Judah and the Harlot, Part 3

We are still studying Genesis 38, specifically near the end of the passage where the twins have been born and named. It is not only their names, but also their illegitimacy that speaks to us prophetically of another who was born into a family as illegitimate.

But let's take a quick second glance at the scarlet thread, which at first seems of not much importance, but which reminds me of the blood of Jesus (shed on the cross for our sins); it was His taking upon Himself our punishment of death for our sins, that allows us back into intimate relationship with our heavenly Father, with whom, by the way, there has been a "breach" (Pharez) in relationship.

"But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through Him! For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life!" (Romans 5:8-10)

Are you starting to see Jesus in Genesis 38?

Now on to Pharez. The name of Pharez is mentioned elsewhere in the bible; several times actually.

The first mention is at the marriage of Boaz (a descendant of Pharez) and a Gentile woman named Ruth. Here is the blessing that is given at their wedding:

"And let thy house be like the house of Pharez, whom Tamar bare unto Judah, of the seed which the LORD shall give thee of this young woman."

Why would the blessing for this new couple include the name of Pharez, the illegitimate son of Judah, praying that this new family will be similar to that one? One of the Levitical laws seen in Deuteronomy 23:2 is very harsh on illegitimate sons:

"A bastard shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to his tenth generation shall he not enter into the congregation of the LORD."

The tenth generation away from Pharez leads us right to David, the anointed King of Israel; David is the tenth generation from Pharez and is described by God as a man after God's own heart. But David is not allowed to build God's temple; only his son Solomon will be allowed to do that. Interesting? Very, but still, why this blessing for the newlyweds, Boaz and Ruth?

Not much is recorded about the men between Pharez and David except for Boaz, whose story (recorded in the Book of Ruth) relates to us the importance of having a "kinsmen redeemer" ( a subject we will study when we get to the Book of Ruth). Just know for now that our kinsmen redeemer happens to be Jesus Christ…not only for Israel in whom there has been a breach in their relationship with God (and yet to whom the inheritance of the land will be restored); but also for us Gentiles who were not called or chosen by God in the first place as the Jews were, nor did we acknowledge God, yet for whom provision was also made from the foundations of the world.

The last mention of Pharez (aka Phares) is in Luke 3:33 in which the genealogy of Jesus Christ is given, showing Jesus to be a descendant of Pharez; not through His mother Mary's bloodline, but through His "adopted" father Joseph, whose genealogy Jesus can now legally claim as His own, since He is also the legal heir of Joseph, even though He was an illegitimate son of Joseph's marriage to Mary, by virtue of being conceived by the Holy Spirit of God. Let's let Matthew explain it in more detail to us:

Matthew 1:18-25 "This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name of Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins. All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet [Isaiah 7:14]: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel …which means, "God with us." When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave Him the name Jesus."

Going back then to the wedding blessing of Boaz and Ruth, the question then is this: who is "the seed which the LORD shall give thee?"

The answer, of course, is none other than Jesus Christ, the One to whom ALL scripture points.

So, we see that the twins point to Jesus: to our need for Jesus because of the "breach" (Pharez) between us and our heavenly Father; and to the scarlet blood by which that breach is bridged by the death of Jesus Christ for us; and to life everlasting that we who believe in Christ will receive from He who was the "rising of light" (Zarah).

And we see that the birth of illegitimate twin sons, named Pharez and Zarah, points to the birth of the ultimate illegitimate Son, Jesus Christ:

"Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death – even death on a cross! Therefore, God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that JESUS CHRIST IS LORD, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:6-11)

AMEN. Still more to receive from the twins tomorrow.