What Do You Think?
Can God Overcome our Life Messes?
The stories of Judah in the book of Genesis reflect, and reinforce, the dysfunction in God’s chosen family. God made lavish promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob – a consistent and continual outpouring of Divine blessing, including land, progeny, protection and curse for their dealings with other nations, and the promise of a seed that would bless all nations. That’s quite a legacy of blessing, and yet, this family, generation after generation, blundered and connived their way into seedy, intertwined messes. And every time, God worked through those messes, to remain faithful to His promises.
Judah, or Yehuda ben Jacov, was the fourth son of Jacob and Leah. He was the grandson of Isaac and Rebekah, and the great grandson of Abraham and Sarah. Not only were Judah’s male ancestors renowned and prolific snakes, the females were equally proficient at deception and manipulation.
As the fourth son, during an era of primogeniture, Judah wasn’t projected to be a main player in the family or the nation of Israel. But when it came to the family traits, Judah certainly showed to be a chip off the old block. He played a significant role in the Joseph saga. He was as irritated with the little brat as the rest of his brothers, and when the time came to rid themselves of Joseph, Reuben stopped the brothers from killing Joseph, and it was Judah who suggested they sell Joseph instead. Not a glowing performance of brotherly love, profiting in human trading rather than fratricide. And it was also Judah who offered himself to his dad, Jacob, as a guarantee for the return of Benjamin, his baby brother, from Egypt.
As Jacob was dying, he assembled his sons and foretold their future. For Judah, the prophecy indicated kings would come through his line of descendants, all his brothers would bow down to him, and the scepter would not depart from Judah’s lineage.
As peculiar and sordid as Genesis stories are, the story of Judah and his daughter-in-law, Tamar, is the most peculiar and most sordid. It is likely the most outrageous sex scandal recorded in Scripture. The story goes like this:
Judah married a Canaanite woman, the daughter of a man named Shua. Judah’s wife’s name is never mentioned in the Bible. Therefore, she would be called bat-Shua. That should sound familiar! To make sure we, as readers, understand something bad is going on, the author uses language saying that Judah saw her and took her, calling our memories back to Eve seeing fruit, taking it, and eating eat. Judah impregnated his Canaanite wife and she bore him three sons: Er, Onan, and Shelah. When the time came, Judah found a wife for Er, his oldest son. But, Er was evil in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord took his life. As was the custom, Judah ordered Onan to do his duty and father children with Er’s widow, and raise the children for his older brother. Onan refused to impregnate Er’s widow, and refused in a self-gratifying and rebellious manner. Onan’s refusal displeased the Lord, and He took Onan’s life as well. Remember the prophecy of kings coming through Judah’s lineage? Two of his childless sons were now unavailable to continue Judah’s lineage. To comfort Tamar, the widow of Er and Onan, Judah told her to remain in her father’s house as a widow. He promised Tamar that when Shelah, Judah’s youngest, and only remaining son, came of age, he would marry Tamar.
But Judah was afraid that Shelah would die like his older brothers.
A long period of time passed, and Judah had conveniently forgotten his promise to Tamar. Tamar had not forgotten. It came about that Tamar positioned herself near where Judah was shearing his sheep. She removed her widow’s attire, put on a veil, and dressed up as a prostitute. She approached Judah. She also saw Shelah, and noticed that he’d grown up and had still not been offered to her as a husband.
When Judah saw Tamar, but not recognizing her, he wanted her. Thinking her to be a random prostitute, Judah solicited Tamar for sex. Tamar, seeing that Judah did not recognize her, asked for some payment for the use of her body. Judah offered a sheep. Having the leverage, Tamar accepted the sheep and asked for Judah’s signet ring, cord, and staff. Judah accepted the terms, and slept with Tamar and impregnated her.
A few months later, Judah received a report that Tamar had been whoring, and had gotten pregnant. Judah was furious. He called for Tamar to be brought to him, and he planned to burn her for her whoring. When she met Judah, Tamar admitted to being pregnant, and identified the child’s father with a signet ring, cord, and staff. When Judah recognized the items, he said Tamar was “more righteous” than he, because he hadn’t kept his word about Shelah. Judah never had relations with Tamar again.
Isn’t that a strange use of the term “righteous”?
In due time, Tamar was giving birth to Judah’s twins. During the birth, one of the twins stuck out his hand and forearm. To identify the oldest, the midwife tied a scarlet thread around the extended wrist. When the infant pulled his wrist back in the womb, his twin brother jumped the line and emerged first – the firstborn was named Perez. Ten generations after Perez, a child was born who would become the second king of Israel. David. About forty-two generations after David, King Jesus. Judah’s unbroken succession of kings, from David, and a seed that blesses all nations. God had kept His promise.
When we think of this story, and many similar ones that are documented in Scripture, we see the hand of God working through the dysfunction of humanity. Is that something that we believe no longer happens? Or do we believe God worked through the messy lives of Genesis, and He works through us? Are we looking? What do you think?