NATIVE CAROLS – తూర్పు దిక్కు చుక్క బుట్టె – A STAR IS BORN IN THE EAST
December 19, 2024THE LADIES IN THE LINEAGE – RAHAB
December 21, 2024When we read the lineage or the genealogy of the Saviour, as recorded by the apostle Matthew 1;1-17, we see an interesting aspect. We see the mention of four women, some are of ill repute, gentiles and enemies of Israel, plus Mary, the mother of the Saviour – a total of five women.
Women in patriarchal societies have limited and diminished roles. Racially speaking, people have a sense of superiority, over the other gender, and the other races, calling them inferior. Though, on both counts, it is wrong, yet, many people still practice, some form of discrimination or the other, even today. Sadly, such practices are more prominent in the so called “Christian” countries, who claim that they are, the “chosen ones” of the LORD God Almighty. The greater tragedy is that, we, as Christians and the chosen ones, are not only blind, but actively support such sinful and wicked ideas.
For our meditation this morning, let look at Tamar, the first woman, mentioned in the list.
– “1 The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham…3 Judah begot Perez and Zerah by TAMAR…” – Matthew 1:1-3
Judah, is in the list of Jesus’ ancestors, whose son is Perez, born through Tamar, his daughter-in-law. Judah has two sons Perez and Zerah by Tamar. The entire story is mentioned in Genesis 38.
Tamar tricks Judah into committing this act, by posing as a prostitute. Tamar, should have been stoned to death, for committing “adultery” – Genesis 38:24. Instead, Tamar was called by Judah as, more righteous than he was, in dealing with her plight of being a widow, and in need of a kinsman redeemer, which was his responsibility, as the father-in-law – Genesis 38:26.
What is it that we can learn from this? We learn, that we are prone to errors, mistakes and sins. Sometimes we as humans, may employ trickery and deceit in dealing with the matters that concern us. This is an indication of the fallenness and the depravity of human hearts. The LORD has included Perez, born to Judah through Tamar his daughter-in-law, as an indication of our sinfulness. Also that, we all have fallen, yes, all of us, and that is all the more the reason, why we need the Saviour. May the LORD help us see ourselves, and our hearts, that are desperately wicked, and beyond any cure, except through the grace and mercy of the Saviour. Even so the LORD help us.
