Genesis
chapter 38 is the family history no one likes to talk about. It is
filled with sin, rebellion, immorality and sleazy behavior. Most of
us would not include this in OUR family history. It begins, “Judah
(the fourth son of Jacob)…left
his brothers to stay with a man of Adullam… there Judah met the
daughter of a Canaanite man named Shua…he married her… and she
became pregnant“.
Shua gives birth to three sons, Er, Onan, and Shelah. “Judah
got a wife for Er, his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. But Er…
was wicked in the Lord’s sight, so the Lord put him to death“.
We do not know what Er did, but it is clear he was justly punished.
It was the custom in that day (and later codified in Deuteronomy
25:5) for a brother to fill-in for his widowed sister-in-law so she
might have a son. This son would carry on the brother’s name and be
considered his brother’s son, not his own. A woman would not be able
to survive without a son to provide for her. So Judah tells his
second son, Onan, “Lie
with your brother’s wife and fulfill your duty…to produce offspring
for your brother“.
We read, “But
Onan knew the offspring would not be his; so whenever he lay with
her, he spilled his semen on the ground to keep from producing
offspring“.
This selfish act was in complete defiance and showed complete
disrespect for Tamar. We read, “What
he did was wicked in the Lord’s sight; so He put him to death also“.
Judah, not wanting to risk losing his last son, puts Tamar off,
“Live
as a widow in your father’s house until Shelah grows up“.
This is a terribly unfair way to treat her, because she is under
Judah’s authority and cannot remarry.
Tamar
comes up with a plan of her own. After Judah’s wife dies, she hears
he is coming to visit his flocks. Tamar then, “Took
off her widow’s clothes”
and disguised herself as a prostitute. When Judah comes they
negotiate and Judah leave her his seal and staff as a pledge to pay.
Three months later Judah hears that Tamar is pregnant, He declares,
“Bring
her out and have her burned to death“.
But Tamar sends word to Judah, “see
if you can recognize whose seal and staff these are…I am pregnant
by the man who owns these“.
When Judah recognizes them, he said, “She
is more righteous that I, since I would not give her my son Shelah“.
We are also told “he
did not sleep with her again“.
Tamar is carrying twin boys, and we read, “As
she was giving birth, one of them put out his hand, so the midwife
took a scarlet thread and tied it on his wrist and said, “this
one came out first”. But when he drew back his hand, his
brother came out… and he was named Perez“.
When his brother who had the scarlet thread on his wrist was born,
he was named Zerah.
What
a sordid story to include in the family history. Neither Judah nor
Tamar are examples of godliness, but here is an example of God’s
grace. Both Judah and Tamar are in the family line of Jesus, through
Perez (Matthew 1:3). God works His perfect will through us imperfect
people. Many of us come from less than perfect homes, but God
desires to work through your life to touch other imperfect people.
In Mark 1:15, Jesus gives us the only two requirements to be used:
“repent
and believe in the gospel“.
By the power of God’s Holy Spirit you will be grafted into the
family of Christ. Who knows what fruit God may produce through you!