan-aram where Rebekah's family lived.  Jacob went there and lodged with Rachel and her family.  After 20 years Jacob left with his wives Rachel and Leah, their handmaids, and all his children.  Jacob was nervous to meet Esau his  brother, but when they do finally meet Esau treats Jacob and his family with kindness and respect, hospitably offering that Jacob should go with Esau to his home to dwell together in unity, (V12) but Jacob deceives Esau one more time into thinking he will follow along after, then he makes the choice to turn in another direction and go to the land of Canaan, where the Israelites do not live.   (V13-20).  Just as Lot separated from Abraham, and went to the city of Sodom, Jacob will bear the grief of taking things into his own hands instead of following Esau, whom the Lord had graciously restored to him.

Bad News and Sharing the Good News

Last Monday was a very trying day for my husband.  A few years ago a friend whom he thinks highly of was diagnosed with cancer.   Previously the man had undergone surgery and continued on with his busy life. On Monday my husband received a phone call from his friend and learned that his cancer has spread into his lymph nodes and into his back.  He is about to undergo radiation and chemotherapy.  This was very bad news

Years ago my husband and this man worked together and my husband shared the gospel with him then.  But what to do now?  But then the next day something wonderful happened.

We have a new neighbour.  My husband always hopes for opportunities to share the gospel with neighbours but he thought that it might be difficult to share with this neighbour.  The day after hearing about my husband's friend, he was outside talking with the neighbour.  I saw them from the window and wondered what they could be talking about for so long.  As it turned out, my husband said that an opportunity presented itself from something the neighbour said, and so my husband shared the good news of the  gospel with him for about 10 minutes.  He was very happy for this opportunity.

The next day he wrote an email to his friend reminding him of the time he shared the gospel with him when they worked together, and reminded him what had been said before.  Today my husband heard back from him, and the friend thanked him for his email and for his friendship.

You never know what the day will bring.  It just takes a heart that desires to serve the Lord however they are led.

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vcg

Running Away is Not The Answer

Yesterday I deleted this blog for the reason that a very undesirable site has linked itself with The Dappled Path.  My response is as it always is, that being flight.  I deleted the blog thinking that I had no other recourse but thankfully when you delete a Blogger blog in the spur of the moment, they give you time to change your mind and the blog can be restored as it was by me a few minutes ago.

I have worked years on this blog and was very disheartened and concerned about the undesirable site but I thought this morning, they linked to me, I did not link to them.  Their site brings traffic to this blog and since I am trying to show forth the Word of God, perhaps someone who came here from there has read something that touched them.  Perhaps they were convicted of their need for the Saviour.  Perhaps they were saved by grace through faith in Christ's redeeming precious blood and his taking upon himself the penalty for their sin.     I can only hope that this has been the case.

I can do nothing about that site but since they linked to me and not vice versa,  I will just carry on.  They are not visible on this blog and that is a good thing.

So onward and upward, and as I have said elsewhere, let the Lord God bring to this little blog those for whom it was intended.
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vcg

Ecclesiastes 2: Trying to Find Fulfillment in Worldly Ways

Ecclesiastes is a very difficult book, but this is what Chapter 2 said to me.

Solomon has come to the conclusion that all earthly things that man does is vanity and vexation of spirit. Chapter 1 ended with Solomon recognizing that in much wisdom, and Solomon received from the LORD God more wisdom than anyone, there is much grief.  In knowing and discerning everything around him, this brought much sorrow."

 Chapter 2 Solomon embarks on worldly pleasures and labours but finds that all are vanity.  Mirth, laughter, "what doeth it?"  What good does it do?  No good at all.  Solomon in V3 "I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life."

V4-10 Solomon lists all the things that he did: He made great works; he built houses, he planted vineyards.  He made gardens and orchards.  He made pools of water.  He got servants and maidens for his house.  He had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem.  He gathered silver and gold, and other treasures.  He got men and women singers to entertain him, and musical instruments.  He was great and increased in goods more than all that were before him.  And his wisdom remained with him.  He did not keep anything from him that his eyes desired, he did not withhold himself from any joy.   But then the reality came to him - V11 "Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was  vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun."  

Ecclesiastes Chp 1: All is Vanity

It is important to establish who wrote the book of Ecclesiastes for this book is all about man on this earth, and ends with the duty of the whole matter, and that is to fear God and to keep his commandments. The writer identifies himself as the son of David, king in Jerusalem. It is further shown to be Solomon by V13 and 16, "I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven...Lo, I am come to great estate and have gotten more wisdom that all they that have been before me in Jerusalem."  1 Kings 3:9-12 is Solomon asking God for wisdom and God's response: "Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad..and the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.  And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment; behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee."

Chapter 1:2-3 "Vanity of vanities saith the preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.  What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under sun?  One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth forever." 

