Week 27 of the Devotional Series
The Study of Genesis: Post Fifteen
***Note – We have completed the book of Job. Now, as we continue our journey through the Bible in chronological order, this is our 15th devotion in Genesis. Though we’re in Week 27 overall, we’ll be in Genesis for the next few weeks.
Focus: Genesis 38 – 40
Tip: I highly recommend journaling your responses to the questions, prompts, and reflections. Writing them out can help you process more deeply and see how God is working in your life.
This week’s devotion includes:
Chapter 38 – “Sin, Consequences, and Repentance”
Chapter 39 – “The Lord was With Joseph”
Chapter 40 – “The Butler and the Baker”
(Remember: This is a once-a-week devotional that can be broken up over several days.)
Bible Memory:
Did you memorize last week’s Bible verse?
Hiding God’s Word in our hearts is such a valuable practice. Since I’ve been memorizing Scripture, I’ve experienced so many moments where God brings a specific verse to mind just when I need it most. It’s amazing how He uses His Word to speak into our lives right where we are.
This Week’s Memory Verse — “For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.” – Hebrews 6:10
Genesis Chapter 38
“Sin, Consequences, and Repentance”
(Read Genesis Chapter 38 First)
Genesis 38 is one of those chapters we don’t naturally gravitate toward. It’s uncomfortable, full of poor choices, broken promises, and selfishness. But we can still learn a lot of lessons from this chapter. We will see that God can still bring redemption out of human failure.
We left Joseph being sold into Egypt by his own brothers. One of those brothers was Judah. He’s the one who suggested selling Joseph instead of killing him. Around that same time, Judah walked away from his family and settled among the Canaanites. He married a Canaanite woman, started a family, and drifted even farther from the heritage he had been given. We can see how one compromise led to another. We can experience the same in our relationship with God…distance from God rarely happens all at once, it usually happens step by step.
Judah’s first son, Er, was wicked and died under God’s judgment. His second son, Onan, refused the responsibility God had designed to protect Tamar, his brother’s widow. Long before it was written into the Law, God’s heart was already clear: “If brethren dwell together, and one of them die, and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger: her husband’s brother shall go in unto her… that the firstborn may succeed in the name of his brother which is dead” (Deuteronomy 25:5–6). But Onan wanted the pleasure and benefit without the sacrifice or burden, and God took his life too. So Tamar experienced years of injustice. Judah promised her his third son, Shelah, but he never kept that promise. He let time pass, allowed her wait until his son was old enough to marry, let her grow older, and when the time came, he left her without a family or future.
Tamar’s response was bitter and sinful. She was deceiving and that is never justified. When Judah finally realized the truth, that he himself was the father of her child, his words were surprising… “She hath been more righteous than I.” She was not innocent, but he felt she was less guilty than him since he withheld what was right and allowed sin to grow in her heart because of his neglect.
And Scripture tells us, “he knew her again no more.” It shows that Judah’s repentance was not just words said because he was embarrassed. This is the beginning of a different Judah. We will see in the chapters ahead that he’s the one who will later offer himself in Benjamin’s place, and he’s the one whose line will carry the promise forward.
Next, we read about Judah and Tamar’s twins. One hand reaches out first, and the midwife marked his finger with a scarlet thread. But the other breaks through and is born first. His name is Pharez, which means “the breach, the breakthrough.” From this broken chapter, full of sin and pain comes the family line of King David… and eventually, Jesus.
God did not excuse the sin in this chapter. But He did not abandon the people in it either. So if you have a sinful or painful situation going on in your life, God can work through it too.
Journaling Questions
- Are there areas where I’ve slowly drifted instead of deliberately walked away?
- Have I ever chosen convenience over responsibility, even knowing better?
- Is there a promise, apology, or responsibility I’ve put off that God is asking me to face?
- What would true repentance look like for me? Not just feeling sorry, but changing direction?
- Where do I need to trust that God can still bring good, even from chapters I wish weren’t written?
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Genesis Chapter 39
“The Lord was With Joseph”
(Read Genesis Chapter 39 First)
In the last chapter, Joseph’s story was paused while we studied the difficult account of his brother Judah. Now Genesis 39 brings us right back to Joseph. We left off with him being sold into Egypt and placed in the house of Potiphar, captain of Pharaoh’s guard.
One sentence stands out over and over in this chapter:
“The LORD was with Joseph.”
Because the Lord was with him, Joseph prospered. He was shown mercy. He was given favor.
This isn’t something only Joseph could experience. We can pray for the Lord to be with us too.
