Rev Xi An Poon
主題經文：「猶大承認說：她比我更有義，因為我沒有將她給我的兒子示拉。從此猶大不再與她同寢了。」——創世記38:26
《創世記38章》放在約瑟故事中間，看起來好像是一段突然插入的家庭事件。第37章講約瑟被哥哥們賣到埃及，第39章又繼續講約瑟在埃及的遭遇。但聖經在中間特別停下來，讓我們看見猶大的生命。猶大曾經參與賣約瑟的事。到了第38章，他離開弟兄，下到亞杜蘭，建立自己的家庭。可是，這個家庭很快出現混亂、死亡、失信、逃避責任和被揭露的不義。
猶大是將來君王支派的先祖，大衛要從他而出，主耶穌基督按肉身也要從猶大支派而出。但聖經沒有把猶大寫成一個完美的人。反而讓我們看見，一個被神揀選的人，仍然需要被神修剪、更新和塑造。
神是聖潔的神，祂願意與罪人同行，但祂不會任憑人停留在罪惡和混亂裏。祂的恩典不是縱容，祂的同行不是放任。神在猶大的生命中揭露、修剪、塑造，讓我們看見：被神塑造的生命，不是沒有破碎，而是在破碎中讓神一步一步更新。
一、在破碎中，看見生命真實的光景
經文一開始說：「那時，猶大離開他弟兄下去，到一個亞杜蘭人名叫希拉的家裏去。」——創世記38:1
猶大「離開他弟兄下去」，不只是地理上的移動，也讓我們看見他生命方向上的下沉。表面上，猶大只是開始自己的家庭生活。但經文很快讓我們看見，這個家庭裏面出現許多破碎。
「猶大的長子珥在耶和華眼中看為惡，耶和華就叫他死了。」——創世記38:7
這不是一個普通家庭不幸的記錄，而是聖經讓我們看見，一個蒙揀選的家庭，裏面仍然有許多需要被神處理的生命問題。猶大的破碎不是突然出現的，而是一步一步顯明出來：從對弟兄的虧欠，到生命方向的偏離；從家庭的混亂，到兒子生命中的惡；從外面的事件，顯出裏面真實的光景。
被神塑造的生命，第一步不是立刻變得剛強，而是願意在神面前看見自己真實的光景。神讓我們看見破碎，不是為了定罪我們，而是為了塑造我們。
二、在揭露中，接受神聖潔的修剪
猶大失去兩個兒子之後，對他瑪說：「你去，在你父親家裏守寡，等我兒子示拉長大。」——創世記38:11
表面上，猶大好像給他瑪一個安排；實際上，他是因為害怕而逃避責任。他瑪就這樣被困在一個沒有名分、沒有保障、沒有出路的位置。猶大的問題不只是一次失敗，而是他逃避責任、拖延承諾，也讓一個弱勢的人繼續被虧待。
後來，他瑪用一個複雜的方式行動。猶大沒有認出她，並把自己的印、帶子和杖留下作抵押。這些身份記號，最後反過來揭露了猶大自己。
他瑪說：「請你認一認，這印和帶子並杖都是誰的？」——創世記38:25
直到這一刻，猶大才不能再逃避。
神的揭露不是為了羞辱人，而是為了修剪人。神看見隱藏的惡，也看見人逃避的責任。祂的恩典不只是安慰我們，也會修剪我們，使我們不再停留在逃避、不義和自我保護裏。
三、在恩典中，走向神更新的生命
當真相被揭露時，猶大承認說：「她比我更有義，因為我沒有將她給我的兒子示拉。」——創世記38:26
這是整章的轉折。
猶大沒有繼續推卸，也沒有用權柄壓下真相。他承認自己的不義。這不是說他已經完全成熟，但這是他生命開始被神更新的重要一步。
後來到創世記44章，我們看見另一個猶大。從前他曾經把弟弟約瑟賣掉；後來，他願意代替弟弟便雅憫留下作奴僕。
「現在求你容僕人住下，替這童子作我主的奴僕，叫童子和他哥哥們一同上去。」——創世記44:33
這讓我們看見，神塑造生命不是一瞬間完成，而是一步一步的工作。創世記38章最後記載他瑪生下法勒斯和謝拉。法勒斯後來成為大衛的先祖，也被記在主耶穌基督的家譜裏。神沒有因人的破碎停止祂的應許，反而在人的破碎中繼續祂救贖的工作。
被神塑造的生命，就是在破碎中不再隱藏，在揭露中不再逃避，在恩典中讓神一步一步更新。
總結：
《創世記38章》不是一章容易讀的經文，因為裏面有混亂、失敗、死亡、失信和羞愧。但正是在這樣不光彩的故事裏，我們看見神怎樣塑造一個人。
猶大不是一開始就成熟的人。他曾經虧欠弟兄，離開弟兄，逃避責任，也用雙重標準審判別人。但神沒有任憑他停留在破碎裏。神讓他看見生命真實的光景，讓他在揭露中接受修剪，也讓他在恩典中開始走向更新。
這就是被神塑造的生命。
- 不是沒有破碎，而是在破碎中被神光照。
- 不是沒有被揭露，而是在揭露中接受神的修剪。
- 不是靠自己變好，而是在恩典中一步一步被神更新。
生命省察／追求：
