Following the Scarlet Thread

Following that "scarlet thread" mentioned in Genesis 38 just a bit longer, I hope that you are able to see that if some time is spent in the Word, not just doing a quick daily reading to satisfy our fleshly sense of righteousness by works, but in order to receive ALL that the Holy Spirit is willing to reveal to us, there is so much depth to the richness of His Word. It is incomprehensible to me just how deep those riches will go if we are only willing to dig for them, or rather, wait for them, as we meditate upon God's Word. If we are only willing to spend the time in His Word that His Word is worthy of, I believe there is no bottom to be reached; for the owner of this particular mine full of rich deposits of gold, also owns the entire universe! His Word is such an amazing thing that only an amazing God such as He could inspire it and then preserve it for us to partake of. There is a pastor and biblical teacher by the name of Greg Laurie who puts it best in this way:

"While the world's greatest wealth lies within reach, it remains untouched by most."

The "most" he speaks of are those who are so busy chasing after worldly riches, that they will most likely miss out on the true wealth that could make their lives now and in the hereafter more abundant than they can imagine…that wealth lies right at their fingertips in the form of the Word of God: the Bible. The book that often remains unopened on their bookshelf, if it is even brought into their homes in the first place.

But, regarding the birth of the twins born to Tamar and Judah, I believe there is some significance to the fact that the hand of the second-born emerges and then is hidden back in the womb again before the first-born is actually born! And I believe it has something to do with what Paul speaks about in this passage of Romans:

"For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness, reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ. Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men." (Romans 5:17-18)

Paul is talking here about two different men, the first man is Adam, the second is Jesus Christ.

I believe Pharez (the breach) is symbolic of Adam; the man who was formed by God, placed on the earth to keep it under his dominion, and who enjoyed the privilege and blessing of walking with God daily in the Garden of Eden. Until he sinned. At which point sin created a chasm (a breach) between man and God. Thus through one man, sin entered into the world, condemning all men.

But Zarah (the rising light) is symbolic of Jesus Christ; not just because of the name, but because there is significance to Zarah's hand emerging first, as though to show that he has pre-eminence over the first-born. Just as Jesus Christ has pre-eminence over Adam, even though in earthly terms, Jesus was born AFTER Adam.

This goes back to that mystery of a pre-incarnate Jesus Christ; to that truth of God's Word that tells us:

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made. In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it." (John 1:1-5)

Jesus was WITH God at cration and IS God…God has no beginning and no end…therefore Jesus had no beginning and no end…and yet He was born as a human in order to save us. It was pre-ordained by God that Jesus would be the plan He would use to save all mankind, IF they would receive Him as their Savior and Lord.

So it was Jesus, the one who was born after Adam, but who had pre-eminence before Adam, who through His righteousness and obedience to God, reconciled US to God; as had been planned from the foundations of the world. "Before they call I will answer." (Isaiah 65:24)
Long before we recognized we needed a Savior, God had our salvation already ordained and worked out.

When Zarah's hand emerges from the womb, though not even born yet, we have a striking prophetic picture, I believe, of Jesus, not yet born as man, but alive (WITH the Father and OF the Father) in the eternity before His birth takes place on earth; pre-eminent Savior and Lord of us all, if we will but take Him to us as the gift our Father God intended Him to be for us.

The scarlet thread placed around this unborn baby's wrist is symbolic of the future binding of the hands of Jesus Christ as He is imprisoned and tortured, just prior to having those same hands pierced by nails that held him to the cross. The scarlet color of the thread is symbolic of the blood that pours from His many stripes and His nail-pierced hands and feet as He willingly gives His life for us, taking the punishment of our own sins upon Himself, even though He is the only One born without sin, in order to preserve us from eternal punishment that our sins of turning against and away from our God, our Creator, so well deserve.

What great love is this that can do such a thing for the object of that great love? The object of His great love being: US – whether we are Jew or Gentile. Do you receive that kindness from God, that gift of His Son, Jesus Christ, by which your sins are forgiven if you will only believe?

Paul tells us that the kindness of God leads us toward repentance, unless we have stubborn hearts…do not be as the Romans whom Paul had to be blunt with in order to get them to see what their stubbornness held for their future:

"Or do you show contempt for the riches of His kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance? But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God's wrath, when His righteous judgment will be revealed. God will give to each person according to what he has done. To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, He will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For God does not show favoritism." (Romans 2:4-11)

This wrath of God will be experienced ONLY by those who reject the truth: Jesus Christ. But to those who will receive that risen light, that truth of God that is Jesus Christ, there is life everlasting! It is a simple choice.