Kinsman Redeemer

The last thirteen chapters of Genesis tell a story of redemption. It describes the family life of Jacob, his twelve sons and God’s provisions for their life. The story really focuses on Joseph, Jacobs second to youngest son. It deals with the apparent tragedies of Joseph’s life culminating in the family’s salvation through God’s providence.  There are many parallels in the story to our own Lord, Jesus Christ, who also suffered in life but triumphed over death to redeem the entire human race.

No sooner do we begin reading these last thirteen chapters that we come to chapter 38. This chapter, at first glance, seems to be out of place and sticks out like a sore thumb. Why did God inspire Moses to include this sordid tale of perversion right as we begin to read about Joseph and the many pitfalls of his life? If chapter 38 were made into a motion picture it would receive an “X” rating. If you enjoy racy romance novels then this chapter is one for the books. Many ministers, pastors and teachers skip this chapter altogether not wanting to embarrass their congregation with the details included in it. But God not only included it he stuck it in a very prominent location, so it must be here for our benefit.

The story of Judah and Tamar illustrates our tendency to make bad choices and do the wrong things and points out our inability to redeem ourselves. It’s the story of a father and a daughter- in- law who both fail to do the right thing. The inclusion of this off beat story at this point in the book of Genesis, smack dab in the middle of Joseph’s story, begs the question as to why? The text says that Judah married Shua who had three sons by him, Er, Onan and Shelah. Tamar married Judah’s first born son Er. While we are not told specifically what Er did to offend God, it says in Genesis 38:7 “But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord killed him.”

At this point in the story of Judah and Tamar, we are introduced to the Hebrew practice of a “levirate marriage” which was performed by the kinsman redeemer. The most important relationship of the kinsman was between a father and the oldest son. If the eldest son was married without a son and he died his next brother was obligated to take his brother’s widow, marry her and have children. The hope was to have a son to carry on the family’s name and to receive an inheritance. The surviving brother was known as the dead brother’s goel or his redeemer. In chapter 38 of Genesis, Onan deliberately fails to perform the function of the goel.

 Judah promises his youngest son Shelah to Tamar but that never materializes.  Out of desperation Tamar disguises herself and plays the harlot in hopes of getting Judah himself to produce an heir with her. Her plan works and she becomes pregnant with Judah’s child. Judah, while not knowing that he was the one who was responsible for the pregnancy, demands that Tamar be burnt for her offense. Tamar is able to display the signet, cord and staff that Judah had given to her when she played the harlot. Confronted with this evidence, he recants on his threat to burn her. In Genesis 38:26 “So Judah acknowledged them and said ‘She has been more righteous than I, because I did not give her to Shelah my son.’ ” Tamar goes on to have twins Perez and Zerah.

So why did God inspire Moses to write this 1450 years before Jesus Christ was born? Why did He interrupt the story of Joseph to insert this seemly out of place sordid tale? To get the whole picture we need to look at the writings of Matthew, who was an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ. In Matthew 1:1-17 we have the written account of the genealogy of Joseph, the husband of Mary. In Matthew 1:2-6 we see Judah, Tamar and Perez mentioned all the way down to Jesse and David king of Israel.

The importance of this connection is paramount to establishing Jesus’ right of succession to the kingly line of Judah and the throne of David. God is showing us the exact line that our Lord would be descended from 1450 years before Jesus was born. It reveals to us the fact that His plan is going to succeed even when we do the wrong things. Out of twelve sons that could have been inserted into chapter 38 God choose Judah the kingly line that reveals our own kinsman redeemer, Jesus.

 In Genesis 49 Jacob prophesizes over his twelve sons and in verse 10 specifically of Judah and the fact that the scepter would not pass from the tribe of Judah until Shiloh comes. Shiloh is related to the Hebrew word shalom which means “peace”. To put it all together, the prediction was that from the tribe of Judah the Messiah would one day come but until that time the tribe of Judah would rule. Keep in mind that when this was written the Israelites had not yet crossed over into the Promised Land, or even crowned their first king.

God sent His own Son into the world to become our Kinsman Redeemer. If the church is the bride of Christ then Jesus paid for His bride with His life. In Ephesians 1:13 it says that we are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession.