He suggested selling his brother into slavery. He slept with his own daughter-in-law, thinking she was a prostitute. And from his bloodline, the Messiah was born.
In this episode, I tell the story of Judah — the fourth son of Jacob and Leah, the man whose name means "praise," and the tribe through which Jesus Christ entered human history. Judah's life is a rollercoaster of failure and redemption. He convinced his brothers to sell Joseph to Ishmaelite traders. Years later, his two eldest sons died for their wickedness. He promised his daughter-in-law Tamar that his third son would marry her — then broke his promise. So Tamar disguised herself as a prostitute, seduced Judah, and became pregnant with twins. When Judah discovered the truth, he declared, "She is more righteous than I." From that union came Perez, then Hezron, then David, then Joseph, then Jesus. Based on scripture, Jewish genealogy, and New Testament fulfillment, this episode reveals why God chose the tribe of Judah to rule and to redeem. Turn down the lights, put on your headphones, and press play — because the lion of Judah was once a broken man.