“Do not weep!
Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed to open the scroll and its seven seals.” Revelation 5:5 Who is the One to open the scroll? Who is the One to bring God’s judgment down? Behold - the Lion of the tribe of Judah has come; the Root of King David has grown. When was Judah first mentioned in the Bible? Where did this tribe come from? Let’s dig into Genesis to find out. Scripture says, “When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.” Genesis 29:31 Leah gave birth to four of Israel’s 12 sons - The first was Reuben; for she said, “The Lord has surely looked on my affliction. Now therefore, my husband will love me.” The second was Simeon. She said, “Because the Lord has heard that I am unloved, He has therefore given me this son also.” The third was Levi; she said “Now this time my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” And the last son was Judah; and she said, “Now I will praise the Lord.” Then she stopped bearing fruit. Genesis 29:31-35 Judah was the son of Israel who was born to Leah - a woman he never really loved. Judah was born to a woman who was used by her greedy brother to carry out a greedy plan. Judah did not come from Rachel - Jacob’s true love. Judah was an older brother to Joseph - Joseph - the man with the multi coat. Judah is the brother who sold Joseph into slavery. Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is there if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother and our flesh.” And his brothers listened.” Genesis 37:26-27 And later, Judah did another bad thing. He married a Canaanite woman - when he knew that these women were not acceptable to God. When Judah left his brothers to stay with a friend from Adullam (in the land of Canaan) he met Shua who became Judah’s Canaanite wife. Judah had three sons. The first was named Er, the second, Onan; and the third was named Shelah. “Then Judah took a wife for Er is firstborn, and her name was Tamar. But Er was wicked in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord killed him." Sounds to me like Yahweh can take the life of anyone that he wants. So Judah told Onan, his second born son, to marry Tamar and raise up an heir to Er - but Onan would not put his semen inside of her. Apparently, Onan's actions displeased the Lord; therefore the Lord also killed him. Then Judah said to Tamar, his daughter-in-law, “Remain a widow in your father’s house till my son Shelah is grown.” Tamar did as Judah had requested. She went and dwelt in her father’s house, patiently waiting for Shelah to grow up. After time passed, and Shelah grew up Tamar realized she was not going to be given as his wife. During this time, Judah’s daughter died, and he went to the sheepshearers at Timnah - he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite. Timnah was also another Canaanite town. Tamar took off her widow’s garments. She covered herself with a veil and wrapped herself up, then she sat in an open place which was on the way to Timnah. When Judah saw her, he thought she was a harlot, because she had covered her face. Then he turned to her by the way, and said, “Please let me come in to you”; for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. It's sickening to believe that Judah would prospect a prostitute. Tamar said, “What will you give me, that you may come in to me?” And he said, “I will send a young goat from the flock.” So she said, “Will you give me a pledge till you send it?” Then he said, “What pledge shall I give you?” So she said, “Your signet and cord, and your staff that is in your hand.” Then he gave them to her, and went in to her, and she conceived by him.” Genesis 38:16-17 The story of Tamar and Judah can be found in Genesis 38. I encourage you to read it so that you can see why God counted Tamar more righteous than Judah, and you will also see the birth of Perez. Later, in Genesis, we see Judah begging his father, Israel, to let them take Benjamin, Israel’s last born son, to Egypt, so that Joseph and the king would be appeased. We also see Judah begging Joseph for forgiveness of sin; and at the end of Genesis, in Chapter 49, we see Israel on his deathbed blessing all 12 sons born to him. To Judah Israel says, “Judah, you are he whom your brothers shall praise; Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; Your father’s children shall bow down before you. Judah is a lion’s whelp; From the prey, my son, you have gone up. He bows down, he lies down as a lion; And as a lion, who shall rouse him? The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor a lawgiver from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes; And to Him shall be the obedience of the people. Binding his donkey to the vine, And his donkey’s colt to the choice vine, He washed his garments in wine, And his clothes in the blood of grapes. His eyes are darker than wine, And his teeth whiter than milk.” Genesis 49:8-12 There are so many more passages on Judah that can be read - but right now - I don’t have time to dig in and explore more. But I do know Judah is the first tribe is positioned to defend Israel from the East, "All the men assigned to the camp of Judah, according to their divisions, number 186,400. They will set out first." Numbers 2:9 And I know that King David and his son Solomon come from the blood line of Judah who fights off the beast.
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