Genesis 49:8-12 (NIV)
‘Judah, your brothers will praise you; your hand will be on the neck of your enemies; your father’s sons will bow down to you. You are a lion’s cub, Judah; you return from the prey, my son. Like a lion he crouches and lies down, like a lioness – who dares to rouse him? The sceptre will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he to whom it belongs shall come and the obedience of the nations shall be his. He will tether his donkey to a vine, his colt to the choicest branch; he will wash his garments in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes. His eyes will be darker than wine, his teeth whiter than milk.
We don’t think of Jacob as a prophet, but in this chapter, shortly before his death, Jacob prophecies things about each of his twelve sons. For Judah he foresees the sceptre, the ruler’s staff. It was of course from Judah that the eventual Davidic kingdom was descended. But then Jacob goes on to foresee the one “to whom it belongs” coming and gaining the obedience of the nations. I doubt whether Jacob had much idea of just what Jesus, the heir of David, Judah’s descendant, would achieve. Today millions upon millions are looking forward to Christmas and celebrating the coming of the Saviour of the world.
Jesus is Lord! Christ, God’s King, I pledge my allegiance to you again today.
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