"Greetings Everyone n the Name of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ"
Today's Blog Title: "Judah and Tamar"
Today's Blog Scripture: Genesis 38:1-30
Today's Key Verse: Genesis 38:18: "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 into her and she conceived by him.
You may remember on Friday that we read how the brothers of Joseph, due to there hatred and envy for him, were doing to kill him when they saw him coming. Reuben stepped in and told them, why don't we just put in this empty well (where he planned to come later and get him out). Then as Reuben was away from his brothers, they saw a caravan of Ishmaelite traders and decided to make a profit of of Joseph, and sold him to them. At the close of Chapter 37, we read that Joseph was sold to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, and captain of the guard.
In between the selling of Joseph into slavery in Egypt at the end of Chapter of 37 and picking up the story of Joseph in Chapter 39 we read the story of Judah and Tamar in Chapter 38.
This story underlines the story of Judah's relationship with Tamar, the childless widow of his firstborn. This story provides a stunning contrast between the morals of Judah and Joseph.
Judah's story further illustrates the continuing falling apart of Jacob's family. First we read how Simeon and Levi had taken revenge on Shechem (Chapter 34). Second we read how Reuben, the firstborn of Jacob, had abused Bilhad his fathers wife (35:22) and third how the brothers had sold Joseph into slavery.
Now we see that Judah would marry a Canaanite woman and then solicited a Canaanite prostitute who just so happens to be his daughter- in- law. It was becoming clear that Jacob's family, the family of promise, would become like the people of Canaan if this process continued.
Abraham and Isaac, both did not want there sons marrying the women of Canaan, because of there worshipping of false god's. Yet we now see, that Judah leaves and marries a Canaanite woman. She quickly bares Judah three sons. Judah then found Tamar, another Canaanite woman to marry his firstborn son Er. Tamar which means, "Palm", which would indicate an enduring beauty, would become a heroine in the Bible.
Er was a wicked man in the sight of the Lord and the Lord killed him. In those times, if a man died without leaving a son to maintain the family line, and the name of the deceased, a brother or a near relative would marry the man's widow to carry on the man's family. With that in mind Judah tells Onan his second born to go and marry his brothers wife, and raise an heir for his deceased brother. But because of his own selfishness and wicked attitude toward his deceased brother, Onan would not allow Tamar to conceive because he emitted on the ground. Because of this, God punished him just as He had Er, and killed him.
Judah then tells Tamar to stay a widow until this third son Shelah, was old enough and then he would marry her. The time for mourning was long past, and Tamar continued to wear widow's clothing, showing her desire to marry the surviving brother of her husband. She then beings to realize that this was not going to happen, so she takes matters into her own hands by wearing a veil to avoid Judah's detection, and posed as a prostitute. This act was driven by a sense of injustice. Judah had broken his promise to marry her to Sheah, and she had done nothing to deserve becoming a forgotten widow, because her husbands death were not her fault.
We now see that Judah sees Tamar sitting in an open space with a veil, which was the sign of a "Harlot" (whom he doesn't recognize)and wants to come into her. She asks him what he would give to her, and he replied I will give you a young goat. Judah's promise to give her a goat would normally have been sufficient, but Tamar insisted on a pledge. She tells Judah that she wants his signet seal which in those times was like a credit card of our time, and his staff which also would have been marked in some manner. Judah then went into her and she conceived. Judah then leaves, and she takes off the veil and then puts on the clothes of a mourning widow.
After about 3 months Judah was told that Tamar had played a harlot and was with child. Judah upon hearing this wanted to burn her. Tamar then shows Judah his signet and his staff and says to him, "By the man to whom these belong I am with child." She then says, "Please determine whose these are, the signet and cord and the staff." Judah one of the heirs of the everlasting covenant with the Living God, was put to shame by a Canaanite woman, but to his credit, Judah confessed his sin and says, "She been more righteous than I."
Tamar had twins from Judah. As the hand of the first born came out and so that there would be no mistake in identifying the first born, the midwife would tie a scarlet thread around its hand. But now we see in verse 29 that the other baby burst forth after his brothers hand had been withdrawn. Despite the brother's hand Perez was the first born and the second was named Zerah. Perez would become the one in the lineage of David and ultimately of Jesus.
Closing Question and comment: Is it better to suffer innocently than as a consequence of wrong and foolish choices?"
Genesis 38, showed Judah seperated from the family, married to a Canaanite, failing to keep his promise to Tamar, hired a prostitute and showed himself unforgiving and harsh. We see that Tamar becomes a member of the family of promise, even though she was a Canaanite. Matthew mentions Tamar, a woman, in the lineage of the Messiah (Matthew 1:3). She had become a heroine of the faith, despite her origins and the nature of her actions.
Beautiful, beautiful, Jesus is beautiful; And Jesus makes beautiful things of my life.
Carefully touching me, causing my eyes to see;
Jesus makes beautiful things of my life.
Have a God Filled and Spirit Led Day. Go in Peace and Serve the Lord with Gladness. Love God More Today and remember, that when you have a spiritual failure that yells" "I Can't", God whispers to you, "BUT I CAN".
Yours in Christ
Cindi
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