Gen 49:10, "The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes, And to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.  
	We now come to the specific blessing of Judah by Jacob as Jacob was preparing to depart this earth. He had gathered together his sons and was giving to each the blessing that was upon his heart. Upon Judah, as we have previously considered, was the Promise of God for the Messiah to come. The Christ would proceed forth from the lineage of Judah, and in that lineage was vested all the hope of mankind. 
	We want to spend a little time with the course of this blessing as it points forward to the Lord Jesus Christ. We will not have time to cover the every detail of this blessing, but hopefully will highlight some of the importance that is vested within this blessing of Judah. 
In the lineage of Judah would come forth King David, King Solomon, and ultimately King Jesus Who reigns for all eternity as the Son of God and the Son of Man. As we read in 1 Chron 28:4, David understood the significance of being from the lineage of Judah. "Yet, the Lord, the God of Israel, chose me from all the house of my father to be king over Israel forever. For He has chosen Judah to be a leader; and in the house of Judah, my father's house, and among the sons of my father He took pleasure in me to make me king over all Israel. 
       This eternal Kingship was further proclaimed as recorded by the Psalmist in Ps 60:6+7. God has spoken in His holiness: "I will exult, I will portion out Shechem and measure out the valley of Succoth. "Gilead is Mine, and Manasseh is Mine; Ephraim also is the helmet of My head; Judah is My scepter. …Judah is My scepter… This fully echoes and corresponds directly to the blessing of Jacob upon Judah. "The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor the ruler's staff from between his feet…  
The Prophet Isaiah, in a most familiar passage voices the reality of the Lordship of the Messiah from the very heart of God in Isa 9:6+7, For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this. 
The Prophet asserts the foundational truth that the royal lineage of the Christ would be from the tribe of Judah through David’s heritage. It would be an everlasting kingdom incorporating all the various elements of the Promised blessing that was pronounced upon Abraham and his descendants through the family of Isaac. It would be, as from the very beginning, the zeal and the work of God Almighty that would accomplish this tremendous and Divine Promise. 
	As we read in Luke 1:30-33, as the angel Gabriel announced to Mary, in his message from the throne of God, that Jesus Christ was the Promised One Who will reign forever and forever. And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. "And behold, you will conceive in your womb, and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. "He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever; and His kingdom will have no end." 
	Even the people of Jerusalem knew that Jesus of Nazareth was from the blessed lineage of Judah through the heritage of King David as they greeted His entry into the city on what we call Palm Sunday. Matt 21:5-9, if you would follow along. Matt 21:5-9, "Say to the daughter of Zion, 'Behold your King is coming to you, Gentle, and mounted on a donkey, Even on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.'" And the disciples went and did just as Jesus had directed them, and brought the donkey and the colt, and laid on them their garments, on which He sat. And most of the multitude spread their garments in the road, and others were cutting branches from the trees, and spreading them in the road. And the multitudes going before Him, and those who followed after were crying out, saying, "Hosanna to the Son of David; Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest!" 
	Returning to Jacob’s blessing, the next aspect to consider is …Until Shiloh comes… The Prophet Isaiah had much to say concerning this portion of the blessing. Shiloh means peace and with the rule of the Promised One there would be eternal peace. The kingdom of the Christ would be characterized with righteousness and with equity and with justice resulting in eternal peace. 
Please turn to Isa 11:1-10. Isa 11:1-10, Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, And a branch from his roots will bear fruit. And the Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him, The spirit of wisdom and understanding, The spirit of counsel and strength, The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. And He will delight in the fear of the Lord, And He will not judge by what His eyes see, Nor make a decision by what His ears hear; But with righteousness He will judge the poor, And decide with fairness for the afflicted of the earth; And He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, And with the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked. Also righteousness will be the belt about His loins, And faithfulness the belt about His waist. And the wolf will dwell with the lamb, And the leopard will lie down with the kid, And the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; And a little boy will lead them. Also the cow and the bear will graze; Their young will lie down together; And the lion will eat straw like the ox. And the nursing child will play by the hole of the cobra, And the weaned child will put his hand on the viper's den. They will not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain, For the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord As the waters cover the sea. Then it will come about in that day That the nations will resort to the root of Jesse, Who will stand as a signal for the peoples; And His resting place will be glorious. 
Please note that all animosity and fear and trembling and danger and ill-will and injustice will be done away with in the light of the perfect Sovereignty of the Promised root of Jesse, of the household of David, from the tribe of Judah. The Lord will bring peace between man and man and all of creation. Everything will be put into the perfect harmony of righteousness and tranquility as He reigns eternally as the Lord of Heaven and Earth.   
