In fact, I want to go through some of the smallest details at a time.
This takes place between Genesis 25-38
\Isaac had two son's, Jacob and Esau. Twins. Jacob took advantage of his brothers hunger one day and disguised himself as his brother per the advice of his Mother.
Jacob fell in love with Rachel and was tricked into marrying her sister first. Didn't find out until the morning after. Leah was not loved as much as Rachel. (Rachel stole idols from her Father's household.)
Rachel was the mother of Joseph and Benjamin.
Leah was the mother of Judah, as well as Levi.
It was Judah's idea to save his brother Joseph's life by selling him as a slave. Everyone but Reuben wanted to kill him. The kid was always bragging about being the favorite and having dreams about his brothers bowing down to him. Not big on tact was he.
I'm going to skip Joseph's famous technicolor story and stick to Judah, because He's the one actually in Jesus lineage.
So looking at those facts- we see that Matthew Chapter one includes a con artist that gets conned, an unloved woman, and a man who participates in the slave trade.
But it gets better. Judah goes and leaves his lovely brothers and finds a woman and has some offspring. Er, Onan, and Shelah by name. Judah gets wives for them.
Er marries Tamar. Er is wicked. God kills him. Judah tells Onan to carry on the line of his brother by impregnating Tamar. Onan "cheats." God kills him too.
Judah tells Tamar to wait until Shelah is old enough to be of marrying age. Tamar is forgotten.
I love this part. Tamar gets sick and tired of being forgotten and she dresses up like a prostitute. Judah comes along and takes her up on her offer. He asks her how he can deliver his payment of a goat. She asks for a pledge until he can send it, and takes his staff. The most recognizable thing a man can have. And he hands it over and she changes out of her prostitute duds and puts her widow clothing back on. When the word comes that she is pregnant, Judah is ticked off and is demanding her death.
She brings out the staff, and says, the Father is the owner. And he said, "She is more righteous than I, because I did not give her to Shelah my son." And she had twins, Perez and Zerah.
Judah slept with his son's widow who was dressed as a prostitute because he didn't keep his promise. And there are people out there that think it's a boring book?!
I know I'm not usually one to fish, but it sure would help me to feel more motivated to do this if I knew people read it and got some feedback now and then. Thanks for reading and I pray it blesses and inspires someone to pick up a Bible for the first time or to get back into it.
