Judah / Yehudah ... worthy to celebrate?

[Shmanu YAH]

shalom alychem, "ALL praises and glory to the most high YHWH !". I pray the best for each and everyone and your household.

It was on my mind to share some thoughts and scriptural understandings that have a place in our lives till this day. I was reading again in b'reshyth / Genesis chapter 38, (the chpt. after Yoseph got sold by his brothers, and they deceived their father) When the 4th son of Israel who was named Judah / Yehudah left his other brothers, probably for their wickedness and went elsewhere - as we see in 38:1-2, 1 And it came to pass at that time, that Judah went down from his brethren, and turned in to a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah. 2 And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite, whose name was Shuah; and he took her, and went in unto her. I'm not sure what it was about the Canaanites our people just couldn't stay away from, anyway Judah (whos name means praise/celebrate) just had to have this woman Shuwa to start his famiy with.

In verses 3-5 we read: 3 And she conceived, and bare a son; and he called his name Er. 4 And she conceived again, and bare a son; and she called his name Onan. 5 And she yet again conceived, and bare a son; and called his name Shelah ..... seems like Judah just wanted to get away from his siblings and do his own thing, not saying he was self-righteous because he did play a part in their deceptions but he certainly didn't want to continue like them. Judah tried to start his lineage devoid of wickedness but we read in 38:6-10, 6 And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, whose name was Tamar. 7 And Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the Almighty; and the Almighty slew him. 8 And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother’s wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother. 9 And Onan knew that the seed should not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in unto his brother’s wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest that he should give seed to his brother. 10 And the thing which he did displeased the Almighty: wherefore he slew him also. we see he even handpicked a isha for his son by the name of "Tamar" a name meaning "palm tree", if you can understand the meaning you would understand that type of tree stands tall but has NO branches just long leaves and not all palm trees can even bear fruit.

Judah's oldest two sons obviously had some issues with righteousness and obedience to the point that the Most High had to slew them both. We now start to wonder if Judah thought he could get away from his past by running off and starting his own family with some Canaanite but we see "what you sew, you will reap"- as he had a hand in treachery against his brother and deceit to his father, he received tragic recompense. As we continue on we find Judah promised Tamar his last son if she would wait 38:11, 11 Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter in law, Remain a widow at thy father’s house, till Shelah my son be grown: for he said, Lest peradventure he die also, as his brethren did. And Tamar went and dwelt in her father’s house.

I guess it's true, "a promise is no better than the person that makes it" because we then see he went to handle his financial business and leaves her in waiting 38:12-13, 12 And in process of time the daughter of Shuah, Judah’s wife died; and Judah was comforted, and went up unto his sheepshearers to Timnath, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite. 13 And it was told Tamar, saying, Behold thy father in law goeth up to Timnath to shear his sheep, now this doesn't seem like a big deal to you or me, but remember... we aint the ones waiting for years and dealing with his broken promise!

It was brought to her attention she was being overlooked (cant do that to a woman! ) and it shows her swing into action vs. 14-15, 14 And she put her widow’s garments off from her, and covered her with a vail, and wrapped herself, and sat in an open place, which is by the way to Timnath; for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given unto him to wife. 15 When Judah saw her, he thought her to be an harlot; because she had covered her face. now this is plainly a vengeful set-up from a woman that was asked to remain chase/celibate from a man who proved himself to be a whoremonger! ( Is Judah still a whoremonger today?) Anyway we read in vs. 16-18, 16 And he turned unto her by the way, and said, Go to, I pray thee, let me come in unto thee; (for he knew not that she was his daughter in law.) And she said, What wilt thou give me, that thou mayest come in unto me? 17 And he said, I will send thee a kid from the flock. And she said, Wilt thou give me a pledge, till thou send it? 18 And he said, What pledge shall I give thee? And she said, Thy signet, and thy cords, and thy staff that is in thine hand. And he gave it her, and came in unto her, and she conceived by him.

I know I'm not the only one that wondered why he turned by the way and not stayed straight and focused on his business? ... You mean all it takes for us to stray is to see whats perceived as a harlot and we completely break focus? Then we read he is willing to give up his signet ring - the very ring identifing him as the 4th son of Yisreal, his cords or belts - that he used to hold his gaments together and also his staff - thats used to tread the ground, used to stave off wild animals and also used to check water depths, etc ... all for his carnal lust. He finds later he may not be able retrive his personal items which makes us wonder how much are we willing to give up for our lust? But as we continue this out we see in vs. 24-26, 24 And it came to pass about three months after, that it was told Judah, saying, Tamar thy daughter in law hath played the harlot; and also, behold, she is with child by whoredom. And Judah said, Bring her forth, and let her be burnt. 25 When she was brought forth, she sent to her father in law, saying, By the man, whose these are, am I with child: and she said, Discern, I pray thee, whose are these, the signet, and bracelets, and staff. 26 And Judah acknowledged them, and said, She hath been more righteous than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah my son. And he knew her again no more.

This is particularly interesting to me because I noticed after he knew what he had done how judgemental and condemming he still was willing to be! ... Is this us today? Finally he was forced to admit that his daughter-in-law he was making stay celibate (even though she played the harlot role) was MORE righteous than himself - The WHOREMONGER. Do we today have this same problem of making people wait on our decisions and try to force them into cleanliness while we ourselves stray off our paths and turn to whoredoms? As it wraps up we read vs. 27-29, 27 And it came to pass in the time of her travail, that, behold, twins were in her womb. 28 And it came to pass, when she travailed, that the one put out his hand: and the midwife took and bound upon his hand a scarlet thread, saying, This came out first, 29 And it came to pass, as he drew back his hand, that, behold, his brother came out: and she said, How hast thou broken forth?..... now not only did Judah sire one child from his daughter-in-law but twins and to make things even more strange, the past event of his father's birth as Jacob struggled with Esau inside Ribqah seemed to re-introduce itself with the struggling and switching around of Judah and Tamar's two sons.

Now lets draw the parrallels between Judah and us: Are we willing to join in with our brethren to do wickedness against another brother?, Are we willing to try to deceive our father?, Are we willing to run away from our past actions?, Are we quick to have a new future with the past still haunting us?, Do we think it's ok to have a family with anybody we want even if it's with physical or spiritual Canaanites?, Is it ok for us to break or delay promises?, When it's time for us to be about business is it ok to break focus because of our lust?, What are we willing to give up to pay for our lust ... our own signet or identity?, Are we still quick to condemn and judge others when our unrighteousness exceeds theirs?, .... selah.

If the name Yehudah or Judah also means "celebrate" than we need to learn from this a live a righteous life that is worthy of celebrating,

YHWH bless and shalom.