The Bible Edge
Random Thoughts of a Spiritual Nature II
Genesis 49:10
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.
Shiloh is a man. A man from the tribe of Judah. A man that shall be one of authority. A man that at the time of the writing of this verse was yet to come, but would come. A man unto whom the people of the family of Abraham would come. A man unto whom all the people of the earth would come. He is a man known by many names, but in this verse, He is known as Shiloh.
Today we know this man by the name Jesus. Many true believers from antiquity unto today believe that Shiloh is the Christ, the Messiah, Immanuel, the Son of God, the Saviour, and so many more names, and characteristics, than there is space to record them all here.
But there it is, in the very first book of the Bible, spoken by Jacob, fulfilled in Jesus. Shiloh shall come. He did. Born as the seed of the woman as spoken of in Genesis 3:15. Born as the promised seed of Abraham in Genesis 18:18. Born as the promised seed of Isaac in Genesis 17:19. As the promised seed of Jacob, Numbers 24:17. Born as the Heir to the throne of David, Isaiah 9:7. Born in Bethlehem, Micah 5:2. Born at the right time according to Daniel 9:25. Born of a virgin, Isaiah 7:14. On and on the prophecies of the Old Testament unfold to tell of the coming of this man Shiloh.
Isaiah said it like this in Isaiah 53:1-7
Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
All of this and more is that which is celebrated at that which we commonly call Christmas. Yes, indeed, Shiloh has come, and He will come again in full authority and power just as He promised in John 14:1-3 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
Even the very last book of the Bible, the very last chapter, the second to last verse promises: …Surely I come quickly. Jacob saw this, by faith, and more, sometime around 1665 BC, over 3,600 years ago. Amazing!
William T. Howe, Ph.D.
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