Genesis 49:10 NKJV
“The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor a lawgiver from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes; And to Him shall be the obedience of the people.”
As his time on earth was about to end, Jacob called his twelve sons and began to speak over their lives. He had lived long enough, gone through various life experiences, and walked under the cloud of God’s presence for years to speak wisdom and godly counsel over his offspring. When Judah’s turn for the blessing came, Jacob spoke such heavy words and mentioned a rare name not known before: “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor a lawgiver from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes; And to Him shall be the obedience of the people”, Jacob said, as in our text.
Firstly, “The scepter” and “a lawgiver” not departing from Judah portrayed that kingship and judgeship, respectively, were a reserve of the tribe of Judah. Secondly, Jacob talked about one “Shiloh” who was to come. Clearly, this was prophetic, and time would reveal who Shiloh is. Elsewhere, upon entering the land of promise, Joshua chose to set up the Tabernacle of meeting at a place called Shiloh, “…And the land was subdued before them” (Jos 18:1 NKJV). It was here at Shiloh that Eli the priest would speak to Hannah’s condition and Samuel would be conceived! God’s presence and works were mighty at Shiloh.
In Hebrew, the name Shiloh remotely shares the root word for Shalom, which means peace. Thus, amplifying what Jacob said, from the tribe of Judah would come One who is both a King and a Judge, and His name would be the Prince of Peace. Just as Israel trekked to Shiloh where the glory of God was mighty, crowds gathered anywhere Jesus Christ would be—as a result of the unparalleled glory of God on and around Him. In other words, both the Person and the presence of Shiloh connoted Divinity amongst humanity! Shiloh is our King, Judge, and the Prince of Peace; He is “Immanuel” (Isa 7:14 KJV), God with us mankind; Shiloh is Jesus Christ, the “Lion of the tribe of JUDAH” (Rev 5:5 KJV). Hallelujah!
Pst. Emmanuel