To Him Shall Be The Obedience Of The Peoples

“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.”

This verse is a promise and a prophecy. The book of Genesis is full of promises, promises from God. The first promise is in Genesis 3:15, which speaks of the coming conflict between Christ and Satan. Genesis 49:10 is an eschatological promise. It simply says that a descendant of Judah will rule forever and all nations will submit to him. The scepter and ruler’s staff speak of the reign of this future king.

When our Lord Jesus began his public ministry, it was with these words of announcement: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” (Mark 1:15). Jesus did not define what he meant by the “kingdom of God.” The implication is that he assumed the teaching of the Old Testament regarding God’s kingdom. It also implies that those who listened to our Lord were familiar with the kingdom. The phrase “kingdom of God” does not appear in the Old Testament, yet the idea pervades all the Scriptures. We know that God is the King of the universe and of Israel (Ex. 15:18; Ps. 96:10; 97:1; 145:11–13).

The rule of God is a sovereign rule over men. It is extensive, covering their entire existence. It is a rule that requires unquestioned obedience and submission. This is what our verse proposes. Ultimately, Jacob speaks of Messiah’s rule. Kings will come from the tribe of Judah, such as David. Old Testament eschatology can be reduced to some simple statements.

First, there will be a coming redeemer (Gen. 3:15). He will be of the “Seed of Abraham” (Gen. 22:18). He will belong to the tribe of Judah (Gen. 49:10). He will be the “Son of David” (2 Sam. 7:12, 13). He will simultaneously hold the mediatorial offices of prophet (Deut. 18:15), priest (Ps. 110:4), and king (Zech. 7:13, 14). He will be the“Suffering Servant of Yahweh” (Isa.42:1–4; 49:5–7; 52:13–53:12), and the incredible “Son of Man” (Dan. 7:13, 14).

Second, all of this points to the realization one day of the kingdom fully complete and experienced by the entire world (the peoples). Third, the significant New Covenant of Jeremiah 31 was introduced and fulfilled in our Lord Jesus Christ. Fourth, there is the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Joel 2:28–32), and finally there is the coming judgment, often referred to as the “Day of the Lord” (Mal. 4:5), and the ushering in of a“new heavens and new earth” (Isa. 11; 65:17; 66:22).

It is the Old Testament that contains all these truths, and it’s surprising that the New Testament continues in the same way. John the Baptist is the forerunner of the Messiah. He would prepare a people ready for the Lord (Luke 1:16, 17). He would come in the spirit and power of Elijah. He would be the prophet of the Most High (Luke 1:76).Jesus said to the crowd following him that if they were willing to accept it then John the Baptist was the Elijah who was to come. The disciples did not understand what Jesus meant when he said this because they were anticipating Elijah and had just seen him at the transfiguration (Matt. 17:10; Mark 9:11).

Malachi’s prophecy about Elijah coming before the Lord came (which meant before the Day of the Lord) perplexed them (Mal. 3:1; 4:5). Jesus was the Messiah who was to come whom they had just seen on the Mount of Transfiguration. Jesus was the coming Lord, the Yahweh of Hosts in the Old Testament. But how could the Lord come first before Elijah. Jesus solved the problem by telling them that the Elijah who was to come before the Lord was, in fact, John the Baptist.

So Jesus did, in fact, come after Elijah. Now, if Jesus identified Malachi’s Elijah (Mal. 4:5) as John the Baptist, then Jesus also unequivocally claimed for himself that he was Yahweh of Hosts, the Messenger of the Covenant who promised that he would come after Elijah had come. This Messiah would be David’s Son, yet David’s Lord (Mark 12:35–37). He would reign over the house of Jacob forever and his kingdom would have no end (Luke 1:32, 33).

All of this sounds like fulfillment of Genesis 49:10. It was John the Baptist who clearly drew the lines in the sand when he said, “even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees” (Matt. 3:10). Something extraordinary and definitive was occurring in human history. Messiah was going to come and bring both salvation and judgment. He would baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire (Mat. 3:11). The kingdom literally had broken into history. It began in the Old Testament with God’s promise, and now in the New Testament, the Kingdom had come. Eschatology contains this idea of “the already” and “the not yet.” It has come; it is coming; and it will come. Scripture maintains this tension, and we must compare Scripture with Scripture to understand the various aspects or manifestations revealed at a particular time.

In Matthew’s gospel, Jesus gives a description of the kingdom, using parables to convey his message (Matt. 13).The parables reveal what Jesus calls the “mysteries” of the kingdom of heaven. The kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of God are interchangeable (between Mathew and Luke primarily). Neither of these terms should be interpreted to mean different periods of time regarding the revealing of the kingdom. Both of them point to the sovereign rule or reign of God in history. The hidden aspect has to do with the breaking in of God’s kingdom during the time of our Lord. This is clearly the meaning of the coming kingdom in Daniel’s prophecy (Dan. 2:31–45; 7:13–27). Daniel reveals that when God’s kingdom comes it will come with such power that none can stand against it. All earthly kingdoms cannot prevail against God’s kingdom. God’s kingdom will steadily advance until the consummation when the kingdom and all things will be delivered over to God (1 Cor. 15:28).

Christ Jesus reigns in grace in our hearts now. This is a true reign. It is not a hypothetical reign. Jesus has all authority in heaven and on earth (Mat. 28:18). More than this, he is exalted to the Father’s right hand at the present, not merely to sit there and enjoy what he has accomplished, but to be about the business of putting his enemies under his feet. His ruling is a spiritual rule in grace within us and over us. There will be a consummating rule at the end of the age, when our Lord Jesus appears for us. It will be a rule of power.

The Incarnation, then, is the breaking into human history of the rule of God on a scale never seen in the Old Testament, yet frequently prophesied. God’s kingdom is being realized. Jesus outlined the program regarding his future coming in the Olivet Discourse (Matt. 24, 25; Mark 13; Luke 17; 21). A careful reading of these passages will see Jesus speaking of his coming in judgment in A.D. 70 upon Jerusalem, and his Second Coming at the end of the age. We are to be prepared for that hour that no man knows, save the Father (Mat. 24:36; Mark 13:32). We must always be alert, vigilant and on guard (Mark 13:33–37). This implies hardship and difficulties for us. We are to be faithful until the end. It is God who will bring us safely to his kingdom (2 Tim. 4:18). This is our persevering to the end. The scepter has never departed from our Lord. It is his by divine right and promise. He has brought us to a willing obedience. Let us be about the business of the kingdom, advancing it one day at a time.