我有沒有一些破碎，是神正在讓我看見的？我有沒有一些逃避的責任、未處理的關係、或不願面對的生命問題，需要讓神修剪？當神揭露我生命中的真相時，我是繼續保護自己，還是願意在恩典中被祂更新？
禱告回應：
主啊，感謝祢藉著猶大的生命提醒我們，祢所揀選的人，仍然需要被祢塑造。
求祢幫助我們在破碎中看見自己真實的光景，在揭露中接受祢聖潔的修剪，在恩典中走向祢更新的生命。主啊，不要讓我們停留在逃避、隱藏和自我保護裏。求祢用祢的愛光照我們，用祢的聖潔修剪我們，用祢的恩典更新我們，使我們成為能承載祢心意的器皿。奉主耶穌基督的名禱告，阿們。
創世記 38
1 那時，猶大離開了他的兄弟們，到亞杜蘭人希拉的家裡住。 2 他在那裡遇見了迦南人書亞的女兒，就娶她為妻，與她同房。 3 她懷孕生了一個兒子，猶大給他取名叫珥。 4 她又懷孕生了一個兒子，給他取名叫俄南。 5 她再次懷孕生了一個兒子，給他取名叫示拉。示拉是在基悉出生的。
6 猶大給長子珥娶了她瑪為妻。 7 耶和華見珥行為邪惡，就取走了他的性命。 8 猶大對俄南說：「你要與哥哥的妻子她瑪同房，向她盡你做弟弟的本分，好替你哥哥傳宗接代。」 9 俄南知道生了兒子也不歸自己，所以每次與她瑪同房都把精液遺在地上，免得給他哥哥留後。 10 耶和華見俄南行為邪惡，就取走了他的性命。 11 猶大恐怕示拉會像他的兩個哥哥一樣死去，就對兒媳她瑪說：「示拉還沒有長大，你先回娘家守寡吧。」
12 多年後，猶大的妻子，即書亞的女兒死了，等到守喪的日子滿了，猶大就和他的朋友亞杜蘭人希拉去亭拿，到替他剪羊毛的人那裡。 13 有人告訴她瑪說：「你公公到亭拿去剪羊毛了。」 14 她瑪見示拉已經長大，卻仍然沒有娶她，就脫下寡婦的衣服，蒙上臉，換了裝束，坐在去亭拿路上的伊拿印城門口。 15 猶大看見她蒙著臉，以為她是妓女， 16 就走過去對她說：「你陪我睡覺吧。」猶大不知道她是自己的兒媳婦。她瑪問道：「你要我陪你睡覺，你給我什麼呢？」 17 猶大回答說：「我會從羊群中取一隻山羊羔送給你。」她瑪問道：「羊還沒有送來以前，你給我什麼作抵押呢？」 18 猶大問：「你要什麼作抵押呢？」她瑪說：「我要你的印、印帶和你的手杖。」猶大給了她，然後跟她睡覺。她瑪就這樣懷了孕。 19 事後，她起來走了。她拿掉蒙臉的布，仍舊穿上寡婦的裝束。
20 猶大託他的朋友亞杜蘭人送去一隻山羊羔，要從那女人手中換回抵押物，卻找不到她。 21 他的朋友就問當地的人：「伊拿印路旁的廟妓在哪裡？」他們回答說：「這裡沒有廟妓。」 22 他的朋友只好回去對猶大說：「我找不著她，當地人說那裡沒有廟妓。」 23 猶大說：「讓她留著我的東西吧，免得我們成為笑柄。反正我把羊送過去了，只是你找不到她。」
24 大約過了三個月，有人告訴猶大說：「你的兒媳婦她瑪不守婦道，並且懷孕了。」猶大說：「把她拉出來燒死！」 25 他們正要把她拉出來，她請人帶口信給他公公，說：「這些東西的主人使我懷了孕，請你看這印、印帶和杖是誰的？」 26 猶大認出是自己的東西，就說：「她比我更有理，因為我沒有讓示拉娶她。」猶大沒有再與她睡覺。
27 她瑪臨產的時候，才知道腹中是一對雙胞胎。 28 生產的時候，一個嬰兒先伸出手來，接生婆就把一條紅線繫在他的手上，說：「他是先出生的。」 29 可是那嬰兒隨後卻把手縮回去，另一個嬰兒先出生了，接生婆說：「你怎麼搶先出來了？」因此，他的名字叫法勒斯。 30 後來，那個手上繫有紅線的孩子也出生了，給他取名叫謝拉。
“So Judah acknowledged them and said, ‘She has been more righteous than I, because I did not give her to Shelah my son.’ And he never knew her again.” — Genesis 38:26
Genesis 38 is placed in the middle of Joseph’s story. Genesis 37 tells us that Joseph was sold by his brothers into Egypt, and Genesis 39 continues with Joseph’s life in Egypt. But in between, the Bible pauses and shows us the life of Judah.
