TRIBES OF ISRAEL SERIESLesson 3

How could he have beenthe Human Tribe of our Redeemer?

REVIEW JACOB’S SONS

Remember it all began withABRAHAM

GENESIS 18:16 Then the men rose from there and

looked toward Sodom, and Abraham went with them to send them on the way.

17 And the LORD said, "Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing,

18 "since Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?

19 "For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the LORD, to do righteousness and justice, that the LORD may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him."

MEANING OF THE NAME

• Judah • Basic meaning: praise, the fourth son of Jacob

by Leah. The name originated in Leah's words of praise to the Lord on account of his birth: "Now will I praise [Heb. odeh] Jehovah, and she called his name Yehudah"

• ( Genesis 29:35 ).

THE WORD OF JACOB FOR JUDAHGENESIS 49: 8• "Judah, you are he whom your brothers shall praise; Your hand

shall be on the neck of your enemies; Your father's children shall bow down before you.

• 9 Judah is a lion's whelp; From the prey, my son, you have gone up. He bows down, he lies down as a lion; And as a lion, who shall rouse him?

• 10 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.

• 11 Binding his donkey to the vine, And his donkey's colt to the choice vine, He washed his garments in wine, And his clothes in the blood of grapes.

• 12 His eyes are darker than wine, And his teeth whiter than milk.”

THE ELEMENTS OF THIS INCREDIBLE

PROPHETIC WORD:1. You are he whom your brothers shall praise – NATIONAL ADULATION2. Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies – MILITARY VICTORY3. Your father’s children shall bow down to you – LEADERSHIP AND ROYALTY

THROUGHOUT ALL TIME4. You are a lion’s whelp – KINGLY LEADERSHIP (Lion king of the jungle)5. The scepter shall not depart from Judah – ROYAL DYNASTY6. The lawgiver shall come from your loins – PROPHECY OF JESUS AS KING,

MILLENIAL REIGN7. Donkey to the vine - MESSIASHIP8. He washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes –

COMING AS JUDGE NO LONGER AS SAVIOR9. His eyes more red than wine, teeth white – EMPHASIZES THE JUDGMENT

NATURE OF CHRIST’S SECOND COMING

BUT THIS GOOD PROPHETIC WORD, GOD’S WONDERFUL PLAN

FOR JUDAH, IS MET BY

A HUMONGOUS, GIGANTIC PROBLEM:

WHAT IS THIS PROBLEM?

JUDAH HIMSELF!(What???)

(Hindi Komunismo, Kapitalismo, Socialismo, kung hindi SYA

at TAYO MISMO!!!)

1. Judah’s first problem: DISOBEDIENCE IN MARRIAGE!!

• Judah’s Family (38:1-11)

And it came about at that time, that Judah departed from his brothers, and visited a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah. And Judah SAW there a daughter of a certain CANAANITE whose name was Shua; and he took her and went in to her. So she conceived and bore a son and he named him Er. Then she conceived again and bore a son and named him Onan. And she bore still another son and named him Shelah; and it was at Chezib that she bore him. Now Judah took a wife for Er his first-born, and her name was Tamar. But Er, Judah’s first-born, was evil in the sight of the LORD, so the LORD took his life.

FIRST RECORD OF AN EVIL SON THAT THE LORD KILLS FOR BEING EVIL!!

ANALYSE:1. THE LORD DOES NOT ABRAHAM’S SEED TO MARRY OUTSIDE

OF “THE FAMILY” (remember Isaac, Ezekiel and Rebekah)2. But Judah “DEPARTED FROM HIS BROTHERS (BRETHREN)”

(Gen. 38:1)3. She went to the CANAANITES – canaan means “low lands”

from the root word to go down or low4. Came to know SHUA (this word means “PROSPERITY”)5. AND SAW one of his daughters6. AND HE JUST “TOOK HER AND CAME IN ONTO HER”.

WHY DOES THE LORD NOT WANT AN INTER-MARRIAGE WITH TRIBES IN CANAAN?

