“About three months later Judah was told, ‘Tamar, your daughter in law has been immoral. Moreover she is pregnant by immorality.'”
– Genesis 38:24
This Verse Reminds Us Sin Can Not Be Hidden
Genesis 38:24 is a picture of the horror of sin and it’s affects. It’s a very hard chapter to read in the Bible. To summarize, Judah permits immorality with his daughter-in-law and tries to cover it up. He pretends like nothing has happened because he doesn’t realize all the ramifications of what he has done. In the end, it comes out what he has done. As I read this chapter, there are so many things to reflect on but one that sticks out to me right now is that you and I cannot hide sin. Sin is never secret. We may think sin is secret, I may think nobody knows what I’m doing here or there, you may think nobody knows what you’re thinking, desiring doing but the reality is it’s never secret.
Our sin will always ultimately be exposed. Because we know first and foremost, God knows. We can’t hide anything from God. It is foolish to think He doesn’t know. We almost think well okay as long as nobody else knows but oh what’s most important is what God knows because He is our ultimate judge. What others think and how others might judge us last for a moment. How God judges us will last for eternity.
Genesis 38:24 Calls Us to Confess Our Sin
No sin is secret, which is why the Bible beckons us to confess our sins to God, not like we’re giving information to God and when we confess sin that He doesn’t already have. We’re saying God I know I’ve done this, I realize this and I realize it’s wrong and I’m sorry I’ve done this. The beauty is God’s love, God’s grace, God’s mercy in Christ. I just think about the worst things I have thought or desired or done. Think about the worst things you’ve thought, desired or done and know Jesus died on the cross for those sins. His blood covers those sins so why would we not confess all our sin to God? Why would we try to hide it? We are fools to ever try to hide our sin.
I don’t know if right now you are hiding secret sin in your life. You think it’s secret, you think it’s not effecting you, not effecting your relationship with God, not effecting your relationship with others. You think it won’t effect things in the future. That’s what Judah thought and he realized he was totally wrong and we will all realize when we think that way, we were totally wrong.
I just want to encourage you if there’s anything you are hiding right now, bring it before God in confession and then as appropriate to bring it before others in confession. This is the way to restoration according to God. This is the way to redemption, to life. It’s not found in covering up sin, but it’s found in trusting that sin has been covered up by the blood of Jesus and experiencing His forgiveness and then seeking forgiveness from anyone we’ve sinned against. This is what God has called us to so we pray God help us, God deliver us from the mirage of secret sin. We know it’s not ultimately secret, we know You know it God. God help us to be honest with You about sin and God as appropriate help us to be honest with others about sin in our lives.
Genesis 38:24 Leads Us to Ask God For Help
God we need your help because we’re prone to foolishness, we’re prone to hide sin. Why would we do that oh God when you have sent Your Son to pay the price for all of it? God, thank You. Thank You that we don’t have to hide anything from You. Thank You that You know everything I have ever thought, desired, done and yet You love me and Jesus You’ve paid the price for all of that. Oh all glory be to Your Name. How freeing is that. I pray that others who are listening right now would know that freedom and then as a result You would keep us from trying to cover sin. Oh God we know that one day every single one of us will stand before You as judge so help us to live today in light of that day. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
