These questions are a guideline for your personal or small group study based on Sunday's sermon passage. Feel free to study and meditate on the passage more deeply. ​

1. Genesis 38:1 "It happened at that time that Judah went down from his brothers and turned aside to a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hiram."  What lesson(s) can be learned from this chapter about who we choose to be our friends?

2. Judah's sin expanded from his ill treatment of the Shechemites, to the mistreatment of his brother Joseph, to living among the pagan people in Chezib.  What lesson can be learned here about the nature of sin in our lives?

3. Judah married a Canaanite woman and chose wives for his sons from among the Canaanites.  Later on, in Deuteronomy 7:3, it is written, "You shall not intermarry with them, giving your daughters to their sons or taking their daughters for your sons..."  What was the reason for this command (see Deuteronomy 7:4)?  How can we apply this principle to our current culture and context (see 2 Corinthians 6:14)?

4. In verse 7 and verse 10, we read the same phrase "wicked in the sight of the Lord" about Judah's sons Er and Onan.  What happened to both Er and Onan?  How does this display God's righteous judgment?  How does this also display God's patience and long-suffering with us?

5. Genesis 38:9 "But Onan knew that the offspring would not be his.  So whenever he went in to his brother's wife...so as not to give offspring to his brother."  How did this display Onan's selfishness?  Genesis 38:8 was later codified in Deuteronomy 25:5-10.  In the culture of this time, what was the significance of providing offspring to your widowed sister-in-law?

6. Tamar had been twice widowed and was without children.  Why do you think Judah did not have more concern for her?

7. What does it suggest about Judah's character that Tamar dressed as a prostitute in order to deceive him?

8. Pastor Randy stated, "Judah was in mourning, was not following after God, was living in the world, and looking to gratify his fleshly desires."  
I often wonder how those who do not have a relationship with God deal with the loss of a loved one.  I guess this is one example.  How should have Judah reacted to the loss of his wife?

9. Pastor Randy asked, "Are there areas in your life that you find yourself vulnerable?"  How can you shore up those areas?

10. Genesis 38:24 "About three months later Judah was told, 'Tamar your daughter-in-law has been immoral.  Moreover, she is pregnant by immorality.'  And Judah said, 'Bring her out, and let her be burned.'"  Pastor Randy pointed out:  (1) Sin always looks much worse on other people; and (2) We want judgement for others and mercy for ourselves.  When have these two principles been true in your life?

11.  God chose Jacob over Esau.  God chose Perez over Zerah.  God chose Tamar even though Judah did not.  What does this show you about the God that we serve?  How does this encourage you?