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I offer this as a learning tool in God's Word. Some small sections of Scripture in God's Word lead to very profound discoveries for those who take the time to study God's Word for themselves (per 2 Timothy 2:15). For most believers here, this is going to be a real poser. Scholarly commentaries won't be a lot of help on this one either, but probably will lead to confusion about it. Only serious Bible study with our Lord's help will reveal all of it. This is not a test, it's an insight and encouragment towards Bible study.

Gen 49:10-11
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.
(KJV)

The above Scripture is very specific. The Name "Shiloh" is a symbolic name for our Lord Jesus Christ there. The area of Shiloh was in the land of Ephraim in the northern land of Israel in early Israelite history. That's where the Tabernacle worship was first established in the land of Promise when Israel came out of Egypt.

The conditions of that prophecy are, as written:

1. The "sceptre", which means the Sceptre of Royal Rulership, will not leave Judah's hand on earth, all the way up to the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2. Nor will a lawgiver part from Judah until Christ's second coming.

3. When Shiloh (Jesus) comes, that's when both will part from Judah, and be established directly through Christ's Rule, on earth, with His elect priests and kings.

4. That prophecy will be complete only when the gathering of the people to Christ Jesus happens, which is still yet future to us.

Background History:

God's Birthright Promise was first given through His servant Abraham, and then It went to Isaac, then Jacob, then Joseph, and then to Joseph's two sons Ephraim and Manasseh, where it stopped (see Gen.14 through Gen.49). Per 1 Chronicles 5:1-2, that Birthright included two parts, one the Sceptre Rule, and the other part the blessing of wealth and resources, i.e. the 'fat of the land' blessing to Jacob (Gen.27). Judah was to keep that Sceptre royal rule, but the Birthright was Joseph's, meaning the 'fat' blessing.

Judah in Jerusalem had that Sceptre rule from the time of king Saul down to king Zedekiah, upon whom it was taken away by his captivity to the king of Babylon in Jeremiah's day. King Zedekiah's sons were killed by the king of Babylon, and Zedekiah died while captive in Babylon. So Zedekiah had no son heirs to inherit that Sceptre Throne of Israel on earth. And it ended there in Jerusalem with king Zedekiah, as no king of Judah in Jerusalem has ever reigned there again since Zedekiah, even to today.

But, per that Genesis 49:10 verse, one of Judah must be holding that royal "sceptre", all the way up to Christ's coming and gathering of the people to Him. That was also part of God's Promise to His servant David in 2 Samuel 7 about establishing that throne forever.

So, the question is, did that throne on earth really end, and if not, then where is it today? If it did really end on earth today, then that would mean God's Promise to David was not true. But God does not go back on His Promises, for they are certain.

In Christ,
dp