Verse 3 tells us something powerful. Other people could see that the Lord was with Joseph. They could see that God made everything he touched prosper. When God’s hand is on someone’s life, it doesn’t stay hidden for long.
Scripture tells us:
“For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him…” (2 Chronicles 16:9)
God loves to honor those who honor Him.
What stands out to me most in this chapter is Joseph’s character.
He had every reason to be bitter. He had been betrayed by his own brothers, sold like property, carried into a foreign land, and made a servant. Yet the Bible says he served.
Being a willing servant is a picture of humility and love. If we are willing to serve people faithfully, we are showing that we are willing to serve God faithfully too.
“By love serve one another.” (Galatians 5:13)
Scripture also tells us Joseph was “goodly and well favoured,” meaning he was handsome. That explains why Potiphar’s wife was drawn to him. When she tried repeatedly to tempt him, he refused. He spoke of trust. He spoke of loyalty. And most importantly, he said:
“How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” (Genesis 39:9)
That is integrity.
Joseph worked hard, stayed faithful, and honored God when no one would have blamed him for giving up. Potiphar noticed and he made Joseph overseer of everything he owned. One day Potiphar’s wife grabbed Joseph by his garment. He didn’t hesitate and consider sinning. He ran. Leaving his robe behind in her hands. That alone is a lesson. Joseph knew not to tiptoe around temptation. We are called to flee from it. “Flee also youthful lusts.” (2 Timothy 2:22)
Because she had his garment, she had what she needed to form a lie. She accused Joseph of trying to disgrace her.
Here is a hard truth many of us learn sooner or later:
When people cannot get you to do wrong, sometimes they will lie about you instead.
Joseph was punished for a sin he did not commit. Potiphar had him thrown into prison. But again, Scripture says: “The LORD was with Joseph.” God showed him mercy and gave him favor even in a prison cell.
That encourages me because it means we can be in situations that feel too low, too unfair, and we can even feel hopeless, but God’s favor can still reach us. “For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.” (Psalm 5:12)
The chapter closes with these simple words:
“And that which he did, the LORD made it to prosper.”
That is my prayer.
That wherever He places me… whatever season I’m in… whatever task is in front of me…
the Lord would be with me, and make it prosper.
Journaling Questions
- Where has God placed me to serve right now, even if it isn’t where I hoped to be?
- What does integrity look like in my daily choices when no one is watching?
- Are there situations I need to stop entertaining and start running from?
- Do others see evidence of God’s presence in how I live and work?
“The LORD was with Joseph.”
May that be true of us too.
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Genesis Chapter 40
“The Butler and the Baker”
(Read Genesis Chapter 40 First)
While Joseph is in prison, God is still using him.
One day Pharaoh’s chief butler and chief baker are thrown into the same prison. Joseph, who has already been made overseer, is serving them and looking after them. One morning he notices something…they look sad.
He asked them why they were sad and they tell him they both had dreams, but there’s no one to interpret them.
And I love Joseph’s response. “Do not interpretations belong to God?” In other words: I can’t do this on my own… but I know the One who can. Joseph doesn’t take credit, but instead he lifts God’s name first.
The butler tells his dream. A vine with three branches is in front of him, budding and producing grapes. He pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup. God gives Joseph the interpretation clearly and confidently:
In three days, you’ll get your job back.
Then Joseph tells the butler, “But think on me when it shall be well with thee, and shew kindness, I pray thee, unto me, and make mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house: For indeed I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews: and here also have I done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon.”
The baker hears the good news and wants his dream interpreted too. But this time the truth is hard. He dreamed of three baskets upon his head and birds eating from them. And Joseph doesn’t soften it. He tells him plainly…
In three days, you will be hung and the birds will eat your flesh.
And three days later, on Pharaoh’s birthday, everything happens exactly as God revealed to Joseph. The butler is restored and the baker is executed. Joseph was right. God was faithful. But the butler forgot Joseph.
Sometimes God will use you and the people you helped will still forget you.
Sometimes you’ll be faithful and not given any credit.
Sometimes you’ll do everything right and still stay in the ‘prison’ longer than you should.
But we can learn this from Joseph…
Your calling is not dependent on people giving you credit.
Your story doesn’t have to be read or noticed for God to be using it.
God remembered Joseph, even when the butler didn’t.
Journaling Questions:
1. Where in my life do I feel forgotten or overlooked right now?
2. Am I still serving others well even when life feels unfair?
3. Do I give God credit first or only when things are going well?
4. Is there a hard truth God is asking me to speak in love?
5. What would it look like to trust God with my timing instead of trying to force my own?
The Georgia Nest 