The Book of Genesis
Day 356
Ge 38:11 Then
Judah said to Tamar his daughter-in-law, "Remain a widow in your father's
house till my son Shelah is grown." For he said, "Lest he also die
like his brothers." And Tamar went and dwelt in her father's house. 12 Now in the process of time the daughter of
Shua, Judah's wife, died; and Judah was comforted, and went up to his
sheepshearers at Timnah, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite. 13 And it was told Tamar, saying, "Look,
your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep." 14 So she took off her widow's garments,
covered herself with a veil and wrapped herself, and sat in an open place which
was on the way to Timnah; for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not
given to him as a wife. 15 When Judah
saw her, he thought she was a harlot, because she had covered her face. 16 Then he turned to her by the way, and
said, "Please let me come in to you"; for he did not know that she
was his daughter-in-law. So she said, "What will you give me, that you may
come in to me?" 17 And he said,
"I will send a young goat from the flock." So she said, "Will
you give me a pledge till you send it?"
18 Then he said, "What pledge shall I give you?" So she said,
"Your signet and cord, and your staff that is in your hand." Then he
gave them to her, and went in to her, and she conceived by him.
Two women come to
mind in the matter of the levirate law in Scripture, Ruth and Tamar. Ruth of
course is one of the Bible’s most lovable characters. She forsook her own
country and their gods in order to remain with Naomi and follow her God, and
perhaps provide a levirate inheritance for her.
Tamar on the other
hand is usually associated with a harlot, but guess what folks, you will find
her name in the genealogy of Christ. In fact her name shows up in the first
verse of the first Book of the New Testament!
In spite of all
the odds against her, she persevered in the matter of getting an inheritance
through the line of Judah. The Bible doesn’t condone her tactics of deceit and
harlotry, but it doesn’t cover them up either. There she is, front in center in
Matthews account of the genealogy of Jesus Christ!
Ruth was at least
given an option to follow Naomi, poor Tamar was sent packing back to her
father’s house, yet she waited. She counted the years and knew that Shelah was
well past the age of being given to her for the purpose of fulfilling the
levirate law, but obviously Judah had
forgotten his pledge.
Out of fear of
being neglected, she took matters into her own hands. If Judah would not
provide opportunities for her to be a part of the Old Testament great
commission of bringing Christ physically to the world, she would manufacture
her own. Her tactics were
nothing to write home about, but her zealousness for the cause is worthy to
note. If Judah is doing his job, Tamar
doesn’t need to resort to these questionable tactics.
Oh that we would
have the zealousness of Tamar, (without any shady practices) in the matter of
bringing Christ to the world. It’s really quite simple. Be prepared at any time
to tell your story, and live in a manner that backs it up!
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