Twisted Lineage

Then Judah said to Tamar, his daughter-in-law, “Go back to your parents’ home and remain a widow until my son Shelah is old enough to marry you.” (But Judah didn’t really intend to do this because he was afraid Shelah would also die, like his two brothers.) So Tamar went back to live in her father’s home. [Genesis 38.11]

Was Judah superstitious about Tamar? The Bible says Er and Onan were both wicked - wouldn't Judah have at least recognized that a little?

I am wondering if Tamar had some tendency to bring out the worst in her men? It is entirely possible.

Tamar's name stems from the Hebrew word for "palm tree." Another definition includes "free market" in the definition. 

Two women in the Bible were noted to have carried the name Tamar. Today's OYCB reading involves the first. The second Tamar of the Bible was Absalom's sister. Both Tamars were involved in questionable sexual encounters. The first Tamar disguised herself as a prostitute to become pregnant by her father-in-law Judah. The second Tamar was raped by her half-brother Amnon.

So, back to the first Tamar... Is it possible that she could have somehow been attributed by Judah as the reason (or inspiration) for his first two sons' wickedness? I would not even wonder this if Judah had not purposefully kept his third son Shelah from her.

Regardless, Jesus the Messiah was traced through the lineage trail blazed by this sexually deviant circumstance. The pregnancy caused by Tamar having sex with her father-in-law Judah yielded twin boys, one of which was Perez. It would be through Perez' lineage that King David would eventually enter history. David's lineage was in direct line pointing to the Messiah, Jesus.

Why would God allow such a twisted lineage to point to Messiah?

The answer is simple: if there was a perfect lineage to point to Jesus, there would have been no need for Jesus!

Father, I realize that humanity is sick and twisted. I realize that Jesus was, is, and always will be needed. Thank You for Jesus!