“The scepter 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” (Gen. 49:10).

Shiloh: The place of rest; peaceable, pacific

The Patriarch Jacob spoke prophetic words over his sons before his death and his gathering unto the fathers.  His words to his son, Judah, are particularly relevant to us as Jacob prophesied of the coming Messiah, Christ Jesus our Lord.

In the Gospel of Matthew Christ declares, “Come unto Me. . .” (Matthew 11:28).  Christ Jesus, the Prince of Peace, gives us an invitation to gather ourselves unto Him, to abide with Him, to stay with Him in a place of eternal rest.  We are invited to leave our present place under heavy labor carrying heavy burdens, to go to a new place of rest.  “Come unto Me” is an invitation to abandon self to obtain Christ.

Shiloh was a city of Ephraim, to the north of Bethel (House of God), on the east side of the highway that goes up from Bethel to Shechem.  Shiloh was one of the earliest and most sacred of the Hebrew sanctuaries.  It was the temporary resting place of the Ark of the Covenant after the conquest of Canaan, when it was moved from Gilgal to Shiloh to the House of God there.  Shiloh is a type and shadow of the true place of rest in Christ during our journey in the land of promise, in the Kingdom of our God.

As we have alluded, Christ is the fulfillment of Jacob’s prophecy.  His words in Matthew 11:28-30 speak to us as salve upon a wound.  “Come unto me” is an invitation to “all ye that labor and are heavy laden.”  Along with the invitation to come to Him, we are asked to take His yoke upon us, to learn of Him.  His “yoke is easy and [His] burden is light.” In the taking of Christ’s yoke we find rest for our souls (Matt. 11:29-30).

Jacob said “Unto him shall the gathering of the people be.”  These words could also be translated “Unto him shall be the obedience of the nations.”  As we are gathered to Christ, we learn of Him, we learn obedience to His commandments.  The Apostle John says His commands are not grievous (1 John 5:3).  John further states that we overcome in Him by our faith (1 John 5:4).  So the place of gathering unto Christ (our Shiloh) is the place of obedient faith.  This is truly a place of resting from our own works, a true sanctuary.

The Scepter Belongs to Christ

The writer to the Hebrews says: “But unto the Son, he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever:  a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of thy kingdom” (Heb. 1:8; Ps. 45;6).  Our text above could be translated “The scepter shall not depart from Judah...until He whose right it is comes.”  Shiloh is the true Prince of Peace, who’s right it is to reign in righteousness as the Son; and unto Him shall the obedience of all nations come, under His power, dominion and authority.  As it is written, “every knee shall bow, every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God” (Romans 14:11).  A scepter is a staff of authority.  It is carried by one who’s right it is to carry.  The Scepter of God is in the right hand of the Father, in Christ, the Son.  He rules and reigns in righteousness and peace forever.  Let us gather in obedience unto Him and find rest for our souls.