Judah

Like a Lion

You are a lion’s cub, 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 to whom it belongs shall come and the obedience of the nations shall be his. Genesis 49: 9-10

You probably recognize the name Judah because it is used 839 times in the Bible.* But what do you know about the man. Like so many heroes of the Bible, his importance couldn’t be anticipated by his early life. He wasn’t the firstborn son. In fact, his mother Leah wasn’t the favorite wife of his father, Jacob.

Judah wasn’t an exemplary person. Although he saved Joseph’s life, his motive seems to have been mercenary: “What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? Come let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh” (Genesis 37: 25-26).

Contrary to the will of God, Judah chose to marry a Canaanite woman (Genesis 38:2). Much like his father, Judah failed to parent his children in a godly manner. His first two sons were wicked, and God killed them (Genesis 38:7-10). After his second son died, Judah didn’t deal faithfully with his daughter-in-law Tamar, and failed to fulfill his promise to give her in marriage to his third son. Instead, he sent her away to live with her father. When she took matters into her own hands, he had sex with her as a prostitute (Genesis 38:18). Judah acknowledged later that she had been more righteous than he (Genesis 38:26).

When faced with a famine, the brothers went to Egypt, where Judah acted as negotiator with Joseph. He  interceded and offered himself as a substitute for Benjamin (Genesis 44:18-34). Back home, Judah persuaded Jacob that Joseph was alive and that the whole family must move to Egypt (Genesis 44:25-28).

Years later, on his deathbed Jacob prophesied over his sons. To the fourth son of his despised wife, Jacob declared, “Judah, your brothers shall praise you … Judah is a lion’s cub …” He prophesied that Judah’s descendants would be rulers. In fact, one ruler would be the coming Messiah who would reign forever (Genesis 49:8-10).

Judah’s life is an example of how God can transform and use anybody for his purposes. Judah was an unimportant son, a jealous, mercenary teenager, and a poor father. He changed when God convicted him of his unrighteousness.

No one is beyond God’s reach, beyond the hope brought to us through Judah’s descendant—Jesus, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah (Revelation 5:5).

How is God using you for his purposes?

Dig Deeper

Read Genesis 42:37 and compare the way brothers Reuben and Judah reacted to Joseph’s demand that Benjamin be brought to Egypt. Why should Reuben have been the leader and responsible one? How can you apply Judah’s actions to your  family’s problems?

What promises/prophecies are made by the prophets in relation to Judah in Joel 3:20, Micah 5:2, and Zechariah 2:12?

Genealogies can be interesting. What can you learn about Judah and one of the five women in the Matthew 1:1-3 listing? See https://www.blueletterbible.org/niv/mat/1/1/s_930001. What does this show about the people of God?

Nancy J. Baker

This devotion is part of our series Not-As-Famous Men and Women of the Bible.

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*Judah https://www.blueletterbible.org/search/search.cfm?Criteria=JUDAH&t=KJV#s=s_primary_0_1