Genesis 49:10 (American Standard Version) “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the obedience of the peoples be.”
Being from Tennessee, I thought Shiloh was the name of an important Civil War battle that took place not far from where I grew up. (Well, there was also that Neil Diamond song.) I have learned since that Shiloh is mentioned 33 times in the Bible. In all but one case, Shiloh refers to an ancient city, the religious capital of the Israelites for 369 years after the exodus from Egypt, the location of the tabernacle the Ark of the Covenant. (The ruins of Shiloh in the West Bank are still being excavated and studied by archaeologists today.) But the reference to Shiloh, in Genesis 49:10, is thought to be a prophecy of the coming of the Messiah. In the verses leading up to this prophecy, Jacob, who is near death, is blessing each of his sons; he prophesies that his fourth son Judah and his heirs will be the leaders of the people until Shiloh comes. Many scholars believe this refers to the coming of the final King of Israel from the line of Judah through David, to the Messiah himself. The word “Shiloh” has two meanings: “gift from God” and “peaceful one.” Both of those meanings fit the idea that “until Shiloh come” means until God sends the Messiah. During this Advent season especially, with all the conflict in the world, we prepare for … and long for … the coming of Shiloh, the ultimate Bringer of Peace. —
—Suzanne Polacek
No comments:
Post a Comment