This will prove to be quite a family saga. Esau and Jacob were in the womb at Rebekah’s same time. The birthright was the object of Jacob’s desire. Why? Because there were elements of superior recognition and fame, the benefits alone gave reason for the birthright to be desired.
Or one might say Jacob would be elevated to a higher level of supremacy: (a) Superior rank in the family; (b) a double portion of the father’s property (c) the priestly office (d) A conditional promise of heavenly inheritance (e) the promise of the seed in which all nations should be blessed.
Jacob, the brother of Esau, was a fast thinker and favored by his mother. She was the one who coached Jacob in the process of cheating Esau out of the birthright. She sent Jacob to substitute for Esau using hairy clothing as a part of the disguise. At the same time, we learn that Esau was not a deep thinker. Through his greed, when he wanted to eat the stew that Jacob was cooking, he sold his birthright to Jacob for the cheap price of some delicious stew!
Because of his “slick” handling of securing the birthright, Jacob had to leave home in a hurry. Esau sought his life. Esau was happy for a short time. Jacob and Esau had each their 30 seconds of OOO La La.
His parents were not pleased with him. He married women who were of idolatrous tribes. He learns that his non-serious behavior was displeasing to his parents. It was many years before he would meet back up with his brother. His 30 seconds of OOO La La was short-lived. This is how we learn to avoid quick, misguided decisions.
During Jacob’s life, after he was driven away by his parents to go and live with Uncle Laban, he finds there too were disappointing events. Although, he found the most beautiful Rachel to marry, Laban cheated Jacob and snuck in his other daughter, Leah, into bed with Jacob. To eventually marry Rachel, Jacob had to serve more time working for Laban to marry Rachel.
Jacob becomes the father of 12 sons, including Judah, and of course, Joseph, who was later sold by his other brothers and became enslaved to the Egyptians. Judah married a woman of Canaan (Shuah) and when she dies, he is grief-stricken.
He had sons Er, Onan, and Shelah. Er married to woman named Tamar, and soon after he died. Judah was required to bestow upon the widow his second son, Onan. It would seem quite reasonable that he would be reluctant to give his last son, the third over the third to Tamar.
In the meantime, Tamar remained in her father’s house waiting for Judah to pass on his last surviving son, Shelah. According to patriarchal law, if a son dies childless, that wife was to marry the next son in succession and try again to have a child.
The eldest son, Er, died childless. His wife, Tamar, decided when she saw that the third son promised her was not being given to her, she went into the neighborhood and disguised herself as a loose woman.
Judah sees her and invites her to sleep with him. So, she says, in essence, he hasn’t given me the third son. That meant she would remain a widow, and in addition, if caught committing adultery, she could be burned. My! What a choice. She risked it…dressed like a prostitute, Judah came to her for that purpose not knowing it was his daughter-in-law.
She requires of him some royal proof of his position: a ring, his seal, bracelet, and staff which he had left for a pledge. When he finds out there was a prostitute there where he had been, he still doesn’t know it was his daughter-in-law. When he learned about it, he ordered the woman who committed this crime to come forth.
When she came, she presented the evidence that the pledge that she brought was his. Obviously, he was prepared to have her burned, but seeing the evidence, he confessed that they were his and she was more righteous than he.
Judah’s 30 seconds of OOO La La proved to be short-term enjoyment – only 30 seconds! Two sons, Zerah and Pharez, illegitimate sons, were born to Tamar by Judah. In spite of all these circumstances, Judah didn’t allow his life to be totally misguided and took authority over his future.
Next time learn more about overcoming difficulties in light of the ugliness in our lives.
Thanks for reading! Jeanette Grattan Parker is the founder-superintendent of Today’s Fresh Start Charter School, 4514 Crenshaw Boulevard, L.A. 90043, 323-293-9826, www.todaysfreshstart.org, (Ask Dr. Jeanette TM) “Inquiring Minds Want to Know.” All articles are copyright. All rights reserved © Errors? Or Questions? Please let me know. Join Sundays for music and message at 11:30 a.m. by calling (712) 775-8971, code 266751. References: The Holy Bible Genesis 38, Cyclopedia of Biblical Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature. Don’t stop praying and hoping. “Today is another great day to do good and be successful
