The Lion of the Tribe of Judah (Genesis 49:10)

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.
—Genesis 49:10

This is a promise given from Jacob to Judah as Jacob is about to die, looking to Judah’s future. In the verse right before this, Jacob says Judah is a lion’s cub. He stooped down; he crouched as a lion, as a lioness who dares rouse him. And that’s where we get the imagery in Revelation 5, talking about how Jesus is the Lion of Judah.

Genesis 49:10 points to Jesus as the promised messianic King.

So, as a reminder, this is a promise given to Judah that a king will come from his line. This is Genesis 49:10: “The scepter shall not depart from Judah.” Eventually, you trace the lineage of Judah all the way to King David in the Old Testament. And then you keep going all the way to King Jesus in the New Testament. This is a promise that Jesus, the King of Kings, will come from Judah’s line.

Here we are in the first book in the Bible, and we have this promise of Jesus the King coming from Judah. Listen to the language: “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until tribute comes to him.” And to him—to this one from Judah’s line—shall be the obedience of the peoples, shall be the obedience of the nations. This is why in Revelation 5:9, when you see Jesus depicted as the Lion of Judah and the Lamb who was slain for the sins of people from every nation, every tribe, every people group, and every language, they are gathered around the throne, singing his praises—the obedience and the worship of the peoples.

So, in each of our lives, the Lion of Judah, Jesus, the King of Kings, is worthy of worship. And not just in each of our lives; he is worthy of worship among all the peoples, among every people group in the world. This is why we pray regularly in this podcast. And I exhort you, regardless of whether or not we prayed together in this podcast, to pray for unreached people groups today—people groups who have little to no knowledge of Jesus the King.

They need to know Jesus, the King. Take the Dagi people in India today: 0.0 percent of them. These are normally Tibetan Buddhist people; the Dagi in India mix that Tibetan Buddhism with Hinduism. They don’t know that Jesus has come, has died on a cross for sins, is risen from the dead, is ruling and reigning as King over all, and will one day return. And every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that he is Lord and King. They don’t know him, and somebody needs to go and tell them about Jesus is King.

A Prayer for the Dagi People

So, God, we pray today for the Dagi people of India. God, we pray that somebody would go from India, from surrounding countries, from even listening to this podcast—God, that you would send out somebody to go to the Dagi to make the good news of your love, your grace and your mercy in King Jesus known among them in India, that they might know and enjoy Jesus as King and God.

We pray that for every single people group in the world. We pray that for seven thousand people groups right now who have little to no knowledge of the gospel. The obedience of the peoples belongs to you, Jesus. You have died, Revelation 5, to purchase people for God from every nation, tribe, tongue, and language. So, God, bring it about, we pray. Bring it about; send laborers into the harvest field. Help us as your church in our lives and our families to live for this; help us to pray for this; help us to give for this, for the spread of your glory among all the nations, all the peoples. God, help us to live our lives for that which you are accomplishing in the world. Help us to spend our lives for this purpose.

Jesus, we exalt you as the Lion of Judah, the Lamb who was slain, who has paid the ultimate price so that all the peoples might know and enjoy and worship you forever. So bring it about. Use our lives to bring about, we pray, the obedience of the peoples, for the glory of your name. We pray all these things in the precious name of the Lion of Judah, Jesus our King. Amen.