Genesis 38:11-26 KJV 11 Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter in law, Remain a widow at thy father's house, till Shelah my son be grown: for he said, Lest peradventure he die also, as his brethren did. And Tamar went and dwelt in her father's house. 12 And in process of time the daughter of Shuah Judah's wife died; and Judah was comforted, and went up unto his sheepshearers to Timnath, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite. 13 And it was told Tamar, saying, Behold thy father in law goeth up to Timnath to shear his sheep. 14 And she put her widow's garments off from her, and covered her with a vail, and wrapped herself, and sat in an open place, which is by the way to Timnath; for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given unto him to wife. 15 When Judah saw her, he thought her to be an harlot; because she had covered her face. 16 And he turned unto her by the way, and said, Go to, I pray thee, let me come in unto thee; (for he knew not that she was his daughter in law.) And she said, What wilt thou give me, that thou mayest come in unto me? 17 And he said, I will send thee a kid from the flock. And she said, Wilt thou give me a pledge, till thou send it? 18 And he said, What pledge shall I give thee? And she said, Thy signet, and thy bracelets, and thy staff that is in thine hand. And he gave it her, and came in unto her, and she conceived by him. 19 And she arose, and went away, and laid by her vail from her, and put on the garments of her widowhood. 20 And Judah sent the kid by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive his pledge from the woman's hand: but he found her not. 21 Then he asked the men of that place, saying, Where is the harlot, that was openly by the way side? And they said, There was no harlot in this place. 22 And he returned to Judah, and said, I cannot find her; and also the men of the place said, that there was no harlot in this place. 23 And Judah said, Let her take it to her, lest we be shamed: behold, I sent this kid, and thou hast not found her. 24 And it came to pass about three months after, that it was told Judah, saying, Tamar thy daughter in law hath played the harlot; and also, behold, she is with child by whoredom. And Judah said, Bring her forth, and let her be burnt. 25 When she was brought forth, she sent to her father in law, saying, By the man, whose these are, am I with child: and she said, Discern, I pray thee, whose are these, the signet, and bracelets, and staff. 26 And Judah acknowledged them, and said, She hath been more righteous than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah my son. And he knew her again no more.

The customs of yesteryears are not always the same as the modern time in which we live. The appalling thought of sleeping with a father in law would be awful. Yet the culture of the day dictated that a woman was to marry the brother in the family if her husband died. Tamar was not given a brother instead she went back and was cared for by her father's household. Because of the custom Tamar is faced with being childless. Heirs were important part of Jewish life. Tamar heard her father in law a widow was coming into town. Tamar plotted to be thought a harlot by her father in law so she would have perhaps an heir. The customary laws do not apply today. Yet the immorality of the events prove the uncovering of sin. Tamar deception worked in getting her pregnant. Yet the way she trapped him was with his own possessions of protection. When her father in law found out his daughter in law was pregnant he became angry. Wanted to have her killed til he learned that it was him that caused his pregnancy. He had fulfilled his dead son's legacy with his wife Tamar. The protection given when items of his were produced. The veil it self did not protect Tamar from sin. Nor did her deception stop her from being discovered. Yet Judah sin was greater for her had not honor her with gift of his son, nor aided her in life. Sin is sin in society no matter the laws or customs of our world. Our imperfection is duly noted despite our covering. What is the covering but a cloak, a signet ring and a staff. The Father in law desire to pay the harlot, but unwilling to take care of the daughter in law. Sin in general is often ignored in situations like these despite the day and time. Customs of our day if follow often even going into crime world with protection. The closing of the eyes of what is going in the world around us. Even the political world sin occurs and payment made and no one cares about the sin, beyond it being the latest news. The payment of the Father in law's sin was protection for his daughter in laws transgression. The sin of one is not the sin of another. Both sin individualize but playing off the other. The cost of sin not known until the price is paid often times in the world we live in. Smoking causing cancer, alcoholism causing death because of a drunk driver or over drinking to the point of death. One homocide and one suicide. Both a crime that have consequences. Customs often bury sin, But sin remains it not covered by God without repentance. Story of culture and life style of the day was before the written law of Moses. Yet even Judah knew he had sinned. His word being broken to his daughter in law by tradition, paid up by sin of whoredom. Our sin against God can not be covered up because of his holiness. In his presence the truth of sin comes out. The veil of his Son's flesh is a covering for his children. Flesh meaning the word/bread being covering as well as blood sacrifice of Christ body. Christians have communion and partake of bread and blood through drinking of wine/juice and eating of the bread/word of life. The covering of both is necessary in faith. The cost of the whoredom of sin was death. The life of obedience to the word by digesting it by faith. Digesting exactly what the word of life or bread of life. Jesus was called both the word and the bread of life. Anyone partaking of the bread would follow in obedience to God. Yet sin remains and must be dealt with through the sacrifice and protection of God's only begotten Son. God's Son forgiving man on the cross and pleading our case before the Father of our ignorance to our sin. Where do you stand today are taking responsibility for your sin? Only way God allows us to take repsonsibility for our sin is by omitting guilt. He sent his to pay the price for our sin. Judah would pay a humilitating price for his sin. Yet his sin covered his daughter in law. Did God sin? No, but he gave man free will. With giving of a choice, He also gave protection through his salvation plan. Obedience to his word is part of the plan, but it not what saves us. He had to sacrifice his word through the cross of Calvary. Bury the word to resurrect it. Christ is the word of God and it sacrificed in order to provide salvation. He is life and hope but one needs to believe and not only believe but follow in obedience to His Word and Spirit. The second part comes with faith. The first part of belief and repentance comes with making a choice to receive God's free gift of salvation. God providing salvation is taking on the resonsibility of the free will he gave mankind. God did not put anyone outside of heaven or outside the gate without giving them hope. No doubt the sacrifices that Abel made was instruction from the Lord to Adam and Eve. God gives direction on how we can be saved. He tells of his protection through belief in Christ Jesus. Jesus is prophesy of the hope that was and is to come. Where is your faith today. Were is action to your faith? Dear Heavenly Father sin can not cover sin, but your plan for giving us free will is clear, your intend is not for us to remain in our transgression, but to receive salvation. Thank you for such a precious gift of choice and salvation today. In Jesus precious name, Amen. Continual Scripture Study for Devotion: Hebrew 10:20 KJV By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; http://www.turtle30cshell.com