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Showing posts with the label blessing

Strange Praise

If you are reading your Bible through again this year you might be where I am, in Genesis 38. Every time I come to this chapter I scratch my head and say...”strange!” Judah means “Praise” but I don't find a lot of praising going on here. Read it and you will understand what I mean. In chapter 37 Moses starts the story of Joseph. He continues it in chapter 39. His story is in all of the Flannel-Graph Bible story kits. I don't think that one of those kits has the stories related in Genesis 38. The narrative includes, intermarriage with strange women, seed spilling, betrayal and prostitution. All in good, clean, healthy fun of course. The tale is about Judah. You know, Judah, Jacob’s son. The same Judah who would hear the following blessing from his dying dad in just a few years. I’ve included some highlights of that blessing recorded in chapter 49: 8 “Judah, your brothers shall praise you; ... your father’s sons shall bow down before you ... 10 The scepter shall not depar...