Judah had been involved in selling Joseph. In Genesis 38, he left his brothers, went down to Adullam, and started his own family. But very soon, his family was filled with brokenness, death, unfaithfulness, avoidance of responsibility, and hidden unrighteousness being exposed.
Judah would later become the tribe of kings. David would come from Judah, and our Lord Jesus Christ would also come from the tribe of Judah according to the flesh. Yet the Bible does not present Judah as a perfect man. Instead, it shows us that a person chosen by God still needs to be pruned, renewed, and shaped by God.
God is holy. He is willing to walk with sinners, but He will not allow us to remain in sin and confusion. His grace is not permission to stay unchanged. His presence is not approval of our brokenness. In Judah’s life, God exposed, pruned, and shaped him. This shows us that a life shaped by God is not a life without brokenness, but a life that allows God to renew it step by step.
- In brokenness, we see the true condition of life
The chapter begins by saying:
“It came to pass at that time that Judah departed from his brothers, and visited a certain Adullamite whose name was Hirah.” — Genesis 38:1
Judah “departed from his brothers” and “went down.” This was not only a physical movement. It also shows us a downward direction in his life.
On the outside, Judah seemed to be starting his own family life. But the Bible soon shows us the brokenness within that family.
“But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD, and the LORD killed him.” — Genesis 38:7
This was not just an unfortunate family tragedy. The Bible is showing us that even in a chosen family, there were still deep issues that needed to be dealt with by God.
Judah’s brokenness did not appear suddenly. It was revealed step by step: from his failure toward his brother, to his drifting direction in life; from family confusion, to the evil found in his son. The outward events revealed the true condition within.
A life shaped by God does not begin by pretending to be strong. It begins by allowing God to show us our true condition. God lets us see our brokenness not to condemn us, but to shape us.
- In exposure, we accept God’s holy pruning
After Judah lost two sons, he said to Tamar:
“Remain a widow in your father’s house till my son Shelah is grown.” — Genesis 38:11
On the surface, Judah seemed to be giving Tamar an arrangement. But in reality, he was afraid and avoided his responsibility. Tamar was left in a place without security, without protection, and without a clear future.
Judah’s problem was not only one failure. He avoided responsibility, delayed what he had promised, and allowed a vulnerable person to remain in pain.
Later, Tamar acted in a complicated and painful way. Judah did not recognize her, and he gave her his signet, cord, and staff as a pledge. These things represented Judah’s identity and authority. In the end, they became the very things that exposed him.
Tamar said: “Please determine whose these are—the signet and cord, and staff.” — Genesis 38:25
At that moment, Judah could no longer hide.
God’s exposure is not meant to shame us, but to prune us. God sees hidden sin. He also sees the responsibilities we avoid. His grace does not only comfort us; it also prunes us, so that we will no longer remain in avoidance, unrighteousness, and self-protection.
- In grace, we move toward God’s renewing work
When the truth was revealed, Judah acknowledged: “She has been more righteous than I, because I did not give her to Shelah my son.” — Genesis 38:26
This is the turning point of the chapter.
Judah did not continue to make excuses. He did not use his authority to suppress the truth. He admitted his unrighteousness. This does not mean Judah became fully mature at once, but it was an important beginning of God’s renewing work in his life.
Later in Genesis 44, we see a different Judah. In the past, he had sold his brother Joseph. But later, he was willing to stay behind as a slave in place of his brother Benjamin.
“Now therefore, please let your servant remain instead of the lad as a slave to my lord, and let the lad go up with his brothers.” — Genesis 44:33
This shows us that God shapes a life step by step. His work is not completed in one moment.
At the end of Genesis 38, Tamar gave birth to Perez and Zerah. Perez later became an ancestor of David and was also included in the genealogy of our Lord Jesus Christ. God did not stop His promise because of human brokenness. Instead, He continued His redemptive work even through broken lives.
