Hidden Purpose
Genesis 38: 11 Then Judah said to
Tamar his daughter-in-law, “Remain a widow in your father’s house till my
son Shelah is grown.” For he said, “Lest he also die like his brothers.” And
Tamar went and dwelt in her father’s house.
12 Now in the process of time the
daughter of Shua, Judah’s wife, died; and Judah was comforted, and went up
to his sheepshearers at Timnah, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite. 13 And
it was told Tamar, saying, “Look, your father-in-law is going up to Timnah
to shear his sheep.” 14 So she took off her widow’s
garments, covered herself with a veil and wrapped herself,
and sat in an open place which was on the way to Timnah;
for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given to him as a
wife. 15 When Judah saw her, he thought she was a
harlot, because she had covered her face. 16 Then
he turned to her by the way, and said, “Please let me come in to you”; for he
did not know that she was his daughter-in-law.
So she said, “What will you give me, that you may come in to
me?”
17 And he said, “I will send a
young goat from the flock.”
So she said, “Will you give me a
pledge till you send it?”
18 Then he said, “What pledge shall I
give you?”
So she said, “Your signet and cord, and your staff
that is in your hand.” Then he gave them to
her, and went in to her, and she conceived by him. 19 So
she arose and went away, and laid aside her veil and put on the garments
of her widowhood.
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Years had passed after Judah’s sons were killed by the LORD
for doing evil. Judah’s only living son had grown up enough to be married, but
Judah did not present him to Tamar as promised. Judah had a daughter who died
during this time. With three of his children dead, it took time for Judah to
become comforted. He went to shear his sheep.
My Observations:
- Judah
was probably very cautious about giving Shelah to Tamar because of the
loss of three children.
- Tamar
waited years and it did not seem like she would be married to who she was
promised to.
- Tamar
hid her identity, pretending to be something she wasn’t.
There is a lot going on here that is difficult to unpack. We
are given the graphic details of the negotiation. Tamar may have seen that
Judah was not reliable for many reasons. All she knew was the promise made to
her was broken.
Her plan was to appeal to her father-in-law as a harlot so
she could conceive a child. Her plan worked and she conceived. GOD’s promise to
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob was satisfied by Tamar’s hidden action.
Challenge
- Why
does GOD tell Moses about Tamar’s actions?
- How
does this story make you feel about GOD’s grace?
- Are
you able to see GOD differently today so HIS grace can work out your
situation?
