The Four Tricia Robinson Art, Used with her written permission With our deepest gratitude!
Where it all began
Matthew, a tax collector and outcast is called by Jesus to, “Follow Me.” Matthew is singled out by Jesus because he pays attention to detail. This is vitally important as Matthew, a Hebrew writes to his fellow Jews to prove Jesus of Nazareth is indeed the long-awaited Messiah. As an Israelite, he writes in a way that only Jewish people can understand for it is based on the Torah.
Matthew begins the story of Jesus with His descending order genealogy, beginning with Abraham, the Father of the Jewish nation. He traces this lineage of the Promised One from Judah, grandson of Abraham to King David, and then on to Joseph, the husband of Mary, the Mother of our Lord. “As a descendent of Abraham, Jesus fulfills the covenantal promise, that Abraham would be a blessing to all the families of the earth. As a descendant of David, Jesus fulfills the promise of God to David for a forever successor to his throne in Israel.”
The Grandmothers of Jesus
What is most startling is Matthew breaks with the tradition of naming only the names of fathers and sons, and includes the names of five women. Four are great-grandmothers of the Messiah and one is Mary, the virgin mother. Why? Let’s come back to “Why?” later.
Biblical references: Matthew 1:1-17; Genesis 12:3; I Kings 2:4; II Samuel 7:12-16
Prayer
LORD God in Heaven, Father of Abraham, Issac, Jacob, and Jesus, King of the Universe,
Descend on every reader with the fire seen hovering over the Tabernacle by night. Open our eyes to see Your mercy and grace; magnify Your voice to speak through Your servants; and Father, reveal to our understanding how You use very ordinary women for Your extraordinary purposes. Reveal how we too are a part of the Grand Scheme of Redemption. Help us to trust You when Your ways do not make sense.
We will be faithful Father, to give all the Honor, Glory, Praise, and Thanks to You alone.
In the Matchless name of Jesus our Messiah,
Amen.
Grandmother #1
Ta’mar
It is time to meet the Savior’s oldest Grandmother mentioned by Matthew. She is called by some “The Harlot by the Side of the Road.” How is this for a skeleton in the family closet?
We will let each Grandmother tell you her own story.
Biblical references: Genesis 38:1-30; Genesis 49:8-12; background of Jacob Genesis chapters 39-48; Deuteronomy 25:5-10
“I am not exactly sure why I have been invited here. I certainly had no idea what was going on while my life was unfolding. In fact, my life was miserable. Now, I’m told I was instrumental in God’s plan.”
My name is Ta’mar. It means date palm which is a type of tree. Do parents even think when they are naming a child? Do they just look outside and the first thing they see is what a kid gets named? Or do they just throw dice with letters on them and whatever letters are face up they put together? Don’t they know a name is important?? It’s the only thing you really possess.
I am from the land of Canaan. My father and Judah, fourth son of Jacob, grandson of Issac, and great-grandson of Abraham, decided for me that I should marry Judah’s oldest son Er. No one asked my thoughts on this arrangement. I would like to believe no one bothered to tell my father how downright evil Er was, but the truth is the dowry was probably so enticing no one really cared if I would be happy or not. Women had no say.
Levirate Marriage
I was lucky. Er died early in our marriage. The abominable levirate marriage system in place at this time in history, allowed me to be pawned off on the next son so he could father a son on his brother’s behalf. I am sure it was meant to provide and protect but it most assuredly did not. Women were just property. Our feelings and how we are treated were of no consequence. So, I was passed to my brother-in-law, Onan, who rather than do his duty to his brother as a surrogate and ensure my place in the family by giving me a child, did what the law expressly commanded him not to do. His actions ensured I never became pregnant. Then, Onan died. Thank goodness and good riddance.
Twice Widowed
No, I didn’t grieve for Er or Onan. They were unkind at best and cruel most of the time. My future, however, was in jeopardy. You see, their youngest brother Shelah was too young to marry and all of the property meant to belong to Er and Onan now had no heir. Women had no rights of ownership.
