@DrJoLynneW My son and I have been traveling all over Texas for his medical care. Traveling is new to us. May God show us amazing things and direct us on every trip.
They brought her out to be burned, but she was the only righteous person in the room.
Genesis 38 feels very uncomfortable; A daughter-in-law disguises herself, and a father-in-law sleeps with her. It feels like a scandal dropped awkwardly into Scripture. So most of us move past it quickly.
But if you actually look at this story, it doesn’t start with the scandal; it starts with her losing everything.
Tamar marries Judah’s first son. He dies. The second son is supposed to step in so she won’t be left childless, but he refuses. He dies too. And by custom, the third son, Shelah, should eventually be given to her. Instead, Judah tells her to return to her father’s house and "wait" until Shelah grows up.
And she does. She waits for years.
She’s sitting there as a widow with zero security, watching this kid Shelah grow up, and she realizes Judah’s never going to give him to her. Scripture says Judah didn't do it. That’s it! complete silence! no explanation. Just a quiet failure to act.
So Tamar sees the writing on the wall. Realising that promise is a lie, she takes off her widow’s clothes, puts on a veil, and sits by the road where she knows Judah’s going. He doesn’t recognize her, but he approached her and began negotiations. But she doesn't want his money; she wants proof. So she asks for his signet, his cord, and his staff. Basically, items that identify him - his ID.
Three months later, the word gets out. "Tamar’s pregnant." And Judah, he doesn't ask questions. He goes straight to, “Bring her out, and let her be burned.” It’s that public shame thing. Judging someone for where they ended up without acknowledging how they got pushed there. It felt like he saw her as a family curse, and this was an opportunity to get rid of her for good.
But when they bring her out, she doesn't scream or break down. She sends a message: "I’m pregnant by the man who owns these." Then hands him his own stuff.
Imagine the shock! The total silence in the room. You could literally hear the wind whistle by.
Judah looks at the items in recognition and says, "She’s more righteous than I am." Because he knew he failed her. In that one second, the whole power dynamic flips.
There are no miracles in this chapter. God doesn’t speak from a cloud. But this woman, who was seconds away from being killed, is totally vindicated.
And of course, her story does not end there.
Take a look at the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1, and there she is. Tamar. Right there in the bloodline. She gives birth to Perez, and he is listed in the line that leads to Christ.
The chapter we are tempted to skip becomes part of the story of redemption. Just as Bathsheba and Uriah were not erased, Tamar is remembered.
Some of you know what it feels like to have people react quickly to a moment in your life while ignoring the years of silence and broken promises that led you there.
Tamar’s story does not pretend the chapter is neat. It simply shows that God is not absent in complicated situations. He’s not confused when things get ugly. You might wait years for it, but your story isn't buried.
If you have been judged for surviving something few people understand, this story leaves you with a steady question. What if your name is not being erased… but carried forward into something you cannot yet see?
#Christianity #BiblicalTruth #FaithOverFeelings #Tamar #Redemption
Ellis Enobun
@DrJoLynneW I'm in the midst of some heart issues and I claim healing and restoration. I am on leave from work unpaid and I claim financial restoration and a new direction in the name of Jesus!