Tamar

She Shouldn't Be Here  •  Sermon  •  Submitted
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A 4-part Christmas/Advent series looking at 4 of the 5 women in Matthew’s genealogy. We left off Mary the mother. The idea is that they shouldn’t have made the list, Jesus shouldn’t have been in a stable and we shouldn’t be accepted by God. But Grace.

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Grace

Not just what you say before you eat dinner. Grace flows from the OT to the NT. Grace is the favor of God to human beings. Grace is unmerited favor shown by a superior to an inferior person. Grace is God showing kindness when it has not been earned. A child born and laid into a feeding trough for animals was literally the son of God. A young lady pregnant before marriage birthed this same child. God shows this favor throughout the Bible and when looking at the Gospel account of Matthew there we see the grace of God shine through. Turn your Bible to .
Matthew 1:1–16 NRSV
1 An account of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham. 2 Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, 3 and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Aram, 4 and Aram the father of Aminadab, and Aminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, 5 and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, 6 and Jesse the father of King David. And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah, 7 and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asaph, 8 and Asaph the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah, 9 and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, 10 and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amos, and Amos the father of Josiah, 11 and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon. 12 And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Salathiel, and Salathiel the father of Zerubbabel, 13 and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor, 14 and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud, 15 and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, 16 and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called the Messiah.
mt 1 1-
What sticks out here and is different than any other genealogy is that Matthew mentions 4 women in the family line. These women mentioned, as you will find out, play a major role in the family of the coming Christ. And we will examine their stories and how God played a role in coming of the Christ through the tribe of Judah and the royal blood line of David. These women’s story and background stick out like a sore thumb but God’s grace is even brighter! Today we look at Tamar...
Insert Sermon Series Slide Here
On this morning we take a look at a Tamar. She was the daughter in law to the brother of Joseph, Judah. The brother who kept his brothers from killing Joseph but instead deciding to sell him into slavery. Judah had three sons Er, Onan, and Shelah. When Er came of age he found a wife for him which was Tamar. The Bible states that Er was evil…
Genesis 38:7 NRSV
7 But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord put him to death.
gen 38
After the death of Er Judah did what was customary in their culture and chose to take care of Tamar by having her then produce offspring through Er’s brother Onan. The Bible states that Onan was disobedient to this command and …
Genesis 38:10 NRSV
10 What he did was displeasing in the sight of the Lord, and he put him to death also.
Judah sees that he has lost now two of his 3 sons. He promises Tamar that his third son Shelah will marry her to take care of her when he grows up. But in his heart the Bible states that he thought that Shelah might die too! So he told her a lie. So Tamar went to live with her father and waited… Until…
Genesis 38:12–26 NRSV
12 In course of time the wife of Judah, Shua’s daughter, died; when Judah’s time of mourning was over, he went up to Timnah to his sheepshearers, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite. 13 When Tamar was told, “Your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep,” 14 she put off her widow’s garments, put on a veil, wrapped herself up, and sat down at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah. She saw that Shelah was grown up, yet she had not been given to him in marriage. 15 When Judah saw her, he thought her to be a prostitute, for she had covered her face. 16 He went over 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?” 17 He answered, “I will send you a kid from the flock.” And she said, “Only if you give me a pledge, until you send it.” 18 He said, “What pledge shall I give you?” She replied, “Your signet and your cord, and the staff that is in your hand.” So he gave them to her, and went in to her, and she conceived by him. 19 Then she got up and went away, and taking off her veil she put on the garments of her widowhood. 20 When Judah sent the kid by his friend the Adullamite, to recover the pledge from the woman, he could not find her. 21 He asked the townspeople, “Where is the temple prostitute who was at Enaim by the wayside?” But they said, “No prostitute has been here.” 22 So he returned to Judah, and said, “I have not found her; moreover the townspeople said, ‘No prostitute has been here.’ ” 23 Judah replied, “Let her keep the things as her own, otherwise we will be laughed at; you see, I sent this kid, and you could not find her.” 24 About three months later Judah was told, “Your daughter-in-law Tamar has played the whore; moreover she is pregnant as a result of whoredom.” And Judah said, “Bring her out, and let her be burned.” 25 As she was being brought out, she sent word to her father-in-law, “It was the owner of these who made me pregnant.” And she said, “Take note, please, whose these are, the signet and the cord and the staff.” 26 Then Judah acknowledged them and said, “She is more in the right than I, since I did not give her to my son Shelah.” And he did not lie with her again.
