Tamar - Her Legacy In Scripture

Tamar - Her Legacy In Scripture

Read Genesis 38:1 – 30 and Matthew 1:3.

1. Onan was supposed to father children through Tamar for his brother Er. This is the same act as that of the “kinsman-redeemer” found in the book of Ruth. The closest of kin was to father a child to carry on the line of the deceased husband. None of the men in Tamar’s life fulfilled their responsibilities to her, including her father-in-law, Judah. Describe what you think Tamar was feeling throughout the course of these events.

2. In that culture, a woman’s whole worth was in bearing sons to carry on the family line. A woman who failed in that was nothing. What makes you feel you’re worth a lot or not much?

3. When you consider what Tamar did in offering herself disguised as a prostitute to her father-in-law, do his words in verse 26 surprise you? Why or why not? Explain what Judah meant by those words.

4. The story of Tamar is tough to digest. There is simply no way to assimilate what she did with our current way of thinking. Yet Matthew makes a point of mentioning her in Christ’s lineage. What do you think God is saying by including her story in the inspired Scriptures and her place in Jesus’ human heritage?

5. How has God worked good out of the bad things that have happened to you or the bad things you’ve done?