Genesis 38:24-30 – Repentance Blessed

When Judah finds out that his daughter-in-law is pregnant, he is ready to have her killed as an adulteress. He chooses to ignore the fact that he himself has committed this same sin. We can be very quick to point the finger and punish others for the same sins we carefully hide in our own life. Perhaps also, Judah, who doesn’t want his last son married to Tamar, is glad for this excuse to get rid of her.

But the tables are soon turned on Judah, as to his shame he discovers that he is the father of Tamar’s children. There is no sin that is kept secret from God, and He often brings to light what we think no one will ever know. Judah, being convicted by his own conscience, confesses his sin and turns from it, determined to not do it again. True repentance isn’t just being sorry for what we’ve done wrong, it’s also trying as hard as we can not to do it again.

Despite this great sin, God blesses Judah and Tamar with two sons, Perez and Zerah. Tamar, herself, is mentioned (along with only 5 other women) in the genealogy of our Lord Jesus Christ in Matthew chapter 1. So, despite their wickedness, from Judah and Tamar come the kings of Israel and eventually the Messiah. They become examples of repentance and God’s forgiving mercy.