“… and may your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, because of the offspring that the Lord will give you by this young woman.” – Ruth 4:12
I have to admit that when I first read this blessing that the witnesses gave Boaz, I wondered to myself, “What kind of blessing is this?” If I remind you of the story of Tamar and Judah (which is found in Genesis 38), it might make you think that this is more likely the words of a curse, than a blessing. Let me explain… The story of Perez’s birth, to Tamar and Judah does have some very important parallels to the story of Ruth and Boaz. Like Ruth, Tamar’s husband died before they could produce an heir. Like Boaz, Judah became the father of a child that would redeem the line. However, that is where the parallels end, and the stories diverge… pretty radically. Where Ruth and Boaz’s relationship is one of honor and purity, Tamar and Judah’s is one of deception and wickedness. You see, Tamar was in a desperate situation, like Ruth, but she did not have a wonderful “Knight in Shining Armor,” like Boaz. She felt like she had to take matters into her own hands in order to produce an heir, so she did the thing that many young widows are forced to do… she became a prostitute, for one day and one man. She disguised herself so that Judah would proposition her and sleep with her. Oh, and did I mention that Judah was Tamar’s Father-in-Law? Yep, that happened. This means that Perez was the product of an incestuous relationship. Now do you understand why I was surprised at this “blessing”?
And yet, to them, this was a blessing. In fact, it was a blessing that someone thought was worth recording in the pages of scripture, so we must dig into it a little more. Or maybe we should at least keep reading a bit. Sure enough, in the last verses of the book of Ruth, we hear that Boaz, and most likely many of the people who were a part of that clan, could trace their ancestry to Perez. They were the product of this wild story of incest. But, and here’s the key, they were not ashamed of it! Instead, they saw the hand of God in the midst of all the depravity and deception. This did not make them ashamed of their forefather, it made them thankful to the God who sustained them despite the sin. If God could bless the offspring of Tamar and Judah, as sinful as they were, how much more could they bless the offspring of this virtuous relationship of Ruth and Boaz?
You see, God will always have his way, even if we don’t want to participate. Tamar and Judah chose to go their own way, and because of it, they will forever be associated with their sin. Ruth and Boaz chose to obediently follow God’s ways, and because of it, they will forever be known for their faithfulness. I don’t know about you, but I want to take the obedience option. As you consider this new year, I pray that you will choose obedience too.
Josh Rose
Family Pastor