A Needed Element
“Then Judah identified them and said, “She is more righteous than I, since I did not give her to my son Shelah.” (Genesis 38:26)
Goats, clothing, and deception – does this trio ring a bell? Jacob’s initial deception of Isaac keeps reappearing in the lives of his children. However, a fourth element enters the picture that fundamentally changes the trajectory of Judah. If we are to understand that, we must spend just a minute with the passage itself.
We need not dive into the finer details of the passage to understand that life is full of sin and misery. Judah’s oldest son marries a Canaanite, but the Lord strikes him down due to his great wickedness. In order to fulfill the rights of the elder brother, the middle son marries Tamar. Again, the Lord struck him down as well. Judah, understandably grieved, hesitates to marry his youngest son to Tamar. However understandable, Judah’s actions are no less wicked than that of his sons. He breaks his word, delays his obligation, and places Tamar in a perpetual widowhood with slim chance of escape. When Tamar takes matters into her own hands and lies with Judah, the scene of Jacob and Leah plays out before the eyes of unknowing Judah. He is as blind to Tamar as he is to his own sin.
When Tamar’s pregnancy can no longer be hid, neither can Judah’s wrath. Fire and fury descend upon Tamar until the truth comes to light. Now, the fourth element of our story enters into place, and it is the most important element – repentance. Judah does not deflect, distract, nor dissuade; rather, Judah humbles himself because of his sin. One only has to read a little or live a little to understand just how rare it is to see a man repent. Simply read the lives of Cain, Saul, or Judas, and you will find that repentance is a gift from God (Acts 5:31).
In a few weeks, we will see Judah repenting again. Until then, I must ask about your own repentance. Do you see your sin and sorrow for it? Or are you blind to your wrongdoing? Do you confess your sin honestly and openly, expressing both a shame and a hatred for sin? Or does your confession include the word “but”? Or does it become a laughing matter later? Have you actually turned from sin? Or do you find yourself doing and delighting in your old ways? In all the sin and misery of life, is repentance a key element of your story?
