REDEEMING GRACE
04th Feb 2015
Some biblical accounts of human behaviour are more graphic than modern novels. Take the story of Tamar in Genesis 38. Judah, a son of Jacob, has deliberately gone his own way, is separated from God’s people and living among the heathen Canaanites. He marries and has three sons, Er, Onan and Shelah. Judah gets a wife for Er, named Tamar, however, the Bible describes Er as being a man so wicked that God put him to death.
Tamar has had no children and custom requires that brother Onan marries her in order to continue the family line. He considers her damaged goods, doesn’t mind sleeping with her but spills his seed, refusing to father a child for his brother, consequently offending God and being put to death.
Judah then sends her packing to live as a widow with her family, technically until the third son is grown up and able to produce a child with her. However, with two dead sons Judah has no intention of losing another son. Time passes and Judah’s wife dies, Tamar knowing of this dresses as a prostitute and ends up sleeping with her father in law, who has no idea who she is, but when he hears she is pregnant is outraged and calls for her death. Ultimately all is revealed, Judah acknowledges his sin, declares her right and himself wrong. Twins are born to Tamar, one named Perez the other Zerah.
Now look at Matthew 1:3 Tamar is included in the ancestral record of Jesus, as is Rahab from Jericho, the prostitute who hid the spies, Ruth a Moabitess, and Bathsheba, who David stole from Uriah and then had him killed. All women abused, rejected and not exactly squeaky clean!
God sees the heart not just the outward circumstances and His nature is always to bind up the broken hearted, to redeem and restore. Nothing is outside His grace and mercy.
We need to remember this when we are tempted to judge and reject. Today’s society is in need of restoration and healing. No-one is beyond God’s ability to rescue and make new.
by Joyce Sibthorpe
