Genesis 38, ep. 79

Hi, I’m Sal Lopez Executive Director of Ozark Hunger Relief, I am doing this to hopefully find some sponsors (tax deductible donations) for an office in Prairie Grove, Ar. I have seen and fed many children who wander around here. I thought if I started a non-profit, the community would be happy to help. Nope! I’ve had nothing but suspicion, derision, denial, and was ripped off for everything I had, by another food pantry. They offered to help, then when I delivered everything, I had, then they told me to stay away from them, but subsequently asked me for more donations. It has been horribly depressing, but I will persevere and get this office open.
My vision is to be a community resource center, but the main goal is to feed hungry kids, whose parents are drug addicts, and or alcoholics. I guess some are just poor. Anyway, I need help and will advertise for you, and have signs of acknowledgement for every donor, proportionate for the donation.
Anyway, this episode is on Genesis 38 which focuses on Judah and Tamar—a surprising interruption in the story of Joseph that carries deep significance in biblical history.
Judah and Tamar
1. Judah Leaves His Brothers and Marries a Canaanite Woman (Verses 1-5)
Judah, one of Joseph’s older brothers, leaves his family and settles near an Adullamite named Hirah.
He marries a Canaanite woman, the daughter of Shua, and they have three sons: Er, Onan, and Shelah.
Key Lesson: Judah’s choice to marry a Canaanite reflects a drift from his family’s faith and values.
2. The Death of Er and Onan (Verses 6-10)
Judah’s oldest son, Er, marries Tamar, but Er is wicked, so God puts him to death.
According to the custom of levirate marriage, Judah tells his second son, Onan, to marry Tamar and provide an heir for Er.
Onan refuses to fulfill his duty, deliberately preventing conception.
God is displeased with Onan’s selfishness, and he also dies. Key Lesson: God takes justice and responsibility seriously—Onan’s refusal to honor his duty resulted in divine judgment.
3. Judah Deceives Tamar (Verses 11-14)
Fearing for his youngest son Shelah, Judah delays giving him to Tamar as a husband.
Tamar realizes Judah is not keeping his promise and takes matters into her own hands.
She disguises herself as a prostitute and waits by the roadside where Judah is traveling.
Key Lesson: Judah’s failure to keep his word forces Tamar to act in desperation.
4. Tamar’s Trick and Judah’s Sin (Verses 15-23)
Judah mistakes Tamar for a prostitute and sleeps with her, unknowingly fulfilling his own duty to provide an heir.
As payment, Judah offers his seal, cord, and staff (signs of his identity).
Tamar becomes pregnant and later disappears before Judah can retrieve his pledge.
Key Lesson: Judah, who once deceived his father Jacob (Genesis 37), is now deceived himself.
5. Tamar is Vindicated (Verses 24-30)
Months later, Judah hears that Tamar is pregnant and orders her to be burned for immorality.
Tamar reveals the seal, cord, and staff, proving Judah is the father.
Judah admits his wrongdoing, saying, “She hath been more righteous than I” (Genesis 38:26).
Tamar gives birth to twins, Perez and Zerah.
Perez becomes an ancestor of King David and Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:3).
Key Lesson: God can use even sinful and messy situations for His greater purpose.
Themes & Lessons from Genesis 38
God’s Justice – Er and Onan’s wickedness resulted in judgment.
Keeping Promises – Judah failed to uphold his duty, but God still worked through the situation.
Redemption and Grace – Despite Tamar’s unusual method, she became part of the lineage of Christ.
Judah’s Transformation – Later, Judah shows growth and responsibility in the Joseph story (Genesis 44).
Ok, here is something I prepared, I will make a separate post of
this study later.
What happens when we die
This question often comes up, So I have 3 theories.
1. The bodies rise and are reunited with the souls that are in heaven.
2. The bodies that rise at the second coming will be those people who never had a chance to choose, Jesus or Satan. So, they are asleep waiting for the chance to make that choice, I think we will have many people like children and aborigines who were never allowed to make the choice with us during the Millennial Reign (after Armageddon) then they will have their chance to choose.
3. The bodies that rise up were of the people who died before Jesus and they are waiting in the grave, those that die after Jesus are in Heaven or Hell according to their choice.
1. The Immediate State After Death
Many Christians believe that immediately after death, the soul either goes into the presence of God (for the righteous) or a place of separation (for the unrighteous). The Bible offers several verses that support this understanding:

For Believers (Those Who Trust in God)
Luke 23:43 – Jesus tells the repentant thief on the cross:
“Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
This suggests that believers enter paradise (God’s presence) immediately after death.

2 Corinthians 5:8 – The Apostle Paul states:
“We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.”
This implies that when believers die, they are instantly with the Lord in a conscious state.

For Unbelievers (Those Who Reject God)
Luke 16:19-31 – In the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, Jesus describes the afterlife:
The righteous man (Lazarus) is carried to Abraham’s bosom (a place of comfort).
The rich man is in Hades (a place of torment), separated from God.
This passage suggests that the unrighteous experience immediate separation from God after death.
2. The Resurrection and Final Judgment
While believers and unbelievers experience different fates immediately after death, the Bible teaches that both will one day be resurrected and face final judgment.

John 5:28-29 – Jesus says:

“Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned.”
This speaks of a future bodily resurrection where people receive their eternal reward or punishment.

Revelation 20:12-15 – The Great White Throne Judgment:

“And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done.”
Those whose names are not in the Book of Life are thrown into the lake of fire (eternal separation from God).

