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“Judah the father of Perez and Zereh, whose mother was Tamar…”  Matthew 1:3 (NIV)

Imagine a Netflix show where the widowed main character sets herself up as a prostitute to sleep with her father-in-law in order to get pregnant and have his heir. WHAT???  We would take a breath and have some deep consideration before we would tune in to that show.

Yet, Jesus chose that prostitute to become part of his family lineage. This was the very first woman named in the family tree of Jesus.

Let’s break down this story.

Tamar was married to a very wicked man. We do not know what kind of wicked he was or how he treated her, but we know his wickedness was enough for God to kill him. As Jewish law stated, Tamar would then marry the next oldest son so that there would be an heir. Tamar married Onan, the next son. He used Tamar, much like a prostitute, but would not give her an heir. This was considered evil in the sight of God, and he was killed.

There was one more son, but Judah feared he, too, would die, so he did not give him to Tamar to marry. So Tamar was sent back to her father’s home. Judah could have released her from his family to marry again, but he was content leaving her without hope, childless, and with no heir for his sons.

Hope comes in many forms, and God works in mysterious ways. He offered it to Tamar in a most unique way.

As time went on and Tamar came to the realization that her father-in-law was untrustworthy and was never going to give his last son to Tamar in marriage, Tamar had faith in God and made some difficult decisions.

Tamar disguised herself as a prostitute and waited for Judah to come down the road. He did, and he propositioned her. When she was with Judah she asked for three of his personal items. She knew him well enough to know he was untrustworthy, and she knew she needed proof that it was Judah who was with her. Her plan worked, and she found out she was expecting.

Judah heard his widowed daughter-in-law was pregnant, and he publicly called for her death.  He was ready to have her killed for her crime-of being a prostitute. Interestingly, he did not consider he should be put to death for being with a prostitute. Tamar had his personal items sent to him, and  he found out that was the father. Judah had a change of heart. He declared that Tamar was more righteous than he was.

Tamar’s future was not only restored, but she became the first woman named in the lineage of Jesus. As her twin boys were born, the midwife tied a scarlet string on one baby’s wrist. This is the first time the scarlet thread appears in scripture. The thread that would point to the arrival of Jesus!

Tamar, a woman in a hopeless situation, left to be destitute, was married to an evil man, treated as a prostitute, deceived, and was abandoned with no hope or future. Yet she had faith and courage in God. God saw fit to list her in the family tree of Jesus.

The Christmas story begins with hope and a woman who risked it all to trust in God’s promises to her.

“Father, help us to trust you even when we cannot see the next step in front of us.”

For His Glory

Terrie Tollerson
TerrieTollerson.com or @TerrieTollerson on Instagram
TRBC Women’s Life