BiblicalMastery Buddy's bible blog

Lesson 36

Judah and Tamar

Genesis 38

In our day of instant communication via Facebook, Twitter, You Tube and email, there is caveat to their use. We are warned that we must be careful of what we put out online for the world to see.  The problem is that once the information is sent it is out there in cyber space forever.  To think that what a person does as a teenager or worse as an adult expressing his/her anger, frustration or treatment of family will be broadcast so that even potential employers could see it which could impact them for the rest of their lives is a sobering thought.  Not only do we share way too much information but we also are bombarded with books, magazines and TV in which celebrities share the most intimate details of their lives.  Personally I would not want all of the stupid and foolish decisions that I have made available for the world to see.  I do not know why anyone would want their lives to be such an open book.  It is one thing to make yourself vulnerable and open to trusted family members and the closest of friends, but to go beyond that is bringing undue attention to oneself.  Sadly this kind of display, in my opinion, borders on narcissistic behavior.

The body of Christ is certainly not exempt from having its name sullied by the activities that go on within its walls.  We are all familiar with mistakes that church leaders and others have made that have impacted the church’s reputation and some cases actually destroyed that congregation. The tools that God has given to us to be used to glorify Him can also turn to instruments that demean His name because they are misused.  There are also outside evil forces that can take our communication and twist it to promote their own agenda.  To think that what we might say and do could affect the reputation of the Christ’s church in the minds of some should be appalling to all of us. 

Our lesson today is a perfect example of what has been mentioned above.  To think that one of the fathers of the twelve tribes of Israel would have his story told down to our present day should indicate to us that God knows what we do and if it suited His purpose could expose all of us because of the decisions we have made. Because of His grace He chooses to forget our sins.  Sadly the world is not as gracious and unforgiving.  Let us not have our deeds not written out in the tabloids of this world but in the Lamb’s Book of Life.  If Judah’s life story was to end with this chapter we would not think much of him.  Thankfully for him, as is for us, there is grace and second chances. 

Genesis 38:1

Judah made a decision that would impact his life and those around him down to the present day.  He moved away from his family which had been his support group for his whole life.  Of course the reasons for his decision are not known.  The possible answer may be found in the events that had occurred in his family.  He may have moved to run away from the guilt and the constant reminder of his part in selling Joseph to the Midianites. His brothers may have blamed him for what was then happening because it had been his suggestion to sell his brother. Seeing his father’s ongoing displays of grief may have been too much for him to handle.  The last possibility may have had something to do with the struggle with Reuben to see who would become the leader of the family since the heir apparent now out of the picture.  Rather than having the conflict do any further damage to the family, he left. 

Drifting away from the security of his family, he made friends with a man named Hirah.  He was a Canaanite from the family of the Adullamites.  Judah, one of the chosen people, moved in among the pagan Canaanites. 

1. Why did Judah choose to move away from his family?
2. What part did he play in what was happening to them?
3. What do you think of the reasons shared?
4. What was the danger of making the move he did?
5. How did he violate the instructions of God?
6. Why did he not have any problem moving in among the Canannites?

Genesis 38:2-5

Once he had moved away from home it was not long before he made a second mistake that would be costly in his own life. It showed was taking place in the life of Judah. Whatever relationship he had with God, seemed to be waning or nonexistent. It also set up a chain of events that required God’s intervention.  He married a Canaanite woman the daughter of Shua.  She bore him three sons, Er (the watcher), Onan (Strength) and Shelah (He that breaks). Notice all three of the sons were named by Shua indicating that Judah had abdicated the leadership role in the family.  The boys were probably raised and influenced in their behavior by their pagan mother.

1. What kind of mistakes can one make when separated from the influence of family?
2. What consequences could the marriage to Shua have on the life of Judah and his descendents?
3. Who seems to be the dominant parent and partner in the marriage?
4. What are some the evidence that this is true?
5. Growing up in a pagan home what type of behavior could be expected of the Er, Onan and Shelah?

Genesis 38:6

Er grew into manhood and Judah decided it was time for him to take a wife. This was not something he wanted to leave to his pagan wife to do. He chose Tamar whose name means “Palm Tree” which would probably indicate that she was a woman of great beauty and character.  Since she was listed in the genealogy of Jesus found in Matthew, in all probability, her name did represent the kind of person she was.

1. Why did Judah suddenly decide to become part of his son’s life and take a son for him?
2. What does her name seem to say about Tamar?
3. Why would God allow her to be part of the ancestry of Jesus?
4. Why is it important to choose her person of good character for a wife or husband?
5. What is the qualifying characteristic that should be upper most in making this selection?

