Theme: CONTRITENESS
Text: “And it came to pass about three months after, that it was told Judah, saying, Tamar thy daughter in law hath played the harlot; and also, behold, she is with child by whoredom… When she was brought forth, she sent to her father in law, saying, By the man, whose these are, am I with child: and she said, Discern, I pray thee, whose are these, the signet, and bracelets, and staff. And Judah acknowledged them, and said, She hath been more righteous than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah my son…” – Genesis 38:24-26.
Comment: This is another touching account of the Bible that deals with the unchangeable purpose of the Almighty God. Er and Onan, two of Judah’s three sons that would have advanced his heritage were killed by God for their cruelty; thus, leaving Shelah, a minor. “Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter in law, Remain a widow at thy father’s house, till Shelah my son be grown: for he said, Lest peradventure he die also, as his brethren did.” – Genesis 38:11.
When it dawned on Tamar that Judah was afraid to engage Shelah to her, she disguised herself to the unsuspecting father-in-law who misjudged her for a woman of easy virtue and eventually put her in the family way. Her wisdom in presenting Judah’s signet, bracelets, and staff jolted him to acknowledge his guilt and to cofess that she “hath been more righteous than I”. (Genesis 38:26). A person who is honest or sincere is the one who could be contrite. Judah was sorry for misjudging Tamar. It was King David whom God moved to state: “For I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin” – Psalm 38:18.
Consequently, Tamar and the fruit of the union were accepted back into the family. Pharez, the first of the twin sons of Tamar was the great, great grandson or fifth generation of Abraham and ninth before David from whose lineage Jesus Christ descended. – Ruth 4:18-22; Matthew 1:1-6.