Skeletons in Jesus' Closet: Tamar (Genesis 38)
Do You Want it Bad Enough?

By: Mark Lowenstein
June 8, 2008

Tamar was the wife of Er, the eldest son of Judah, and the mother of Pharez and Zarah. Tamar in Hebrew means: Palm Tree, she was the wronged daughter-in-law.

The first thing that we see is the fact that Jacob was the father of Judah and his brothers. This is telling us that covenant went from one man Abraham, to one man Isaac, to one man Jacob, and then fans out to include all twelve tribes. While this is not an earth shattering revelation, I still find it interesting.

A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham: Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar, Perez the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram,... Matthew 1:1-3 NIV

Why do you think Tamar is mentioned? Sarah, Abraham's wife is not mentioned. I believe that it is significant that Tamar is mentioned. You can read Tamar's story in Genesis 38:6-30.

Tamar's story is unusual. She married Judah's eldest son, Er, but Er was wicked in God's sight so God put him to death. Onan, Judah's second eldest son, was told by Judah to take Tamar as his wife and produce children for his dead brother, Er, as the law dictated. Onan was unwilling to father children that would not be considered his, and because of this God put him to death also.

Judah was afraid that if he gave Tamar to his youngest son, Shelah, he too would die. So he told her to go back to her father’s house and live as a widow until Shelah grew up.

A long time later, when Shelah had grown up, Tamar saw that she had not been given to Shelah, so she put on a disguise and pretended to be a prostitute at a place that she knew that Judah would pass by. Judah, thinking that she was a prostitute gave her his seal and his staff as a pledge for a payment of a young goat for the use of her as a prostitute. Tamar hid the seal and staff and continued to live in her father's house. Sometime later Tamar was discovered to be with child and she was condemned to death for her prostitution. She then produced the seal and staff and declared that she was pregnant by the owner of them.

Judah then said: She is more righteous than I, since I wouldn't give her to my son Shelah. And he did not sleep with her again. Genesis 38:26 NIV

It was because of her righteousness that she brought forth children for her dead husband, to carry on his line, and it was because of her righteousness that she is included in the genealogy of Jesus Christ. Her act was a righteous act of faith.

So how do we demonstrate this righteousness for Christ?

1. We must remain in Christ.
2. We must chase after Christ regardless of the cost.

We should learn from the positive example of Tamar and the negative one of Judah.

REMAIN IN CHRIST
This is what all faithful, walking Christians are instructed to do (see John 15). We must not abandon Christ for the world, yet that is what Judah did. He sided with an Adullamite (Genesis 38:12) and turned aside to engage the services of a prostitute (Tamar in disguise). He has abandoned the covenant people (Israel). This is not the sort of companion a Christian should have. Let’s read this.

Scripture reading: Genesis 38:20-23

Why did he do that? It seems for the same sort of reasons which you and I abandon our Lord! What happens when we abandon Christ? We get death see John 15).

CHASING AFTER CHRIST
Showing our desire for Christ no matter the cost. There is no reason to think that Tamar was any less horrified by what she did than we are! (hint, hint) She could have moved on and married a non-Israelite. But she didn’t. SHE WANTED IT BAD ENOUGH THAT SHE WAS WILLING TO TAKE RISKS. We see a woman willing to risk a fiery death (Genesis 38:24) for the sake of God’s Kingdom! Amen?

What reward is there in chasing after Christ? We will save ourselves (Genesis 38:27-30) and we will save others (Genesis 38:26). Because of Tamar’s faithfulness despite Judah’s faithlessness, she obtained salvation.

Tamar saved Judah. Judah’s confession in v. 26 where he acknowledges his hypocrisy and wickedness. He truly repented because the next time we hear of him in the Bible, Judah is back with his brothers trying to help his father get grain from Egypt where later he will find the once-thought-dead, Joseph.

What should motivate us to chase after Christ? Because Christ first chased after us. Remember that there’s no life outside of Christ. For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live,.. Romans 8:13 NIV) It’s not merely the reward that should cause us to pursue Christ and His Kingdom, but we should also realize that Christ has pursued us.

The message of Tamar is rather simple. Love Jesus. We read parables about how a man found treasure in a field and sold all that he had so that he could buy that field. A great sacrifice. And we read about a pearl of great price which a merchant attains by selling all that he owns. Another great sacrifice. We read the words of Jesus when he tells us that we must not put our hand to the plow and turn back. A man should not start building a tower until he has counted the cost.

We must love Jesus more than anything. We must do anything to enter, to share and to continue in the Kingdom. If you want it bad enough, you can get it. If you don’t get it, it’s because you didn’t want it bad enough.