Spiritual Exercise 14th May 2020

Tamar is mentioned in Genesis chapter 38. She married Judah’s (who was the fourth son of Jacob and Leah) eldest son, Er. He was killed because of his wickedness, and Tamar became a widow. Judah then asked his second son, Onan, to provide an offspring for Tamar so that the family line might continue. Onan knew that if a son is born from this union, this son would be regarded as the offspring of his brother and would inherit the firstborn’s double share of inheritance. However, if Er was childless, Onan would inherit as the oldest surviving son. No wonder that Onan did not want to conceive a child with Tamar. His action was deemed wicked by God and so, like his older brother, he was killed. Judah assumed that Tamar was cursed and was reluctant to give her his remaining and youngest son Shelah. Rather, he tells Tamar to wait for Shelah. However, even after Shelah has grown up, Judah still does not give Tamar to him in marriage. So Tamar made a wicked plan to disguise herself as a prostitute to deceive Judah. He did not recognise her and slept with her. She was clever and demanded from him a pledge which was “his seal and its cord, and his staff”. Later when Judah discovered she was pregnant (not realising that he was the father), he ordered that she should be killed. She then sends to Judah “his seal and its cord, and his staff”. It was only then that he discovered the truth and said that she was more truthful than he was. She gave birth to the twins Perez and Zerah. Tamar had no other option but to take matters into her own hands. Her father in law lied to her which left her alone with no future. In her time of crisis, she acted, and in acting, gave Judah two off-spring which would guarantee his family name! Sometimes we allow our circumstances or fears to overwhelm us, instead of acting and trusting in God. She was truthful while Judah was not. Amen