THE SEVEN SPIRITS OF THE LAND OF CANAAN

1. H I T T I T E S, signifying the spirits of Fear and Discouragement: 2. A M O R I T E S, signifying the bitter fierce-talking and judging spirits; 3. C A N A A N I T E S, the spirt of the “lower instincts” – making us

low, that Traffick in our Minds, Wills, Thoughts, Senses, Imaginations, and Affections;

4. P E R R I Z I T E S, the Careless, secure spirits, 5. H I V I T E S, the spirits of vanity (fantasizing spirits, delusional spirts)

e.g. empty Romances and Scenes; 6. J E B U S I T E S, figuring the spirits of Pride and Elevation. The Name

signifies to trample upon and despise; they would ever be trampling under Foot the Blood and Merits of Jesus, in the Pride and Might of the Fire; they slight and despise the Meek and Humble way of the Cross of Christ

7. G I R G A S H I T E S. These are the unclean, dirty spirits, spirits of perversion

PROBLEMATIC FAMILY!!

• “Then Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife, and perform your duty as a brother-in-law to her, and raise up offspring for your brother.” And Onan knew that the offspring would not be his; so it came about that when he went in to his brother’s wife, he wasted his seed on the ground, in order not to give offspring to his brother. BUT WHAT HE DID WAS DISPLEASING IN THE SIGHT OF THE LORD; SO HE TOOK HIS LIFE ALSO. “ (Gen. 38:1-11)

SECOND SON KILLED BY THE LORD HIMSELF, IN JUDAH’S FAMILY ALSO!!WHAT A FAMILY!(Onan was selfish: he did not want his inheritance reduced)

JUDAH’S SOLUTION:

• Then Judah said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, “Remain a widow in your father’s house until my son Shelah grows up”; for he thought, “I am afraid that he too may die like his brothers.” So Tamar went and lived in her father’s house (Genesis 38:1-11).

BUT JUDAH NEVER DELIVERS SHELAH TO TAMAR

• Once Onan was dead, Judah became very reluctant to give his youngest (and last) son to Tamar. It never seemed to occur to him that it was his sons who were the problem, not Tamar. Probably Shelah was too young at first to assume the role of husband and father, but more than enough time elapsed to solve this problem. Finally Tamar was convinced that Judah had no intention of giving Shelah to her. If she were to bear children to carry on the name of her first husband, she must force the issue, she concluded.

2. Judah’s Second Problem: No Word of Honor (Gen. 38:12-16)

• “Now after a considerable time Shua’s daughter, the wife of Judah, died; and when the time of mourning was ended, Judah went up to his sheep-shearers at Timnah, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite. And it was told to Tamar, “Behold, your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep.” So she removed her widow’s garments and covered herself with a veil, and wrapped herself, and sat in the gateway of Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah; FOR SHE SAW THAT SHELAH HAD GROWN UP, AND SHE HAD NOT BEEN GIVEN TO HIM AS A WIFE.”

• JUDAH KNEW THE LAW, AND WHAT HE SAID: SHELAH MUST BE GIVEN TO TAMAR TO PERPETUATE THE LINE OF ER, BUT JUDAH DOES NOT DO IT, DESPITE HIS PROMISE

3. Judah’s Third Problem:Fornication (38:12-19)

• When Judah saw her, he thought she was a harlot, for she had covered her face. So he turned aside to her by the road, and said, “Here now, let me come in to you”; for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. And she said, “What will you give me, that you may come in to me?” He said, therefore, “I will send you a kid from the flock.” She said, moreover, “Will you give a pledge until you send it?” And he said, “What pledge shall I give you?” And she said, “Your seal and your cord, and your staff that is in your hand.” So he gave them to her, and went in to her, and she conceived by him. Then she arose and departed, and removed her veil and put on her widow’s garments (Genesis 38:12-19).

THE PLEDGE

The seal, cord, and staff were not items purchased from mass-produced stock. Each had distinctive characteristics which were peculiar to the owner. The seal was the ancient cylinder seal used in the making of contracts. It was the counterpart of our Master Charge card today. The seal was a cylinder with the unique design of its owner carved in it. When a contract was made, hot wax was put on the document and the seal was rolled over it, leaving the impression of the owner of the seal. Judah’s seal was one of a kind, as were those of others.40 He would therefore immediately recognize it as his own.

