Fearlessly Courageous

7/24/2020
Desk of Dennis Piller

The story of Joseph is the story of a righteous one who is sinned against and suffers so that the tribe of Judah would be preserved and the lion would come forth and would prove to be a lion-like lamb and by His/Christ’s suffering and death purchase and empower glad obedience from all the nations – even from those who put him to death.

We see this most clearly in Genesis 49:8-10  Jacob, the father of Joseph, is about to die. Before he dies, he pronounces a prophetic blessing over all his sons. Here is what he says about his son Judah:

“Judah,[a] your brothers will praise you;
    your hand will be on the neck of your enemies;
    your father’s sons will bow down to you.
9 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?
10 The scepter will not depart from Judah,
    nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet,[b]
until he to whom it belongs[c] shall come
    and the obedience of the nations shall be his.

Here is a prophecy of the coming final king of Israel, the lion of Judah, the Messiah. Because ALL the peoples, not just Israel, will obey him. “To him shall be the obedience of the people’s”
This is fulfilled in Jesus. Listen to the way the apostle John describes Jesus’ role in heaven after his crucifixion and resurrection: Revelations 5:5,

“And one of the elder’s saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.”…

And in Revelations 5: 9-10
9 And they sang a new song, saying:
“You are worthy to take the scroll
    and to open its seals,
because you were slain,
    and with your blood, you purchased for God
    persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.
10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,
    and they will reign[a] on the earth.”

The most magnificent thing about the lion of the tribe of Judah and his fulfillment of Jacobs prophecy is that He lays claim on the obedience of all the peoples of the world not by exploiting our guilt and crushing us in the submission, but by bearing our guilt and freeing us to love him and praise him and obey him with joy forever.

The Lion of Judah winds is obedience by forgiving our sins and making His own obedience-His own protection as the righteous one-the basis of our acceptance with God.

Christ’s suffering and death purchased and empowered glad obedience from all the nations – even from those who put him to death. Does he have yours? 

Casting Crowns Voice of Truth
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcuiuIwtpa4
 
Condensed from the book by John piper spectacular sins.