Chosen in the Line of Christ
God’s ways are definitely not our ways. Reading the Bible often makes us wonder how God could use this person or that person to accomplish His perfect will? The genealogy of Jesus, the Christ, also contains such people. His genealogy is listed in two gospels: Matthew 1:1-17 and Luke 3:23-38, which includes five different women: Tamar (Thamar), Rahab (Rachab), Ruth, the wife of Uriah (Bathsheba), and Mary.
In this study, we focus on Tamar. Her story is not well known, as she was chosen as a wife for Judah’s firstborn son Er, but through multiple events, she takes matters into her own hands, seeking justice. How could God use Tamar when she plays the harlot?
His foundation is in the holy mountains. The Lord loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.
Psalm 87:1-2 (KJV)
FIRST WOMAN MENTIONED – TAMAR MORE RIGHTEOUS THAN JUDAH
Tamar was from the land of Canaan. Her name means palm-tree; be erect, date palm. (See Genesis 38) She is the first of the woman listed in the genealogy of Jesus. Interestingly, Genesis chapter thirty-eight states she is “a daughter of a certain Canaanite, whose name was Shuah.” However, when listed in the genealogy of Jesus in the New Testament (Matthew 1:3), her name is spelled Thamar, and she is now listed as an Israelitess. We can discern that she transitioned from one state of being, a Canaanite in the Old Testament, to a new state of being, part of God’s chosen people, in the New Testament.
With Tamar’s name in mind, meaning palm tree, let’s look at the book of Isaiah, chapter forty-nine. Here we are given God’s truth from Christ, who was sent to the Jews. We have been “graven upon the palms of my (Christ’s) hands” (Isaiah 49:16).
“Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.”
Isaiah 49:16 (KJV)
Beginning at Isaiah 49:13, the prophet relays Christ’s commands. He commands the heavens, the abode of God, to shout and sing and for the earth to be full of joy and rejoice. He orders the mountains to break forth with praise and tremble in reverent fear because Jehovah has avenged His people. He has compassion and mercy for all those who have been depressed, sent down, the afflicted. However, Zion departed from the truth on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains. They said in their hearts, their inner man, that Jehovah had left them, abandoned them, and that Adonai ceased to care about them.
Christ, through the prophet, asks a question. I paraphrase it here. Can a woman forget her infant and not have compassion for the child of her womb? Even though they will fail and cease to care, I will not forget you! (Isaiah 49:15) Jehovah called Christ from out of the womb, the body of the spirit. (see Isaiah 49:1) From the bowels, out of the inward parts, the heart of his mother (the bond of the family; see Eve in Genesis 3:13-16; Matthew 1:16). Christ was called to mind, marked, by the Lord, Jehovah, and placed as a remembrance of His Name. (shem in Hebrew; see below) Christ was sent to raise up and restore the preserved of Israel. He was given as a light, Truth to the nations through a Canaanite woman. And to the Gentiles, He was given as Jehovah’s salvation until the end of the earth.
Tamar was the daughter (bath in Hebrew) of a Canaanite man named Shuah (Genesis 38:2). Canaanite means an inhabitant of Canaan, zealous, a pedlar, merchant, trader. Her father’s name (shem), reputation, and position was Shuah. The word shuah means wealth and is equivalent to shuwa, which means to cry for help.
Tamar represents the palm of God’s hand (see also Isaiah 41:13-14) and is the first woman named in the lineage of Jesus Christ.
Judah (whose name means praised, celebrated; comes from the Hebrew word yada, which can mean hold out the hand; throw, worship, to give thanks) accepted a wife for Er, his firstborn son, “whose name was Tamar.” Tamar was named. This is the same Hebrew word shem. It means honor, authority, character, reputation, fame, glory, the Name (as a designation of God), memorial, or a monument. She was appointed by Jehovah to be in the lineage of Jesus Christ, but it does not come about in the usual way we would imagine.
TAMAR–THE CHOSEN WIFE
Tamar was selected by Judah as a wife for Er. However, he was wicked in the sight of Jehovah, and Jehovah put him to death. After Er’s death, Judah told his second son, Onan, to take his brother’s wife, marry her and perform the duty due to a brother who died childless. He should raise up seed and have a son to establish his brother’s name. To put it plainly, he refused in a manner that displeased Jehovah, and Jehovah killed him as well (see Genesis 38:8-10 for the entire story).
