PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Genesis 49-50
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“Until he to whom it belongs shall come.” (Genesis 49:10)
For centuries the Jews have hoped that one day their messiah would come.
The word ‘messiah’ means “anointed one’, God’s promised and chosen rescuer.
The Jews understood this as part of their spiritual DNA, their birthright.
Right back to when their founding father Israel blessed Judah with these words.
And this echoes the promise of Genesis 3:15 re. the promised seed of the woman.
“He will crush (the serpent’s) head, and you will strike his heel.” (Genesis 3:15)
This promised ruler will crush the serpent and restore God’s kingdom.
“And the obedience of the nations shall be his.” (Genesis 49:10)
Jesus is the serpent-crushing, kingdom restoring rule of the nations (Matthew 2:6).
Sadly, they have not seen in Jesus the fulfillment of that promise.
But I suspect this ancient hope is one thing that keeps the Jews going today.
We can learn from them, how we too can persevere through centuries of hardship.
Cling to Jesus, the promised Messiah, even when your world seems to fall apart.
Like Joseph and his brothers, we will see how God was at work for good through it all.
PRAYER
Lord, the perseverance of the Jews inspires me to trust You. You have crushed the serpent, You have restored the kingdom, You are reigning, You will come again… no matter what happens.
Jacob died.
And Joseph’s brothers were afraid once again for what they had done to Joseph. Did Joseph really forgive them? What if . . .
But Joseph reassured them that their harm to him was to accomplish God’s purpose. He spoke kindly to them and reassured them not to be afraid. They were forgiven.
In the same way, God forgives all my sins and removes them as far as the east is from the west. And knowing this I must do the same – forgive – those who sin against me – as I pray the Lord’s prayer. Father forgive my trespasses as I forgive those who trespass against me.
Our Father, which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy Name.
Thy Kingdom come.
Thy will be done in earth,
As it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive them that trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
The power, and the glory,
For ever and ever.
Amen.
The scepter will not depart from Judah ….. until he comes to whom it belongs and the obedience of the nations is his (Gen 49:10). On the first Christmas Lord Jesus you came to that which was your own, but your own did not receive you and crucified you on the cross at Calvary. They intended to harm you and stop you Jesus but the Father intended it for good — the fulfillment of crushing the serpent’s head (Gen 3:15) — the forgiveness of sins by the shedding of your blood. The rejection of your own is for the blessing of all nations as promised to Abraham(Gen 12:2-3).
Our Lord Jesus I wait and long for your coming again as you promised before you left the earth — it will be fulfilled that the obedience of the nations is yours for in your name — every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus you are Lord (Phil 2:10-11).
Help me o Holy Spirit to remain faithful follower of Jesus until I hear Him say, “come my faithful servant.”