Tamar’s Redemption

The story of Tamar in the Bible is not one that is taught or preached about very much. She was married to Judah’s son Er, wicked in the LORD’s sight, so the LORD put him to death. Judah told Onan, Er’s brother to sleep with Tamar to give offspring for his brother, but he failed to provide the expected son. Then Judah promised his younger son Shelah to Tamar, but he didn’t keep his promise. What was Tamar to do? Live as a widow all her days? No. She put a veil over her face and posed as a prostitute on Judah’s way into the town of Timnah.

Judah slept with Tamar and she became pregnant. Incest is a sin in any culture, but Tamar felt forgotten, and she resorted to this indecent act to bring her the sought after family offspring. Judah promised her a young goat, but she asked for something in pledge. Judah gave her his seal, cord and staff. When he found out Tamar was pregnant, he ordered her to be burned to death, but she sent him the seal, cord and staff and said, “See if you recognize these” (Genesis 38:25). He did recognize them and said, “She is more righteous than I, since I wouldn’t give her to my son Shelah.” Tamar bore twins and named them Perez and Zerah.

Redeemed, Not Abandoned

The lineage of Christ – the part that says, “Judah, the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar . . . ” is recorded in Matthew 1:3. At first glance, it looks like God rewarded Tamar for her scandalous act. That is not the case. He rescued a courageous woman who could have been forgotten and used her for His divine purpose. Was her act any more a sin than Rehab’s sin of lying to protect the spies in Jericho? Or Abram’s sin of lying to the Pharaoh about Sarai, his wife? Or David’s sin with Bathsheba? No. God can use evil for good. When I think how unjustified this seems, I am reminded how God took the sin of my past and still uses it in my testimony to witness to other women who might feel despair and loneliness. At first I was not comfortable sharing my testimony, but I have grown thankful for all the things that have led me closer to Jesus.

Prayer

Thank you, Lord God, for stories of courageous women in your word that encourage us to be transparent before others so they might relate to your amazing love. In Christ’s precious and powerful name, Amen.

Finding Hope Through Jacob’s Journey: A Lesson on God’s Love

Passover Jewish festival commemorating the LORD bringing them out of slavery in Egypt April 22 to April 30 Generative AI

Jacob, the son of Isaac, had two wives and two maidservants. These women gave him twelve sons who became the twelve tribes of Israel. This home was filled with deception, greed, jealousy and manipulation. Yet God demonstrated His great mercy into the family relationships in ways only He could. Jacob loved Rachel more than the others, but God showed compassion to Leah. She was the first to give Jacob sons, and Jesus came from the descendants of her son Judah (Genesis 30). The story reads like a novel twisted in darkness. However, God’s plan was not thwarted in the midst of all the lies and deception or the tension in the family relationships. Chapters 30-50 of Genesis unravel an unbelievable story of control and manipulation, but that is not the point I want to make in this blog post.

God’s Plan of Redemption in Unexpected Circumstances

Are there times you feel that your story is too far gone or that you are not worthy to be in the kingdom of God? Whatever your despair, it is not out of God’s reach. Jacob’s story unfolds in an incredible plan of redemption when Joseph, Rachel’s son, is sold into slavery in Egypt. When a famine struck Canaan where Jacob and his family lived, he sent ten of his sons to get grain from Egypt. By a wonderful chain of events, Joseph had endured slavery and prison and then he became governor of Egypt, second in command to the Pharaoh. Joseph forgave his brothers for rejecting him and selling him to the Egyptian slave traders. He not only provided for his family; he brought them to Goshen, the choicest land of Egypt.

God rescues people today too. Friend, regardless of your past, God will make all things new for you when you accept His love; a love He showed when He gave His only Son to suffer on the cross so you could be forgiven and experience eternity with Him. Let God love you. He stands at the door of your heart waiting for you to receive Him. Will you lay down your despair, loneliness, and anxiety to receive His love, joy, hope and peace? I am praying you will say “yes” if you haven’t yet.

Prayer

Thank you, Father God, for stories like Jacob’s in the Bible that show us that no one is beyond hope. Thank you for your redemption and new life through Christ Jesus. In His powerful and precious name, Amen.