Judah had a third son named Shelah, who was much younger. He asked Tamar to remain a widow “at thy father’s house” until Shelah grew up. However, when Shelah was born, he was at Chezib, a town in the plain of Judah. The word Chezib means false, or falsified, and comes from the Hebrew word kazab, which means telling a lie or deceiving.
The scripture then reveals that Judah lost his wife, the daughter (bath) of Shuah, and goes to Timnath, which means portion. Tamar saw that Shelah, whose name means a petition, or a request, was grown and she was not yet given to him as a wife. Seeking justice for the promise made by Judah, she takes off her widow’s garments, vails herself, and waits on the road on the way to Timnath. Judah sees her with her face covered on the road and thinks she must be a harlot. They discuss having, what I’ll call “relations,” but Judah does not realize it is his daughter-in-law.
Tamar makes a petition, a request, and asks what his offer is for payment. Judah pledges to give her a kid (goat) from his flock. They barter, and Judah agrees that until he can make arrangements to deliver the kid, he will give her these items: his signet (seal, signature, to close up, make an end), his bracelet (a cord, thread (twisted), bound), and his staff (branch, tribe, rod, correction, support of life) that is in his hand (the open one, power, means, direction). They proceed, she conceives by him, and she leaves. She puts away her vail and puts her widow garments back on. Please note that the King James version of this scripture specifically uses the word vail twice in this story, which is the Hebrew word tsa`iyph. It means a veil, to wrap over, or a shawl. However, when we look up the English word vail, it is associated with the Latin word valeo, meaning I am worth. It also is from the French word valoir, which means to be worth.
When Judah sent the goat to fetch the pledge he had made from the woman’s hand, she was not found. There had been no harlot in that place from the report of the men. About three months later, Judah is informed that Tamar had played a harlot and was now with a child, not realizing the situation. Then, he said, “Bring her forth, and let her be burnt” (Genesis 38:24). She brings the items he had pledged before their union, and now he understands. Judah acknowledged the signet, bracelets, and staff and said, “She (Tamar) has been more righteous than I; because I did not give her to Shelah, my son.” (If he would have discerned it was Tamar on the road to Timnath, the pledge should have been to give her to Shelah, and therefore remaining in integrity with his promise. Judah realizes his error and declares her righteousness.)
Tamar gave birth to twins, one named Pharez (breach, bursting forth, figuratively outburst of God’s wrath) and the other named Zarah (rising, dawning, shining). When she was delivering the twins, Zarah put his hand out first, and the hand was marked with a scarlet thread, but he withdrew his hand. His brother, Pharez, second in line, came entirely out of her womb, then Zarah was delivered with the scarlet thread upon his hand.
A WOMAN OF VALOR, WHO CAN FIND?
If you watch The Chosen, you will recognize the Eshet Chayil. Called “Woman of Valor” in English, the poem is recited before the wine blessing on Shabbat (also called the Sabbath). It is the Jew’s day of rest on Saturdays, the seventh day of the week. The scripture declares the virtues of the ideal Jewish woman and can be found in Proverbs 31:10-31.
A Woman of Valor
Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life. She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands. She is like the merchants’ ships; she bringeth her food from afar. She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens. She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard. She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms. She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night. She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff. She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet. She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple. Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land. She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant. Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.
Proverbs 31:10-31 KJV
Tamar, the first woman listed in Jesus’ lineage here on earth, petitioned, crying out for justice. And like the parable of the unjust judge (see Luke 18:1-8), she cried out to God as the widow, His own elect, named for His purpose. She was like the woman with the alabaster box (See Luke 7:37-50) and forgiven of much. Jehovah gave His seed to Tamar because she was chosen as a spiritual sower for His expansion, will, Truth, and His Son’s access to the earth. A mystery, all for His glory.
Feature Images: Bigstock.com | Scripture quotations marked KJV are taken from the KING JAMES VERSION of the Bible.
