The Redemption of Judah

Introduction

Last week we entered into the Joseph narrative in the book of Genesis and this is the final section of the book of Genesis. We saw that Joseph had these dreams and ends up sold into slavery to Egypt. Before we see what happens to him in Egypt we take a moment to see the life of his brother Judah. This story may seem like a random aside but it is actually one of the most important turning points in the book and will explain some of the important events we will see later.

Last week we saw that it was Judah’s idea to sell Joseph so they could at least make some money and not have the guilt of killing him. Later in the story we see that Judah offers his own life in place of Benjamin. That is a dramatic change and it is explained right here in Genesis 38.

A son drifting from the covenant

Genesis 38:1–11 ESV

It happened at that time that Judah went down from his brothers and turned aside to a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah. There Judah saw the daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua. He took her and went in to her, and she conceived and bore a son, and he called his name Er. She conceived again and bore a son, and she called his name Onan. Yet again she bore a son, and she called his name Shelah. Judah was in Chezib when she bore him. And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord put him to death. Then Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife and perform the duty of a brother-in-law to her, and raise up offspring for your brother.” But Onan knew that the offspring would not be his. So whenever he went in to his brother’s wife he would waste the semen on the ground, so as not to give offspring to his brother. And what he did was wicked in the sight of the Lord, and he put him to death also. Then Judah said to Tamar his daughter-in-law, “Remain a widow in your father’s house, till Shelah my son grows up”—for he feared that he would die, like his brothers. So Tamar went and remained in her father’s house.

Around the same time of selling Joseph Judah leaves and goes out and marries a Canaanite woman. You know from previous lessons that this is not a good thing. He has three kids with her. Judah finds a wife for his oldest son but before having kids this son is killed by God for being wicked, it is then the job of the next oldest to have kids with her on behalf of his brother but he refuses and God kills him too. Judah then sends her away back to her dad saying that he will come get her when his last son is old enough to have kids with her. This is probably out of fear more than anything because so far his sons die when they are with her.

You see here a decent into son and a drifting from the covenant. He marries from outside of the covenant, his sons are evil and die, his is deceiving this woman by sending her off saying he will come get her later which he never does.

It was possibly guilt that caused Judah to leave his family and go off into this lifestyle. This is not fixing that guilt though as his situation only gets worse. We will see it get even worse in the next section and begin to expose his heart.

A sin that exposes the heart

Genesis 38:12–24 ESV

In the course of time the wife of Judah, Shua’s daughter, died. When Judah was comforted, he went up to Timnah to his sheepshearers, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite. And when Tamar was told, “Your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep,” she took off her widow’s garments and covered herself with a veil, wrapping herself up, and sat at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah. For she saw that Shelah was grown up, and she had not been given to him in marriage. When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute, for she had covered her face. He turned to her at the roadside and said, “Come, let me come in to you,” for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. She said, “What will you give me, that you may come in to me?” He answered, “I will send you a young goat from the flock.” And she said, “If you give me a pledge, until you send it—” He said, “What pledge shall I give you?” She replied, “Your signet and your cord and your staff that is in your hand.” So he gave them to her and went in to her, and she conceived by him. Then she arose and went away, and taking off her veil she put on the garments of her widowhood. When Judah sent the young goat by his friend the Adullamite to take back the pledge from the woman’s hand, he did not find her. And he asked the men of the place, “Where is the cult prostitute who was at Enaim at the roadside?” And they said, “No cult prostitute has been here.” So he returned to Judah and said, “I have not found her. Also, the men of the place said, ‘No cult prostitute has been here.’ ” And Judah replied, “Let her keep the things as her own, or we shall be laughed at. You see, I sent this young goat, and you did not find her.” About three months later Judah was told, “Tamar your daughter-in-law has been immoral. Moreover, she is pregnant by immorality.” And Judah said, “Bring her out, and let her be burned.”

Judah’s wife dies and he is now alone and going up to shear sheep. This is a period of intense work followed by large celebrations. His daughter in law Tamar who has been abandoned by him hears that he is going to this place so she takes off the clothes of a widow and puts on the clothes of a prostitute. She then seduces Judah, her father in law, and has sex with him. She takes his ring, cord, and staff to hold until he pays her for what she has done for him. This would be like giving someone your ID, credit card, and car keys. The only thing is though when he sent the payment he could not find this prostitute and is told that there is never one there so he has to be wondering who this woman is. Later though he is told that she is pregnant. Not knowing he is the father he says that they should burn her.

What a crazy line of events. Judah goes out and gets a prostitute and doesn’t recognize who she is and then when he finds out that his daughter in law is guilty of this sin he wants her burned even though he is guilty of the same thing! The desire to have her burned is probably him wanting his family to be free from the seeming curse she is over them.

We see here though that this sin is exposing just how fallen and corrupt Judah is in this moment. It shows us truly where his heart is, it is in the things of this world, it is self absorbed. That is until the turning point that we see next.

The moment of salvation

Genesis 38:25–26 ESV

As she was being brought out, she sent word to her father-in-law, “By the man to whom these belong, I am pregnant.” And she said, “Please identify whose these are, the signet and the cord and the staff.” Then Judah identified them and said, “She is more righteous than I, since I did not give her to my son Shelah.” And he did not know her again.

Before Tamar can be burned she brings out the clear identifiers of the man who is the father and is clearly Judah. He realizes what he has done and says that she is more righteous than he was and it says that he did not know her again.

Have you ever been in a moment where you did something and then right after you realized what you had done? This is kind of like what is happening to Judah right here. He is going through life not thinking about his actions and then right here all at once he sees his sin for what it is like never before.

From this point on in the narrative Judah is not the same. We will not see these sinful ways any more. That is why I believe that this is the moment that Judah is saved.

This now carries us to his new children.

God preserves the line through grace

Genesis 38:27–30 ESV

When the time of her labor came, there were twins in her womb. And when she was in labor, one put out a hand, and the midwife took and tied a scarlet thread on his hand, saying, “This one came out first.” But as he drew back his hand, behold, his brother came out. And she said, “What a breach you have made for yourself!” Therefore his name was called Perez. Afterward his brother came out with the scarlet thread on his hand, and his name was called Zerah.

Tamar has twins named Perez and Zerah. These are the sons of Judah and they will continue to have a significant role. You may even recognize one name from Ruth 4.18-22

Ruth 4:18–22 ESV

Now these are the generations of Perez: Perez fathered Hezron, Hezron fathered Ram, Ram fathered Amminadab, Amminadab fathered Nahshon, Nahshon fathered Salmon, Salmon fathered Boaz, Boaz fathered Obed, Obed fathered Jesse, and Jesse fathered David.

There is a direct line from Perez to king David, this same line goes all the way to Jesus. You may have heard of Jesus as the lion of the tribe of Judah, that is because of this lineage that leads to Jesus.

Because Judah did not continue down the path that he was on and we see a genuine turning point in his life God preserved offspring through him and even included him in the family tree of Jesus.

Conclusion

This is an important chapter because it sets up Judah for the rest of the book but it also leads us to Jesus.

Judah wanted Tamar condemned. Jesus takes condemnation on Himself.

Judah confessed his guilt. Christ bears ours.

Jesus is the lion of the tribe of Judah who will take our sins an bear our guilt if we turn to him in faith. We to can undergo the transformation that Judah did, all we must do is turn to Christ.