Genesis 38:7-10

Judah’s attempt to produce an heir through Er failed miserably.  The young man was so evil in the sight of God that the Scripture said that, “The Lord took his life.”  Having failed the first time he tried to force his next oldest son, Onan, to take Tamar as his wife and have children in his brother’s name.  This is called the Levirate marriage and is spelled out in the book of Deuteronomy 25:5-10. Onan refused to marry Tamar or to have children by her to keep his brother’s family name alive.  Because of his refusal he died also.

1. Why did the Lord stop Er from producing an heir for Judah?
2. Why did the Lord take the life of Er?
3. What was the reason Onan refused to follow the Levirate custom of marrying the wife of one’s brother and raising children in his name?
4. Why did Onan become the second brother to die because of his actions?

Genesis 38:11

The actions taken by Judah after the death of his two older sons indicated that he held Tamar responsible for what happened to them.  If they had not both married her they would probably still be alive.  All he wanted at that point was to get her as far away from his family as he could. Instead of having her live with his family he sent her back to her father’s home to live as a widow.  To do so meant that she was still contractually under the control of Judah.  Judah promised her that once Shelah was old enough she would be given to him as a wife. 

1. Why would Judah blame Tamar for the deaths of his two sons?
2. Why did he not see it was the judgment of God on their evil ways that brought about their death?
3. What did he hope to gain by sending her back to her father’s house?
4. Why did he promise to give Tamar to Shelah?
5. Why was she still obligated to Judah?

Genesis 38:12-14

After many years of marriage Judah’s wife the daughter of Shua died.  When he had completed the time of mourning he returned to his normal activity. Along with Hirah he went to where his sheepshearers were at Timnah. 

Tamar who had waited patiently for Judah to fulfill his promise realized that she was not going to be given to Shelah as his wife.  At that point she decided to take the matter of having children born into the family of Judah into her own hands. She heard that Judah was going up to Timnah.  She removed her widow’s clothes and covered her face with a veil to keep from being recognized.  Then she waited on the road where she knew he would be travelling.

1. What part did the death of Judah’s wife play in the narrative?
2. What could be the reason that God removed her from the scene?
3. What did Tamar come to realize about her future?
4. Why did she decide to take matters into her own hands?
5. Why did she feel it was necessary to meet Judah on the road to Timnah?

Genesis 38:15-19

Judah saw Tamar sitting by the road and concluded that she was a harlot.  She picked a spot that was not actually in the city to hide her identity and because she was there for one purpose.  She wanted to meet Judah.  When he came to where she was he did not recognize her because of the veil over her face.  He turned aside and asked if he could go into her.  Before agreeing to acting out the part of a harlot Tamar asked what she would receive.  He promised to send her a young goat.  To make sure he would not go back on his promise, she took a pledge from him consisting of his seal used for signing his name, his cord used to carry the seal about his neck, and his staff.  She may have also concluded that she just might, in the future, need them to protect her reputation.

From that sexual encounter Tamar conceived.  Immediately she returned to her father’s house and once again put on the garments worn by a widow.    

1. What did Tamar have to do to accomplish her goal?
2. Why assumption did Judah make?
3. Why did Tamar demand a pledge from Judah?
4. What was the importance of the three items he left with her?
5. What happened from their encounter?

Genesis 38:20-23

True to his word Judah used his friend to deliver the goat.  When he went to Timnah he could not find her. The men of that region were unaware that there had been a temple prostitute by the roadside. Judah’s response was that he had tried to keep his promise.  He also concluded that it was better for her to keep the pledge than for him to lose his reputation.

1. By what act did Judah show he still had some integrity?
2. Why did he use his friend to deliver the goat?
3. Why did he believe it was better to let the harlot keep the pledge than to pursue finding it?

Genesis 38:24-26

After three months Judah became aware that Tamar was expecting.  His reaction was one of feigned self-righteousness.  How could she violate her status of being a widow and sully the good name of his family.  The only recourse was to have her burned.  Fortunately for her she had possibly seen what would happen to one who had committed an act of immorality and had gotten pregnant.  The pledge she had received turned out to be her salvation.  Just at the right time she sent them to Judah to identify.  Of course he recognized them.  His words indicated that he was the guilty one by not following through with his promise to give Tamar to Shelah as his wife. 

Tamar had done what Judah should have done in providing for the means to continue his family.  In a way he became the Levirate husband for Tamar to produce his own son. After that one occurrence of immorality, Judah never had a relationship with her again.

1. What do you think of Judah’s reaction to the news of Tamar’s pregnancy?
2. In what way was he hypocritical?
3. How did Tamar’s forethought save her from being burned?
4. What do you think of Judah’s words upon seeing the evidence of his immorality?

Genesis 38:27-30

At the time when she was about to deliver the child, it was discovered that she was carrying twins.  A strange thing occurred with the two boys. It appeared that as one of the boys was about to be born a string was tied around his wrist to indicate that he was the first born.  He however withdrew his arm and his brother was born ahead of him.  One was named Zerah which means “a dawning or brightness.”  His brother was called Perez which means “breach” because he bypassed his brother and was born ahead of him.