The same was true of the staff. Possession of these gave Tamar proof of the identity of the father of her child when he was born.

4. Judah’s Fourth Problem:IDOLATRY!! (Gen. 38)

• When Judah sent the kid by his friend the Adullomite, to receive the pledge from the woman’s hand, he did not find her. And he asked the men of her place, saying, “Where is the temple prostitute who was by the road at Enaim?”

• (NOTICE: IT WAS OKAY FOR JUDAH WITH A PROSTITUTE OF A FOREIGN GOD!!) 1Cor 6:16 Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For "the two," He says, "shall become one flesh.” (NKJV)

• But they said, “There has been no temple prostitute here.” So he returned to Judah, and said, “I did not find her; and furthermore, the men of the place said, ‘There has been no temple prostitute here.’” Then Judah said, “Let her keep them, lest we become a laughingstock. After all, I sent this kid, but you did not find her.” Now it was about three months later that Judah was informed, “Your daughter-in-law Tamar has played the harlot, and behold, she is also with child by harlotry.”

5. Judah’s FIFTH PROBLEM:technical

ADULTERY!!WHY?

By law, TAMAR WAS ALREADY PLEDGED TO BE MARRIED TO SHELAH, Judah’s son.

IN EFFECT, SHELAH WAS ALREADY MARRIED TO TAMAR.

JUDAH’S SLEEPING WITH HER WAS TECHNICAL ADULTERY, INCEST

AT THAT!!!

6. Judah’s Sixth Problem:HYPOCRITICAL BRUTALITY!

• Then Judah said, “Bring her out and let her be BURNED!” (Gen. 38:24)

• The usual punishment prescribed by the Law of Moses was STONING (Deuteronomy 22:20-24). In cases of unusual wickedness, there was punishment by burning (Leviticus 20:14; 21:9). JUDAH WANTED BURNING!

• How about the child?• Often we attempt to cover up our own

sinfulness by a severity in our response to the sins of others.

(Man in picture is thinking: “Oh what kind of a saint is this?”)

JUDAH EXPOSED!!

• It was while she was being brought out that she sent to her father-in-law, saying, “I am with child by the man to whom these things belong.” And she said, “Please examine and see, whose signet ring and cords and staff are these?” And Judah recognized them, and said, “She is more righteous than I, inasmuch as I did not give her to my son Shelah.” And he did not have relations with her again (Genesis 38:20-26).

ANALYZE JUDAH’S PROBLEM:

1. He married a CANAANITE WOMAN against the will of God

2. He was apparently okay living with PROSTITUTES3. He regarded TEMPLE PROSTITUTES as no big deal, when

this was IDOLATRY4. He kept Tamar from the one who had a LAWFUL RIGHT

to her5. He was hypocritically brutal (BURNING, NOT STONING)6. He committed technical adultery (incest)

CAN A PERSON LIKE THIS EVER BE REDEEMED???

SIDE QUESTION:We already know that Jesus is of the line of Judah.QUESTION: WHY NOT JOSEPH? WHY JUDAH?Joseph seem to have all the qualities to be Jesus’ grandfather:1. He was the BELOVED SON of the wife that was loved (Rachel)2. He was his FATHER’S FAVORITE3. He was REJECTED BY HIS OWN BROTHERS4. He was SOLD AS A SLAVE AND CONSIDERED DEAD5. He “ROSE FROM THE DEAD”6. Became a RULER7. AND SAVED HIS FAMILY AND NATION?

WHY WAS JESUS NOT DESCENDED FROM JOSEPH??? WHY JUDAH???

We will answer that last

SO CAN JUDAH BE REDEEMED?CAN HE EVER BE USED BY GOD?What about all his terrible

issues?

HIS REDEMPTION

“And Judah recognized them (the cord, the staff, the signet ring), and said, “She is more righteous than I, inasmuch as I did not give her to my son Shelah.” And he did not have relations with her again (Genesis 38:20-26).”

1. HE WAS QUICK TO ADMIT HIS FAULT2. He DID NOT CONTINUE WITH HIS SIN

THIS WAS THE FIRST RECORDED ADMISSION OF FAULT AND SIN IN THE BIBLE!!!

