Genesis 49:10 “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor a lawgiver from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes; And to Him shall be the obedience of the people.”
The ancient city of Shiloh was the original capital of Israel and primary place of worship. During the time of the judges and before Jerusalem rose to prominence, the city served as a place of worship for 369 years. The original tabernacle and seat for the Ark of the Covenant made this particular place very holy. But before Shiloh came, there first came a promise. A promise of God’s blessings upon Abraham, the promise of a nation established by God, a people called to be holy before the Lord. The people descended from the lineage of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Late in Jacobs life he gathered his sons around and began to pronounce blessings and curses upon them. Each declaration carried weight, each one proclaiming a heritage or a promise.
Genesis 49:3-4 “Reuben, you are my firstborn,
my might, and the firstfruits of my strength,
preeminent in dignity and preeminent in power.
Unstable as water, you shall not have preeminence,
because you went up to your father’s bed;
then you defiled it—he went up to my couch!
A decision of unchastity lead to the loss of a birthright. How often do poor decisions in a moment lead to a lifetime of regret? What begins in passion, turns into shame. Where one feels justified, the standard of God’s holiness never bends or accommodates sin.
Genesis 49:5-6 “Simeon and Levi are brothers;
weapons of violence are their swords.
Let my soul come not into their council;
O my glory, be not joined to their company.
For in their anger they killed men,
and in their willfulness they hamstrung oxen.
After Dinah their sister had been raped, Simeon and Levi took matters into their own hands and executed judgement on the families of the accused. Many today feel exonerated by executing their own justice, an eye for an eye is the cry, and yet the crime is not overlooked. The Lord is the avenger, He repays. For one to take judgment into their own hands, they elevate themselves into a position of God Himself.
Genesis 49:9-10 “Judah is a lion’s cub;
from the prey, my son, you have gone up.
He stooped down; he crouched as a lion
and as a lioness; who dares rouse him?
The scepter shall not depart from Judah,
nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet,
until tribute comes to him”
The lineage of Jesus came through the tribe of Judah. Referred to as the Lion of Judah, much of Jacob’s blessing became prophetic of the Messiah who was to come. The scepter of God’s Kingdom is eternal in Christ, it will never depart. All will bow before Him one day, giving tribute to His kingship and glory.
“and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.
Binding his foal to the vine
and his donkey’s colt to the choice vine,
he has washed his garments in wine
and his vesture in the blood of grapes.”
Jesus’ grand entrance into the city was upon the donkey, and the sacrifice of His life was symbolically represented by the stain of His blood.
Genesis 49:12 “His eyes are darker than wine,
and his teeth whiter than milk.”
The eyes of God are full of love and compassion. They pierce through the darkness and see into the deepest reaches of the human heart. There is nothing hidden from His gaze, every thought, every act is known. He is pure, like the brightness of his countenance, there is joy to all who abide in Him.
With each successive declaration, Jacob pronounced a prophetic word for each tribe of Israel. The strength of Isachaar, the legacy of Dan and the serpent, some believe to bear the anti-Christ, the produce of Asher, the beauty of Naphtali, the many blessings of Joseph, and the ravenous hunger of Benjamin.
We can look at how the tribes became identified through the ages and yet a greater future prediction was embedded into the blessings.
Genesis. 49:10 “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until tribute comes to him; and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.”
Some versions of the Bible interpret the term tribute as Shiloh. The place of worship was the tabernacle of the Lord. The place where the presence of God dwelled. The tabernacle was eventually replaced by the temple of Solomon, and when dedicated the glory of God filled the temple and God blessed it.
The rulers staff was identified with a scribe, one who exalted the law and made it holy. The scepter was in the hands of the King, the symbol of His rule and authority.
The obedience of the peoples has not been fulfilled. The world has been lawless since the fall of Adam and continues today. Wars and rumors of wars, pestilence, earthquakes, the world continues to suffer through the curse and the people with it. But there is coming a day when the King will return. He will establish His authority over all peoples and there will finally be peace.
Shiloh has been interpreted as “He who shall be sent”, or as “peacemaker”. But a third definition resonates with echos of a Messiah “the things laid up for him”.
Jerusalem will be the place of God’s throne. The Temple symbolizing His worship, and the effects of His reign will be shown by the tribute of the people.
Psalm 76:11-12 “Make your vows to the LORD your God and perform them;
let all around him bring gifts
to him who is to be feared,
who cuts off the spirit of princes,
who is to be feared by the kings of the earth.”
There is a day coming very soon when the Lord will reign upon the earth. His first coming was as a lamb to be slaughtered. His second coming will be as a lion, roaring with judgement upon an earth that has turned its back against God.
How will you be found when that day arrives? Will you be found faithful or will you be questioned for an allegiance that has little merit?
The day is coming…the King is at the door…will you be ready?
U.T. 