II Kings 19:30 A remnant of the family of Judah yet again will sink down roots and raise up fruit.
It’s good to think about Judah, one of the sons of Jacob (later called Israel) – his mum was Leah, he was a middle child. He was a half-brother to Joseph, whose mum was Rachel, Jacob’s favourite wife.
One of the first times we meet Judah is at the start of the story of Joseph, in Genesis 37:26-27 (Message) – Judah said, “Brothers, what are we going to get out of killing our brother and concealing the evidence? Let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites, but let’s not kill him – he is, after all, our brother, our own flesh and blood.” His brothers agreed.
Here we see Judah willing to sell his brother, his father’s favourite son into slavery.
Let’s fast forwards to Gen 44:33-34 (Message) – [Judah is speaking] “So let me stay here as your slave, not this boy. Let the boy go back to his brothers. How can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? Oh, don’t make me go back to watch my father die in grief!”.
Judah now is willing to become a slave for the rest of his life to protect his brother and his father.
What has happened –” the between times” – well you see in the middle of these two stories is the story of Judah and Tamar. (Genesis 38). Judah has a moment of revelation about himself, and we see the fruit of this a few chapter’s later.
Judah does not honour his word to Tamar about giving his son to be her husband, and she tricks him into sleeping with her. Then when he hears that she is pregnant, calls for her to face the full punishment of the law, and be killed. She reveals to him that it was he Judah who has slept with her (he thought she was a prostitute). He has a moment of self-evaluation, and declares this Genesis 38:26 (Message) ……………He said “She’s in the right; I’m in the wrong – I wouldn’t let her marry my son Shelah.”…….
Sometimes in the middle of the hardest, toughest seasons of our life God shows us something about ourselves that takes us to our knees, and not only are we never the same, but we are radically changed for the better.
Jerusalem, just like Judah, was transitioning through a tough season, and it looked desperate when only the circumstances were considered. But God.
But God already had a plan for Hs people, to bless, to provide, to lead into safety and to deliver.
There are seasons in life that are not good to go through, but are so good to have gone through.
Today allow God to speak to you up close and personal, to bring you through the challenges you are in right now, ready and equipped – internally purified, prepared for the next season in your life.
Principle of Change 71 – in the tough moments of life, ask our self what is God surfacing in my heart?
Strength – Adaptability – there is a in-built willingness to adjust quickly and fully to significant changes.