THE REDEMPTION WAS IN HIS NAME!!

• the verb le-hodot from which it is derived means “to thank” (Leah called her fourth son Judah saying ““This time I will thank the Lord,” Gen. 29: 35), is also related to the verb le-hitvadot, which means “to admit, to confess,”

• So YE-HUDAH (JUDAH), from the noun odeh, and verb le-hodot and/or le-hitvadot MEANS NOT ONLY TO PRAISE,

BUT ALSO TO CONFESS, TO ADMIT

COMPARE SAUL AND DAVID

• As Rabbi Rav Soloveitchik pointed out, both Saul and David, Israel’s first two kings, sinned. Both were reprimanded by a prophet. Both said chatati, “I have sinned.” But their fates were radically different. Saul lost his throne, David did not. The reason, said the Rav, was that David confessed immediately. Saul prevaricated and made excuses before admitting his sin.

DON’T MISS THE LESSON!!!:

THE FIRST TO CONFESS AND REPENT, IS THE FIRST TO BE BLESSED!

JUDAH WAS THE FIRST AND ONLY SON OF JACOB RECORDED TO HAVE CONFESSED AND REPENTED, AND CHANGED HIS WAYS!!!

THE TREMENDOUS POWER OF GOD’S FORGIVENESS UPON HIM WHO REPENTS!!

• 1 John 1:9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our

sins and purify us from ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS.• Acts 3:19Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may BE WIPED

OUT, that TIMES OF REFRESHING may come from the Lord,• Daniel 9:9The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have

rebelled against him;• Ephesians 1:7In him we have REDEMPTION THROUGH HIS BLOOD, the

forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace

• Hebrews 10:17Then he adds: "Their sins and lawless acts I WILL REMEMBER NO MORE."

• Isaiah 1:18"Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are

like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.

• Isaiah 43:25"I, even I, am he who BLOTS OUT YOUR TRANSGRESSIONS, for my own sake,

and remembers your sins no more.

• Micah 7:18-19Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the

remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. YOU WILL AGAIN HAVE COMPASSION ON US; YOU WILL TREAD OUR SINS UNDERFOOT AND HURL ALL OUR INIQUITIES INTO THE DEPTHS OF THE SEA.

MEANING:

THE LORD HAS ABSOLUTELY NO REMEMBRANCE ANY MORE OF THE SINS OF JUDAH!!!

YEHEY!!!!!!!YES!!!!!!HALLELUUUJAH!!

A DOUBLE TWIST IN THE STORY

(Genesis 38:27-30)

• “And it came about at the time she (TAMAR) was giving birth, that behold, there were twins in her womb. Moreover, it took place while she was giving birth, one put out a hand, and the midwife took and tied a scarlet thread on his hand, saying, “This one came out first.” But it came about as he drew back his hand, that behold his brother came out. Then she said, “What a breach you have made for yourself!” So he was named Perez. And afterward his brother came out who had the scarlet thread on his hand; and he was named Zerah.”

WHO WAS THE FIRSTBORN?

• Since the twin that was first to emerge from the womb traditionally possessed the rights of the firstborn, some kind of identifying mark was placed on the first to issue from the womb. When one of the boys thrust out a hand, a scarlet thread was tied about it, assuming that he would shortly come forth. The hand was withdrawn, however, and the firstborn was the other boy. This firstborn was named Perez, while the next son, the one with the scarlet thread, was named Zerah. As later genealogies will prove, this firstborn son, PEREZ, WAS TO BE THE SON OF JUDAH WHO WOULD CARRY ON THE MESSIANIC LINE UNTIL THE TIME OF DAVID, AND ULTIMATELY, OF JESUS (cf. Ruth 4:12; Matthew 1:3).

WHAT??? JESUS WAS OF AN ADULTEROUS, TECHNICALLY INCESTUOUS LINE?????

YES SIR!! YES MA’AM!!!

