I had pondered why Jesus was born in the line of Judah instead of that of Jacob’s firstborn, Reuben, as might have been expected based on the Jews’ emphasis on the firstborn’s rights. On the surface of it I didn’t see the rationale. I knew in my spirit that the answer was in the Word and I said to myself I’d ask God to show me. I’ve been part of a Bible study using Jessica Lagrone’s study of families in Genesis, Broken and Blessed. As we studied the life and family relationships of Joseph, 11th son of Jacob, the role of his brothers in God’s plan for Joseph became clear! Judah was the brother who proposed a plan for saving Joseph by selling him to the Ishmaelite caravan instead of killing him or leaving him in a dry cistern to die as the other jealous brothers had plotted. Then, years later when they were under the scrutiny and authority of their unrecognized brother Joseph, who had risen to leadership in Egypt, it was Judah, with a self-sacrificing nature, who pleaded with Joseph to allow him to take Benjamin’s place as Joseph’s slave when Joseph sought to coerce them to bring Jacob to Egypt by leaving Benjamin behind. Judah loved Benjamin and had promised Jacob that the beloved Benjamin,second son of Rachel (after Joseph), would be returned to him. He could not face disappointing and grieving his father or risking harm to Benjamin. Twice Judah showed his commitment to family relationships and stepped out to provide protection for members of his family. It was Judah’s sacrificial nature that won for him the blessing of becoming the line through which the Messiah would come. Additionally, Joseph was honored, too, as Jacob gave blessings over Joseph’s sons as well as all of his other sons and made Ephraim and Manasseh his own heirs, too, even though they had an Egyptian mother. Since Jacob had seen the problem with one giving a father’s blessing to only one child, he came to recognize that God’s blessings are bountiful and extend to all of one’s heirs! So many rich lessons in the Bible show us God’s redeeming work in the lives of individuals and families and God setting the stage for the ultimate redemption for the entire family of God in the life and atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ! God always considers the heart and character FIRST, not the position or outward appearance of a person in choosing whom he will use. Thank you Lord for the “Judahs” in families willing to give of themselves for protection and preservation of family members’ relationships…….
