Devotional Short Note on Genesis 38 Daniel Hämmerly Depuy
is a famous Seventh-day Adventist archaeologist of South America who wrote two
sets of Volumes on Biblical Archaeology of Paleo-testaments in 1965/1966. He
knew Siegfried Horn, Edwin Thiele (Dead of Chronology of Adventists) very well.
Siegfried Schwantes was another famous Seventh-day Adventist archaeologist.
Douglas Waterhouse, William Shea. The next and younger generation after these
others were Lawrence Geraty, Larry Herr, Randall Younker, Gane, and some others
as well. Chronology is the issue. In the era that preceded them, thus
between 1937-1949 was Lynn Wood, E. R. Thiele, W. L. Emmerson, W. A. Spicer, J.
C. Muir, R. F. Cottrell, T. G. Bunch, F. D. Nichol, B. F. Allen, R. L. Odom and
the start of S. Horn. It is in the next era between 1950-1973 that S. Horn, L.
Wood and E. Thiele and the names listed above came into play. There is a long
list of them until L. Geraty in 1973. The next era is the younger generation
from L. T. Geraty, W. H. Shea, L. Running between 1974-1980. These scholars
until present operated with a strong emphasis on anthropology and cultural
links rather than history and chronology as the older scholars did. I will answer about the reliability of
a good chronology answer from the above listed scholars the following: just as
someone in the days of the Ptolemees at Pella asked where they can get a good
copy of the Iliad of Homer, the answer came: “As long as it is not one of these
recent ones” so I want to answer also about a good chronology scheme to someone
asking: “Where can I get a good scheme of biblical chronology?” and the answer
is: “As long as it is not one of these recent ones”. Nearly all of them agree on a
fifteenth century Exodus but that is so broad that is like telling someone “you
just take the road and you will get there” without telling the person whether
they should drive on the right-side or left-side of the road. The Bible is
clear and exact. Numbers are not in generalizations but specific. Scholars of
this science need to be exact or striving to be so. Sweeping statements as is
the consensus of all biblical scholars today is not fulfilling the task of
biblical analysis. It means the mind is somewhere else and not in the Word of
God. The early archaeologists are blamed that they were apologetic with wrong
facts sometimes by the later generation but standing back the later generation
is not necessarily stable in facts just because they sound more global
consensus acceptable, since they are chronology quietists and history debunking
anthropological scientists. Before interpreting Genesis 38, let me
say about the system of chronology: Horn and Thiele designed the SDA Bible
Commentary datings starting the 4th year of Solomon in 1 Kings 6:1-4
in 967/966 BCE. From this day one must add 480 years as the text say until the
Exodus. Then one has to look at the Pharaohs of that time’s history to see who
was the pharaoh of the Exodus and Thiele ended with Amenhotep II the son of
Thustmosis III. So did nearly all the listed scholars above. So Waterhouse,
Dupuy, Schwantes etc. Except W. Shea and myself who start
this date at 970 BCE for the 4th year of Solomon. At another time I
may explain how I got to 970 BCE. Thus, the Exodus date is 1450 BCE and that is
the year Thutmosis III died. I used a modern article on Egyptian chronological
systems and was able to verify the date of Thutmosis III death. His mummy was
never found but a younger man of 35 years is in his coffin in the Chicago
Oriental Institute. He was supposed to be in the seventies! Then the Bible added 400 years of
slavery or 430 years until the death of the one to whom the last promise of the
Seed was made, by Joseph at his death [fourth generation from Abraham as the
prediction was to Abraham in Genesis] mentioned by Galatians 3:17-19. Thus 1450
+ 430 ends in 1880 BCE. The law was given in 1448 BCE thus that date of the
death of Joseph should be 1878 BCE. The rest of the calculation from this point
is to add the death length of Joseph until his birth in 1988 and one knows
exactly how to calculate the rest. He died at the age of 110 years. The first thing we learn from Genesis
38 is that woman who covered her face in the days of Joseph was considered a
harlot. Just the opposite of what is expected today by Islam in their religion
of woman. “When Judah saw her, he thought her to be a harlot; for she had
covered her face.” = וַיִּרְאֶהָ יְהוּדָה וַיַּחְשְׁבֶהָ לְזוֹנָה כִּי כִסְּתָה פָּנֶיהָ
(Genesis 38:16). We also learn that sin had its way with a number of the
descendants of Judah and the Lord was displeased and they died as a result of
that (see verses 7 and 10). There is the sin of Judah who secretly had the tendency
to be a womanizer, running after harlots (verses 16-26). Judah was even willing
to kill her but she had evidence against his twisting accounts to rationalize
away his own guilt in this whole process. In Genesis 38:18 Judah conceived with
this misunderstood “harlot”. They were all wrong and there is not a choice of
righteous persons here. The fact that Judah called her righteous does not make
her righteous, it means she is legally in a better position than himself. A
funny anecdote is added to this terrible deed of Judah at the end of the chapter
that when the twins were born a string was attached to the hand that came out
first but he pulled it back and came out last. A bit of humor in history is
added by Moses here in this somber chapter. Cultural
jurisprudence popular in a territory can clash with the Word of God and what is
right in society is not necessary right with the Word of God. The outcome of
decision-making? Follow the Word of God rather than Cultural habits. When I
wanted to study for a lawyer, a friend of mine said to me: “Do you want to sit
from the morning to the evening sorting out people’s dirty clothing?” Dear
God This
chapter is about hanging out dirty washing of Judah and his evil-mindedness. It
is only grace that his name became the popular name for the area of God’s
people to be looked for later in history. Conversion and contrition for past
sins must have been the key. Clean us also from any wrongs in our lives and
straighten us with You. Our God of Grace. Amen.