Ep 60: The Tapestry of Integrity - Unpacking the Saga of Judah and Tamar in Genesis 38

"Today we unravel the complexities of Judah's life in Genesis 38. Discover how a tale of mistaken identity and a unique pledge spiral into a profound lesson on integrity and the consequences of our choices."

Embark on a scriptural journey with Pastor Teddy, founder of Plays On Word Theatre, as we unravel the complexities of Judah's life in Genesis 38, a chapter often overshadowed by the more famous narratives surrounding it. This episode delivers an insightful examination of Judah's entanglements within Canaanite society, his morally challenging family dynamics, and the bold actions of Tamar that defy conventions. Discover how a tale of mistaken identity and a pledge of personal items spiral into a profound lesson on integrity and the consequences of our choices. Pastor Teddy's perspective and personal anecdotes will illuminate these ancient texts, offering valuable lessons on living a faithful life in today's world.

As we navigate through the profound moments of self-realization and redemption that punctuate Judah and Tamar's story, you'll find yourself reflecting on the nature of hypocrisy and the power of transformation. This episode isn't just a retelling; it's an invitation to consider how we move forward in faith with eyes firmly set on the teachings of Christ. Pastor Teddy guides us through the challenge of balancing our place in the world while adhering to a higher calling and the role of the Holy Spirit in keeping us true to our path. Join us for a captivating exploration of how biblical narratives can shape our understanding of integrity, redemption, and living with purpose.

Does any of today's podcast resonate with you? Let us know here:
https://playsonword.dm.networkforgood.com/forms/podcast-reviews
To Support Plays On Word Radio and Plays On Word Theater, please visit:
https://playsonword.networkforgood.com/

Plays On Word website
Plays On Word YouTube
Plays On Word Instagram
Plays On Word Facebook
Email us: team@playsonword.org

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

Lord, you know you listen on the place award radio is the best. And she said please identify these the signet cord and the staff. And right here is where it goes dun, dun, dun. And the camera zooms in on Judah and his expression turns from sanctimonious, selective moral outrage To surprise. He says nothing for a long moment and stares at the camera before the screen fades out for a commercial, like in a bad soap opera. Are you feeling me? Could you imagine seeing the expression on his face?

Speaker 2: 0:59

Hello and welcome to Plays On Word Radio, where we discuss, analyze, work and play on the Word of God. Thank you for joining us on this excursion today. Yep, let's join Pastor Teddy, also known as Fred David Kenny Jr, the founder of Plays On Word Theatre, as he does a deep dive into the Word of God.

Speaker 1: 1:18

Yes, sir, yes, sir, yes, sir. Welcome back to Plays On Word Radio. All you there in radio land listening land. My name is Fred David Kenny Jr. Thank you very much, katie Kenny and Josh Taylor, for that intro.

Speaker 1: 1:33

We are continuing in our deep dive of Genesis 38. We started out in 37, where Joseph is done dirty by his brothers and then it takes out like a left turn and starts giving the story of Judah. It's really not random, as you will see, judah. He started mixing, hanging out with Canaanites, the people of the land, and he took a wife and he had two sons and the Lord ended up putting both of them to death. And he actually had three sons and the third one he was supposed to give to Tamar, who was the wife of the first and then the second, and he wrongly pronounced blame in his mind on her for his son's dying. But that's not why his sons died. His sons died because the Lord put them to death, not because of Tamar. His daughter-in-law and his youngest son, sheila or Shella, was not given to Tamar and there was a custom in the land called the became known as the Leverite marriage or Leverite marriage, where if a brother is married to somebody and he dies, then the next brother is to marry the woman to keep the name of the dead brother alive and to hopefully have a son for him. We saw that in the book of Ruth. We see it first really talked about here in the Bible. We don't see it as it would at first place. It really happens, but it turns out it was a cultural thing.

Speaker 1: 3:22

Well, we'll continue with Genesis 38. We stopped with verse 11 where Judah said to Tamar remain a widow in your father's house. So she was sent back to her father's house and he said until my son grows up and then we get a little insight from the Holy Spirit behind the scenes here. So he feared that he would die like his brothers died. So Tamar remained in her father's house. Now we're gonna pick back up where we left off Now.

