Until Shiloh Comes
Genesis 48-50

Until Shiloh Comes, Genesis 48-50. What is the significance of Jacob's blessing to Judah? Do you think that Jacob understood the significance of what he was saying when he gave his blessing to Jacob?

8 “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.
9 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?
10 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.
11 Binding his foal to the vine
and his donkey's colt to the choice vine,
he has washed his garments in wine
and his vesture in the blood of grapes.
12 His eyes are darker than wine,
and his teeth whiter than milk.
Genesis 49:8-12, English Standard Version

10 The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.
11 Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass's colt unto the choice vine; he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes.
Genesis 49:10-11, King James Version

Until Shiloh Comes
Genesis 48-50

What is the significance of Jacob's blessing to Judah? Do you think that Jacob understood the significance of what he was saying when he gave his blessing to Jacob?

The first hint we have of this blessing having a double meaning is found in verse 8.

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.

Why would Judah's brothers praise him? Why would his father's sons bow down before him?

Then, look at verse 10,

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.

What does, "until tribute comes to him" mean? The King James Version makes it a little more clear,

The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come [until he comes to whom it belongs; Hebrew: until Shiloh comes, or until he comes to Shiloh]; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.

Now, let's look at verse 11,

Binding his foal to the vine
and his donkey's colt to the choice vine,
he has washed his garments in wine
and his vesture in the blood of grapes.

Judah is making a reference to the Lord Jesus Christ in these verses; Christ is Shiloh. Verse 11 is referring to the events that occurred on Palm Sunday, and then his crucifixion. Our only way to salvation is by washing our garments in the blood of Christ, who alone can wash away our sins.

Do you think Jacob understood all of this when he gave his blessing to Judah? We are not told, so we can only speculate. God put those words of blessing in the mouth of Jacob because He intended to have Christ born from the line of Judah. There are so many prophecies concerning the coming of the Messiah in the Old Testament that we see fulfilled in Christ.

Christ is our Lord and our King; all of our hope and trust must rest in Him. Jacob was looking forward to the time when Shiloh comes, but we look backward. Pray today that God would graciously give you a personal relationship with Christ, for Shiloh has come, and will come again to take all of His children home to be with Him forever.

Today, we are looking forward to the time when Shiloh will come again, this time as the victorious King of Kings. May it be soon!

Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow!

Until Shiloh Comes

Book of Genesis

The 5 Books of Moses