One thing is for certain though...

Judah. The Lion. The son of Jacob. The son of Israel.

As we read through Genesis in this very cold month of January, we read about how God created the Heavens and the Earth. We read: how God separated the night from the day, how God “gathered the water to one place and let the dry ground appear,” how God created the creatures of the Earth and created man in His image to rule over the creatures of the Earth. As we continue to read, we learn of man’s first sin, and the punishment that was to follow. We learn of the descendents of Adam, through Noah and the Great Flood, and up until Abraham.

From Abraham we learn of Isaac and Jacob. We learn of the fulfillment of a promise in the birth of Isaac and the troubles of Isaac’s descendents Esau and Jacob. From here we learn of the jealousy of brothers that sent Jacob’s son Joseph into captivity, and the proof that God will never leave or forsake those who are faithful to Him. In reading and learning of these descendents and the promises fulfilled, are we missing something? Are we realizing that through everything here there was a promise made, greater than any other? The promise of Salvation, of Reconciliation, and of Peace. A promise that was made and has been fulfilled. This promise that I am speaking of, and has been fulfilled is of course the promise of a Savior, Christ Jesus our Lord.

When reading the fifty chapters of Genesis it is easy to miss the forty ninth chapter, and the blessings that are given. Jacob’s time on Earth has nearly drawn to a close, and it is now time to give his blessings to his sons. Starting with his first born, Rueben, and ending with Benjamin, something extremely important unfolds. God, through Jacob, is laying down the foundation of the Earth and of things to come. Something interesting happens though when he reaches Judah. Judah, not the first born, not even the second. What makes Judah stand out from the rest of his brothers? What is it that sets him apart from all the rest? It is the blessing he received from his father.

Genesis 49: 8-12 reads “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, O 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 scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs and the obedience of the nations is 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”. In reading these verses you may wonder “how is this blessing a promise that would bring Salvation?” When we look deeper into Judah’s descendents however, we find that many years later from the tribe of Judah appears King David. Many years after David and many many years after Judah we find a descendent of David named Joseph. Joseph, a simple carpenter, living in the land of Judah and engaged to a virgin named Mary. A virgin who carried in her womb the fulfillment of a promise made so long ago through a blessing to Judah.

As I sit here and write this, and reflect upon the writings in Genesis forty nine, I don’t pretend to be a scholar of the Bible. There are things here which I don’t understand, and things I cannot contemplate. One thing is for certain though; I serve The One True God who keeps his promises. The One True God who so many years ago set forth into motion the single greatest event to ever occur. He did not do this because He had to, He did this out of a love that outshines anything we know. A love that is unconditional, that lasts through the ages. From these five verses we see a promise in a blessing that is being fulfilled everyday—a promise that will never stop being fulfilled. Thank you God for this wonderful fulfillment of a promise.

By: Dustin Smoot