What is the spiritual meaning of Judah?

Question

Answer

Each of the twelve sons of Israel / Jacob received a blessing from his father just before Jacob’s death. The twelve sons were the progenitors of the twelve tribes of Israel, and the blessing contained prophetic information about the future of each tribe. In the case of the tribe of Judah, Jacob prophesied, “Judah, your brothers will praise you; your hand will be on the neck of your enemies; your father’s sons will bow down to you. You are a lion’s cub, O Judah; you return from the prey, my son. Like a lion he crouches and lies down, like a lioness—who dares to rouse him? The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs and the obedience of the nations is his. He will tether his donkey to a vine, his colt to the choicest branch; he will wash his garments in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes. His eyes will be darker than wine, his teeth whiter than milk” (Genesis 49:8–12).

Each part of Jacob’s prophecy for the tribe of Judah reveals something about the people of that tribe, their history, and the spiritual application we can draw from it. In verse 8, Jacob prophesies that Judah’s brothers would praise him. Judah’s name signifies praise and was given him by his mother, her heart being filled with praises to God for him (Genesis 29:35). The strength and power of the tribe is also foretold in verse 8. Verse 9 uses the imagery of both a lion and the lion’s cub to portray the tribe of Judah. Judah was comparable to a young lion for his strength, courage, and vitality and to a mature lion in that the line of Judah contained those of national prominence and kingship, including David and Solomon.

The scepter not departing from Judah until “he comes to whom it belongs” is a Messianic prophecy. The name “Shiloh” appears in this verse in several translations, a word that refers to the Messiah. Commentators differ on the exact meaning of this somewhat obscure passage, but all agree that He who comes to obtain the obedience of the nations can be none other than Christ. The rest of the passage, verses 11–12, refers to the great abundance of riches that would belong to the tribe of Judah. So wealthy and blessed would they be that they would be able to tie a donkey to the choicest grapevine and allow him to eat his fill, an indication of the abundance that would belong to Judah.

The second application of verses 11–12, and the one that pertains to Christians today, is the abundance of spiritual riches available to us in Christ, the great quantity of spiritual blessings flowing from the love of God, which come to us through Christ, which are comparable to wine and milk. The riches include His word and His statutes and Christ Himself, the Bread of Life. These may also be applied to Christ and to His human nature, which was like a garment dipped in blood through His sufferings and death. Isaiah 63:1–3 contains this same imagery. It can also refer to His church and His people whose garments are washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb (Revelation 7:13–14).

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Parents

Jacob & Leah ( Daughter of Laban )
4th Son of Jacob & 4th Son of Leah
 

Tribal Name Meaning

The name Judah has many depths of meaning, among them are: to use (i.e. hold out) the hand, to throw (a stone, an arrow), to revere or worship (with extended hands); to bemoan (by wringing of the hands), cast out, make confession, praise, give thanks, thankful, thanksgiving, consecrate, ministry, power, presumptuous.

Prophecies

Jacob:  Judah, your brothers shall praise you; Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; Your father’s sons shall bow down to you. Judah is a lion’s whelp; From the prey, my son, you have gone up.  He couches, he lies down as a lion,

And as a lion, who dares rouse him up?  

The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until Shiloh comes, and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.  He ties his foal to the vine, and his donkey’s colt to the choice vine; He washes his garments in wine, and his robes in the blood of grapes.  His eyes are dull from wine, And his teeth white from milk.  Genesis 49:8-12

Moses:  And this regarding Judah; so he said,  Hear, O Lord, the voice of Judah, and bring him to his people.  With his hands he contended for them, and may You be a help against his adversaries.  Deuteronomy 33:7

Banner Symbols

Signs iN The Heavens

Leo aligns with the month of Av and is part of The Mystery Religions of Babylon teaching that attempts to corrupt the hearts of men with the Hebrew Aryeh.  Beware of such things little Children of the Light!

Gemstone

EMERALD

Ex 28:20, 39:13, Ezek 28:13, Rev 4:3, 21:18

Emerald

Emeralds are the valuable and highly prized grassy-green variety of beryl. Emeralds were well known among the people of the Bible lands. One of the earliest known source of emerald were mines located near the Red Sea in Egypt. There is evidence that these mines were in operation as early as 1650 BC (the time that the Hebrew people would have been in Egypt). Later these mines became known as Cleopatra’s Mines, who was quite fond of emeralds and was reported to wear them to enhance her beauty. Emeralds were engraved with her likeness and given as gifts to her guests. The word emerald comes from the Greek word smaragdos by way of the French word for emerald esmeralde and simply means “green gemstone.” The emerald (Gr. smaragdos) is the fourth stone of the New Jerusalem. Most scholars agree that the emerald was the stone meant here. According to the Encyclopedia Judaica, the Hebrew word for emerald is most likely bareqet, which is the third stone in the first row of the High Priests’ breastplate. Most Greek versions translate bareqet as smaragdos.

Scripture References

NASB+ Search Results - 775 Verses Found, 842 Matches
Here’s the first few to wet Your Whistle!

Gen 29:35  And she conceived H2029 again H5750 and bore H3205 a son H1121 and said H559 , "This H6471 time H6471 I will N1 praise H3034 the LORD H3068 ." Therefore H5921 H3651 she named H7121 H8034 him N2 R1 Judah H3063 . Then she stopped H5975 bearing H3205 .

Gen 35:23   R1 the sons H1121 of Leah H3812 : Reuben H7205 , Jacob's H3290 firstborn H1060 , then Simeon H8095 and Levi H3878 and Judah H3063 and Issachar H3485 and Zebulun H2074 ;

Gen 37:26  Judah H3063 said H559 to his brothers H251 , "What H4100 profit H1215 is it for us to kill H2026 our brother H251 and R1 cover H3680 up his blood H1818 ?

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