What is vanity?  According to Websters 1828 dictionary, vanity is emptiness; want of substance to satisfy desire; uncertainty.   Man in his fallen state is full of desires but nothing he can gather or buy can truly satisfy him for he is lost.  Even though an unsaved person might deny that this is true, they know in their heart that it is true for they desire more and more.

Send Me!

I had heard of Kanye West's Sunday Services, but didn't know anything about them.  I just finished listening to a 12 minute impassioned gospel message by Pastor Adam Tyson at Kanye's Sunday Service in Detroit.   I haven't heard such a great salvation message in a long time and wanted to share it here.  Mr. Tyson's words at the end quoted Isaiah in response to who would spread the gospel "Send Me!"

Here is the link from YouTube:

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vcg

Psalm 112: The Man With the Reverential Fear of the LORD

Psalm 112, begins with "Praise ye the LORD.  Blessed is the man that  feareth the LORD, that delighteth great in his commandments."

What is this fear?  This is a reverential fear,  respect and esteem for who God is, our almighty Sovereign.  Because of this reverential fear, Christians want to serve God, and not offend him.  The Christian delights in reading and applying the word of God.

V4,7-8 - "Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness: he is gracious, and full of compassion and righteous.  He shall not be afraid of evil tidings:; his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord.  His heart is established, he shall not be afraid....."

Sometimes in our daily life, things can get very dark.  Persecutions arise from family members who do not believe or appreciate that you are a Christian.  Perhaps neighbours shun the gospel you have shared with them.  Perhaps some close family members are living a very sinful and self-destructive life.  All of these things are very dark but as you give these things over to the Lord, he is gracious, compassionatae and merciful, giving his light to the darkness and giving you peace.

Sometimes we hear on the news or wherever of very evil things, but the Christian is not afraid of what might come, he trusts in the Lord knowing that he has a home in heaven no matter what happens on this earth.  He has peace through what comes.

V10 "The wicked shall see it, and be grieved; he shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away: the desire of the wicked shall perish."

The unsaved do not understand this peace, they think that you are strange and rail against you.  But God is in control, and the railings of the unsaved will cease.

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vcg

Psalm 108: Be Exalted, O God

Psalm 108, a Psalm of David, is one of praise to God. This is another Psalm from which a beautiful chorus was written.  Here is the Psalm in its entirety:

V1-6.  O God, my heart is fixed; I will sing and give praise......  Awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early.  (v 3-5 are the verses on which the chorus is based).  I will praise thee, O LORD, among the people: and I will sing praises unto thee among the nations.  For thy mercy is great above the heavens: and thy truth reacheth unto the clouds.  Be exalted O God, above the heavens; and thy glory above all the earth; that thy beloved may be delivered: save with thy right hand....)

With his praise, David trusts that as one of God's beloved, he will be delivered from this present evil world, even by God's right hand, the hand of power.

Below is the beautiful chorus Be Exalted O God as sung by the Maranatha singers:

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vcg

Psalm 90: The Eternal LORD

Psalm 90 speaks of the LORD God as eternal, timeless and merciful.   This is a Psalm written by Moses.

V1-2 "LORD, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.  Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God."

For the believer, the Lord is our dwelling place.  We are to set our affection on things above, not on things on the earth (Col 3:2)  The believers true dwelling place is heaven.  We are  just pilgrims passing through this world.  V2 speaks of God the creator.  He was from everlasting and will be to everlasting, the Sovereign eternal God.

V4 .".a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night."

How can the human mind comprehend this?  we cannot.  To me this  is why it is impossible to try and put current events into God's timetable (as it is the manner of some to do) because we cannot know where we are in God's timetable as it were.

Psalm 51: Create in Me a Clean Heart

Psalm 51 is to me one of the most beautiful of Psalms, and is another one from which a chorus was written.

This Psalm was written by David after his sin of adultery with Bathsheba was exposed by the prophet Nathan.  His words are ones of sorrow for his sin, and brokenness before the Lord God.

V1-4 "Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.  Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.  For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.  Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest."

This is surely a contrite heart,  one which acknowledges his sin, and one which seeks restored fellowship with his Lord.  Even though David's sin was first against Bathsheba (for he saw her and sent his men to bring her to him) and secondly to her husband Uriah (whom he had placed in the front of a battle so he would be killed)  David's true sin was against God whose commandments David had broken.

Psalm 37: Trust the Lord in the Midst of Trials

For the first post in November,  here are a few verses and thoughts from Psalm 37:

V1-3 "Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.  For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.  Trust in the Lord, and do good.....

These verses say to me that Christians ought  not to concern themselves and become anxious about all that goes on in this world of ours.  The Lord is in control and we may trust in him to take care of things according to his will.   Christians are to trust and to do good as we are led.

V4-5 "Delight thyself also in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.  Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass"

As we set our hearts on the Lord, he shall give Christians the desires of our hearts.  Now these are desires according to his will for us in an individual way.  I do not think however, that a desire for riches or worldly goods are things that are according to God's will.