Facing Fear

The prophet Jeremiah spoke God’s word over a period of forty-seven years. The people of Israel came to him and asked him what God said about Nebuchadnezzar, but it was not what they wanted to hear, and they did not do what God said. Because they trusted in their beautiful temple and not God, they chose their ways instead of God’s. Because they disobeyed they were exiled to Babylon for seventy years. A remnant of the people stayed in Judah. The country was destroyed, and the people faced rebuilding and replanting. They were afraid. Some of them said they would go to Egypt. Others inquired of Jeremiah what God wanted for them. Jeremiah said, “This is what the Lord says, the God of Israel to whom you sent me to bring your petition before him: ‘If you will indeed stay in this land, then I will rebuild and not demolish you, and I will plant and not uproot you, because I relent concerning the disaster that I have brought on you. Don’t be afraid of the king of Babylon whom you now fear; don’t be afraid of hm.’ This is the Lord’s declaration–because I am with you to save you and rescue you from him, I will grant you compassion, and he will have compassion on you and allow you to return to your own soil” (Jeremiah 42:9-12). After the people heard what God said, they still decided to go to Egypt, because they were afraid of Nebuchadnezzar.

Why Egypt?

Even after God said, “All who resolve to go to Egypt to stay there for a while will die by the sword, famine, and plague. They will have no survivor or fugitive from the disaster I will bring on them” (Jeremiah 42:17). Why do you think they decided to go to Egypt after hearing what God said? I think they were stuck in their fear. Egypt had been a safe refuge in times past. Mary and Joseph fled there with Baby Jesus when Herod said he would kill all babies under two years old. Jacob fled famine in Israel to go to Egypt to provide for his family. It worked for many years, but Israel was not allowed to worship their God there, and fell into the worship of Egypt’s gods. More than four hundred years passed since Jacob’s son Joseph was governor, and the Pharaoh at that time made slaves of Israel to build cities like Ramses. God sent Moses to rescue His people from slavery, but He would not rescue those who fled to Egypt out of their disobedience.

What Are You Afraid Of?

Fear is like water. It finds the path of least resistance. It became sin for me, and I lived out my favorite song, “Hotel California.” The chorus says, “Welcome to the Hotel California – such a lovely place!” Isn’t that the way sin lures us? Shimmering lights and lovely places. Welcoming voices, fun and dancing. However, everything is not so lovely. The following verses say these things: “We are just prisoners here of our own device” and “You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave.” Facing fear of the future, I decided to go my way, as did the Israelites, instead of God’s way, which led to my destruction. It seemed to me that there was no way out. Yet, God was merciful. He reached down and rescued me from despair. I am so glad He did. I have never felt so loved, so blessed. Why did I choose to go through hell on earth? I don’t have an answer, but I can tell you I am glad God met me at my point of need. Today I thank Him for the anxiety and failure I felt, because they are what drove me to Him.

Prayer

Holy God, King of the universe, I pray for those stuck in fear, anxiety and sin. I pray that you meet them at the crossroads of meaningless and meaning. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Writing on the Wall

Bell Cave at Beit Gurvin, Israel

Enjoy this tour through one of the largest bell caves in Israel. The video is short but shows the wonder of the caves used as quarries thousands of years ago. They got their name from narrow top and wide circular bottom. The bell caves are in the Shephelah, the low rolling hills of Judah, and many of them overlooked the plain of Gaza and Ashkelon, Philistine country. This is the region where Herod the Great was born. Although he was king of the Jews, he was not Jewish but an Edomite. The Edomites descended from Esau, the twin brother of Jacob (Genesis 36:8). Two nations from one womb. Wow!

During Herod’s reign, Christians were tortured in the amphitheater at Caesarea. Some were beheaded. Others survived their torturous wounds and fled in an effort to get to the bell caves to live their last days.

We visited the largest bell cave, 70 feet in diameter and 55 feet high. Carverd into the walls were crosses and Scripture verses. Dying believers wrote words to encourage those who would follow them to this cave. We sang “Amazing Grace.” The acoustics made our voices sound heavenly. I was amazed to think of the beautiful cave as a place of death, but it meant that suffering ended here. No more torture. No more pain.

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for the hope of Heaven. Our bodies will be glorified. No deformities, disease or disabilities. As a deer pants for streams of water, so we long for the time we can be with you, face to Face. In Jesus’ name, Amen.