There are certain striking resemblances between Judah and descendant King David that are worthy of note. No one will call in question the nobility of David's character who, in spite of his failures, was "a man after God's own heart." He refused to take the life of King Saul when it was in his power to do so, because he was the Lord's anointed. His submission to the pleadings of the wise Abigail, his magnanimous treatment of Mephibosheth, and his refusal to slay Shimei, who had cursed him, all witness to the beautiful features in David's character.
The first mentions of Judah's life record his failures, but there is evidence of a divine work that brings out features in which the child of God can delight. Judah's suggestion that Joseph should be sold to the Ishmaelites was to spare his brother's life, and although he was guilty with the others, of deceiving his father, it would appear to have been rather through weakness than of evil intent. He had not the strength of character then to stand against his brethren, but like Reuben, he had no desire to shed his brother's blood.
But it is in his words to Jacob, his father, regarding the sending of Benjamin to Joseph, that we see something in the character of Judah that can be admired. He said, "Send the lad with me...I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt thou require him: if I bring him not to thee, then let me bear the blame for ever" (Gen. 43:8-9). What he failed to do in the case of Joseph, he now does in the case of Benjamin; he stands surety for his safety. With his brethren, he had felt his guilt concerning Joseph, when they were put in ward in Egypt and accused of being spies, and told to bring Benjamin down to Egypt to assure the Ruler of Egypt of their fidelity.
Judah's address to Joseph excels anything noted in his life previously, and it reaches its zenith of excellence when he pleads with Joseph, saying, "I pray thee, let thy servant abide instead of the lad a bondman to my lord; and let the lad go up with his brethren. For how shall I go up to my father, and the lad be not with me? lest peradventure I see the evil that shall come on my father." How thoroughly his soul had been restored, or brought to what it should have been when Joseph was so harshly treated by his brethren. Joseph was completely broken down by Judah's words, which bring out the nobility of a character that has been disciplined in the school of God.
Regarding the failure of Judah, there are features that very much remind us of David's failure; first, Judah was remiss in his duty towards Tamar; secondly, his gratification of the flesh gravely dishonoured the Name of the Lord; thirdly, he readily pronounced the judgment of death on evil of which he himself was guilty. And do we not see these very same features in the failure of King David?
Was not David remiss in his duty where we read, "At the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel...But David tarried at Jerusalem"? (2 Sam. 11:1). It was so unlike David; it was not his real character, but the evidence of the flesh in him. The first step of ease led to the next of gratifying the flesh, and in such a manner that gravely dishonoured God's Name, and gave "great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme."
When Judah was told of Tamar's condition, he said, "Bring her forth, and let her be burnt." He was not slow to pronounce the most severe sentence against a sin in which he himself had participated. So it was with David! When Nathan the prophet spoke his parable to the king, "David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the Lord lives, the man that has done this thing shall surely die." In these three features there is indeed a striking similarity between Judah and David.
In David's case there was real contrition of heart, and confession to God. Looking forward to the cross, God was able to forgive the sin of his failing servant; but David must needs pass through discipline, for in God's government we must reap what we sow; but God uses the very governmental discipline that our failures bring on us to work His own good work within our hearts. We cannot doubt that when Judah exclaimed, "She has been more righteous than I" that it was the evidence of a divine work in his soul, the precious fruits of it coming out in his words to his father and to Joseph.
Another feature of similarity in these two men is the failure in their houses. David, in his last words, after speaking by the Spirit of the features of the true King, says, "Although my house be not so with God." How dreadful was the dishonour to God's Name in his house; an infamous son being murdered by a son who perishes in revolt against his father. And Judah could also have exclaimed, "My house is not so with God!" Er, his firstborn "was wicked in the sight of the Lord; and the Lord slew him." Then Onan, his second son, rebelling against his father's command, was also slain by the Lord.
Spite of all the failure of Judah and David, God in His sovereign grace, brings these two men into the royal line from whence, as to the flesh, Messiah comes. Nor does God hide from us the failures of His servants, for in the very Scripture that gives through Matthew the genealogy of Christ, the names of Tamar and the wife of Uriah are mentioned. With ourselves, Judah and David owe every blessing received from God to His sovereign grace.
R. 22.6.92