Tamar: The Seeker of Justice
Read: Matthew 1:1-17, Genesis 38:1-30
Tamar was the daughter-in-law of Judah, the son of Jacob, and the grandson of Abraham. Tamar deceived Judah into having sexual relations with her and became pregnant with two sons, one of whom became the seed-son of the Savior, Jesus Christ.
Judah’s failure – Genesis 38:1-11
- 1 – “Judah went down from his brethren.”
- Judah was unaware God had chosen Him to be the channel of the Messiah.
- After participating with his brothers in selling Joseph to the slave traders and telling their father he had died, Judah left his father, his family, and his faith in God and united with the ungodly Canaanites.
- Judah chose a Canaanite wife, who bore him three sons:
- Er – who married Tamar but was so evil he died.
- Onan – who refused to marry Tamar, and he died.
- Shelah – who would not “fully” marry Tamar.
- While it is the father’s responsibility to leave his footprints of faith for his children to follow, every child has the freedom to choose their own pathway.
- Read Proverbs 14:12