• REPENTANCE AND CONFESSION IS ALWAYS REDEMPTIVE!!!• THERE IS NO SIN THAT CANNOT

BE FORGIVEN and FORGOTTEN!!!• THERE IS NO FAULT OR WEAKNESS IN US

THAT CANNOT BE WIPED OUT BY GOD!!!• WHN JUDAH REPENTED, HIS INCESTOUS AND

ADULTEROUS LINE WAS ERASED!!!

THE LINES OF THE TWINS:

WHAT HAPPENED TO ZARAH’S LINE?

• On the Trail of Zarah• Parts of the clan of Zarah undoubtedly came to Spain and

Ireland (vide names such as Zaragossa, incorporating the family name) and the migrations from Greece brought royal families of that clan.

• Said to be descended from Zarah:1. Greek dynasties2. Vikings3. Trojans4. Saxons5. Irish 6. British7. Scottish royalties

SO JUDAH’S LINE ON BOTH SIDES WERE LINES OF KINGS!!

WITH CONFESSION AND REPENTANCE, THERE IS NOW ROOM TO RETRIEVE

JUDAH’S REDEEMABLE TRAITS

1. His LEADERSHIP2. His CAPACITY FOR PERSONAL SACRIFICE3. His CAPACITY FOR MENTAL HONESTY4. His CAPACITY FOR LOVE AND

ACCOMODATION

Redemption story 1:The selling of Joseph as a slave:

Judah’s action (Genesis 37)

• Ge 37:19 Then they said to one another, "Look, this dreamer is coming!

• 20 "Come therefore, let us now kill him and cast him into some pit; and we shall say, 'Some wild beast has devoured him.' We shall see what will become of his dreams!"

• 21 But Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands, and said, "Let us not kill him."

• 22 And Reuben said to them, "Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit which is in the wilderness, and do not lay a hand on him" -that he might deliver him out of their hands, and bring him back to his father.

• 23 So it came to pass, when Joseph had come to his brothers, that they stripped Joseph of his tunic, the tunic of many colors that was on him.

Judah’s action:

• 24 Then they took him and cast him into a pit. And the pit was empty; there was no water in it.

• 25 And they sat down to eat a meal. Then they lifted their eyes and looked, and there was a company of Ishmaelites, coming from Gilead with their camels, bearing spices, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry them down to Egypt.

• 26 So Judah said to his brothers, "What profit is there if we kill our brother and conceal his blood?

• 27 "Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother and our flesh." And his brothers listened.

Redemption 2:The warranty for Benjamin’s return –

Judah’s role (Genesis 43)• 1 Now the famine was severe in the land.• 2 And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the grain which

they had brought from Egypt, that their father said to them, "Go back, buy us a little food."

• 3 But Judah spoke to him, saying, "The man solemnly warned us, saying, 'You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.'"

• 4 "If you send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food.

• 5 "But if you will not send him, we will not go down; for the man said to us, 'You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.'"

• 6 And Israel said, "Why did you deal so wrongfully with me as to tell the man whether you had still another brother?"

• 7 But they said, "The man asked us pointedly about ourselves and our family, saying, 'Is your father still alive? Have you another brother?' And we told him according to these words. Could we possibly have known that he would say, 'Bring your brother down'?"

• 8 Then Judah said to Israel his father, "Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go, that we may live and not die, both we and you and also our little ones.

• 9 "I myself will be surety for him; from my hand you shall require him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever.

• (NKJV)

Redemptive Story 3: The amazing display of Judah’s turn around love for Benjieboy and his father Jacob

(Gen. 44)

• 1 And he commanded the steward of his house, saying, "Fill the men's sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put each man's money in the mouth of his sack.

• 2 "Also put my cup, the silver cup, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, and his grain money." So he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken.

• 3 As soon as the morning dawned, the men were sent away, they and their donkeys.

• 4 When they had gone out of the city, and were not yet far off, Joseph said to his steward, "Get up, follow the men; and when you overtake them, say to them, 'Why have you repaid evil for good?

• 5 'Is not this the one from which my lord drinks, and with which he indeed practices divination? You have done evil in so doing.'"

• 6 So he overtook them, and he spoke to them these same words.• 8 "Look, we brought back to you from the land of Canaan the

money which we found in the mouth of our sacks. How then could we steal silver or gold from your lord's house?

