Tamar - a tortured life & wife
Soul Snack 21/13 ... Tamar - a tortured wife & life!
Tamar walked in the slipstream of male ill-will. Her name has become synonymous with female injustice. (Her narrative is in Genesis 38.)
Tamar's first husband (Er) died prematurely through his wickedness and left her childless. Under contemporary Old Testament practice (see Deut 25:5-10) her brother-in-law Onan was charged with the duty of continuing the family line. He spilled his seed (in a defiant act of rejection to both Tamar and God) on the ground and subsequently died too under God's judgement.
Tamar's father-in-law Judah then promised his youngest son Shelah to Tamar when he became of age. Judah failed to make good on his promise.
An enterprising Tamar then posed as a prostitute and conceived Perez (one of twins) to Judah. When Judah was alerted to her pregnancy he ordered Tamar's death for prostitution. When she revealed to Judah that he was the father he reversed the death sentence. With an un-characteristic righteousness Judah admitted his own sin.
Tamar shared her body with three wicked rejecting men. She had failed to reproduce from the first two but all the men in her life were disasters in the honor stakes. Tamar had been believed as cursed because of the deaths of Er and Onan. She had lived as a widow with the massive misjudgements of others and then a death sentence. Tamar had endured disdain of family and friends - I wonder if she questioned her life?
I wonder if Tamar cried why me?
I wonder if Tamar ached why this suffering?
I wonder if Tamar screamed this is unfair? BUT...
Perez fathered Jesus. Matthew explains (in Chapter One)) that Perez was thirty-eight generations prior to Jesus. Every tear, every torment and every trial had a far higher purpose than Tamar could ever know or see. The value of her life was realised nearly two millennia later - through Tamar the messiah was born.
So what's the point? Sometimes people lead a tortured life never knowing why, because their pain secures gain for those after them.
GOD says ~ The burdens you carry today can bless countless many tomorrow.
GOD repeats ~ I wanted you from yesterday, in today, because I need you for tomorrow.
But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded. (2 Chron 15:7)
Today's Soul Snippet:
"The eyes of the Lord honor those who the eyes of man don't." ~ 2 Chronicles 16:9