Genesis 37-38

What’s Happening?

Jacob and his sons are living in Canaan, but the dysfunction of his family quickly rises to the surface. Jacob shows open favoritism to his son Joseph, giving him a multicolored coat of honor. Joseph adds fuel to the fire by sharing dreams that hint his brothers will one day bow down to him (Genesis 37:5). His brothers grow sick of it.

In anger, they sell Joseph into slavery and then lie to their father, claiming he was killed by a wild animal (Genesis 37:28). The chosen family looks fractured, violent, and nearly hopeless.

And the dysfunction doesn’t stop there. Another son, Judah, marries a Canaanite woman and has three sons (Genesis 38:2). But the first two are so wicked that God ends their lives (Genesis 38:7). Judah promises that his youngest will eventually marry Tamar, the widow of his firstborn, so she can have children. But when he refuses to give his son to her, Tamar disguises herself as a prostitute, tricks Judah into sleeping with her, and becomes pregnant (Genesis 38:15).

When Tamar’s pregnancy is exposed, Judah tries to condemn her to death for immorality. But when she proves that he himself is the father, Judah is humbled and admits, “She is more righteous than I” (Genesis 38:26). Tamar gives birth to twins, and one of them—Perez—becomes part of the family line of blessing (Genesis 38:29).

The chosen family looks like a mess. Betrayal, lies, sexual sin, and injustice fill these chapters. And yet, through all of it, God’s promise keeps moving forward.

Where is the Gospel?

The stories of Joseph and Tamar both point forward to Jesus.

Like Joseph, Jesus is the beloved Son, adorned not just with a coat of many colors but with all the fullness of God’s glory (Colossians 1:19). And like Joseph, he was betrayed for silver and handed over to death (Matthew 26:15). But just as God used Joseph’s betrayal to save lives, so God used Jesus’ betrayal and death to save the world (Acts 2:23).

And like Tamar, who was nearly condemned, Jesus enters the place of shame and injustice. But unlike Judah, who failed in his responsibilities, Jesus is the righteous Son who does not fail. He not only intercedes for those falsely accused but also redeems the truly guilty. That’s why Matthew’s Gospel lists Tamar and her son Perez in the genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1:3). Out of this broken story, God was preparing the line that would lead to the Savior.

This is good news for us. Because just like Jacob’s family, our lives are tangled webs of brokenness, failure, and shame. And yet, in Jesus, God does not abandon us. He enters into our guilt, carries our shame, and transforms it into a story of blessing and flourishing. The one who was betrayed, stripped, and condemned has become the Redeemer who brings us into the family of God.

See for Yourself

I pray that the Holy Spirit would show you the God who brings good out of the darkest places. And may you see Jesus as the Son who was betrayed and humbled, yet who transforms our brokenness into blessing and makes us part of his everlasting family.