The Sceptre Of Judah

In Genesis 49, Jacob called his sons and pronounced a blessing over them. To Judah he declared that his brothers would praise him and his hands would be on the neck of his enemies. His father’s sons would bow down to him and he was declared a lion’s cub, who from the prey he went up to the mountain: He stooped and crouched like a lion and as a lion who no one would dare to interfere with. The sceptre (of royalty) would never leave Judah and all people would obey him. A sceptre is an ornamented staff carried by rulers, on ceremonial occasions as a symbol of royalty or sovereignty. David also came from the lineage of Judah and Jesse and ruled the kingdom of Judah. Nathan prophesied over David’s reign and over his lineage.

“And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever” (2 Samuel 7:16). Despite David’s sin later in his reign, when he took Uriah’s wife and killed him, God appointed his son Solomon to take over his throne. “As the Lord has been with my Lord the king, even so may he be with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my Lord King David” (1 Kings 1:37). Solomon married wives that drew his heart away from God and this led to the gradual decline in the people of God. This led to years of sin and gradual backsliding from the things and commandments of God. Eventually the people of God lost their possessions and were take into captivity.

God’s people spent many years in hardship and in the New Testament, were under the rule of the Roman Empire. Despite the challenges that faced God’s people, His covenant concerning Judah was established, when Jesus was born from the genealogy of David and Judah. “So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations” (Matthew 1:17). Jesus was crucified, died and rose again to conquer death, hell and the grave. He is right now seated at the right hand of God and he reigns forever.

The name Judah means praise and symbolises a violent praise that proceeds warfare. The worshippers and singers went ahead of the armies in battle, with singers and musicians. Our worship sets the atmosphere for victory as we hail the lion of the tribe of Judah and acknowledge his preeminence. As Jesus Christ is exalted, he fights the battles for us and we are sure of victory. Jesus is worthy to receive our praises, because he is the spotless lamb, who died for our sins and is now exalted on high. His second coming will not be as a lamb, but as the conquering lion of the tribe of Judah. “And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals”” (Revelation 5:5).

A.P.-Y.