• 9 "With whomever of your servants it is found, let him die, and we also will be my lord's slaves."

• 10 And he said, "Now also let it be according to your words; he with whom it is found shall be my slave, and you shall be blameless."

• 11 Then each man speedily let down his sack to the ground, and each opened his sack.

• 12 So he searched. He began with the oldest and left off with the youngest; and the cup was found in Benjamin's sack.

• 13 Then they tore their clothes, and each man loaded his donkey and returned to the city.

• 14 So Judah and his brothers came to Joseph's house, and he was still there; and they fell before him on the ground.

• 15 And Joseph said to them, "What deed is this you have done? Did you not know that such a man as I can certainly practice divination?"

• 16 Then Judah said, "What shall we say to my lord? What shall we speak? Or how shall we clear ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of your servants; here we are, my lord's slaves, both we and he also with whom the cup was found."

• 17 But he said, "Far be it from me that I should do so; the man in whose hand the cup was found, he shall be my slave. And as for you, go up in peace to your father."

• 18 Then Judah came near to him and said: "O my lord, please let your servant speak a word in my lord's hearing, and do not let your anger burn against your servant; for you are even like Pharaoh.

• 19 "My lord asked his servants, saying, 'Have you a father or a brother?'

• 20 "And we said to my lord, 'We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, who is young; his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother's children, and his father loves him.'

• 21 "Then you said to your servants, 'Bring him down to me, that I may set my eyes on him.'

• 22 "And we said to my lord, 'The lad cannot leave his father, for if he should leave his father, his father would die.'

• 23 "But you said to your servants, 'Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you shall see my face no more.'

• 24 "So it was, when we went up to your servant my father, that we told him the words of my lord.

• 25 "And our father said, 'Go back and buy us a little food.'

• 25 "And our father said, 'Go back and buy us a little food.'

• 26 "But we said, 'We cannot go down; if our youngest brother is with us, then we will go down; for we may not see the man's face unless our youngest brother is with us.'

• 27 "Then your servant my father said to us, 'You know that my wife bore me two sons;

• 28 'and the one went out from me, and I said, "Surely he is torn to pieces"; and I have not seen him since.

• 29 'But if you take this one also from me, and calamity befalls him, you shall bring down my gray hair with sorrow to the grave.'

• 30 "Now therefore, when I come to your servant my father, and the lad is not with us, since his life is bound up in the lad's life,

• 31 "it will happen, when he sees that the lad is not with us, that he will die. So your servants will bring down the gray hair of your servant our father with sorrow to the grave.

• 32 "For your servant became surety for the lad to my father, saying, 'If I do not bring him back to you, then I shall bear the blame before my father forever.'

• 33 "Now therefore, please let your servant remain instead of the lad as a slave to my lord, and let the lad go up with his brothers.

• 34 "For how shall I go up to my father if the lad is not with me, lest perhaps I see the evil that would come upon my father?“ (“Do not let me see the misery that would come upon my father.” NIV)

ANALYZE JUDAH’S HEART:

1. Despite his anger for Joseph, HE AFFIRMED THAT JOSEPH IS OF HIS FLESH AND BLOOD

2. He RECOGNIZED THAT HIS FATHER JACOB LOVED HIS BROTHER BENJAMIN VERY MUCH (with a love that he and his brothers did not receive from their father)

3. HE GAVE HIS LIFE AS A WARRANTY TO JACOB FOR BENJAMIN’S LIFE

4. AND HE GAVE HIS LIFE AGAIN TO JOSEPH AS A WARRANTY FOR BENJAMIN’S LIFE

JUDAH’S ACTIONS:

1. Reunited JACOB’S family2. Paved the way for their re-grouping as a

complete family3. Helped Joseph reintroduce the Lord back into

the family – His perfect wisdom and ways

MOSES BLESSING OF JUDAH:

• Moses said of Judah in Deut. 33:7 (KJV) • "And this is the blessing of Judah: and he said,

Hear, LORD, the voice of Judah, and bring him unto his people: let his hands be sufficient for him; and be thou an help to him from his enemies“

