FROM THE PULPIT

Ancient Words: The Spirit of Jesus, Tamar and Judah

We will visit the life of Tamar today as we visited the life of Rahab last week. Tamar actually is first in the lineup of the 5 women mentioned in the lineage of Jesus, with Rahab second. Rahab is a prostitute in Jericho, in Canaan, while Tamar, a Canaanite as well, disguises herself as a prostitute. Rahab is known for declaring the Lord as God in heaven and God in the earth, while Tamar is known for declaring her situation with Judah's staff, cord and seal: When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute, for she had covered her face. Not realizing that she was his daughter-in-law, he went over to her by the roadside and said, "Come now, let me sleep with you." "And what will you give me to sleep with you?" she asked. "I'll send you a young goat from my flock," he said. "Will you give me something as a pledge until you send it?" she asked. He said, "What pledge should I give you?" "Your seal and its cord, and the staff in your hand," she answered. So he gave them to her and slept with her, and she became pregnant by him. After she left, she took off her veil and put on her widow's clothes again. (Gen 38:15-19 NIV)

Judah has actually been a good brother as he convinced his other brothers not to kill Joseph but to feign death by putting animal blood on Joseph's coat. After this, Judah leaves town and finds himself a wife and has 3 sons. Judah selects Tamar to be the wife of his first son , he dies, then the second son is selected, he dies, and Judah sends the widowed Tamar to live with her family and wait for the 3rd son of Judah to grow up. After Judah's wife dies, Judah enters Tamar's town to shear sheep but Tamar, after hearing that her father-n-law is coming, dresses as a shrine prostitute where Judah in turn swallows the bait. Tamar is sentenced to certain death when her pregnancy is discovered by Judah. But Tamar holds in her hand the proof of the father---a staff, a cord, a seal---all belonging to Judah! Tamar is spared and twin boys come forth 6 months later--Perez and Zerah: This, then, is the family line of Perez: Perez was the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, Ram the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, Salmon the father of Boaz, Boaz the father of Obed, Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David. (Ruth 4:18-22 NIV)

God weaves his scarlet thread thru good people and people not so good. To arrive in Bethlehem, at a stall, in a manger a thousand years later after David, God has a plan that will prevail and be carried out in spite of man's sins. Regardless of man's imperfections, perfection will finally arrive on a star bright night. The staff, cord, and seal held by Tamar and owned by Judah will be proven rightly significant and prophetic by the birth of the Chief Shepherd, by the child's mission of love and peace for all mankind, and by his gift and seal of his Holy Spirit--The Spirit of Jesus: His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ... (2Pe 1:3-12 NIV)

Scott and Jane Johnson minister with East Faulkner Church of Christ and BRG Bible. Bible questions can be sent to [email protected].

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