Speaker 1: 3:51

Verse 12, in the course of time the wife of Judah, shua's daughter, died. Now notice her name is never given, but Shua is a Canaanite. So clearly this special family, and they know they're special. They've heard the stories from Abraham to Isaac and now Jacob, the patriarchs. Jacob is the dad who is also known as Israel, and they've heard these stories. They know they're supposed to be separate. They know the Lord has called them out from the ways of the world. And here Judah is flirting with the world, he's hanging out. He married a Canaanite girl. We don't even get her name. It's kind of amazing.

Speaker 1: 4:30

And in verse 12, when Judah was comforted, he went up to Timna to his sheep shears. He and his friend Hyra the Adulamite. This guy, as I said in the last episode, none really good is happening with this guy. I think this guy is a bad influence and he's he could be the tip of the spear as far as the bad influence on the people of God or on Judah. Judah, you know, after, after Judah's wife died and it says he was comforted, he went up to Timna to his sheep shears and that's usually a time of party and joy and just a overall good time. When you're going to going up to the sheep shears to share your sheep, I mean it's like looking at your money, because your, your flocks and hers were your wealth. Verse 13,. When Tamar was told about this quote, your father-in-law is going up to Timna to share his sheep.

Speaker 1: 5:21

Verse 14,. She took off her widow's garments and covered herself with a veil, wrapping herself up and sat at the entrance to Anayim, which is on the road to Timna, for she saw that Sheila was grown up and had not been given to her in marriage. She took off her widow's clothing. Now, as she went and sat there and she covered herself up and you know, first thing I went through my mind was is she going to try to get Sheila? I mean, the text points to her looking towards Sheila, not that she's just going to just to just engage in prostitution. Now there's there's specificity behind her actions here. She was going because she found out that Judah was going to share his sheep, so she's probably most likely like okay, this is my chance to to. I'm going to have to take things and matters in my own hands because Sheila's not, sheila's not been given to me, so it's not just like she's just randomly being a prostitute or anything like that. Now, verse 15, check this out.

Speaker 1: 6:19

When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute, for she had covered her face. He turned to her at the roadside and said come, let me come into you, for he did not know that she was his daughter in law. I mean, this is, this is like a movie. Look how far this guy has gone. I mean, in the culture, prostitutes were usually temple prostitutes was a common thing among the Canaanites and they would worship their pagan gods. And through prostitution, through sex, yeah, male and female prostitutes, I mean it was. Yeah, it was, it was, it was bad. And look at this guy. I mean, look at Judah. He saw her and he automatically thinks she's a prostitute. So he goes to try to hook up with her. Look how far this, you know, this guy has gone.

Speaker 1: 7:12

Relaxing values and embracing the ways of the world always leads to disregard for the things of the Lord. I'm going to say that again Relaxing values and embracing the ways of the world always, invariably leads to disregard for the things of the Lord. Paul said what does light have to do with darkness? 2 Corinthians, chapter 6, verse 14 through 16. What does light have to do with darkness? We're supposed to be different from the world. The world doesn't need a mirror. If you are a bloodbought child of God, the world does not need a mirror. Jesus said let your light shine Right, and it's really his light, the light of him in you. The world does not need a mirror. And when we start relaxing on values and saying, ah, it's not really that big deal, no big deal whatever, and we start embracing the ways of the world, it always leads to a disregard for the things of God. That is what is at the end of the road. Now.

Speaker 1: 8:12

The law had not been officially given at this time. Okay, so Moses is going to show up on the scene 400, some years from now. So the law had not been officially given yet. The law was not needed to know that a shrine prostitute encounter is not worship of the true and living God. When you link up with a shrine, what they would do, link up with a shrine prostitute, basically you're you're worshiping in a pagan form of worship. The living God never asked for shrine prostitutes or anything like that. And that's the, the, the worship side of maybe a shrine prostitute, but just prostitution in general, for an occasion in general.

