(Judah)

How Yahweh relates with his creations (series 38)

Bible Texts (Concordant Version of the Old Testament and Concordant Literal New Testament with keywords Concordance (Main text: Genesis chapter 38)

Hello my blog readers. It is another week to get blessed as we journey further on how Yahweh relates with his creations. Yahweh's ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9). We may not see him physically but we find out that at some points in our lives that it was him in control after all.

This week is another exciting bible comments on chapter 38. It is also one of my favorites. In this chapter, issues about Joseph were not mentioned. It would be continued as we move to the subsequent chapters down the road. However, this week bible chapter focuses on Judah. Remember that Judah was the fourth son of Leah who happened to be Jacob's first wife. Having the covenant made with Abraham in mind; Yahweh posted Joseph ahead to the land of Egypt for the events to happen in the nearest future. Judah was the next on Yahweh's agenda. These pieces of events were created by Yahweh to be put together down the road in subsequent bible chapters. Indeed, Yahweh is the master planner!

In relative sense, all that happened to Judah were pathetic but in absolute sense; Yahweh went through a detour to arrive at his original plan (of salvation) for humanity through Abraham. What does this mean? It means Yahweh had some detours to take to bring his plan to pass. This is very deep. I am currently speaking in my weekly podcast on this issue this week. Let me go back to Judah.  In his mind, it was time to have the family of his own. So, he left his brothers and pitched his tent near an Adullamite man known as Hirah. In that place, Judah found Shua's daughter and married her. Judah had three sons through his wife. Their names were Er, Onan and Shelah. When Judah's first child (Er) became an adult, he married a wife known as Tamar (verse 6). Tamar did not have a child for Er before Er died. He was a wicked man according to the scripture. So, he was killed by Yahweh. Tamar was espoused to Onan. In those days, it was their tradition that the younger brother marries the wife of the elder brother to raise children for the deceased elder brother. This tradition is also known as "Levirate".  Onan was aware of this tradition. He truly married Tamar but refused to raise child/children for his elder brother through Tamar. Yahweh was also displeased with this behavior. So, he killed Onan too. What!? Does Yahweh kill people just like that? I am not a Judge on this issue but he does whatever pleases him (Revelation 4:11). In absolute sense, he wanted the child/children to be born to come directly from JUDAH who is the main man of this week. The picture found for him is posted in the above page. Let us see how this came to being.

After the death of Onan, Judah was afraid that Shelah might die just like his elder brothers. More so, Shelah was too young to raise child/children for his elder brothers. So, Judah cunningly kept Shelah away from this scene. Judah made the difficult matter simple to Tamar. He informed Tamar  to wait for Shelah to grow up to marry her. I believe this might be ridiculous in 21st Century. Once again, it was the tradition in those days. I believe the same tradition is being practiced in some places in Africa and may be in a few other places around the world. May be they were descendants of Jacob that were dispersed around the world.

Judah might think this matter was over. He wanted Shelah (his last son) be kept from possible early death if he was married to Tamar. He did not realize that his two elder sons were wicked and Yahweh judged them as he deemed fit. So, what do you think happened after a few months? Yahweh caused Judah's wife to die. Later, Judah began to be having hunger and thirst for women companionship! In relative sense, one may think that Judah of all people should know that looking for a prostitute to sleep with was a bad idea. He supposed to re-marry. However in absolute sense, Yahweh caused Judah to have this feeling. He surely could not help it! In the midst of all these, he went to the shearers of his flocks in the place known as Timnah. Those who knew Tamar informed her of where Judah went. Tamar disguised herself by covering her face. Judah mistook her for a prostitute. Judah was ready to sleep with her for an agreed price of a goat kid. Judah did not have this price. So, Tamar requested for a surety (a kind of collateral) for her service. She requested Judah to leave his seal, twist and staff for her until the kid was brought to her. Judah agreed. He slept with his daughter in-law on that day! Then, Tamar put off her disguise and wore her widow's garment back. However, Judah came to look for Tamar with the kid he agreed to give to Tamar for her service but he could not find her. Tamar became pregnant for Judah. This news was brought to Judah.  This is ridiculous!

Judah took this issue very serious. He was mad and was very disappointed in Tamar. He brought Tamar to his father's house to discuss the issue. She was to be burnt according to their tradition. Tamar was so smart. She told all congregation that gathered against her that the man that impregnated her had the seal, the twist and the staff she was holding. Judah was able to recognize them! He was shocked. He admitted that he wronged Tamar. He remembered his sin of not giving Shelah to her according to Levirate tradition. He placed her in his tenth and never slept with her again.

Now, to the best part. Tamar was due to give birth. She was expecting twins! She was helped by a couple of midwives. When Tamar was giving birth, one of the twins put out a hand. The midwives held the hand and tied a scarlet thread on it and said that was the child that came first. Surprisingly, the other child pull the first child's hand back (retracted) and came out first instead! This situation shocked the midwives. They asked a rhetorical question: "how have you breached a breach for yourself?" Therefore, his name was called Perez while the one with scarlet thread came after and he was called Zerah.  Much was not recorded about Zerah in the scripture after his birth.

Why is verse 27-30 were the best part of this week bible chapter? In brief, this Perez's name features in the book of Ruth chapter 4:12; 4:18-22. Through this same Perez, David the king of Israel was born. Yeshua was also linked to David in Luke 18:38. The book of Matthew 1:3 also confirmed that Yeshua came from the lineage of Perez who happened to be one of the twins Tamar born for Judah! Therefore, Judah had a great future. Even after he had passed on, his name still lives.

Can you now agree that scriptures interpret scriptures? This is beyond a reasonable doubt. Yahweh rules in business of all humanities. All things come from him and exist through him. To him be all glory (Romans 11:36 re-phrased). We may look at this as abominable but that was how Yahweh decided to carry out his plan. Indeed, his ways are not our ways! The stone builders rejected have become the pillar of the house (Psalm 118:22). Your foundation may be shameful but your future should not be because Yahweh who made you has great plans for you too. Your future is bright.

I hope you are blessed by this week blog. It is also loaded but it is very informative. I cannot wait to go back to Joseph. I love the name too! Let me know which part of today's bible chapter you love most.

Please, leave your comments and be nice with them.

Shalom!

 

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