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Genesis 38b:

Reading #144  Tamar and her children

Let's continue with the story of Judah's repentance.

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Genesis 38:

12 And in process of time the daughter of Shuah, Judah's wife, died; and Judah [who was near 50] was comforted [i.e. after the mourning had subsided], and went up to his sheepshearers to Timnath [for the end of shearing time party], he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.

13 And it was told Tamar [who was now in her early twenties], saying, “Behold your father-in-law goes up to Timnath to shear his sheep.”

14 And she put her widow's garments off from her, and covered her with a veil, and wrapped herself [in special clothes], and sat in an open place, which is by the way to Timnath [probably the entrance to the town]; for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given to him to wife. [They were much the same age for there was only three years age difference between the first and last son]. 15 When Judah saw her, he thought her to be a harlot [a cult prostitute, a “devoted” one of the goddess of love]; because she had covered her face [in a particular way].

16 And he turned to her by the way, and said, “Go to, I pray you, let me come in to you”; (for he knew not that she was his daughter-in-law.) 

And she said, “What will you give me, that you may come in to me?” 

17 And he said, “I will send you a kid from the flock [the usual donation for the ritual].” And she said, “Will you give me a pledge, till you send it?”

18 And he said, “What pledge shall I give you?” And she said, “Your signet [an engraved seal worn round the neck], and your bracelets [the gold cords that held it], and your staff that is in your hand.” And he gave it her, and came in to her, and she conceived by him. 

19 And she arose, and went away, and laid by her veil from her, and put on the garments of her widowhood. 20 And Judah sent the kid by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive his pledge from the woman's hand: but he found her not. 21 Then he asked the men of that place, saying, “Where is the harlot [the temple priestess], that was openly by the way side?” [Normally she would have been in the temple]. And they said, “There was no harlot in this place.”

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Because of the prevailing religion of the Canaanites, consorting with a religious prostitute (for both males and females) was a normal part of their fertility rites in the spring or shearing time.  They particularly worshipped the wife of Baal, whose name was Ashtoreth (aka Ishtar, Astarte, or Aphrodite, the goddess of love, fertility and maternity).  She was the mother of Tammuz (the son of the god Baal), who in their mythology was killed and resurrected in the spring of every year, and this was one of their ways of showing his resurrection. 

Judah had therefore entered in to a pagan religious “service”, a counterfeit, which shows how far he as a son of God had fallen at this time. No doubt the thought of the party had prepared him for this impulsive encounter, for he had not taken the price with him.

Here’s a thought that came into my mailbox recently which shows that some things never change:

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EMAZING.com Proudly Presents
Thursday January 17, 2002

Modern Witchcraft

Differing from traditional witchcraft, the modern version
emphasizes the role of women over men. Lunar goddesses,
including Diana, Artemis, and Aphrodite, are worshipped
regularly at sabbaths, and seasonal rituals are of major
importance. Modern witches use ceremonial garb -- or
sometimes perform rituals in the nude (called sky-clad).
During these occasions, lunar energy is beckoned into the
magical circle, an act known as "drawing down the moon."
                                                                 - Parry Normal

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Genesis 38:

22 And he [Hirah] returned to Judah, and said, “I cannot find her; and also the men of the place said, that there was no harlot in this place.” 23 And Judah said, “Let her take it to her [she can keep my pledge], lest we be shamed [it was quite valuable]: behold, I sent this kid, and you have not found her [that’s her church’s problem now].”

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Inspiration faithfully records the faults of otherwise good men and women, those who were distinguished by the favour of God.  Indeed, their faults are more fully presented than their virtues.

This has been a subject of wonder to many, and has given unbelievers many occasions to scoff at the Bible. But it is one of the strongest evidences of the truth of Scripture, that facts are not glossed over, nor the sins of its chief characters suppressed. The minds of men are so subject to prejudice that it is not possible for human histories to be absolutely impartial.  Had the Bible been written by uninspired persons, it would no doubt have presented the character of its honoured men in a more flattering light.

But as it is, we have a correct record of their experiences. (I repeat, the Bible is truthful and accurate in all its accounts, but by that very fact, it does not always show forth words or actions that God approves of.)  However, if we are willing, in these experiences we can see the influences of the Holy Spirit in rescuing people from them.

Men and women whom God favoured, and to whom He entrusted great responsibilities, were sometimes overcome by temptation and committed sin, even as we at the present day strive, waver, and frequently fall into error.

Their lives, with all their faults and follies, are open before us (with their permission), both for our encouragement and warning. If they had been represented as being without fault, we, with our sinful flesh, might despair at our own mistakes and failures, or put them on a pedestal and make them into “saints”. But seeing where others struggled through discouragements like our own, where they fell under temptations as we have done, and yet took heart again and conquered through the grace of God, we are encouraged in our striving after righteousness (right doing).  As they, though sometimes beaten back, recovered their ground, and were blessed of God, so we too may be overcomers in the strength of Jesus.  Revelation 3:21.  There is no sin that cannot be forgiven, except . . .  refusing the forgiveness! Matthew 12:31.

On the other hand, the record of their lives may serve as a warning to us. It shows that God will by no means clear the guilty.  If He sees sin in His most favoured ones, He deals with it in them even more strictly in justice than in those who have less light and responsibility, in an effort to achieve reform.  Remember Luke 13:1-5?

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Genesis 38:

24 And it came to pass about three months after, that it was told Judah, saying, “Tamar your daughter-in-law has played the harlot; and also, behold, she is with child by whoredom.” And Judah said, “Bring her forth, and let her be burnt [alive].”

