MESSIANIC PROPHECIES CONCERNING JACOB AND JUDAH

MESSIANIC PROPHECIES CONCERNING

JACOB AND JUDAH

Prophecy:

Genesis 28:12-14 And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it. And, behold, the Lord stood above it, and said, I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed; And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.

Susie: This is the passage telling about Jacob dreaming of a ladder or stairway to Heaven with angels going down to earth and back up. God spoke to him in this dream.

Susan: In this discourse, God confirmed that Jacob was the next in succession to continue the promises set forth in His covenant with Abraham. Through Jacob’s seed, all nations of the earth would experience blessings. “Seed” here is a reference to the Messiah to come, Jesus.

Numbers 24:17-19 I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth. And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly. Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth of the city.

Susan: God changed Jacob’s name to Israel which mean “God will prevail.” The Star and the Scepter are metaphors for a King and His kingdom, but in this case, they represent the King of kings and His kingdom. He is the One who has dominion, authority, over all things, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Fulfillment:

Matthew 1:2 Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judah and his brethren

Luke 3:34 Which was the son of Jacob, which was the son of Isaac, which was the son of Abraham, which was the son of Thara, which was the son of Nachor,

Susie: We return once again to the genealogies found in Matthew and Luke to see the fact that Jesus was indeed the seed, the descendant, of Jacob.

Revelation 22:16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star

Susan: Here, Jesus identifies Himself as “the bright and morning Star” which is a reference to Numbers 24:17.

MacArthur Study Bible note on Revelation 22:16

Bright and Morning Star. This is the brightest star announcing the arrival of the day. When Jesus comes, He will be the brightest star who will shatter the darkness of man’s night and herald the dawn of God’s glorious day

Susie: When we studied the Gospel of John, we saw Jesus call Himself the Light of the world.

John 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

Prophecy

Genesis 49:10 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.

Susie: The scepter was a symbol of power and authority for either a tribal leader like Judah or the kings which would descend from him, including the Messiah.

Susan: Shiloh is a coded reference to the Messiah and may derive from a word meaning “peace-maker.” Jesus was the Prince of Peace, the very source of our peace.

Fulfillment

Matthew 1:2-3 Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judah and his brethren; And Judah begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram;

Luke 3:33 Which was the son of Aminadab, which was the son of Aram, which was the son of Esrom, which was the son of Phares, which was the son of Judah,

Susie: Both Matthew and Luke list Judah as a direct ancestor of Jesus as far as His human lineage goes.

Hebrews 7:14 For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Judah; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.

Susie: This is in the context of Jesus being a priest on the order of Melchizedek.

Susan: Jesus was not a priest from the Levitical line. He was a priest on the order Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God. This is significant for two reasons. It shows that Jesus was the Messiah prophesied to come from the tribe of Judah, but He was also the King whose scepter would continue forever.

Revelation 5:5 And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.

Susan: In John’s vision on the Isle of Patmos, he saw a book with seven seals that no man could unlock and wept at the thought that the book could not be opened.  The only One able and worthy to open it was the Lion of the Tribe of Judah.

Susie: Later in this passage, the Lion is referred to as a Lamb that had been slain. (see also Revelation 13:8) Both of these are clear references to the Lord Jesus.