She was desperate. She had been patient, much longer than anyone would expect. Judah, her father-in-law, had promised her he would take care of things and yet he had failed her once again. 

Tamar was her name and the strategy she felt compelled to carry out is truly beyond our comprehension today. Yet, somehow, her actions would propel God’s purpose and plan into play. 

Tamar was Judah’s daughter-in-law. His oldest son, Er, was her first husband. Since Judah married a Canaanite woman, it is very likely that Tamar was also a Canaanite. The Jews were not supposed to marry outside the Jewish people, according to God’s laws. Judah’s son was so wicked, the Bible says God killed Er. The levirate marriage law of the time claimed that when a husband died without children, the husband’s brother was to marry the widow and give her children in the name of the dead brother. This was Judah’s tactic with Tamar. Er died and his brother Onan was told by Judah to give Tamar children. He refused and his wickedness proved fatal for him as well. There was one more son, too young to marry at the time, yet Judah promised Tamar he would allow her to marry him when he was old enough. He told Tamar to return to her father’s house until this youngest son was ready. 

So Tamar waited. 

And waited. 

As a childless widow, she would eventually become destitute. She knew her rights to have the youngest son give her children in the name of her first husband Er. So, when she found out that Judah’s wife had died and he was going on a business trip, she veiled herself to be unrecognizable and planned to meet him and make herself available to him as a prostitute. Her plan worked. She was even smart enough to get some incriminating evidence against him when she requested a pledge that would guarantee the payment he promised. (She was, after all, quite familiar with his lack of keeping promises!) Judah gave her his seal and staff that were uniquely identifiable as his. 

When she became pregnant, others reported the news to Judah and he demanded that she be burned to death for prostitution. Tamar’s wisdom of keeping his staff and seal proved her innocence and Judah had to admit his guilt. 

When her twins were born, they were named Perez and Zerah. As one of the sons of Judah, Perez would be the one to carry on Judah’s family line that would eventually lead to the birth of the Messiah. 

Tamar’s actions saved the family branch through which the Promise would be fulfilled. Tamar was one of the women who saved Christmas for all of us. You can read her story in Genesis 38 and then see her mentioned in Matthew 1 as part of the genealogy of Jesus. 

Have you ever experienced something that seemed so wrong or weird or unthinkable that God took and turned into a blessing? Feel free to share your story in the comments below.

That’s what we celebrate at Christmas. We are loved by a God who can take any circumstance or situation and turn it into something beyond anything we could ever ask or imagine. That’s the kind of HOPE that knowing the Baby in the Manger, our Savior, Jesus Christ gives us. May you have a wonderful Advent season! 

Next week I’ll write about Rahab. 

Painting is Judah and Tamar by J. Tissot from Wikimedia Commons, public domain