Although it is not spelled out in the Bible it is obvious in hindsight that God had intervened in the life of Judah to make sure that the offspring that would be in the lineage of Jesus would not come from a pagan wife and children.  Perez is always listed in the genealogy of Jesus before his brother.

1. What is the significance of the red string?
2. Who was in control of the order of birth between the two twins?
3. How did God act for His glory even in the case of the sinful actions of Judah and Tamar?
4. What lessons did Judah learn from this incident?

 

• Like Hebrews 10:25 says in essence, stay attached to those who build you up, encourage you and instruct you so that you will not drift from the path of righteousness.
• Before taking any type of action consider if what you do will please God.
• Remember that although people may forget what you have done, un-repented sin will always be remembered by God.  It is only those sins for which you have asked forgiveness that will be forgotten.
• Take care when choosing the types of people with whom you make friends.
• Take responsibility for your decisions good or bad and blame others when you do those things that are sinful.
• Confess and ask forgiveness when you sin.
• Remember God can turn a bad situation into that which serves His purpose.
• Do not base your life on that truth because your actions may bring unintended consequences in the short term.

Thankfully God is in the business of forgiving each of us.  If that were not true the doors of a church might as well close.  All of us have drifted away from God, even though present in our physical bodies.  He still is all about restoration and a second chance.  Judah is a perfect example of one who turned his back on all that provided the checks on his behavior.  The Body of Christ is the place where all the Judah’s of the world can find hope and peace. 

Friendships with the church are those that provide for encouragement when needed and comfort when facing a great need.  To turn ones back on that kind of community is to open the door for making choices that can be devastating.  Let us learn from the life of Judah, a man adrift because of his part in bad decision making.  Like us he was a man who God loved and eventually would turn him into a different type of person.  Christ, through His body, can and will do the very same for us if we will but let Him.

Additional Notes:

BL- Chapter 38 outlines the shameful life of Judah.  His marriage to a Canaanite woman produces three sons, Er, Onan, and Shelah.  Er, v. 7 tells us, was wicked in God’s sight, and so the Lord puts him to death.  Judah tells Onan to lie with Er’s wife, Tamar, in order to carry on Er’s line; but Onan refuses to create an heir for his brother and the Lord kills him for his disobedience.  Judah promises Tamar that as soon as Shelah is old enough, Tamar can take him as her husband; then he sends her back to her father to wait.  However, the years pass, Shelah becomes a man, and Judah never sends for Tamar, fearing that she is a jinx who will cause him to lose his one remaining son.  The jilted Tamar then takes matters into her own hands–disguised as a temple prostitute, she lures Judah into sleeping with her and giving her his staff, cord, and seal as a pledge for future payment.  When Judah sends a friend to pay her, however, the “temple prostitute” is nowhere to be found. 

  Several months later, the unmarried Tamar’s pregnancy is obvious to everyone.  Judah demands she be burned to death for her indiscretion until Tamar produces her trump card–Judah’s staff and seal!  Caught in his adultery, Judah realizes “. . . she is more righteous than I” because she kept her promise to wait for Shelah, a promise that Judah never delivered on.  Judah leaves her in peace to have her baby.  When the time to deliver arrives, Tamar gives birth to twins, Zerah (the firstborn) and Perez.  Perez, the younger, is important because he is listed in Matthew 1:3 as one of the ancestors of Christ (as is Tamar, one of only five women in Christ’s genealogy–and a Canaanite woman at that!)

C-Judah married a Canaanite woman name Shua and had three sons by her, Er, Onan and Shelah. (Gen. 38:1-5)

C-Judah’s son Er married Tamar.  Because of the evil Er and Onan committed the Lord took their lives. (Gen. 38:6-10; 1 Chro. 2:3)

M-Man must realize that Satan is relentless in his attack. Joseph was faithful even when falsely accused. (Gen. 39:10-18)

C-Of course upon the death of his sons, Judah like any father grieved for his sons and became overly protective of his third son, Shelah. He then promised Tamar that Shelah would eventually become her husband. When Shelah had become a grown man he did not marry her. (Gen 38:11)

C-Judah’s wife Shua died. (Gen.38:12)

WM-Judah was an ungodly and immoral man.  He lacked the self-control when it came to sexual activity.  Although he had no problem with his own lifestyle, he felt he had the right to condemn Tamar to death for her supposed harlotry.  She was only trying to raise up a family for her dead husband and ultimately for Judah as provided in the Levitical Law. (Gen. 38:15-18, 24-26)

UE-God’s plans for mankind are not certainly the same as what is expected.  God had his Son born from a tribe and family of Judah whose son Perez was born out of an adulterous relationship.  (Gen. 38:14-19, 24-30)