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Genesis 38:1-30
Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah (whose mother was Tamar) (Matthew 1:3).
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Read about another unlikely candidate that appears in Jesus’ lineage in Joshua 2:1-24 and Matthew 1:5.
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How does it make you feel that God included so many flawed characters in the lineage of Jesus? What part of God’s grace makes you most uncomfortable? Sets you free?
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According to Martin Luther, Jesus was standing with sinners even from His birth. Luther wrote, “Christ is the kind of person who is not ashamed of sinners—in fact, He even puts them in His family tree!” This was never truer than when Matthew wrote down his account of Jesus the Messiah. He included two people in Jesus’ family tree—Judah and Tamar—who were truly unlikely candidates.
After his daughter-in-law became a widow for the second time, Judah promised her his third son (Genesis 38:11). But he failed to keep his promise. On the verge of becoming destitute, Tamar disguised herself as a prostitute to force Judah to keep his promise to her (Genesis 38:14). Unknowingly, he negotiated a price to sleep with his own daughter-in-law and gave her his signet, cord, and staff as a guarantee (Genesis 38:18). Tamar became pregnant, and 3 months later Judah found out that she was “with child.” Horrified at her sexual immorality, something of which he would never be guilty (ahem!), Judah ordered her to be executed (Genesis 38:24). Before she was executed, however, Tamar presented the signet, cord, and staff as evidence against the person by whom she became pregnant. Judah, embarrassed and full of shame, acquitted Tamar and proclaimed that she was more righteous than he (Genesis 38: 26). God used this scandalous relationship, and one of the children (Perez) who was born from it, to bring the righteous Messiah into the world. Amazing grace!
If you’re tempted to think your past is too checkered for God to love, forgive, and use you, consider Judah and Tamar. Their appearance in the genealogy of Jesus shows that God’s grace is available for questionable characters like us. Our Lord came from a family of sinners (although He was without sin) to redeem and use us for His glory. What an amazing God!
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Acts 5:1-16
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Marvin I found this such a well construed revelation of Gods merciful and unexplainable way of working with His people. It is amazing to think that Judah [means Praise the Lord] was given such a wonderful prophecy from his father Jacob (Gen 49:8-12) even after his treatment of Joseph and Tamar. Judah became the last part of Gods people to remain until the promised coming Messiah (vs.10) who was also named the The Lion of Judah as foretold by Jacob (vs 9).
The Lord does not ask us to understand Him but to follow Him and do His will. I have learned on many occasions that God uses the foolish to confound the wise so don’t try to put God into a box. He used even me, the least.
Jim, thank you for adding your voice here. I am so glad his grace is sufficient for people like us. I am Judah and Tamar, and his grace has poured over me and I rest in his love.
There are so many convicting and comforting items here. What stands out to me is how wrong of us to despise any of our family members. That’s good to remember as the holidays approach, and we find ourselves spending large chunks of time with them.
Mike, yep. I have been guilty of thinking of my less than stellar family members with unholy contempt. I was wrong. If we all shook our family tree, all kinds would fall out. I am so undeserving of his grace, and yet I am humbled and grateful for his amazing grace.
Agreed, Marvin. And it’s so important to grasp this idea of extending grace with both our relatives and our church family!