• He also assigned the territories to the tribes

THE TERRITORY OF JUDAH

In Judah’s territory:1. Hebron – first capital

of Israel2. Jerusalem –

governmental and spiritual capital of Israel

3. The TEMPLE4. CALVARY

JUDAH’S FOUR-FOLD BLESSINGFROM MOSES:

1. Let THE VOICE OF JUDAH BE HEARD BY THE LORD

2. BRING HIM TO HIS OWN PEOPLE3. LET HIS HANDS BE SUFFICIENT FOR HIM4. BE THOU (LORD) BE A HELP TO HIM FROM

HIS ENEMIES

1. Let the Lord hear Judah’s voice:

This is a blessing of:a. Open heavenb. Authority and Ledershipc. Favord. Worship anointinge. Intercession

2. Bring him to his people

• A prayer for:a. Ability to lead and handle people wellb. Acceptance by other tribesc. Bonding and strength with brethren

3. "Let his hands be sufficient for him."

• The Hebrew word for 'sufficient' is the word 'reb' which means abundant, enough, great, many, mighty, plenteous, etc. and is the root of such words as: captain, chief, archer, lord, and master. Thus, Judah's hands are not simply sufficient for him , but they are great and mighty, the hands of archers, captains, chiefs and masters. Hands speak of labor, strength and dexterity and all of this is true of Judahites.

AN INTERESTING COMMENT IN THE BIBLE:

• The postexilic writer of 1 Chronicles, probably Ezra, wrote, “Yet Judah prevailed over his brothers, and from him came a ruler, although the birthright was Joseph’s” (1 Chronicles 5:2).

• How did Judah prevail?• During the time of Moses, the tribe of Judah became

the stronger tribe and “prevailed over his brothers.” The census in Numbers 1 shows that Judah was the leading tribe in population and in men who could go to war (Numbers 1:2-3, 27).

WHY JUDAH, AND NOT JOSEPH?

• The sages (Berakhot 34b) articulated a principle: “WHERE PENITENTS STAND EVEN THE PERFECTLY RIGHTEOUS CANNOT STAND.” The Talmud brings a prooftext from Isaiah: “Peace, peace, to those far and near” (Is. 57: 19) placing the far (the penitent sinner) before the near (the perfectly righteous). However, almost certainly the real source is here in the story of Joseph and Judah. Joseph is known to tradition as ha-tzaddik, the righteous.

• Judah, as we will see, is a penitent. Joseph became “second to the king.” Judah, however, became the ancestor of kings. Hence, where penitents stand even the perfectly righteous cannot stand.

JUDAH’S PERFECT REPENTANCE• Judah is the first person in the Torah to achieve perfect repentance

(teshuvah gemurah), defined by the sages as one who finds himself in a situation to repeat an earlier sin but who does not do so because he is now a changed person.

• Many years before Judah was responsible for Joseph being sold as a slave:• Judah said to his brothers, “What will we gain if we kill our brother and

cover up his blood? Come, let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him; after all, he is our brother, our own flesh and blood.” His brothers agreed. (Gen. 37: 26-27)

• Now, faced with the prospect of leaving Benjamin as a slave, he says,

“LET ME STAY AS A SLAVE AND LET MY BROTHER GO FREE.” That is perfect repentance, and it is what allows Joseph to reveal his identity and forgive his brothers.

“LET ME DIE AS A SLAVE AND LET MY BROTHER GO FREE!!!”

JUDAH BEFORE GEN. 49: JUDAH AFTER GEN. 49

“Let me warrant the life of my brother”

• “You will rule over your brothers”

NOW REMEMBER JACOB’S WORD FOR JUDAH!!:

• GENESIS 49:10 “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.”

• SHILOH – means “the one to whom it belongs”• THE SCEPTER WILL BE TAKEN BY “SHILOH” –

THE ONE TO WHOM IT BELONGS. • WHO IS THIS SHILOH?

SHILOH – “THE ONE TO WHOM IT BELONGS”, is JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD!!!

JUDAH BECOMES THE LEADER!