Speaker 1: 8:49

He's not that one out either. Where was Judas conscience? His wife had died and he had been, I guess, comforted after his time of mourning. And I bet his a Dolomite friend, I bet you that guy was more than happy to give worldly ungodly counsel. That guy, hyra, I'm telling you, was no good, and check this out, hyra is the one that describes her as a shrine prostitute. So Judah in it says, verse 15, judah saw her and he thought she was a prostitute.

Speaker 1: 9:24

Right Now, this is kind of curious. In the Hebrew it says in verse 15, it says prostitute and that word being what Judah thought. Really, the Hebrew word is zana and it means harlot, adultery or fornication, sex. Now the word that Hyra, his Canaanite friend, uses you'll see when he goes and asks where's the shrine prostitute, the same word that is rendered prostitute is rendered in the Hebrew, it's kadesh, and that means a sacred person that is technically a devotee by prostitution or licentious idolatry. So there's, it's even heavier, and his friend in the Hebrew, his friend, is calling it what it really is Now Judah, his sin. It began in the eye, it began at verse 15, it began with the eye Verse 15,. When Judah saw her, automatically he thought she was a prostitute. And this in my mind, when I read this again recently, it reminded me of Samson, who's gonna show up on the scene, maybe 700 years, 700-ish years from Judah right now. So in the future, this guy, samson, is gonna show up on the scene and Samson's problems would also start with the eye. And coincidentally it was at Timna, the same place. Go figure, listen, I'll read it to you judge is 14.

Speaker 1: 10:54

Verse one through three Samson went down to Timna and at Timna he saw one of the daughters of the Philistines my good grief. Then he came up and told his father and mother I saw one of the daughters of the Philistines at Timna. Now get her for me as my wife. But his father or mother said to him is there not a woman among the daughters of your relatives or among all our people? You must go, take a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines. See, they understood, they got it. Manoa and his wife. They understood the separation. But Samson said to his father get her for me, for she is right in my eyes. Oh, now I can't be completely mad at Samson because I've been that dude in one way or another and I would bet many of you listening can relate to that mindset. Now, that's what I've seen, what I want and I want what I want. I'm not trying to hear any counsel from nobody. No, that's the only one that's been hardheaded in the past here. Okay, we'll leave that there.

Speaker 1: 11:51

There is a little bit of a connection. Timna, samson went down to the same place where Judah 700 years before. Don't hold me to the exact number, I didn't do the math, but it's 700-ish somewhere around there. Judah goes up to shear his sheep and he sees Tamar, but he doesn't know it's her. And it starts with the eyes. It starts with the eyes, the lust of the eyes, the boastful pride of life, the flesh, the world and the enemy. See what did Jesus say? He said if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out. Man, if it'd be better for you to go through life with one eye, tend to be led into. Oh man, what did she say to him? This is verse 16. She said Well, what will you give me that you may come into me"? And he answered I'll send you a young goat from the flock. Okay, I take it that. Goats.

Speaker 1: 12:43

Actually, I remember my pops telling me and I don't think he ever engaged in this, but I remember him telling me about back in the day before his day, how people, you could bring a pig to the bank and it would be like currency. Somebody help me out, send me an email and that, if you could, is that just country or what? How country is that? Try to cash my checks, man, don't pay me in pigs. But you could bring something from the flock or whatever. And I don't know if it was just one of those old school stories walking in the snow uphill both ways for 10 miles to school, or if there was legitimacy to it. I've never seen anybody bring pigs to the bank. But yeah, send me an email. We have some old heads that listen.

Speaker 1: 13:29

If you did that Verse 18,. He said the Judah said to her. He said what pledge shall I give you? So he didn't have a goat on him. He was like well, what pledge After? She said after you give me a pledge until you send it. Okay, let me back up, I'm getting out of sorts here. She said back in verse 16, she said what will you give me that you may come into me? Verse 17,. He answered I'll send you a young goat from the flock. And she said if you give me a pledge until you send it, and he said what pledge shall I give you? She replied you're signet and your cord on your staff. That is in your hand. So he gave them to her and went into her and she conceived by him. Now the signet ring, or the signet and the cord, it was worth more than a goat. Kind of like a house mortgage is worth more than a loan against it for a kitchen remodel.

