Judah and Tamar

November 5, 2020 (Thursday)

 

While Joseph is working as a slave in Egypt, Genesis takes a “cut scene.” While giving us a break from the emotional roller coaster of Joseph’s story, this will also set up for how and why Judah is chosen to be the line of the Messiah (Christ).

 

Here’s the set up, “At that time, Judah moved away from his brothers and settled near an Adullamite named Hirah.” [Genesis 38:1 CEB]. Judah is breaking from the family. It was his idea to sell Joseph into slavery (see Genesis 37:26 – 27). It had to have been hard for Judah to deal with his father’s continual grief. This grief would have felt like a rejection to the family, especially to the guilty brothers.

 

Judah marries a Canaanite woman and has three sons: Er, Onan, and Shelah. Judah arranges a marriage between Er and Tamar. “But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the Lord’s sight; so the Lord put him to death.” [Genesis 38:7 NIV] Judah arranges for Onan to marry Tamar. This was the custom, possibly law, of the day. “Then Judah said to Onan, “Sleep with your brother’s wife and fulfill your duty to her as a brother-in-law to raise up offspring for your brother.” [Genesis 38:8 NIV]

 

Onan’s behavior doomed him, “Onan knew the children wouldn’t be his so when he slept with his brother’s wife, he wasted his semen on the ground, so he wouldn’t give his brother children.” [Genesis 38:9 CEB] God judged Onan, “But the Lord considered it evil for Onan to deny a child to his dead brother. So the Lord took Onan’s life, too.” [Genesis 38:9 NLT] Remember the pain Judah caused his father?

 

Judah refused to give Tamar Shelah. His thinking was motivated by grief. He has lost two sons and did not want to lose his youngest. Eventually Judah’s wife died. After the mourning time he traveled with his friend Hirah to have his sheep sheared. Tamar found out and things become complicated.

 

“Judah noticed her and thought she was a prostitute, since she had covered her face. So he stopped and propositioned her. “Let me have sex with you,” he said, not realizing that she was his own daughter-in-law.” [Genesis 38:15 – 16 NLT] I think this “adult” story is in place to explain Judah’s failure as a father and a man. But it is going to also display his character. Keep reading.

 

In exchange for payment, Tamar acquires Judah’s staff and seal. The seal would have been how he put his mark on documents. It would be a bit like giving her the password for his on-line banking account. She couldn’t use it, obviously. But it would be her firewall against what is going to happen.

 

Three months later, Judah gets word that Tamar is pregnant. The actual charge is “guilty of prostitution” (see Genesis 38:24). Judah demands her death. Tamar produces the seal and staff, humiliating Judah. This is when Judah’s character is revealed, “Judah recognized them and said, “She’s more righteous than I am, because I didn’t allow her to marry my son Shelah.” Judah never knew her intimately again.” [Genesis 38:26 CEB]

 

Despite his mistakes, flaws, and self-inflicted stupidity Judah owns his behavior. It is one thing to make a flub, fall, and fail. It is another to accept responsibility. This is character. Eventually we find this strength of character in another descendent, named David. “After removing Saul, he made David their king. God testified concerning him: 'I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.” [Acts 13:22 NIV]

 

That’s the test. Willingness to accept responsibility seems to translate into willingness to obey.