Genesis 49:9-10 –
Judah is a lion's cub;
from the prey, my son, you have gone up.
He stooped down; he crouched as a lion
and as a lioness; who dares rouse him?
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.
Jacob is giving a blessing to each of his sons, and here we come upon this peculiar blessing: his son Judah and his descendants will bear the marks of royalty. A lion is a strong ancient symbol of kingly rule – and a scepter is like a staff that a ruler held to show who was in power. Kingship will come then through Judah, which will lead to the line of David, from whose family comes the Christ. Tribute will come to this king, meaning that he will be acknowledged as the King, and to him (some descendant) shall be the obedience of people. God gave a promise to Jacob’s grandfather, Abraham, that through his descendants, all the nations of the earth would be blessed (Genesis 12). Through this family would come the Savior, the Messiah, the one to whom all owe allegiance.
It is from this imagery that C.S. Lewis created his character of Aslan, the ruler of Narnia. It’s famously said in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, on the unpredictability of the lion: “He’s not safe. But he’s good. He’s the best, I tell you.” Prophecies as far back as Genesis show us that though we may not always know why things happen the way that they do, God has always been in control and always had a plan to save you.
Hymn for Reflection: O Come O Come Emmanuel. Here’s a Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGw0QK6ICZA