Executed by burning
After the mourning for the death of his wife, Judah went to the sheep sharing at Timna, Tamar heard of it and knew that Judah had to pass through where she lived. She dressed like a Temple prostitute with a veil. When Judah came, he saw “the Temple prostitute” and went into to Tamar not recognising her. Tamar conceived and three-month pregnant Judah heard of it and ordered her to be executed by burning, as was the custom at that time for wives being unfaithful.
Heavenly knock out
However, Judah had promised “the temple prostitute” a goat as payment for sleeping with her and had to give his seal, cord, and his staff as pledge to assure the payment. When Tamar is being brought out to be burned she sent the pledge she had been given to Judah her father in law with a message saying: “I am with child by the man to whom these articles belong to, Please examine and see to whom these things belong, the seal and the cord and staff.” This message from his nice daughter in law must have hit him as a heavenly knock out that opened his eyes and heart. In addition, he in a twinkle of an eye, saw clearly, his mistake leaving his father and his people, and he said, “She has been more righteous than I, because I did not give her to my son Shelah.”
According to the custom
As a child of YaHaWaH Judah knew that deceiving people was against Gods law, he had deceived Tamar promising her his son Shelah, now Judah admitted it by saying, “She has been more righteous than I” Judah was back on track with his awesome God, he was a changed person. Tamar having a son with her father in Law was also according to the custom at that time, giving the father in law the responsibility to carry the family line on.
Perez
Tamar had twins, Perez and Zerah, Zerah was the first-born, Perez however became the one to carry the seed line on to Christ.
Questions
- Are young people smarter than older people?
- Did women have any rights in the times of The Old Testament?
