Taking the kingdom part 3 - Tamar makes her righteous stand

Tamar married Judah’s firstborn. He died, as did his next son.

Judah promised that she could marry youngest, when he was old enough, but he forgot. She didn’t.

She knew her conjugal rights and would not settle for less.

Everything was fragile. Jacob’s first 3 sons disqualified themselves from the blessing of the firstborn. So it fell to Judah.

But Judah’s legacy also hung by a thread, for, having lost two sons, he forgot his obligation to Tamar.

So she played the harlot to her father-in-law.

That produced twins. The eldest, Perez, continued the Messianic line. His name meant “breakthrough”, thanks to Tamar.

The younger, Zerah (dawning), was the only second-born mentioned in the lineage of Jesus (Math 1:3).

He witnessed the dawning of the Lion of Judah: because she had the courage to push in and claim her place in it all. As we must.

(c) Peter Missing @ bethelstone.com