Daily Treasure

“And she put her widow’s garments off from her, and covered her with a vail, and wrapped herself, and sat in an open place, which is by the way to Timnath” (Genesis 38:14a).

Meanwhile, Judah’s wife has died. Tamar hears Judah is going to Timnath to shear sheep. There would be some type of party following the shearing. Tamar disguised herself as a prostitute, hiding her identity with a veil as was the custom of women. Tamar was sitting at the city gates and when Judah stopped to talk to her, she persuaded him to lie with her. He didn’t know this was his daughter-in-law but that didn’t mean he was right in what he was doing either.

I want to digress just a moment to point out something I read as I was preparing today’s devotion. Deceiving with garments was done two other times before this one. First when Jacob deceived Isaac with a garment and then Judah, himself, helped deceive his father, Jacob, with a garment, making him think Joseph was dead. Today, Tamar has deceived Judah with a garment. Judah is now reaping what he has sown!

Back to the story. Things aren’t always what they appear to be. Judah thought he was going to be spending time with a harlot. Instead, it is going to cost him plenty for seeking pleasure with his conniving daughter-in-law!

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray for couples in the Belo Horizonte Church (Brazil) who are facing marital and/or financial problems.

“…for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given unto him to wife” (Genesis 38:14b).

Tamar was getting impatient waiting for Shelah to grow up. It was becoming painfully obvious Judah had no intention of giving her to him. She was going to find a way to claim her levirate rights no matter what she had to do to make it happen. Judah had done her wrong. So, in her state of mind, if she couldn’t have the sons then go after the father. She would cleverly come up with a plan. Sadly, Tamar thought she was within her rights to be devious if necessary. From this point on, I don’t condone Tamar’s actions. However, I don’t think there are many of us who haven’t sinned and tried to justify our deeds.

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: Order FWBIM Change the World coin banks (877-767-7736) for every woman in your group; pray as you begin filling these for the World Missions Offering.

“Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter in law, Remain a widow at thy father’s house, till Shelah my son be grown: for he said, Lest peradventure he die also, as his brethren did, And Tamar went and dwelt in her father’s house” (Genesis 38:11).

Tamar was a widow twice. She was dealing with grief and shame. Adding blame to the mix would not make her feel any better. Women back then were very vulnerable without a man to take care of them. In this instance, Judah should have been the one to take care of Tamar not her own father. Judah sends her away at a very emotional time. Obviously he was hoping to never hear from her again. Judah did her wrong by not taking legal responsibility to care for her. She went back to the father but our story doesn’t end here.

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray that Steve and July Lytle will quickly acclimate to new ministry in Panama. These former missionaries are returning to their earlier field of service.

“If brethren dwell together, and one of them die, and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger: her husband’s brother shall go in unto her, and take her to him to wife, and perform the duty of an husband’s brother unto her” (Deuteronomy 25:5).

And there was a law called “The Levirate Law.” As sordid as that might sound to us, we see from this verse that was the law back then. When Er died Judah was obligated to set up a “levirate marriage” for Tamar so she would have a chance to bear a son who would carry on her dead husband’s name. Judah’s second son, Onan failed her miserably and died. Judah blamed Tamar for the death of his two sons though their deeds brought about their own death. The youngest son of Judah was too young to be a father so Tamar was going to have to wait until he was of age. In the meantime Judah didn’t care if that would ever happen. He had lost two sons. He was in no hurry for his youngest to be with Tamar. In the next scene we see Judah adding to his growing list of failures.

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray for women in your church or community who face difficult family relationships.

PRAY TOGETHER: Keep WNAC Administrative Assistant Yvonne Hampton daily in your prayers as she combats the reoccurrence of cancer.

PRAY TOGETHER: Join in prayer with the Panama National Assocation of Free Will Baptists as they meet January 10-11.

“And Onan knew that the seed should not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in unto his brother’s wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest that he should give seed to his brother” (Genesis 38:9).

I hesitated using this verse but it’s there. We see why God slew Onan. Tamar was married twice and had no children. She becomes a widow twice and not under the best of circumstances. Tamar suffers the grief and shame of having no children. Back then it was considered a punishment from God to be barren. Under the “Levirate Law” Onan had an obligation to give Tamar a child. This coming Monday’s devotion will deal with that law. Onan’s failure to help Tamar carry on his brother, Er’s name, resulted in him receiving just punishment from God.

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray for the first seminary students at Chame FWB Seminary who will graduate today.