Judah & Tamar

[Read Genesis 49:8-12]

The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet

Genesis 49:8-12 tells us that Judah (meaning ‘praise’) would become the leader among the tribes. Judah would be strong as a lion and so secure that no one would dare to oppose him. This passage is speaking of the coming of Messiah to set up His millennial kingdom giving peace to the world. This is the second coming.

But in order for this to take place, Messiah (Jesus, the Christ), had to come the first time, which He did, at His birth in Bethlehem through the virgin, Mary. When Matthew records the genealogy of Christ, we find that Christ is in the line of Judah (and actually is the Lion of Judah).

Now what took place is that Judah had a sexual relationship with who he thought was a prostitute, only it was his daughter-in-law, Tamar, who tricked him and since he had wronged her, he realized that she was more righteous than he was (Genesis 38).

Yet the product of that wrong was twins, Perez and Zerah. Jesus then came in the line of Judah (from the tribe of Judah and Perez). This not only fulfills prophecy – that Christ would be in the line of Judah – but also challenges our lives.

God used a sinful man, Judah, to bring into this would our Savior, Jesus Christ. You see, God works in spite of us. Do you see your failures? Do you get discouraged because of them? Do you feel guilty? Well, in spite of all of our failures, God can and will use us. He took a sinful girl, Mary, and she became the vehicle to bring the Savior into this world. God can and will use you, sometimes in spite of you, and sometimes because of you.


Interim Pastor Ken Muck
Sturgeon Bay Community



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