Genesis 38:1-11 Flirting with Death

In Chapter 38 Judah departs from his brothers and visits an Adulamite named Hirah. He marries a Canaanite named Shua and has three sons, Er, Onan and Shelah.

The text does not condemn Judah for this marriage, but it is interesting to note that he “departed from his brothers” when he selected his wife. Second, she was a Canaanite.

This verse reminds us of Isaac’s charge to Isaac, “You shall not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan.

Er marries Tamar (Genesis 38:6). Then we read, “But Er, Judah’s first-born, was evil in the sight of the Lord, so the Lord took his life” (Gen 38:7). Then Onan acts in a way that displeases the Lord, “so He took his life also” (Gen 38:10).

Following these two deaths Judah feared that his third son might die like his brothers.

There is a relationship between sin and death. First, death came into the world on account of sin. When Adam and Eve sinned, the curse fell upon them and all mankind, “From the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for In the day that you eat of it you shall surely die” (3:17). Two chapters later, we see the result as the genealogical list of Adam and his descendents painfully repeats seven times the phrase “and he died” (5:1-27).

Second, sin and death are also related in those instances in which God cuts someone’s life short because of their sin. Both Er and Onan died on account of God’s divine response to their sin. What they did was so terrible that God decided that they should physically die.

The New Testament also warns Christians of this possibility. In Paul’s letter to the Corinthians he admonishes them about their improper behavior at the Lord’s Supper. Then he makes this comment, “For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep” (1 Cor 11:30). Because of their sin, many of the Corinthians were ill. Some even lost their lives.

Paul goes on to say that this discipline is from the Lord, “But when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord” (1 Cor 11:32).

As the 21st century begins, we hear it said that Christians are no different from the rest of the world. They cheat on their wives, divorce, have drug problems and generally commit all of the sins that non-Christians do. Further, the statistics between Christians and non-Christians are not much different in many significant categories of immoral behavior.

It is time for you and me to live the way in which God wants us to live. We must not be complacent about our sin. In fact, it is possible that God could even take our lives as he did the lives of some of the Corinthians mentioned in 1 Cor 11:30.

God wants us to be lights in the world. He wants us to point others to the truth and to His ambassadors. By His grace, we will continue to grow and display the fruit of the Spirit in our lives. In the meantime, let’s not be like Er, Onan and the Corinthians who lost their lives early. Let’s use every day to the fullest to glorify God.

“For to me, to live is Christ” - Philippians 1:21