WHEN SHILOH COMES

Genesis 49:8-12 (KJV)
Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father's children shall bow down before thee.
Judah is a lion's whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up?
The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.
Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass's colt unto the choice vine; he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes:
His eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk.

The Bible says that all these things that were written aforetime:
· The things about Abraham
· The things about Isaac and Jacob
· The things about the twelve tribes and Moses
· The things about the judges and the kings
All these things were written for our learning.

And if these are our examples, at least one thing that we learn from them is that God uses messed up people.

Abraham had but one son of promise, the rest were of his own self will and flesh.

Isaac picked the wrong one of his two sons to carry on the spiritual torch.

Jacob had twelve sons of four women

And those sons were all problematic

When he reached the end of his life Jacob called the twelve sons together and, in what is no doubt a supernatural moment, prophesied the futures of the peoples who would spring from them.

Of interest to this morning’s message is Judah.

His family, based upon Jacob’s prophecy, would be the royal one.
· It wasn’t because Judah was more deserving
· It wasn’t because the tribe he produced would be that much better

They would be the family of which the scepter would not depart because God willed it to be so.

· There are things that we can do to improve our standing in this life and
· There are some things we can do to impair it

But nothing we do or do not can change the plan of God for all of mankind.

· From Judah would come David, a man after God’s own heart
· But from David would come certain kings who would be as far from the heart of God as we could ever imagine

God has a plan
My desire is not that I might alter that plan but that I might instead walk according to His plan.

Jacob could likely see certain qualities in his children that tended one way or the other but without the supernatural illumination of God’s Holy Spirit, he could not have seen that
· Judah’s family would be the royal one
· Or that from it would come Shiloh

“Until Shiloh come”
What an interesting phrase.

· It bursts into the narrative out of nowhere.
· It is the first time the word is found in the Bible
· It is the only time it is used to refer to a person

Every other use is of a city, the first to provide the Tabernacle a permanent location.

“Until Shiloh Come”

Shiloh means tranquility or peace (I am thinking Salem)

All of the Bible students I read after, as well as the ancient Jewish teachers they make reference to, believe this to be a prophecy concerning the Messiah.

I am with them on that.

The earliest Jewish teachers saw the coming of the Messiah as a one-time event.
He would come to destroy the enemies of God’s people and establish His kingdom

Once the Bible was completed it became clear that the coming of the Messiah has three distinctive events.

Once we know that there are three events, it is easy then to see all three even in the Old Testament.

I. THE FIRST COMING OF CHRIST
Jacob’s prophecy contains certain descriptions relating to the first coming of the Messiah – Christ.

A. Thy brethren shall praise – the celebrations of His birth
Genesis 49:8 (KJV)
Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise:

Although the Gospel According to John says, John 1:11 (KJV)
He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

We do know that His first coming was a celebrated event
· It was celebrated, certainly by his parents and by Elizabeth[1]
· It was celebrated, by the angels who announced his birth before and after His birth[2]
· It was celebrated by the Shepherds who came to see this great sight and those they told of the birth[3]
· It was celebrated by Simeon[4]
· It was celebrated by Anna the prophetess[5]
· It was celebrated by the wise men[6]

The first year of Jesus’ ministry is often called “the year of popularity” when thousands followed Him.

B. A lion’s whelp – as a son
Genesis 49:9 (KJV)
Judah is a lion's whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, …

This is an interesting phrase.
He is a lion’s son, but He is taken from the prey.

Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Son of Man.
· He is all God, the only begotten Son of God. but
· He is all man, able to identify wholly with man.

We can’t proclaim this doctrine strongly enough.
And I insist that the person who denies this doctrine cannot possibly be saved.[7]

· If Jesus isn’t all man, He could not have died in man’s place. However
· If Jesus isn’t all God, His death would have been of no value.

C. Binding the foal and the ass’s colt – the triumphal entry
Genesis 49:11 (KJV)
Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass's colt unto the choice vine; …

This is so clearly an allusion to the last week before His crucifixion when Jesus made His Triumphal entry into Jerusalem,
Mark 11:1-10 (KJV)
And when they came nigh to Jerusalem, unto Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount of Olives, he sendeth forth two of his disciples,
And saith unto them, Go your way into the village over against you: and as soon as ye be entered into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon never man sat; loose him, and bring him.
And if any man say unto you, Why do ye this? say ye that the Lord hath need of him; and straightway he will send him hither.
And they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door without in a place where two ways met; and they loose him.
And certain of them that stood there said unto them, What do ye, loosing the colt?
And they said unto them even as Jesus had commanded: and they let them go.
And they brought the colt to Jesus, and cast their garments on him; and he sat upon him.
And many spread their garments in the way: and others cut down branches off the trees, and strawed them in the way.
And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord:
Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest.

I’m telling you, read your Bible.

It’s all here!

The Jews could have discovered all the doctrine of the first coming of Christ in their own Old Testament Scriptures if they had but been open to seeing it.

Jacob’s prophecy obviously also included elements of
II. THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST

A. The neck of thine enemies–
Genesis 49:8 (KJV)
….thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father's children shall bow down before thee.

This is reminiscent of Christ’s victory over Satan at the Cross. God told Eve in Genesis 3:15 (KJV)
…I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

Jesus dealt a death blow to the devil when He died on the cross.

B. Children bowing down
Genesis 49:8 (KJV)
thy father's children shall bow down before thee.

I cannot help but think of Philippians 2:9-11 (KJV)
Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

C. A couched and old lion –
Genesis 49:9 (KJV)
… he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up?

This is an obvious reference to Revelation 5:2-5 (KJV)
And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?
And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon.
And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.
And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.

D. Washing garments in wine teeth white with milk –
Genesis 49:11-12 (KJV)
… he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes:
His eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk.

Who can help but see in this,
Revelation 19:11-16 (KJV)
And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.
And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

E. The scepter and lawgiver -
Genesis 49:10 (KJV)
The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet,…

This finds its ultimate fulfillment in the Millennial Kingdom, the One Thousand Year Reign of Jesus Christ.

Now the Old Testament Jews expected everything we have seen so far about the coming of the Messiah.

What they missed was
III. WHEN CHRIST COMES
Genesis 49:10 (KJV)
“…until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.”

The second coming of Christ has two parts:
· He comes for His saints and
· He comes with His saints

· He comes to the air, before the Tribulation, to call His people to heaven
· He comes again at the end of the Tribulation to establish His reign

Think of all those passages that have to do with the rapture.
They all speak of a gathering together.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 (KJV)
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

2 Thessalonians 2:1 (KJV)
Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,

I think we could gather that the final purpose of God is to gather the people around Jesus.

Revelation 4:4 (KJV)
And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.

When everything is said and done
· When the Tribulation is finished
· When the thousand year reign has expired
· When the Great White Throne is concluded
· When there is a new heaven, new earth and new Jerusalem
When we reach that stage that is eternity,

God’s people will be a gathered people, assembled around the throne and together, unified in faith, in purpose and worship.

Should that not be our goal today?

[1]Luke 1:39-46 (KJV)
And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda;
And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth.
And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:
And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.
And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.
And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.
And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,
[2]Luke 2:9-14 (KJV)
And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
[3]Luke 2:15-18 (KJV)
And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.
And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
[4]Luke 2:25-32 (KJV)
And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.
And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ.
And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law,
Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said,
Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word:
For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,
Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;
A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.
[5]Luke 2:36-38 (KJV)
And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity;
And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.
And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.
[6]Matthew 2:1-2 (KJV)
Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
[7]1 John 4:3 (KJV)
And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.