1 Corinthians 15:51-52 – Paul explains:

“Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.”
Believers will receive glorified bodies and live eternally with God.
3. The Eternal Destinations: Heaven & Hell
The Bible consistently speaks of two eternal destinations after the final judgment:

Eternal Life for Believers (New Heaven & New Earth)
Revelation 21:1-4 – A new heaven and a new earth are created, where God dwells with His people.

“He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death, or mourning, or crying, or pain.”
This describes eternal joy, peace, and direct fellowship with God.

Philippians 3:20-21 – Paul says believers’ citizenship is in heaven, where they will be transformed into glorious bodies.

Eternal Separation for Unbelievers (Hell)
Matthew 25:46 – Jesus says:

“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
This verse contrasts eternal punishment (hell) and eternal life (heaven).

2 Thessalonians 1:8-9 – Paul warns: “They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord.”
This describes eternal separation from God as a key characteristic of hell.

4. What About "Soul Sleep" or Purgatory?
Some groups believe in “soul sleep”—the idea that the dead remain unconscious until resurrection. However, Luke 16, Luke 23, and 2 Corinthians 5:8 suggest conscious awareness after death.
Purgatory, a Catholic doctrine, suggests a temporary purification process before entering heaven. However, this concept is not explicitly supported in Scripture.
Conclusion: What Happens When We Die?
Immediately after death, believers go to be with the Lord (paradise), while unbelievers experience separation from God (Hades).
At the final resurrection, everyone receives a new body and faces judgment.
Believers will enter the New Heaven & Earth, experiencing eternal joy with God.
Unbelievers will be cast into eternal separation from God (lake of fire).
The Bible encourages people to place their faith in Christ to receive eternal life with God.

John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Another version of this with a call to action:
What Happens When We Die, according to the Holy Bible
The question of what happens after death is one of the most profound and frequently asked questions in human history. The Holy Bible provides clear yet complex answers, offering insights into the nature of death, the afterlife, judgment, heaven, and hell. This study will examine key biblical perspectives on what happens when we die.

1. The Nature of Death
The Bible describes death as the separation of the body and the soul/spirit.

Genesis 2:7 – "Then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature."
Ecclesiastes 12:7 – "Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it."
Key Takeaway: At death, the physical body returns to the dust, while the spirit returns to God.

2. Death as a Temporary Sleep (for the Body)
The Bible often refers to death as “sleep,” indicating a temporary state before resurrection.

Daniel 12:2 – "And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt."
John 11:11-14 – Jesus refers to Lazarus’s death as sleep before resurrecting him.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 – "But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope."
Key Takeaway: Death is not annihilation but a temporary state before resurrection.

3. The Immediate State After Death
What happens immediately after death? The Bible suggests two distinct outcomes for the righteous and the unrighteous.

For Believers (Saved in Christ): Presence with God
2 Corinthians 5:8 – "We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord."
Luke 23:43 – Jesus told the thief on the cross: "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise."
Key Takeaway: Those who die in Christ go to be with the Lord immediately, awaiting their resurrection bodies at the Second Coming.

For Unbelievers (Separated from God): A Place of Waiting and Torment
Luke 16:22-23 – The rich man and Lazarus: The rich man, who was not righteous, was in torment, while Lazarus was in Abraham’s bosom (a place of comfort).
Hebrews 9:27 – "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment."
🔹 Key Takeaway: Those who die in sin go to a temporary place of torment awaiting the final judgment.

4. The Resurrection and Final Judgment
A future resurrection and final judgment are clearly taught in the Bible.

John 5:28-29 – "Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned."
Revelation 20:12-13 – The dead, both small and great, will stand before God and be judged according to their deeds.
🔹 Key Takeaway: Everyone will be resurrected and judged—some to eternal life and others to eternal punishment.

5. Eternal Destinies: Heaven & Hell
The Bible describes two eternal destinations for all people:

Heaven (Eternal Life with God)
Revelation 21:4 – "He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."
1 Corinthians 2:9 – "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human mind has conceived the things God has prepared for those who love Him."
🔹 Key Takeaway: Heaven is a place of eternal joy, worship, and life with God.

Hell (Eternal Separation from God)
Matthew 25:41 – "Then He will also say to those on the left, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.'"
Revelation 20:15 – "Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire."
🔹 Key Takeaway: Hell is a place of eternal separation from God, suffering, and regret.

Conclusion: What Should We Do?
The Bible teaches that our actions in this life determine our eternal future.

John 3:16 – "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."
Acts 16:31 – "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved."
✅ For believers: Death is not the end but a transition into the presence of the Lord, awaiting the resurrection.
❌ For unbelievers: Death leads to separation from God and judgment unless they repent and turn to Jesus Christ.

🔹 Final Call to Action:
Jesus Christ is the only way to eternal life (John 14:6). Now is the time to trust in Him, repent of sins, and prepare for eternity.
The Bible says we "will be with Him (Jesus) in paradise" and we wait in the grave until the "trumpet" sounds, then we will be raised.
I believe those who died before Jesus, or who never had a chance to accept Jesus, are asleep in death, They will be raised, but Christians who have accepted Jesus will go straight to Heaven when they die. My Grandmother was talking to her Parents and others as she was dying, I believe they came "in spirit" to take her to Heaven. So, this is my opinion.
God Bless You, accept Jesus as your savior as soon as possible. The time is coming soon, and you don't want to be too late.
Say Heavenly Father God, please take me to heaven when I die, I believe in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and beg you to forgive me in his Holy Name. I beg you in the name of Jesus, Amen."
Then you will go to the Millennial Reign of Jesus Christ and have the second test. Take care. Sal