Judah, my father-in-law, and his wife Shuah decided I needed to return to my father’s house to await Shelah coming of age. Superstition branded me as a “lethal woman,” because my husband had both died. I was not released to remarry and Judah did not take advantage of levirate laws which would allow him to father children on his sons’ behalf. If my father died I would be both a widow and an orphan. This would ensure my complete destitution in this land.
I was in limbo: My future was precarious. Then, I heard the news. Shuah, the wife of Judah, had died. Still, Judah did not call for me as custom allowed him to secure his fortune through heirs.
The gossip kept me informed of the happenings of this strange family. Twelve brothers with some major jealousy issues. All vying for the affection of the old man, Jacob, who was still in control of the clan.
Taking My Future into My Own Hands
Judah was rumored to be coming to Tim’-nath (my childhood home) to party with his friends. His way of easing “grief.” So, knowing his bents and habits, I devised a plan to get him to do his duty without even knowing it. Call it sneaky if you want to but I was desperate. I learned to play the game! I would take control of my own destiny.
I took off those awful widow weeds I had been wearing for over a decade and I put on my best clothes and added a veil so I would not be recognized. Yes, this is what some of the harlots did to protect their identity. I was after only one man in particular.
It worked. As I sat just outside Tim’nath, old Judah came by and accosted me. He offered me payment for my services. The old fool thought I would be satisfied with the promise of a lamb. Are you kidding me?? I countered. He agreed. I took possession of his signet, his cord, and his staff as security! These items are unique and personal. Easily recognizable and highly valued. He would want these back!
So the exchange (that’s a nice way of putting it) was transacted and he went on his merry way. I returned to my father’s house asp Ta’mar the widow. Judah sent the lamb but I was nowhere to be found and no one had any idea who he was describing. He described me as “the harlot by the side of the road.” Nice! The Abrahamic family was supposedly committed to YAHweh and he is looking for a Temple of Enaim woman?
Judah doesn’t keep asking and looking. He was cautious with his reputation. But I am pregnant and happy to be so! I did not try to hide it. The wagging tongues again made sure word got to Judah, and I was accused of being “unchaste.” Judah had me drug from my father’s house to his to be shamed and punished. That is when I pulled out the evidence I had been holding: Judah’s ring, cord, and staff. Some leader, huh?
Redeemed
I must hand it to him, he owned it. He even made this shocking statement: “She’s in the right; I’m in the wrong–I wouldn’t let her marry my son Shelah.” And he never touched me again! I lived in his house, ate his food, and raised his twins, Pharez, the first born and Zerah, who surprised us by reaching his hand out like he was coming first only to draw his hand back. I had replaced his two lost sons with two sons: I was finally respected and able to live in peace.
I was there when Jacob now called Israel prophesied over his twelve sons on his deathbed after moving us all to Egypt because of a famine. I heard that from the offspring of Judah would come kings for all Israel forever! He said, “Judah, your brothers will praise you: Your fingers on your enemies’ throat, while your brothers honor you. You’re a lion’s cub, Judah, home fresh from the kill, my son. Look at him, crouched like a lion, king of beasts; who dares mess with him? The scepter shall not leave Judah; he’ll keep a firm grip on the command staff until the ultimate ruler comes and the nations obey him.” I honestly did not understand all he said about Judah and our sons, but I knew I was the mother of kings who would rule and reign over the nation!
The Promise I Could Not See
We know this side of history that I am the too-many-greats-to-count grandmother of Yeshua, the Promised One. Who would have thought Yahweh would use a twice widowed, “harlot by the side of the road” in His Grand Scheme of Redemption? A Canaanite girl, now the mother to a tribe of kings. I wonder……. How will He use you? You see it is not what you have done or what’s been done to you. It is not who you know. What matters is WHO knows you! God is always working for your good and His glory. Don’t forget this!”
This year, as we celebrate Nativity and its place in history, remember He came to set His people free and this matters!! (Words paraphrased from the song, He’s Everything to Me)
We are a people who serve a God Who Sees! Ta’mar never knew just how important she was to God! She only knew she would become the mother of kings. Not too shabby for a “harlot by the side of the road.” Our God is the author of unimaginable outcomes from our broken lives. She believed what she could not see! This is faith.
God Who Sees by Nicole Mullins