A life shaped by God is a life that no longer hides in brokenness, no longer runs away when exposed, and allows God to renew it step by step in His grace.
Conclusion:
Genesis 38 is not an easy chapter to read. It contains confusion, failure, death, unfaithfulness, and shame. Yet in this difficult story, we see how God shapes a person.
Judah was not mature from the beginning. He failed his brother, departed from his brothers, avoided responsibility, and judged others with a double standard. But God did not leave him in his brokenness. God allowed him to see the true condition of his life, accept holy pruning, and begin to move toward renewal by grace.
This is a life shaped by God.
- It is not a life without brokenness, but a life enlightened by God in brokenness.
- It is not a life without exposure, but a life willing to receive God’s pruning.
- It is not a life changed by human effort alone, but a life renewed step by step by grace.
Reflection:
Is there any brokenness in my life that God is allowing me to see? Is there any responsibility, relationship, or life issue that I have been avoiding and need to let God prune? When God exposes the truth in my life, will I keep protecting myself, or will I allow Him to renew me by His grace?
Prayer:
Lord, thank You for reminding us through Judah’s life that those whom You have chosen still need to be shaped by You.
Help us to see our true condition in brokenness, receive Your holy pruning when we are exposed, and move toward Your renewing work by grace.
Lord, do not let us remain in avoidance, hiding, or self-protection. Shine Your light on us, prune us by Your holiness, and renew us by Your grace, so that our lives may become vessels that carry Your heart. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.
Genesis 38
1 It came to pass at that time that Judah departed from his brothers, and visited a certain Adullamite whose name was Hirah. 2 And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua, and he married her and went in to her. 3 So she conceived and bore a son, and he called his name Er. 4 She conceived again and bore a son, and she called his name Onan. 5 And she conceived yet again and bore a son, and called his name Shelah. He was at Chezib when she bore him.
6 Then Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. 7 But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord killed him. 8 And Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife and marry her, and raise up an heir to your brother.” 9 But Onan knew that the heir would not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in to his brother’s wife, that he emitted on the ground, lest he should give an heir to his brother. 10 And the thing which he did displeased the Lord; therefore He killed him also.
11 Then Judah said to Tamar his daughter-in-law, “Remain a widow in your father’s house till my son Shelah is grown.” For he said, “Lest he also die like his brothers.” And Tamar went and dwelt in her father’s house.
12 Now in the process of time the daughter of Shua, Judah’s wife, died; and Judah was comforted, and went up to his sheepshearers at Timnah, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite. 13 And it was told Tamar, saying, “Look, your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep.” 14 So she took off her widow’s garments, covered herself with a veil and wrapped herself, and sat in an open place which was on the way to Timnah; for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given to him as a wife. 15 When Judah saw her, he thought she was a harlot, because she had covered her face. 16 Then he turned to her by the way, and said, “Please let me come in to you”; for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law.
So she said, “What will you give me, that you may come in to me?”
17 And he said, “I will send a young goat from the flock.”
So she said, “Will you give me a pledge till you send it?”
18 Then he said, “What pledge shall I give you?”
So she said, “Your signet and cord, and your staff that is in your hand.” Then he gave them to her, and went in to her, and she conceived by him. 19 So she arose and went away, and laid aside her veil and put on the garments of her widowhood.
20 And Judah sent the young goat by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive his pledge from the woman’s hand, but he did not find her. 21 Then he asked the men of that place, saying, “Where is the harlot who was openly by the roadside?”
And they said, “There was no harlot in this place.”
22 So he returned to Judah and said, “I cannot find her. Also, the men of the place said there was no harlot in this place.”
23 Then Judah said, “Let her take them for herself, lest we be shamed; for I sent this young goat and you have not found her.”
24 And it came to pass, about three months after, that Judah was told, saying, “Tamar your daughter-in-law has played the harlot; furthermore she is with child by harlotry.”
So Judah said, “Bring her out and let her be burned!”
25 When she was brought out, she sent to her father-in-law, saying, “By the man to whom these belong, I am with child.” And she said, “Please determine whose these are—the signet and cord, and staff.”
26 So Judah acknowledged them and said, “She has been more righteous than I, because I did not give her to Shelah my son.” And he never knew her again.
27 Now it came to pass, at the time for giving birth, that behold, twins were in her womb. 28 And so it was, when she was giving birth, that the one put out his hand; and the midwife took a scarlet thread and bound it on his hand, saying, “This one came out first.” 29 Then it happened, as he drew back his hand, that his brother came out unexpectedly; and she said, “How did you break through? This breach be upon you!” Therefore his name was called Perez. 30 Afterward his brother came out who had the scarlet thread on his hand. And his name was called Zerah.
Zion Bread of Life Christian Church 
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