	As well, the Prophet Jeremiah related several aspects concerning the peace that would be ushered in with the Promised Lordship of the Christ. Primarily His peace would be established in His reign of righteousness. This peace would not just be within creation, but much more importantly it will be peace with God that we enjoy this very moment in Christ’s righteousness. Jer 23:5+6, "Behold, the days are coming," declares the Lord, "When I shall raise up for David a righteous Branch; And He will reign as king and act wisely And do justice and righteousness in the land. "In His days Judah will be saved, And Israel will dwell securely; And this is His name by which He will be called, 'The Lord our righteousness.' 
	Christ is our righteousness, our right-standing before God. Apart from Him, no man can come into the presence of the most Holy and Perfect One. But, as Christ’s righteous covers us, we are enabled to come into the very presence of the Majesty of God Almighty. 
This wonderful access of peace was recognized by the Prophet as we read together in Jer 30:18-22. Jer 30:18-22, "Thus says the Lord, 'Behold, I will restore the fortunes of the tents of Jacob And have compassion on his dwelling places; And the city shall be rebuilt on its ruin, And the palace shall stand on its rightful place. 'And from them shall proceed thanksgiving And the voice of those who make merry; And I will multiply them, and they shall not be diminished; I will also honor them, and they shall not be insignificant. 'Their children also shall be as formerly, And their congregation shall be established before Me; And I will punish all their oppressors. 'And their leader shall be one of them, And their ruler shall come forth from their midst; And I will bring him near, and he shall approach Me; For who would dare to risk his life to approach Me?' declares the Lord. 'And you shall be My people, And I will be your God.'" 
	…For who would dare to risk his life to approach Me? Only in the covering of the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ could we ever even think of coming into the very holiest of holies. And it is in Him that we are brought, not only into the very presence of God Most High, but made part of the very family of Our Lord and Savior. 
	Again, this was told to Joseph as he was pondering all that was taking place in his preparation to wed Mary. He had doubts and suspicions and cultural traditions that needed to be dealt with, and the Lord sent His messenger to allay all fear and trepidation that Joseph harbored. Matt 1:20-23, But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for that which has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. "And she will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for it is He who will save His people from their sins." Now all this took place that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet might be fulfilled, saying, "Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel," which translated means, "God with us." 
	In Christ, we find the reality that God is, in fact, with us. He is Immanuel incarnate and the Promised Shiloh of heaven with earth. The Apostle Paul delights us with this reality in Eph 3:8-12, To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ, and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God, who created all things; in order that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places. This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him. 
	The reality that Christ is our peace with God and our access before the very throne of the Altogether Lovely One is reinforced by the Writer to the Hebrews in several passages. The first is Heb 7:11-22 in which we have the vast difference detailed between the Levitical priesthood and the priesthood of Jesus Christ. Note that it is of vital importance that Christ was from the tribe of Judah and after the heart of the order of Melchizedek. 
Heb 7:11-22, Now if perfection was through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the people received the Law), what further need was there for another priest to arise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be designated according to the order of Aaron? For when the priesthood is changed, of necessity there takes place a change of law also. For the one concerning whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no one has officiated at the altar. For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, a tribe with reference to which Moses spoke nothing concerning priests. And this is clearer still, if another priest arises according to the likeness of Melchizedek, who has become such not on the basis of a law of physical requirement, but according to the power of an indestructible life. For it is witnessed of Him, "Thou art a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek." For, on the one hand, there is a setting aside of a former commandment because of its weakness and uselessness (for the Law made nothing perfect), and on the other hand there is a bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God. And inasmuch as it was not without an oath (for they indeed became priests without an oath, but He with an oath through the One who said to Him, "The Lord has sworn And will not change His mind, 'Thou art a priest forever'"); so much the more also Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant. 
	…there is a bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God…so much the more also Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant. 
	The Writer is not content to just leave our ready access to God at this point, but further details just how glorious is our peace with God, in Jesus Christ, unto our ability to come before Him in confident assurance. Heb 10:19-22, Since therefore, brethren, we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. …let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith… Because Christ is the One Promised by God all those centuries ago, as detailed in the blessing of Judah, we have the full assurance of confident access in Him as our Peace and right-standing with God. There is no other way of it.
	Lord willing, in the coming weeks, we will continue our deliberation of this tremendous blessing that is ours in Jesus Christ, declared by Jacob upon Judah. So be it!
"The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes, And to him shall be the obedience of the peoples. Amen.

	This morning’s benediction is Jer 23:5+6. "Behold, the days are coming," declares the Lord, "When I shall raise up for David a righteous Branch; And He will reign as king and act wisely And do justice and righteousness in the land. "In His days Judah will be saved, And Israel will dwell securely; And this is His name by which He will be called, 'The Lord our righteousness.' Amen.