Family Drama

Read Matthew 1:3 & Genesis 38:25-30

One of the women who gets the honor of being listed in the family tree of Jesus is Tamar. She took matters into her own hands to better her life, even if it meant breaking a few rules. 

Thrown into all of the family drama of Genesis 38 is Tamar, Er’s wife, and daughter-in-law of Judah. Er was wicked and died. As was custom, Tamar was given to Judah’s second son, Onan, as a wife. Onan knew that any children he had with Tamar would be credited to Er, so he didn’t let that happen (Genesis 38:9). God found this wicked as well, so Onan died too, leaving Tamar double-widowed with no children. At this point, rather than honoring her as family and taking care of her until his third son was old enough to marry her, Judah passed Tamar back off to her own family.

Tamar had every right to be hurt and angry with Judah. She seemed to be powerless, but she cunningly took things into her own hands. She dressed up as a temple prostitute and tricked Judah into sleeping with her on his way up to worship Not-the-God-of-Israel. When it came out that she was pregnant and he nearly had her killed for prostitution, she showed him proof that he was the father; she presented him with his own staff, seal and cord. To avoid further scandal, he was forced to take care of his family. 

Why was Tamar’s behavior accepted, even honored, so much that she was named alongside men in the Bible? This isn’t an easy story. But remember, while Judah, in a position of power, sought his own pleasure and shirked his duties to care for his family, Tamar risked her life to set his family right and stood up for her own worth. For the sacrifice she was willing to make, as messy and complicated as it was, Tamar was given an honorable place in Jesus’ family line. 

May Tamar’s story encourage us to seek wisdom as we handle the moral and ethical dilemmas we face with the same determination, grace, and compassion she showed. 

For Family Discussion: Judah didn’t care for his family the way that God wanted him to. Tamar tricked him, and Judah finally realized his wrong. What can we do when others wrong us? 

For Personal Reflection: How can we keep trusting God when we have been wronged? How can we know when to take action?

by Isabelle Lundstrom