Tamar's Hope~

The old testament has always been hard for me to grasp. As a child I understood the bible stories of  Adam and Eve, Noah, Moses and Jonah and the whale.  As I got older to read the old testament was like pulling teeth with out nova caine for me.

After so many "begats" I was literally lost.

Lost and frustrated.....

Confused as to who belonged to whom....

Brain overload??

Sheesshhhhh was it ever.... :)

No  matter how many times I would purpose in my mind to start reading from the beginning, I would get lost somewhere in the translation.

My "hope" was to continue to read over and over until all the "begats" made sense to me. No matter how many times I put the old testament down, I picked it back up just as many. My prayers were for God to open my eyes of understanding.

Revelation knowledge please and thank you ~

So how did this come about? Our daddy God knows just how to reach each of  his children. To give them the understanding ( light bulb in the brain) to grasp his words.

I began reading books about all the women in the bible. He, in his infinite wisdom, placed the tools I needed to understand. So as my journey began , I noticed whom ever I  was reading about in my latest book, would be exactly where I was in my old testament reading!!!

My "hope" of understanding was restored~

Praise Jesus  :)   happy dance~

Tamar the daughter in law of Judah had an amazing hope. She was given to Er, Judah's son in marriage. She knew he was a vile man and truly did not want to marry him. After his death left her childless, she was given to his brother Onan with the hope of producing the much wanted heir for the tribe of Judah. However once again she was left childless after his death.

Judah himself  had married out of his clan and allowed his Canaanite wife to have full reign over the up bringing of their sons. His wife refused for their third and last son to be given  to Tamar in marriage. Judah too was afraid his only remaining son would too die if married to Tamar.

Judah not trusting in God and allowing his Canaanite wife to "rule the roost" per say, he sent Tamar back to her father's house, widowed and childless. She knew the disgrace this would cause her father and his household.

I can hear her pleas , begging Judah, to not allow this injustice and to give her hand in marriage to his third son. Judah promised he would send for her once his son became of mature age for marriage.

But he didn't keep his promise......

She is sent back to her father's house a two time widow and no children......

She stands on the " hope" that Judah will full fill his promise...

She stands on his word that she will be sent for..

Years pass and she waits to be sent for, she still holds on to "Hope"....


How many times in life have we all held on to hope?

Hope for healing....

Hope for restoration....

Hope for prosperity....

Hope for discernment....

Just as Tamar held on to hope that she would full fill her duty as a wife and produce an heir for Judah's house, we too must hold on to hope. God saw his daughter and the injustice that was done to her.

Her first husband, Er, died leaving her childless.  Once given to his brother Onan, out of his selfishness, he denied her a child therefore misused her. Judah then denies her right for marriage and children when he sends his son Shelah away and sends Tamar back to her father's house. He forces her into widowhood as she would not be able to marry another.

The hope she maintained is amazing to me. She continued to hold tight that she would not die a childless  widow. She continued to be loyal to the house of Judah in spite of the injustices that were done to her.

In the end Tamar tricks Judah by having him believe she is a harlot and conceives through her father in law. She is blessed with two sons. She proves to be more righteous than Judah.

Genesis 38:26

New International Version (NIV)

 ²⁶ Judah recognized them and said, “She is more righteous than I, since I wouldn’t give her to my son Shelah.” And he did not sleep with her again

I want my hope to be as strong as Tamar's. When the world throws injustices my way, I too want to be able to stand with out wavier. For all that she went through, the deaths, the jeers behind her back, the rejection time and time again........She had HOPE!!!

I want Tamar's hope in all areas of my life. Regardless how small or big my request may be, I want my hope to as big as hers was.

For whatever you may be going through today, if the situation seems hopeless, remember our daddy God does not always work things out the way we want them to. He brings us through and out of situations according to his purpose and plan.

I encourage you all to hang on  to  hope.   Don't allow circumstances to blind side you where you miss what God is doing on your behalf.

Have Hope......

Tamar's Hope~

Much love,
Stacey