In the heart of everyone, is the inner assurance that every wrong or evil act shall have a certain consequence. Notwithstanding, we continually plan, plot, and execute evil with reckless abandon, expecting to get away with impunity.
Yet, there is divine justice awaiting each and every action of ours, if we like it or yes. One of the greatest, yet overlooked evils of our day, is deception and dishonesty.
Judah, one of the 12 sons of Jacob, had 3 sons. He married for the 1st son (Er), who was killed by God for his wickedness (Gen. 38). By convention, the 2nd son, Onan, was asked to marry Tamar and raise kids for his dead brother, Er. Onan agreed to marry Tamar but secretly decided to just keep her without giving her a child. Meaning, for the rest of her life, she will only satisfy the lust of Onan, but will never have a child.
Onan, therefore, slept with Tamar but spilled his semen on the ground. This great deception and wickedness were summarily punished by God, and Onan was slain. A deeper reflection of this story in Genesis 38 sends shivers through my spine. For how many of us shall stand the test of honesty? How many of us have not deceived someone intentionally? Who shall stand perfect, before a Holy God? We must be surely thankful that God has not killed us like Onan.
After the death of Onan, Judah had to give his last son to Tamar as a husband, but he also decided to deceive her. Why, because he feared that his last born shall also die. Hence, although Shelah was of age, Tamar remained a childless widow. However, God, who sees all things, judged Judah and replenished Tamar.
Judah also lost his wife and became a widower like Tamar. He then began to also lust for a companion. However, unlike Tamar, Judah couldn’t stay chaste. Therefore, he decided to get a prostitute to satisfy his lust. Unbeknownst to him, the harlot he slept with was the same woman he was keeping in perpetual widowhood with no children.
It is interesting how we ever fail to do unto others as we would want them to do unto us. Had Judah given Shelah to Tamar, what evil would he have avoided. Yet, his deception came back to eat him up, and he gave birth with his own daughter in-law. He forgot that Tamar was also human like him, and needed a companion to satisfy her carnal desires. He was free to take a harlot, but Tamar had no such choice without being burnt alive.
Yet, in all these, we see the justice and wisdom of divine mercy. Although Judah lost two evil sons, God replaced them with twins through Tamar, through whom Christ descended. Judah feared giving Shelah to Tamar, that he loses him not also, yet God would have replaced his loss had he believed.
Have you deceived or cheated someone, then be like Zacchaeus and replace it. Beware of dishonesty, for you shall surely pay for it.
On this Sabbath, may we seek to do right, and avoid deception and all forms of dishonesty. For God is able to replace our loss.