Speaker 1: 14:16

Or let me think of another example. My, you're gonna laugh at this. My cousin actually probably shouldn't laugh. Well, it was funny the way my cousin told it. He had a motorcycle and he was riding with his motorcycle and there were a bunch of people and it was like this big group around and this guy in the group really wanted to take my cousin's motorcycle for a spin. He wanted to go for a ride on it. He was like come on, man, let me just take it, let me take it around the block, let me take it for a ride. And he hounded my cousin, he hounded him Come on, man, come on, please, let me ride, I can ride, I can ride, I can ride.

Speaker 1: 14:49

And the guy ended up saying listen, man, I have an El Dorado like a Cadillac El Dorado, I got an El Dorado. And so he tacked that on to at the end of every sentence Come on, man, let me go, let me take it, I have an El Dorado. Man, I have an El Dorado. Come on, man, I won't drop it, I have an El Dorado. You know what my cousin finally, relented, said all right, man, you can take it for a ride. He took it for a ride and dropped it. He actually he hit the brake or something, man, and hit the ground and, wouldn't you know it, he didn't cough up the El Dorado. Well, the El Dorado was the pledge. This guy didn't keep his word. My cousin, he's still salty about that tennis day, he's still upset. But this was the pledge, the signet ring and the cord, so verse 19,. Then she arose and went away and, taking off her veil, she put back on her garments for widowhood verse 20.

Speaker 1: 15:41

When Judas sent, no listen to this. When Judas sent the young goat by his friend the Adulamite to take back the pledge from the woman's hand, he didn't find her verse 21. And he asked the men of the place where's the cult prostitute? Some translations say where's the shrine prostitute? Who was that NIEM at the roadside? Now, remember, this is Judas Boyd, this is his buddy, the Adulamite, the Canaanite guy who's really not the best influence. He says where's the cult prostitute who was by the roadside? And all the people there were like there's no cult prostitute's been here Verse 22,. So he returned to Judah and said I have not found her. Also, the men of the place said no cult prostitute has been here. And Judah replied let her keep the things as her own or we'll be laughed at.

Speaker 1: 16:28

And notice, judah is more concerned with reputation and what people of the world think of him than he is even of the fact that he, of his fornication here or what let's just expand it a little or what displeases God? He's not even concerned about what displeases God, he said to his friend. He said you see, I sent the young goat and you didn't find her. So then, after about three months verse 24, judah was told Tamar, your daughter-in-law, has been immoral. Moreover, she's pregnant by this immorality. And Judah said listen to this guy here. Judah said bring her out and let her be burned.

Speaker 1: 17:06

Wait a second. I just gotta hit pause on this for a second. If you look at Tamar, her husbands, both of her husbands died. Yes, they were Judah's sons, but both of her husbands died. And she slept with someone whom she was not married. Okay, judah's wife died and he slept with someone with whom he was not married. Is that not the same offense? Are you following me on this? It's the same thing. It has major hypocrisy going on here. It's the same thing. Now listen, the law of Moses, some 400 years later, would make stoning the penalty for this, not burning. And notice. Notice Judah's self-righteousness. Look at how self-righteous this guy is in the face of all his moral behavior up to this point, as she was being brought out.

Speaker 1: 17:54

She sent word to her father. They were bringing her out to burn her man. Verse 25,. She was being brought out. She sent word to her father-in-law, pregnant by the man to whom these belong, and she said please identify these the signet, cord and the staff. And right here is where it goes dun, dun, dun. And the camera zooms in on Judah and his expression turns from sanctimonious, selective, moral outrage to surprise. He says nothing for a long moment and stares at the camera before the screen fades out for a commercial, like in a bad soap opera. Are you feeling me? Please identify who these are the signet and the cord and the staff. Mech, I would love. Could you imagine seeing the expression on his face when he was like what is this? What, oh? When he put two and two together. Well, we have a little bit of an insight. Verse 26,. Then Judah identified them and said she is more righteous than I, since I did not give her to my son, sheila, and he did not know her again, meaning he did not sleep with her again. Now it appears that he still did not see his wrong of sleeping with a shrine prostitute, or even a prostitute. He didn't see. That is wrong. He understands that he was wrong in withholding his son from her. She had the right to Sheila, according to the custom. She had the right to him Verse 27,.

