My Redeemer Lives

Then Jacob summoned his sons and said, “Assemble yourselves that I may tell you

what will befall you in the days to come.”

Genesis 49:1

Jewish tradition speaks of the importance of a shepherd’s staff, and we also have biblical truth to support that tradition. It was the rod and the staff of God that David made mention of in Psalm 23. And we can remember in Genesis 38 that when Tamar asked for a pledge from Judah, his staff was one of her requests, and in Numbers 17:8, God used the budded rod of Aaron to show the sons of Israel that Aaron was his chosen high priest.

A shepherd’s staff was as good as DNA, as good as a social security number or driver’s license in our day. Tradition says that the shepherd’s staff held carvings that identified its owner. In this time in history, there were no stores filled with notebook paper for journaling, no computers on which to blog; the shepherd’s carved staff told the stories of his life.

Tradition also speaks of the passing down of the staff of the father to the son, a sign to show transfer of the head of the family. Hebrews 11:21 says, “By faith Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped leaning on his staff,” most likely the very same staff that he held in his hand in Genesis 32:10 when he cried, “For with my staff only I crossed this Jordan and now I have become two companies;” quite possibly the very same staff that once belonged to Isaac and once belonged to Abraham.

Now Jacob, Israel, is about to breathe his last. He has blessed the sons of Joseph and claimed them as his own sons, and now he calls in the other eleven. Traditionally, the firstborn son would become head of the family after the passing of the father, but sometimes that privilege is lost.

Jacob blesses Reuben, but Reuben will not receive the ruler’s staff, for in Genesis 35:22, we learned that Reuben greatly dishonored his father by defiling his father’s bed by going into Bilhah.

Jacob next blesses Simeon and Levi, but neither of them shall receive the staff, for in anger and in violence and in deception, they slew many in Genesis 34 because of the rape of Dinah and made Jacob odious in the sight of the Canaanite and Perizzite.

Jacob then comes to Judah, and he says, “Judah, your father’s sons shall bow down to you … the scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet” (Genesis 49:8, 10). Judah was worthy to receive the staff, and through Judah would come David, and from David, our Savior Jesus Christ. The promised seed of Abraham, would go through Isaac, Jacob, and Judah and would be fulfilled in our Lord Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:16).

In Revelation 5:5, John stands weeping. The elders before the throne of God tell him to “stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals.” Oh, beloved of God, do you see the beautiful scarlet thread of redemption being woven through the Word of our Elohim?

Oh Father,

Not only is Christ the Lion, but He is the Lamb who was slain. My Jesus, worthy are You “to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing” (Revelation 5:12). Oh Father, You made a promise of redemption in Genesis 3:15, and in Christ that promise was fulfilled. “As for me, I know my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will take His stand on the earth. Even after my skin is destroyed, yet from my flesh I shall see God; whom I myself shall behold and not another. My heart faints within me!” (Job 20:25–27). Oh Father, as Job knows, so I know my Redeemer lives. Yes, my heart faints within me!

My Jesus, it’s in Your name I pray,

Amen.

Oh precious one, Jacob dies, Judah dies, David dies... but Jesus... oh my friend HE LIVES!