Messianic Prophecies worksheet 15
The World Ruler from the Tribe of the Lion of Judah

Old Testament prophecies

Context
After a life of struggle and controversy, Jacob’s family has securely settled in Egypt. Genesis 48 told of Jacob’s blessing on Joseph’s two oldest sons: Ephraim and Manasseh. In Genesis 49, Jacob gives both positive and negative predictions to each of his sons, in turn. Jacob then commands his sons to bury him in Canaan, then dies. The final chapter of Genesis describes the family’s mourning and Joseph’s death. The opening verses of Exodus race forward some 400 years, as the nation of Israel falls into harsh slavery under new Egyptian rulers (Exodus 1:8–14) (BibleRef).

Genesis 49:10 (NIV) says:
The scepter will not depart from

, nor the

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’s staff from between his feet, until he to whom it belongs shall

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and the

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of the nations shall be his.

Context of this verse
In a famous statement, Jacob’s proclaims that Judah’s tribe will not merely produce conquerors, but also kings; in fact, this tribe will be the source of a specific King. A scepter is held by a king as sign of authority. According to Jacob, this symbolic rulership will never leave the tribe of Judah. Each king, in turn holding the ruler’s staff, will come from the genealogy of Judah—poetically phrased as “between his feet.” This will be echoed by God, through Samuel, who will later say to King David of Judah, “Your throne shall be established forever” (2 Samuel 7:16) (BibleRef).

Q1 What does it mean that the scepter will not depart from Judah?

Q2 Who is “his” at the end of the verse? And how many generations are there between king David (in dispensation 2) and king Jesus (in dispensation 3) in the Gospel of Luke? And is king Jesus in dispensation 5?

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New Testament fulfillments

Revalation 5:5-14 (NIV) says:
⁵Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the

of the tribe of

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, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.” ⁶Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the

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, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. ⁷He went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the

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. ⁸And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people. ⁹And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation. ¹⁰You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will

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on the earth.” ¹¹Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. ¹²In a loud voice they were saying: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive

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and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” ¹³Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!” ¹⁴The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.

Q3 Do the prophecies of Genesis (written by Moses) and Revelation (seen in a vision by John on Patmos) talk about the same reign and role? In which dispensation will that take place?

Q4 List what kinds of worship do you find here. Who are involved?