Speaker 1: 19:22

When her time of labor came, there were twins in her womb. And when she was in labor, one put out a hand and the midwife took a scarlet thread. That should set off some light bulbs in some of your minds right there. A scarlet thread on his hand saying this one came out first verse 29. But as he drew back his hand, behold, his brother came out and she said what a breach you have made for yourself. Therefore, his name was called Perez. Afterward, his brother came out with the scarlet thread on his hand and his name was called Zara.

Speaker 1: 19:56

Now we're just about at the end of this episode and I wish I had time to really drill down into this. I'm gonna give you a quick flyover. Pay attention to this Now Judah, his dad and his uncle, esau and Jacob. Right, they were twins, even though Esau was first and he came out and he was red scarlet Harry all over red scarlet Jacob got the right to be called first born. In fact, esau gave up his right to be first born. He gave it up for a meal. Now look at Judah's two sons here. Even though Zara appeared first, they put the red scarlet yarn on him, he withdrew and then Perez broke out and became the first born and the Messiah Jesus Christ would trace his lineage back through Perez.

Speaker 1: 20:53

Now this theme continues. It's all throughout scripture. But I'm gonna give you the larger picture. Even though Adam, the first son of God, appeared first for the sake of the timeline, jesus, the last son of God, for the sake of the timeline, won the right to be first born over all creation. Adam gave up his rights for a meal of the forbidden fruit. Jesus, the last son, for the sake of the timeline, redeemed all of us who were in Adam the first. So this scarlet thread of redemption flows through scripture and this theme of the older serving the younger.

Speaker 1: 21:42

The first one to appear is not the one who will be called first born. It happened to Esau. He was first, but he was not considered first. And when I say Jesus according to the timeline, we know that Jesus predates, because Jesus is, was and is to come. He is before all things and in him all things consist as the son of God. But there is a point in time when Jesus was born as a man, without getting too far into the weeds, whereas Adam was created by God. He appeared first, but the last Adam read Romans five Jesus, he's the one, he's the one who brings life. He is the one by his blood who has redeemed those that are in the first. The first needs redemption. Esau, he needed. He didn't get the promises. Zerah did not get the promises. He had the scarlet yarn around him. Perez through Perez, through the first born would come the Messiah. So yeah, it's just some food for thought for you on that.

Speaker 1: 22:54

The amazing thing is that this messed up line, through this messed up line and all of this sin, not only is contrasted with Joseph and his righteous behavior that we'll see unfold next, but it shows the grace of God, because if you read Matthew, chapter one, this Tamar is in the genealogy of Jesus. Jesus came through broken, beat up people. You wouldn't expect the King to come through a line like this, but the king of all creation that was born in a dirty manger. He does things different than the way man does and it shows the grace of God. Judah would be the one who would be honored over all of his brothers to be the one that would produce King David and then Jesus. And if God can look at their mistakes and their messed up life and make something really special out of it, he can do the same exact thing for you and for me.

Speaker 1: 24:05

He doesn't want us to dwell on the past. He wants us to press on towards the goal for the upper call in Christ Jesus. Let's focus on him, let's move forward, remembering that we are called out. Let's set our minds on Christ rather than the things of the world. Let's not flirt with the things of the world. We're in this world, we're not of it. So you have to be in it, but you don't have to partake in the things that offend God. And how do you do that? You do that by the power of his spirit living in you. Listen, he's given every single person a conscious. We know when it's wrong and when you're not sure, the Holy Spirit will let you know. So we're gonna get back into the rest of the Genesis.

Speaker 1: 24:48

Joe, play next time we are together. That's all the time we have for today, though I hope I didn't go too far off into the weeds. I'll tell you what if I did. Shoot me an email and I can be glad to explain. I'll even call you if you want. Send me a phone number, whatever. It was too far into the weeds if you didn't understand where I was coming from on that, but that's all the time we have today. Until we are together again. May the Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.

Speaker 2: 25:50

This program was made possible by the Plays On Word family of supporters. To find out more, check out our website at playsonwordorg.