Judah – What Have You Done?
Of the 11 brothers of Joseph, it was Judah who came up with the wicked plan to sell him as a slave to passing traders and make a profit (Genesis 37:26-27).
It was Judah who denied his daughter-in-law her right to marry his son, leaving her a childless, bereft widow (Genesis 38:11)
It was Judah who slept with the cult prostitute at the side of the road, not knowing she was his daughter-in-law, and impregnating her (Genesis 38:15-16).
And which of the 12 tribes of Israel did God chose to bring forth his own son, the King of Kings and saviour of the world, Jesus Christ? You guessed it, it was Judah.
Why Judah? Why not Joseph the great prime minister of Egypt, who rescued so many lives from starvation, and accrued great wealth for the Pharoah? Why was this sinful man the one chosen to be in the Messiah’s genealogy?
Jesus’ family line is full of morally questionable people. But something many of them have in common is their repentance.
More striking than Judah’s sins, was how sincerely he went on to repent of them.
When Judah discovered he had been tricked by his daughter-in-law he could have brushed the whole sordid affair under the rug. He could even have had her put to death for getting pregnant outside of marriage, as per the culture at the time. But he didn’t. Instead, he recognised the wrong he had done to her and confessed his sin publicly (Genesis 38:26).
Imagine the shame he must have brought on himself, when he admitted to having relations with her. Despite this, he still confessed.
Later, Judah offered himself as a slave in place of his brother Benjamin, when Benjamin was found with goods that appeared to have been stolen from Joseph (Genesis 44:33).
What complete, sincere repentance. From the brother suggesting Joseph be sold as a slave – to the one offering himself as a slave to save his brother.
Judah repented and turned back to God. And God was faithful to blot out his sins and remember them no more. When we hear the name ‘Judah’ most Christians will think of the great King David, and the greater King Jesus, who both came from the tribe of Judah.
We may not be called to repent quite as publicly as Judah, but all of us are called to repent as sincerely, and to confess our sins to one another. When we do, no matter how dark or sordid our transgressions may have been, our merciful God promises to forgive us, just as Judah was forgiven.
What do you need to confess today?
“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord” (Acts 3:19-20).
Scottish Flapjacks
I should probably confess at the outset that this recipe is not my own but has been borrowed from a family member. It is quite an unusual recipe with no golden syrup or melting involved, however the texture and flavour are just unbeatable...
Ingredients
- 8 oz softened butter unsalted
- 7 oz soft light brown sugar
- 12 oz oats
- 3-4 oz ground walnuts or chopped
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 180/170 fan assisted/gas mark 4.
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Line a rectangular baking tray.
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Cream together the butter and sugar.
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Mix through the oats and nuts.
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Spoon into the tray and press down to level the top.
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Bake for 20-25 minutes until the edges are just starting to brown.
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Leave to cool and cut into squares.
2 Replies to “Judah – What Have You Done?”
Love this recipe. I had it baked for me and indulged in quite a few pieces. 😁