Christmas 2018 The Tribe of Judah
Hello this is Eric again. A friend asked me, “How can I know that the Bible is true?” So, I am taking some time to answer my friends question and to do this I am looking at one of the evidences the Bible gives to answer this question, Prophecy.
(Read the previous blogs here)
God’s word is remarkable. Genesis 49:10 says,
“The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from his descendants, until the coming of the one to whom it belongs, the one whom all nations will honor.”
This is the prophecy that tells us that the Messiah will come out of the tribe of Judah. For those who have been raised in the church, this is a familiar idea but, for those who haven’t been raised in the church--you will help us greatly here with the blessing of fresh eyes.
We need to understand the context of this prophecy and the machinations that it would travel in order to come to fulfillment?
Let's look at the context of Genesis 49:10. Years ago, Jacob's favorite son Joseph, had been sold off to slavers by his jealous brothers. These brothers had told their dad that Joseph was dead, killed by a wild animal, and had watched as their father had lived a life of grieving ever since. (I highly encourage you to read Genesis; The prophecies that we have been discussing have had their beginnings rooted in this book of the Bible--it is well worth your read.) Joseph was then brought to Egypt, where he was sold as a slave. God blessed his work and Joseph was honored; and then subsequently, Joseph was asked to sin, and when he refused, was accused of attempted rape and thrown into prison. God blessed Joseph’s work again, and he was honored again. As he worked, God gave Joseph a God-door, and by interpreting 2 dreams through Jospeh—which then came true—Joseph was forgotten…for 2 more years. Then the ruler of Egypt had a dream, and couldn’t understand it and it was at this moment that the official who God had helped through Joseph, remembered, and told the Pharaoh that he knew a guy who could help. When Joseph was asked if he could interpret his dream, Joseph told him, no; But, God can. God did interpret the dream through Joseph, and Joseph was made the second highest ruler in the worlds leading super-power. (Really, you can’t make this stuff up—you need to read Genesis.)
Then the Pharaoh’s dreams came true. A bumper crop for seven years, and then unbelievable famine for 7 more—so bad the famine effected the whole world, and consumed all the excess and threatened an extinction level event. This was why God had Joseph in Egypt. God used Joseph to rescue his family (through an amazing story—go read it) where his family is united. In Genesis 49 we find ourselves years past this miracle, with Jacob being on his deathbed, praying one final blessing over his boys and their families.
Now, praying a blessing over ones kids at the end of life is really special. It has God-power, and is a once-in-a-lifetime-kind-of-thing. This is the context of Genesis 49:10.
I want you to consider the wonder of this prophecy. Judah is not the oldest son, but through his family the Messiah will come. One would expect that the eldest would have this honor. Israel's history shows that it certainly didn’t look like Judah would have this honor. The first kind wasn't from Judah, but this was by the hand of God too. What?
The first king of Israel was a man named Saul, and he was from the tribe of Benjamin--and God chose him for Israel (1 Samuel 8-11). Wait a minute, if God chose Saul, and gave the prophecy that the Messiah, the anointed one, the King—would come through Judah…how does that work?
As we read the story of Saul, we find out, soon enough, that Saul was not a man who loved God. He wanted to be in charge, not God; and after watching Saul and seeing what he would do—obey or not obey—God rejected Saul as King. God spoke to Saul through Samuel the prophet in 1 Samuel 13:13 and said,
“But now your kingdom must end, for the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart.”
God did raise up a new king. But God allowed Saul to rule for a total of 40 years. During that 40 year time the man God chose to be king, again and again, chose to honor God. When he had the opportunities to kill Saul, he doesn’t take Saul’s life—(these are are great stories too!)—and when Saul finally dies, half of Israel chooses one king, and the other half chooses the king God anointed. Finally, after a number of years, the man God anointed and prophesied would rule all of Israel does just that--he rules all of Israel. (God knew that Saul would make this choice. God knew the rocky path that this nation would take. And yet…God’s word, again, came true.)
Who was this man that God anointed? Acts 13:22 tells the story,
“But God removed Saul and replaced him with David, a man about whom God said, ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart. He will do everything I want him to do”
Do you know which tribe David was from? You guessed it, Judah! Acts 13 is a story in the Bible that tells us about Paul, who was out on a missionary journey during the beginning of the church. Paul was preaching and answering the very same kind of questions that we are asking, and here he was addressing how God worked out His plan and kept His promises—kept His word—fulfilled prophecy. Look at what Paul says next in Acts 13:23,
“And it is one of King David’s descendants, Jesus, who is God’s promised Savior of Israel!”
Luke 3:23,33-31 says,
“Jesus was known as the son of Joseph…David was the son of Jesse….Judah was the son of Jacob.”