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Judah was acting within his legal rights at the time because technically speaking Tamar was engaged to his son and she was therefore (presumably) guilty of adultery while under his jurisdiction even though she was living in her father’s house.  For this the penalty was already fixed.

Later, in the time of Moses, the LORD was able to persuade them to change this punishment to stoning, as a more humane way of execution, and one in which all the accusers would have to join and not leave to another. See Deuteronomy 22:22-24; 17:7.  Only in the case of a priest’s daughter and one other situation was burning still practised. Leviticus 21:9 and 20:14. 

But in all cases, if the principle spoken by Jesus in the following story is recognised we will not start back in horror at the consent of the Son of God to such an arrangement.

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Mark 10:

2 And the Pharisees came to Him, and asked Him, “Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife?” tempting [testing] Him [for this was a matter of disagreement among the people]. 3 And He answered and said to them, “What did Moses command you?” 4 And they said, “Moses suffered [allowed us] to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away [from their protection].”

5 And Jesus answered and said to them, “FOR THE HARDNESS OF YOUR HEART [your determination to have revenge] he wrote you this precept [because you wanted it so intensely God had to go along with it].

6 “BUT [note His objection] from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. 7 [And it is written], ‘For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; 8 and they two shall be one flesh’: so then they are no more two, but one flesh. 9 What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder [or desire to change or punish against God’s will].”

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Where did these ideas of punishment as a substitute for forgiveness come from?  Satan hates those who were created to replace him and his angels, and although he uses humanity for his own ends, he often encourages great cruelty among us to spite the Son of God and cause much misery.  Because we are all born into Satan’s kingdom with Adam’s rebellious nature, God cannot subdue the passions of unregenerate men and women, therefore He must often modify His wishes to be able to reach them.  It is different with His own.

Here it is important to notice another Scripture! 

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Romans 2:

1 Therefore you are inexcusable, O man [or woman], whosoever you are that judges [condemns]: for wherein you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you that judge do the same things [but worse].

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Judah was not only the other accountable party in the adultery, but had added to this sin the guilt of not keeping his promise to Tamar of marriage to his third son.  This made him personally responsible for the deception practised on him by Tamar.  In fact, his first error had been made as a teenager in moving from home and the influence of righteousness.  This was not improved by his marrying a Canaanite woman in open violation of the principle of not uniting with unbelievers in any way.  2 Corinthians 6:14.

Then, instead of recognising that his sons’ deaths were the result of their own behaviour (and his example), he blamed God and Tamar for them and had punished her with banishment because he could not get at God.  Now he faced a “crunch point” in his life.  Either he could admit his guilt and pardon her, or go on and commit the ultimate sin of hate and murder IN THE NAME OF GOODNESS.  Like the accusers in John 8:1-11, he found he could not in all conscience “throw the first stone [or, in this case, light the first match].”

Although these punishments seem extremely harsh to modern hearts, we must always remember that it was all done by revengeful individuals (there was no state outside of the cities, nor was there a police force).  Therefore punishments could, at any time, be remitted if the revenger chose, and often were by those who followed the God of love. “Father, forgive them, for they know not [don’t understand] what they do” is a Christian ethic.  Luke 23:34.  “Neither do I condemn you” is another.  John 8:11.  There is one in heaven who will judge.  John 12:48.

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Genesis 38:

25 When she was brought forth [to the execution], she sent to her father-in-law, saying, “By the man, whose these are, am I with child”: and she said, “Discern, I pray you, whose are these, the signet, and bracelets, and staff.”

26 And Judah acknowledged them, and said, “She has been more righteous than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah my son.” And he knew her again no more.

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Neither had been particularly righteous in God’s sight, but Tamar certainly had more justification for her actions. 

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Genesis 38:

27 And it came to pass in the time of her travail, that, behold, twins were in her womb. 28 And it came to pass, when she travailed, that the one put out his hand: and the midwife took and bound upon his hand a scarlet thread, saying, “This came out first.” 29 And it came to pass, as he drew back his hand, that, behold, his brother came out: and she said, “How have you broken forth?  This breach be upon you”: therefore his name was called “Pharez [Break].” 

30 And afterward came out his brother, that had the scarlet thread upon his hand: and his name was called “Zarah [Rising].”

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Judah therefore had five sons altogether.  1 Chronicles 2:3.  We are not told about Tamah, but Judah’s repentance appears to be genuine for he revealed (as in the case with Joseph at the well, Genesis Genesis 37:26) a spirit of fair play, sincerity and forgiveness.  His frank confession, his later treatment of Tamar, and his success in rearing the twins, one of whom became an ancestor of Jesus, point to a thorough reform and submission to the pleadings of the Spirit. 

And so it was with Joseph’s other brothers as we shall find later.

Here is the family line as recorded in the book of Ruth.

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Ruth 4:

11 And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said [to Boaz], “We are witnesses [to your marriage]. The LORD make the woman that is come into your house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and do you worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Bethlehem: 12 and let your house be like the house of Pharez, whom Tamar bare to Judah, of the seed which the LORD shall give you of this young woman.”

13 So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: and when he went in to her, the LORD gave her conception, and she bare a son. 14 And the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the LORD, which has not left you this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel”  . . .   

17 And the women her neighbours gave it a name, saying, “There is a son born to Naomi” [not Ruth or Boaz, because of the brother principle]; and they called his name Obed [servant or worshipper]: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David.

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Bye for now,

RonP

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