“Tamar” Women of the Advent Genesis 38 December 1, 2019
What is Advent? ● From Latin “adventus,” which means coming or arrival ● Can refer to Christ’s first or second coming ● Designated period of four Sundays before Christmas
This Year: Women of the Advent ● Based on Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus ● Unusual inclusion of women ● Why women? 1) Women, 1a) Powerless), 2) Scandal, 3) Gentiles
Craig Keener Had Matthew merely meant to evoke the history of Israel in a general way, one would have expected him to have named the matriarchs of Israel: Sarah, Rebekah, Leah, and Rachel. Instead he names four women whose primary common link is their Gentile ancestry…When Matthew cites these four women, he is probably reminding his readers that three ancestors of King David and the mother of King Solomon were Gentiles. The Bible that accepted David’s mixed race also implied it for the messianic King; Matthew thus declares that the Gentiles were never an afterthought in God’s plan, but had been part of his work in history from the beginning.
Introduction ● Tragic Moral Choice | No good choice, impossible situation
I. The Story of Tamar 1. Judah, the scoundrel | Genesis 37 2. Judah’s Canaanite wife and sons | 38:1-5 3. Introducing Tamar | 38:6 4. Er’s death and Onan’s sin | 38:7-10 a. John Walton Levirate marriage laws required that if a woman’s husband died without offspring having been produced, it was the duty of his brother to bear a child by her in order to continue his dead brother’s line. This custom is established as legislation in the Mosaic law (Deut. 25:5–10) but also is evidenced in the broader culture by its inclusion among Hittite laws. 5. Judah’s request, Tamar’s compliance | 38:11 6. Tamar’s plan | 38:13-15 7. Sin, entrapment, and pledges | 38:16-19 8. Confusion | 38:20-23 9. Judah’s hypocrisy | 38:24-26
1 II. Lessons From the Story 1) The Bible is incredibly honest | 1 John 1:5-9
2) Sin is always a trap | Luke 12:2-3 ● Warren Gage In Gen. 37:32, Joseph’s brothers ask their father to “please examine” the bloody robe. In chapter 38, Tamar asks Judah to “please examine” the signet ring, cords and staff she holds. Although the text in chapter 37 says the “brothers” asked their father to “please examine” the robe, it is very possible that Judah, who was acting as the leader in the plot against their brother, spoke these words to their father Jacob. Could it be that God allowed those words to come back to haunt Judah in his great sin against Tamar?
3) Our greatest sin is still not as big as God’s grace
Tamar Commended 26 ● Genesis 38 … She is more righteous than I.” 12 ● Ruth 4 … may your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, because of the offspring that the Lord will give you by this young woman. 3 ● Matthew 1 … and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar.
Why is Tamar Commended? 1. Standing up for her rights | Levirate marriage 2. Shrewdness and action | Luke 16:1-13, Matthew 10:16 3. Commitment to the family line | Married to the firstborn
Judah’s Transformation | Genesis 44:32-33
Jesus, Our Brother | Hebrews 2:17
Warren Gage Although Judah, rather than Joseph, is chosen by God as the ancestor of Christ, it is clear from Judah’s conduct earlier in his life that God did not choose him because of his moral superiority…Can there be a greater display of grace and mercy than the fact that the lineage of Christ continues with Perez, who is the product of the illicit encounter between wicked Judah and scheming Tamar?
Big idea: God’s grace is far greater than our sin.
In the Middle of the Mess 1. Practice honesty (more than you want to) 2. Get wisdom from godly people (community) 3. Pray “God, I trust you in this mess”
2