This is kind of interesting. Let us go back to Genesis 49. Most of us are aware that these are the prophecies that were given to and through Jacob of the direction that his children as tribes were going to go.
What does "scepter" mean? It means, or it is a symbol of authority. It is the staff of authority. "The staff of authority shall not depart from Judah." Remember, ordinarily these things may have gone to Reuben. He was the firstborn, but he defiled his father's bed, and he was bumped from that responsibility. And then God split the blessing into two. He made Joseph the firstborn, and so Joseph had right of inheritance in terms of nationalistic material things, but He made sure and He prophesied through Jacob that the scepter would not depart from Judah. Judah is going to be the ruling tribe. Remember, the oracles were given to Judah.
Now are the Israelites scattered, or gathered? Well, we are still scattered. We have not been gathered. What is this verse saying? It is saying that the staff of authority shall not depart from the tribe of Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Christ returns. "And to Him [Shiloh] shall the gathering of the people be."
Genesis 49 is an end-time prophecy. Notice what it says in verse 10 for the end time.
The King James says for that word obedience, "gathering."
In the time element of Genesis 49:10, Shiloh has not yet come. Judah is still, by appointment of God, the lawgiver.
Do you know what He is talking about there in verse 10 where it says, "And to Him shall be the obedience of the people [or the gathering of the people]"? He is talking about after the Tribulation, after the Day of the Lord, after the Battle of Armageddon when Israel is finally regathered; then we will be regathered in that sense when Shiloh comes. Then the people will be regathered. It is just again another indication that this is intended for the end time. Judah is the lawgiver. They are the law preserver. They are the lawgiver. Not Joseph. Not Reuben. Not any of the other tribes. Judah is the lawgiver. The oracles were given to Judah.
This is not the only prophecy, but I chose this one just to keep moving through the book here. This eliminates Esau (of the sons of Isaac), and now it is in the hands of Jacob from which the promised Seed is going to come.
Out of the 12 sons of Jacob (and one daughter) now the Seed is going to come out of Judah. See how God keeps narrowing it down?