Genesis 38:12–14 NRSV
12 In course of time the wife of Judah, Shua’s daughter, died; when Judah’s time of mourning was over, he went up to Timnah to his sheepshearers, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite. 13 When Tamar was told, “Your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep,” 14 she put off her widow’s garments, put on a veil, wrapped herself up, and sat down at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah. She saw that Shelah was grown up, yet she had not been given to him in marriage.
Tamar being twice widowed is not ni a good place financially. She would not be well taken care of and is a burden to her father’s house.
This can’t be a good place for a person mentally!
V14- She sees that Shelah is grown and still has not married her! This has got to set something off within her!
gen 38 15-1
Genesis 38:15–17 NRSV
15 When Judah saw her, he thought her to be a prostitute, for she had covered her face. 16 He went over 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?” 17 He answered, “I will send you a kid from the flock.” And she said, “Only if you give me a pledge, until you send it.”
Genesis 38:15 NRSV
15 When Judah saw her, he thought her to be a prostitute, for she had covered her face.
Judah being a sleazy person in this moment thinks she is a prostitute and propositions her… V15
V16- She decides to be shady and asks what she can get from him...
V17- I don’t want promises I need something that I can touch now! She says that she needs something from him NOW!
Genesis 38:18–23 NRSV
18 He said, “What pledge shall I give you?” She replied, “Your signet and your cord, and the staff that is in your hand.” So he gave them to her, and went in to her, and she conceived by him. 19 Then she got up and went away, and taking off her veil she put on the garments of her widowhood. 20 When Judah sent the kid by his friend the Adullamite, to recover the pledge from the woman, he could not find her. 21 He asked the townspeople, “Where is the temple prostitute who was at Enaim by the wayside?” But they said, “No prostitute has been here.” 22 So he returned to Judah, and said, “I have not found her; moreover the townspeople said, ‘No prostitute has been here.’ ” 23 Judah replied, “Let her keep the things as her own, otherwise we will be laughed at; you see, I sent this kid, and you could not find her.”
18-
At this point she has played Judah by impersonating a prostitute!
She has 3 items that identify him! She’s shrewd!
Signet- His ring that bore a symbol or name that identified him.
Cord- This was used to hold the signet ring.
Staff- The staff usually also revealed the name of the owner on top. This also is the same word used to designate the tribes (mateh).
V23- Judah is content in letting the situation stay secret in order to keep his foolishness and sin secret.
Genesis 38:24 NRSV
24 About three months later Judah was told, “Your daughter-in-law Tamar has played the whore; moreover she is pregnant as a result of whoredom.” And Judah said, “Bring her out, and let her be burned.”
gen 38
Judah is so appalled by her sin that he is OK with burning her!
Judah shows at this moment in time that Tamar doesn’t mean much to him...
gen 38
Genesis 38:25–26 NRSV
25 As she was being brought out, she sent word to her father-in-law, “It was the owner of these who made me pregnant.” And she said, “Take note, please, whose these are, the signet and the cord and the staff.” 26 Then Judah acknowledged them and said, “She is more in the right than I, since I did not give her to my son Shelah.” And he did not lie with her again.
She identifies the father of the unborn baby within her.
Judah feels shame, spares her life, and the story is not over there...
Genesis 38:27–30 NRSV
27 When the time of her delivery came, there were twins in her womb. 28 While she was in labor, one put out a hand; and the midwife took and bound on his hand a crimson thread, saying, “This one came out first.” 29 But just then he drew back his hand, and out came his brother; and she said, “What a breach you have made for yourself!” Therefore he was named Perez. 30 Afterward his brother came out with the crimson thread on his hand; and he was named Zerah.
Matthew 1:3 NRSV
3 and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Aram,
mt 1

She Shouldn’t Be Here

John 3:3 NRSV
3 Jesus answered him, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.”
John 3:3–7 NRSV
3 Jesus answered him, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.” 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. 6 What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit.7 Do not be astonished that I said to you, ‘You must be born from above.’
john 3 3-
When you’re a part of the family God’s grace can shine through the promise made so many years ago!
Tamar was a foreigner, an outcast, a liar, and extortioner! Yet God chooses to continue the bloodline that will lead to Jesus through her. What can God do with you?
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