Study Of Bible Character Judah
Judah was one of the 12 sons of Jacob. He was the 4th in position deliver of seven children by Leah (the 1st wife ) and his name means Praise because his Mother decided at the time of his birth to focus less on herself and her husband, but more on thanking God for making her a fruitful mother of four boys, while her sister Rachal, the second and favoured wife was still waiting to conceive. Gen 29:35.
Judah is the founder of the tribe so named amongst the sons of Jacob. He was prominent amongst the sons of Jacob, at least he had a chapter (Gen 38,) dedicated to him and some mentions in some other chapters still in Genesis. The only other person given such detailed attention amongst the sons of Jacob was Joseph.
FACTS ABOUT JUDAH’S LIFE
1, He was born in the Paddan Aram (Today’s Syria) while his Father was a serf serving the uncle – Laban. He lived for 119 years and was buried in Judea (Israel)
2. He married Shuah, a Canaanite woman and had 3 sons by her – Er, Onan and Shelah and he also had twin boys (Perez & Zerah) born to him by his daughter in-law Tamar. Making a total of 5 children.
3. Like his father and grandfather, he was into animal husbandry (Keeping flocks). Gen. 37:13, 38:12
4. Judah, though was the overall 4th born amongst the children of Israel, he was unique in in the sense that most times, he acted as the spokesman for his siblings and leader.
5. He was not an upright man. He had character flaws particularly in the area of obedience to the commandment of God. He was jealous of his younger brother – Joseph, was part of the conspiracy to kill him, he suggested the sale of him for profit instead of murder, deceived his father about the whereabout; left his family to marry a Canaanite Woman (went against the commandment not to marry from amongst the heathens).
A man cannot give what he does not have, his character reflected in the upbringing of his children particularly the first two (they had no fear of God). Dealt in double standard – He was willing to keep his promise to a prostitute he didn’t know than to Tamar – his daughter -in law. Making a promise to her he was not planning to fulfilling .
6. Overtime, Judah became a changed man. Between the time of selling Joseph into slavery, deceiving their father and going to Egypt to source for food due to famine he had become a changed man – better character wise. Gen 44:18-34,
QUALITIES OF JUDAH
1. Compassionate, at least he saved his brother – Joseph from been murdered by his siblings, however he was instrumental to his being sold into slavery. Gen 37:25. It was compassion for his father that made him request to be substituted for Benjamin punishment. Gen 44:33:34
2. Faithful to outsiders and not family members. Tends towards double standard. Gen 38:15-18, 26. After his reformation this quality was seen in a greater dimension, Gen 44: 34
3. Outspoken – He acts the spokesman for the group; despite having 3 other older brothers, he always acts as the mouth piece for the group both before their father as well as the authority figure in Egypt (Joseph) Gen 42: 15, 43:3-5, 8-9, 44:18-34,
4. Leadship Role: Judah was born a natural leader amongst his brothers. He always had an advice or counsel at the right time, even if the council was defective. When they (the brothers) conspired to kill Joseph, it was Judah’s advice to sell him instead of commiting murder that saved Joseph.Gen 37: 27.
5. Responsible/ Accountable: When others will not speak up, he always did and he takes responsibility. During the period of famine, when assistant Pharaoh requested to see their youngest brother- a very hard request – Judah was willing to guarantee the safe return of Benjamin to his father, a similar offer had been made by Reuben, but was not accepted by Jacob. He also undertakes to be a substitute for Benjamin when he was going to be detained in Egypt. Strong character, a sample of what Jesus was to for us. Substituted to take the punishment of the sins of thens. Gen 43:9,10; 4416-34.
WEAKNESS/MISTAKES
Murderous Jealousy/Envy. Envied the younger brother to the point of wanting to kill him .
Betrayal: sold him into slavery for profit
Followed the crowd to commit sin.
Deception: deceived his father about the whereabout of his brother.
Married a pagan and encouraged his son to do same.
Craftiness: played smart with Tamar by not fulfilling his promise to her.
Faulty parenting style (His first two sons were evil)
Fornication (Patronized a temple prostitute)
Double standard.
STRENGTHS
Already discussed above.
1. Strong leader
2. Compassionate
3. Takes responsibility
4. Accountability
5. Corrigible/Reformation
Lessons From His Life:
At the beginning or in his youth Judah made some wrong choices that affected him.in life. if we compare him with Joseph who was sold into slavery yet had a balanced view of life, an older Judah fell short of this. In fact, he seemed to deteriorate after the debacle of selling Joseph. He went from bad to worse.
1. 2 Cor 6:14 – “Do not be unequally yoked with an unbeliever“. Judah relocated from his brothers to Canaan where he made friends with a foreigner and eventually married one. Also married for his son among this same stock. The law of God has consequences when broken. The effect is seen if not sooner then later.
2. Prov 22:6 – “Train up a child in the way he should go, when he is old, he will not depart it” . His 1st and 2nd Sons did not show examplary characters. This lead to their death. May God help us not only to provide physically for our children but also spiritually.
3. Prov 19:20 – Listen to counsel and accept discipline, that you may be wise the rest of your days“. Prov 3: 5-6 – He did not bother to seek God and find out why his sons suddenly died. His decision was the wife must have some kind of bad luck.Trustin the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your understanding. Connect to the Holy Spirit for directiion.
4. Eccl 5:5- “It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it” ,He made a vow he was not going to redeem to his daughter in-law. Let your yes be yes and no a no. Keep your word.
5. Exodus 22:22-23 – “Do not take advantage of the widow or the fatherless. 23 If you do and they cry out to me, I will certainly hear their cry”. God cared that Tamar a Canaanite was unfairly treated by Judah. Be kind to widows, orphans, the less privileged. Treat people kindly.
6. Acts 3:19 – “Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out”. God delights in one that repents of their evil ways. Between Gen 37 & 42-44 a lot had happened and Judah had turn over a new leaf. He had become a upright man willing to take a punishment for his brother offence. We should too
7. Proverbs 11:3 – “The integrity of the upright guides them, but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them”. We can also learn integrity from Judah. Maybe that was why the father committed Benjamin to him rather than Reuben. Judah will rather become a slave than break the promise he made to his father about ensuring the safe return of Benjamin.
8. Gen 49:10– “the sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be. Judah got the blessings or prophetic word from from his father on the death bed. His position as the leader continues with his generation and eventually the Savior – Christ came through that linage.
9. Rom 11:33 – “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!”. Sovereignty of God – ensure good came out of the shameful family drama of Judah. His daughter in-law had twin boys by him through trickery. One of them became an ancestor to the Lord Jesus Christ.
10. Ps 115:3 – “Our God sit in heaven and does as he please“. His sees the end of a matter from the beginning. Do not give up on praying for our family and friends that are yet to know the Lord. No man is irredeemable before God.
Finally. If we failed, fall, falter, or have missed it, let’s not stay down or continue to wallow in the dirt, get up as Judah did; ask for mercy and turn around. God is waiting for us to turn to him or return to him. He is still in the business of turning ashes to beauty, making the sinner a saint, changing a Saul to a Paul with kingdom purpose.