The Scepter Given to Judah

International Sunday School Lesson 9/25/2022 Fall Quarter #4

Genesis 35:22-26 ESV  While Israel lived in that land, Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine. And Israel heard of it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve.  (23)  The sons of Leah: Reuben (Jacob’s firstborn), Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun.  (24)  The sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin.  (25)  The sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s servant: Dan and Naphtali.  (26)  The sons of Zilpah, Leah’s servant: Gad and Asher. These were the sons of Jacob who were born to him in Paddan-aram.

Genesis 35:22-26 ESV 

Genesis 38:24-26 ESV  About three months later Judah was told, “Tamar your daughter-in-law has been immoral. Moreover, she is pregnant by immorality.” And Judah said, “Bring her out, and let her be burned.”  (25)  As she was being brought out, she sent word to her father-in-law, “By the man to whom these belong, I am pregnant.” And she said, “Please identify whose these are, the signet and the cord and the staff.”  (26)  Then Judah identified them and said, “She is more righteous than I, since I did not give her to my son Shelah.” And he did not know her again.

Genesis 38:24-26 ESV 

Genesis 49:10-12 ESV  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 49:10-12 ESV 

Notes

Background

• God’s plan works through personal failings and struggles in the line of Judah.
• The grouping of Jacob sons will be by their mother.
• The focus is on the miracle of the line of Christ coming through Judah.

Sons of Leah — Gen 35:22b-23 (ESV)

• Note that Levi was the father of the priest because they needed to be split up within Israel due to their anger over Dina.

Sons of Rachel — Gen 35:24 (ESV)

• When the Bible talks about the tribes of Israel, Joseph is split into Ephraim and Manasseh.
• Benjamin is the tribe of the first king of Israel

Sons of Bilhah — Gen 35:25 (ESV)

Sons of Zilpah — Gen 35:26 (ESV)

Tamar Gets a Child — Gen 38:24 (ESV)

• Lev 21:9 (ESV)And the daughter of any priest, if she profanes herself by whoring, profanes her father; she shall be burned with fire.

The Truth Comes Out — Gen 38:25-26 (ESV)

• Joh 8:7-9 (ESV)And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.”8And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. 9But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him.

The Scepter — Gen 49:10 (ESV)

• Rom 15:12 (ESV)And again Isaiah says, “The root of Jesse will come, even he who arises to rule the Gentiles; in him will the Gentiles hope.”
• Rev 11:15 (ESV)Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.”

Washed Garments in Wine — Gen 49:11-12 (ESV)

• This description is a metaphorical description of financial blessings.