Undeserved grace

……….Continued from last week
WITH my 21st century Christian grooming, given an opportunity to select the lineage of Jesus, neither Tamar, Rahab nor Ruth would have made the grade. A study of the three women will assist us appreciate the depth of the grace of God toward them. We are introduced to Tamar in Genesis 38: 13— And it was told Tamar, saying, behold your father–in–law goes up to Timnah to shear his sheep. And she put off her widow clothes and covered herself with a veil, and wrapped herself. And she sat in an open place, which is by the way to Timnah. For she saw that Shelah was grown and she was not given to him as wife. When Judah saw her, he thought she was a harlot, because she had covered her face. And he turned aside to her by the wayside, and said, come now, let me come in to you. For he did not know that she was his daughter–in–law. And she said, what will you give me, so that you may come into me? And he said, what pledge shall l give you? And she said, your signet, and your bracelet and your staff that is in your hand. And he gave her, and came into her, and she conceived by him. Vs 25– 26 (a) When she was brought forth she sent her father–in–law, saying, I am with child by the man whose things these are. And she said, please observe whose things are these, the signet, and bracelet and staff. And Judah acknowledged them . . ..

Tamar was the widow of Judah’s oldest son Er. After his death she was given to his younger brother Onan who died as a result of God’s judgment. He defiantly refused to father a child with her in lieu of his older brother Er. Finally, with one son left (Shelah) Judah made a rash promise that Tamar would also marry Shelah when he came of age. Judah failed to honour his promise raising the ire of Tamar who decided to exact the revenge to her father-in-law by deceitfully playing the harlot with him. As a result she bore twins Pharez and Zarar by Judah.

Pharez is named in the lineage of Jesus. In addition Jesus is called the “Lion of the tribe of Judah”. Fast forward to the 21st century church, I can imagine the gossip in the church pews and backbiting on mobile phones of brethren as the story of Tamar’s harlotry is circulated. Bishops, Apostles, prophets and pastors debating in their fraternals about how this young lady could not be deserving of mention in the lineage of Jesus. How could a deceitful woman who played the harlot with her father-in-law be named in the lineage of Jesus Christ? She can . . . through grace . . . charis.

Rahab — Who was she? Joshua 2: 1 And Joshua the son of Nun sent out two men to spy out secretly, saying, go look over the land, even Jericho. And they went and came to the house of a harlot named Rahab. And they stayed there. Vs 18–19 Behold, when you come into the land, you shall set this line of scarlet thread in the window from which you let us down. And you shall bring your father and your mother, and your brothers, and all your father’s household, home to you. And it shall be whoever shall go out of the doors of your house, his blood shall be on his head, and we will be blameless. And whoever shall be with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head if a hand is on his.

This is scandalous, another harlot in the lineage of Christ. Yes, as incredulous as this might be Rahab the harlot was selected by God to accommodate the Hebrew spies when they came into Jericho. Despite a life of harlotry God extended charis, grace to her. She was not the sole beneficiary of this grace, her whole family benefited too.

When the rest of Jericho was destroyed she and her father’s household were saved. She bore Boaz, the grandfather of Jesse who fathered King David. She was King David’s great grandmother. Grace — reaches down to the most unlikely, undeserving individuals, not by works lest any man should boast.

David’s great grandmother was a renowned harlot and his grandmother a Moabite, widow.

When God wishes to make a point He does it with great panache. He adds to the two harlots a woman of dubious pedigree, descended of an incestuous union.

Enter Ruth the Moabite, from a people who were despised and prejudiced by the Jews.

Gen 19: 36–37 So both the daughters of Lot were with child by their father. And the firstborn bore a son, and called his name Moab. He is the father of Moabites to this day.

Ruth 1: 4 And they took wives for themselves from the women of Moab. The name of one was Orpah, and the other Ruth. And they lived there about ten years.

Here was a young lady born of Moab — a people despised by the Jews because of the incestuous relationship through which her ancestor Moab was born. Yet through grace — charis God reaches out to one who is undeserving and distant, far removed from the favour of the household of Israel yet God draws her close because of grace. She marries Boaz the father of Obed and she becomes the grandmother of the great king David.

Characteristics of grace

• It acts like a spotlight — When the grace of God is upon you, you cannot be ignored. No matter how much people try to minimise you. Ruth 2:5-6 Ruth stood out like a beacon in the field amongst the reapers. She was so conspicuous that Boaz inquired of who she was.
• Grace attracts favour — the quickest way to enjoy favour is to bask in the grace of God.
• Ruth 2: 8–9,14. Boaz gave instructions that she be protected and given food provisions. She was invited to sit at his table and share food from his hand and dishes.

From being the despised Moabite, widow and gleaner, grace lifted her up. From gleaner to reaper, a disrespected, despised her shame was removed. From eking out an existence as a gleaner, eating the remnants of the harvest, grain was to be left for her in the field. From lack to abundance, her hunger was satisfied, she fed at master Boaz table. She ate directly from his hand as he passed the roasted grain to her.

This is the grace — charis of God. God reaches out to the least unlikely, undeserving individuals extends His love and mercy, favour. If the lineage of Jesus Christ is to be used as a yard stick, there is hope for all us. There is room at the cross of Jesus Christ for us all, rich and poor, great or small, the outcasts and those who feel they least deserve His grace belong at the foot of the cross too.

Amazing grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me . . . not by works lest any man should boast. The church needs to introspect and analyse whether the modern gospel is still the gospel of grace that embraces all. Is free, no cost, no strings attached, where there is no pressure to earn it? When the visitor comes in among us are they confronted by the grace/charis of God or is the price too high?