The Sceptor Of Jacob

 

[Jacob said] “Judah, your brothers shall praise you; your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; your father’s sons shall bow down before you. 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; and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.” (Genesis 49:8-10 ESV).

 

God works out his plans, but they are often mysterious to us. Consider the case of Judah, Jacob’s son. Jacob’s blessing of favor was not to Reuben, his firstborn, or to the next two eldest sons, Simeon and Levi. The blessing of kingship went to Judah. Jacob predicted that his other sons would bow before Judah. To him would belong “the scepter,” a symbol of kingship. This scepter would be passed down continually through his descendants. Jacob’s prophecy began to be fulfilled when David, a shepherd from Bethlehem in the land of Judah, was chosen by God to rule God’s people (cf. 1 Samuel 16; Psalm 78:67-72). He led them with a heart of integrity and with skill. Yet we know that despite David’s kingship, the people were seldom faithful to the Lord. They needed a new and better king.

 

God continued to work out his plan, eventually bringing Jesus to be born in Bethlehem, the city of David. And Jesus came to give up his own life, to pay for all our sin, and to rise again so that we can have new life with God. That is why Jesus, the Lion of the tribe of Judah (cf. Revelation 5:5), is the One who holds the scepter as King of kings. And he declares boldly, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (Matthew 28:18).

 

It is a mistake to merely look forward from the birth of Jesus. It is rooted in the entire history of humankind. God began working His plan of redemption together so that at just the right time and in just the right way all things would come to pass to once and for all secure the redemption of God’s creation. Jesus had to come so that the ultimate right to rule would be placed finally in His hands. This secures eternal peace and life as god intended before the fall of Adam and Eve. While we often lose sight of this at Christmas we ought to be careful to reflect on the great plan and purpose of God even while we were still living in our sin and rebellion (cf. Romans 5:1-12). Hallelujah! We have a Savior! He is the Lion of Judah and holds the Sceptor of Jacob!