WE shall use Judah as a type of our Lord Jesus, who sprang out of Judah, who is the heir of the royal house of David, and the Shiloh to whom the gathering of the people shall be (verse 10). We use both the man Judah and the tribe of Judah in the parallel.
I. JUDAH'S PRAISE. "Thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise"
They who know him best, to whom he is nearest in relationship, for whom he is most concerned, praise him most.
1. He is first in intercession.
This is his covenant blessing. "Hear, Lord, the voice of Judah" (Deut. 32:7).
This he proved in intercession with his father, Jacob (Gen. 43:3).
And in pleading with Joseph when he would have detained Benjamin. How touchingly he spake! how earnestly he offered himself as a substitute! (Gen. 44:14).
To Judah belonged the man who was filled with the spirit of God, by whom the tabernacle in the wilderness was erected. "See, I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah: and I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship'' (Exod. 31:2-3).
To Judah came the legislative power. "Judah is my lawgiver" (Ps. 60) "The scepter shall not depart from Judah" (verse 10).
3. He takes precedence in offering.
He that offered his offering the first day was of the tribe of Judah. See Numbers 7:12.
4. He takes precedence in march.
In descent or ascent, in battle or in progress, in the first place went the standard of Judah. Read Numbers 10:14, Judges 1:2.
5. In all things he has the pre-eminince.
David was chosen of the Lord to be king. "He refused the tabernacle of Joseph, and chose not the tribe of Ephraim, but he chose the tribe of Judah" (Ps. 78:67-68).
II. JUDAH'S TRIUMPHS ABROAD. "Thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies" Illustrate by life of David:
III. JUDAH'S HONORS AT HOME. "Thy father's children shall bow down before thee."
1. He became the Head of the family
2. He was clothed with lion-like power. "He couched as a lion, and as an old lion" See verse 9. "The lion of the tribe of Judah hath prevailed" (Rev. 5:5).
3. He is the center of our assembling. "To him shall the gathering of the people be" (verse 10).
4. His glory is his meekness. "Binding his foal" etc. (verse 11). "Thy King cometh, meek and sitting upon a colt the foal of an ass" (Matt. 21:5).
5. The wine bath at his first and second advent, makes him lovely in our eyes. Note verses 11 and 12; also "I have trodden the wine-press alone" (Isa. 63:1-3).
6. He is King to us for ever. Hallelujah. See Hosea 11:12. "Ephraim compasseth me about with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit: but Judah yet ruleth with God"
There is abundance of suggestiveness in the text for three sermons from the one verse which we have selected as a text, and the following verses are peculiarly rich. Judah's name signifies praise; Judah in the person of David became the leader of praise. "God is praised forin him, and by him; and therefore his brethren shall praise him" See both the lion rampant and the lion couchant in our Lord Jesus, who, having spoiled principalities and powers, has gone up as a Conqueror and has couched down at the right hand of the divine majesty. "The lion of the tribe of Judah hath prevailed"
Rutherford often cried,"O for a well-tuned harp!"
The following extract from Thomas Brooks may help the preacher to a measure of variety in setting forth our Lord's claim to our praise. "Christians, remember this, all the causes of prizing persons and things are eminently and only in Christ; therefore, set a very, very high price upon the Lord Jesus. You prize some for their beauty; why, the Lord Jesus Christ is the fairest among the children of men, (Ps. 45:1-2; Song of Sol. 5:10), 'My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest;' or, the standard-bearer, 'among ten thousand.' You prize others for their strength (Isa. 26:4),'Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength.' You prize others for bearing their father's image; why, the Lord Jesus is the brightness of his Father's glory, and the express image of his person (Heb. 1:3). You prize others for their wisdom and knowledge; such a one is a very wise man, you say, and therefore you prize him; and such a one is a very knowing man, and therefore you prize him; why, all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are in Christ (Col. 2:3). The truth is, all those perfections and excellencies that are in all angels and men, are all epitomized in Christ. All the angels in heaven have but some of those perfections that be in Christ. All wisdom, and all power, and all goodness, and all mercy, and all love, etc., is in no glorified creature; no, not in all glorified creatures put together. But now in Christ all these perfections and excellencies meet, as all water meets in the sea, and as all light meets in the sun. Others you prize for their usefulness; the more useful persons and things are, the more you prize and value them. The Lord Jesus Christ is of universal use to his people; why, he is the right eye of his people, without which they cannot see; and the right hand of his people, without which they cannot do, etc. He is of singular use to all his people. He is of use to weak saints, to strengthen them; and he is of use to doubting saints, to confirm them; and he is of use to dull saints, to quicken them; and he is of use to falling saints, to support them; and he is of use to wandering saints, to recover them. In prosperity he is of use to keep his saints humble and watchful, spotless, and fruitful; and in adversity he is of use to keep them contented and cheerful. All which should very much engage our hearts to prize this Christ."