December 3
The Lion of Judah
Reading: Genesis 48:15-16; 49:8-10
The promised Offspring’s line would continue through Isaac’s son Jacob, not Esau. On his deathbed, Jacob prophesied that the coming One would be a descendant of the tribe of Judah, Jacob’s fourth born son.
This promised Offspring would not only be a substitute Lamb (Genesis 22:8); he would be the Lion of the tribe of Judah.
Genesis 49:9–10 (NIV) — …Like a lion he crouches and lies down, like a lioness—who dares to rouse him? 10 The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he to whom it belongs shall come and the obedience of the nations shall be his.
The suffering substitute Lamb would be a Lion, a Ruler whom the nations would eventually obey. The prophets search intently to discern the time and circumstances of the Messiah’s suffering and subsequent glory (1 Peter 1:10-11).
John the revelator saw the Lamb that had been slain, who through his shed blood was worthy to fulfill the purposes of God and to reign as “the Lion of the tribe of Judah” (Revelation 5:5-14).
Ezra Commentary 