• After the death of Joshua, God chose the tribe of Judah to take the lead in conquering the nations who were living in the land promised to the 12 tribes (Judges 1:2). The first chapter of Judges shows that the tribe of Judah was aggressive and strong in driving out the Canaanites in the southern half of the land of Canaan.

JUDAH BECOMES FIRST!!

• Here are some interesting notes on the Tribe of Judah. The Tribe of Judah is always first. It is the first stone on the breastplate. In the Book of Judges, the first judge, OTHNIEL, was from Judah’s tribe. Also in the Book of Judges, it was the first tribe to go to war. In the Tabernacle of Moses, Judah was the first tribe to move out or to lead. Judah was camped by the door of the Tabernacle. Jacob's sons, by order of birth, were Reuben, Simeon, Levi then Judah. Yet Judah moved from fourth place to first place.

The tribal positions:

• Notice:THE TRIBAL

EMBLEM OF JUDAH (Lion) is what is displayed first in the

marching order.Significance of the

position.

JOSEPH, JUDAH – AND THE TEMPLE

• An even more important way that Judah prevailed over his brothers took place during the time of King David. The tabernacle of God had long been in Shiloh in the territory of Joseph. But David set the stage for the temple to be built on Mount Zion, “which He [God] loved,” in the tribe of Judah (Psalm 78:67-70). God chose David to be His shepherd and Jerusalem (Mount Zion) for His place to dwell. God also chose David to hold the “scepter,” a symbol of kingship that would always remain in the tribe of Judah (Genesis 49:10; Psalm 89:34-37).

In the tribulation period:

• Jesus in His Olivet Prophecy said, “For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be” (Matthew 24:21). The tribe of Judah and the State of Israel will not be spared from this traumatic time. In Luke’s account of the same prophecy, Jesus said, “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near” (Luke 21:20).

BUT THE LORD WILL HONOR THE WORD OF MOSES!

• The prophet Zechariah also spoke of this same time, “For I will gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem; the city shall be taken, the houses rifled, and the women ravished. Half of the city shall go into captivity, but the remnant of the people shall not be cut off from the city” (Zechariah 14:2). Invasion and war will come to Jerusalem and to the tribe of Judah.

• Following the prophecy of the invasion of Israel and Jerusalem, Zechariah announced the good news of the coming of Christ: “And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives. … And the LORD shall be King over all the earth” (Zechariah 14:4, 9).

JEREMIAH, JOHN, AND PAUL

• Jeremiah spoke of this same time when he said, “In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell safely; now this is His name by which He will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS” (Jeremiah 23:6).

• The good news for the tribe of Judah and this world is that the “Lion of the tribe of Judah,” Jesus Christ (Revelation 5:5), will return to establish the Kingdom of God, and the tribe of Judah will finally accept its Redeemer (Romans 11:26).

EVEN IN THE DIVIDED KINGDOM,JUDAH STILL PREVAILED

SOUTHERN KINGDOM OF JUDAH

CATEGORY NORTHERN KINGDOM OF ISRAEL

19 Kings, 1 Queen Kings 19 Kings

Jerusalem Capital Samaria

1 Dynasty - the line of David Dynasties 5 Dynasties and several independent kings.

Judah & Benjamin Tribes 10 Northern Tribes.

Most were unstable; some were good & some were bad.

Character of the Kings

All were bad, but only Ahab and Ahaziah were Baal worshipers.

By Babylon in 586 B.C. Conquered By Assyria in 721 B.C.

Returned to the land. Afterward No return.

CONCLUSION:

1. Judah was a man of VERY GREAT FAULTS AND WEAKNESSES – VERY GREAT

2. But HE DISPLAYED THE GREATEST HUMILITY, REPENTANCE AND CHANGE

3. On this humility, repentance, THE LORD ACTIVATED HIS REDEEMABLE TRAITS AND USED THEM FOR THE LORD’S GREATEST GLORY AND HONOR

4. And the LORD WAS WILLING TO BECOME MAN THROUGH THE FAMILY TREE OF JUDAH’S TRIBE!!

THE LION OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH IS COMING!

HE IS COMING FOR HIS BRIDE!

JESUS, THE LAMB THAT WAS SLAIN, NOW COMING AS LION KING!