Don’t know why (yeah, I kinda’ do, thinking it’s a Spirit thing), but I find myself hovering over a “breakthrough baby” this morning. “Breakthrough” because he literally “broke out.”

When the time of her labor came, there were twins in her womb. And when she was in labor, one put out a hand, and the midwife took and tied a scarlet thread on his hand, saying, “This one came out first.” But as he drew back his hand, behold, his brother came out. And she said, “What a breach you have made for yourself!” Therefore his name was called Perez. Afterward his brother came out with the scarlet thread on his hand, and his name was called Zerah.

(Genesis 38:27-30 ESV)

Mom’s name was Tamar. Mom was likely a Canaanite. And mom’s story fits in well with the relational weirdness that had come to characterize Jacob & Co.

Tamar marries Er, the firstborn of Judah who was the fourth son born to Jacob. Er is a wicked man and the Lord puts him to death — Tamar is now a young widow. According to ancient custom, she’s then given to Judah’s next eldest son, Onan, so that he might “perform the duty of a brother-in-law” and “raise up offspring” for his deceased brother. But Onan’s just as wicked as Er and Tamar’s widowed again. While Judah should have arranged for her to marry the next son in line, he indefinitely procrastinates. After all, Tamar’s developed a bit of a “black widow” reputation and Judah fears that if son #3 gets involved with her, Jacob won’t have a son #3.

So now, Tamar is twice widowed, ultra-marginalized, and without children. But Tamar is not to be denied.

Years later, “in the course of time”, her father-in-law finds himself a widower. And knowing her father-in-law, she disguises herself as a prostitute, plays upon his manly lusts, and ends up becoming pregnant by him. So, she secures for herself what she was owed by the line of Judah — and more. She conceives not just one child, but two. (Twins, oh, that sounds familiar). And the one that should have been the younger, ends up with the rights and privileges of the older (hmm, sounds familiar again . . . a pattern perhaps?). And the younger who ends up coming out as the older is named Perez, the one I’m thinking of as the “break through baby”, because, as observed by the midwife at birth, “What a breach you have made for yourself.”

What a breach . . .

Perez had “broken out”. Though he should have been second in line, he “budged” and ended up at the front of the line. Though naturally speaking, he should have been “the lesser”, somehow he came out the greater. Though conceived through deceitfulness, lustfulness, and shamelessness, this half-Canaanite would end up as an important link in the chain that would bring to the earth the Messiah, the blessing promised to Abraham (Mt. 1:3, Lk. 3:33).

And I’m kind of identifying with this break through kid this morning. As a Gentile, I too was kind of second in line. After all, the covenant was made with Abraham and his kin, with the Jew. They were the first to be called forth as His people. Yet somehow, my tribe (which is no tribe at all) broke out. And those of us who were once a distant second (so distant we were lost and without hope in the world) have been brought near (Eph. 2:12-13). Though the ancient Jews may have been marked with a scarlet thread, a different people, for the most part, ended up with the blue ribbon. How come?

What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith; but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law. Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works.

(Romans 9:30-32 ESV)

Faith. That’s what makes a break through kid. “And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Eph. 2:8b-9).

Despite a messed-up family, carrying more baggage into life than a little kid should have to carry, Perez made quite the breach. So too, this sinner sitting in this chair. Another break through kid.

Only by God’s grace. Only for God’s glory.