God’s word is truly remarkable.
Do you want to walk on this journey with us?
Subscribe here
(Read the previous blogs here)
God’s word is remarkable. Genesis 49:10 says,
“The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from his descendants, until the coming of the one to whom it belongs, the one whom all nations will honor.”
This is the prophecy that tells us that the Messiah will come out of the tribe of Judah. For those who have been raised in the church, this is a familiar idea but, for those who haven’t been raised in the church--you will help us greatly here with the blessing of fresh eyes.
We need to understand the context of this prophecy and the machinations that it would travel in order to come to fulfillment?
Let's look at the context of Genesis 49:10. Years ago, Jacob's favorite son Joseph, had been sold off to slavers by his jealous brothers. These brothers had told their dad that Joseph was dead, killed by a wild animal, and had watched as their father had lived a life of grieving ever since. (I highly encourage you to read Genesis; The prophecies that we have been discussing have had their beginnings rooted in this book of the Bible--it is well worth your read.) Joseph was then brought to Egypt, where he was sold as a slave. God blessed his work and Joseph was honored; and then subsequently, Joseph was asked to sin, and when he refused, was accused of attempted rape and thrown into prison. God blessed Joseph’s work again, and he was honored again. As he worked, God gave Joseph a God-door, and by interpreting 2 dreams through Jospeh—which then came true—Joseph was forgotten…for 2 more years. Then the ruler of Egypt had a dream, and couldn’t understand it and it was at this moment that the official who God had helped through Joseph, remembered, and told the Pharaoh that he knew a guy who could help. When Joseph was asked if he could interpret his dream, Joseph told him, no; But, God can. God did interpret the dream through Joseph, and Joseph was made the second highest ruler in the worlds leading super-power. (Really, you can’t make this stuff up—you need to read Genesis.)
Then the Pharaoh’s dreams came true. A bumper crop for seven years, and then unbelievable famine for 7 more—so bad the famine effected the whole world, and consumed all the excess and threatened an extinction level event. This was why God had Joseph in Egypt. God used Joseph to rescue his family (through an amazing story—go read it) where his family is united. In Genesis 49 we find ourselves years past this miracle, with Jacob being on his deathbed, praying one final blessing over his boys and their families.
Now, praying a blessing over ones kids at the end of life is really special. It has God-power, and is a once-in-a-lifetime-kind-of-thing. This is the context of Genesis 49:10.
I want you to consider the wonder of this prophecy. Judah is not the oldest son, but through his family the Messiah will come. One would expect that the eldest would have this honor. Israel's history shows that it certainly didn’t look like Judah would have this honor. The first kind wasn't from Judah, but this was by the hand of God too. What?
The first king of Israel was a man named Saul, and he was from the tribe of Benjamin--and God chose him for Israel (1 Samuel 8-11). Wait a minute, if God chose Saul, and gave the prophecy that the Messiah, the anointed one, the King—would come through Judah…how does that work?
As we read the story of Saul, we find out, soon enough, that Saul was not a man who loved God. He wanted to be in charge, not God; and after watching Saul and seeing what he would do—obey or not obey—God rejected Saul as King. God spoke to Saul through Samuel the prophet in 1 Samuel 13:13 and said,
“But now your kingdom must end, for the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart.”
God did raise up a new king. But God allowed Saul to rule for a total of 40 years. During that 40 year time the man God chose to be king, again and again, chose to honor God. When he had the opportunities to kill Saul, he doesn’t take Saul’s life—(these are are great stories too!)—and when Saul finally dies, half of Israel chooses one king, and the other half chooses the king God anointed. Finally, after a number of years, the man God anointed and prophesied would rule all of Israel does just that--he rules all of Israel. (God knew that Saul would make this choice. God knew the rocky path that this nation would take. And yet…God’s word, again, came true.)
Who was this man that God anointed? Acts 13:22 tells the story,
“But God removed Saul and replaced him with David, a man about whom God said, ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart. He will do everything I want him to do”
Do you know which tribe David was from? You guessed it, Judah! Acts 13 is a story in the Bible that tells us about Paul, who was out on a missionary journey during the beginning of the church. Paul was preaching and answering the very same kind of questions that we are asking, and here he was addressing how God worked out His plan and kept His promises—kept His word—fulfilled prophecy. Look at what Paul says next in Acts 13:23,
“And it is one of King David’s descendants, Jesus, who is God’s promised Savior of Israel!”
Luke 3:23,33-31 says,
“Jesus was known as the son of Joseph…David was the son of Jesse….Judah was the son of Jacob.”
God’s word is truly remarkable.
Do you want to walk on this journey with us?
Subscribe here
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