Shiloh Sunday Service (December 23rd 2018) - Shiloh’s 20th Anniversary Thanksgiving Service
Speaker: Pastor James Park
Sermon: "Baby Jesus, the Messiah Who Came from the Tribe of Judah & Joseph"
Scripture Reading: Genesis 49:10, 24; 1 Chronicles 5:1-2
The revelation of Jesus Christ the Messiah
After the fall of mankind, in order to redeem and save man from their sin and death, God promised the Messiah through the “woman’s seed” (Gen 3:15). This is the Proto-Gospel, which is the first mention of the gospel of Jesus Christ concerning the woman’s seed. Throughout history in the Old Testament, in each generation God revealed little by little through progressive revelation about the woman’s seed and the coming Messiah. Through today’s main passage, the Bible foretells that Jesus not only comes through the line of Judah but also through the line of Joseph. This is actually a contradiction and a theological debate among theologians. How could Jesus come through the tribe of Judah and at the same time come through the tribe of Joseph?
Jesus comes through the tribe of Judah
The Bible proclaims that the scepter shall not depart from Judah until Shiloh comes (Gen 49:10). Before Jacob dies, he gathered all of his sons and prophesied about the future of his children. However, this was not a prophecy about his direct children. All of these things were concerning the future and were connected to Jesus Christ. Jesus said, “It is the scriptures that testify of Me” (John 5:39). Thus, everything in the Old Testament points to Jesus. Therefore, Jacobs’s blessings and curses over his children were not just related to his direct children, but related to the very future even connected to Jesus and to the Second Coming (Gen 49:1). "Scepter" in Hebrew is sharbit, meaning a “short staff” that a king had. It signifies the king's authority, sovereignty and his government. It also refers to the kingship or lordship of Jesus Christ. Thus the “King” will come from the line of Judah. Shiloh in the phrase “until Shiloh comes” means “One who brings peace” (Gen 49:10). Jacob’s prophecy was fulfilled when Judah was put into the genealogy and the Messiah came through the line of Judah (Matt 1:2-3). This is the physical genealogy of Jesus Christ which begins with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, then Judah (Heb 7:14). Ultimately, the prophecy of Jesus coming through the line of Judah is speaking of the humanity of Jesus Christ meaning that He was fully man.
Jesus comes through the line of Joseph
The prophecy by Jacob says, “From Joseph will come the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel (Gen 49:24). This is a prophecy about the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ, the spiritual rock (1 Cor 10:4). Water came from the rock in the wilderness. Apostle Paul explains that the rock was pointing to Christ and the water was spiritual water which is the Word of God. Therefore, Paul declares the “stone” or the “rock” is a symbol of Jesus Christ and that He is the source of our living water. Jesus is the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for us (John 10:11). The Bible tells us that Joseph had two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. Joseph’s father Jacob did something very strange by declaring both Manasseh and Ephraim as his sons (Gen 48:5-6). Therefore, Joseph was taken out of the genealogy and Manasseh and Ephraim were grafted in as Jacob's sons. Therefore, Joseph is one without a genealogy. Jesus Christ came in the order of Melchizedek and Jesus Himself had no genealogy either. This is a picture of Jesus’ divinity, meaning Jesus is just not man but He is fully God. God does not have a genealogy. He has no beginning or end; He is eternal and has neither father nor mother (John 1:1, 14). This demonstrates that Jesus will come from Joseph, who shows us that Jesus is actually divine and He is God.
The prophecy of Jesus coming through the line of Joseph is speaking of the divinity of Jesus Christ, meaning that He is fully God. The line of Joseph is referring to the spiritual side of Jesus. Jesus is actually a priest perpetually, our eternal high priest which is referencing His divinity (Heb 7:3). Jesus is the only one who is eternal and He is like Joseph who is without genealogy. This teaches us that Jesus is actually God with no beginning and no end, no mother or father. Jesus was fully man, but the prophecy that He would come through the line of Joseph shows that He would also be fully God. Thus, Jesus is the perfect man and perfect God.
Conclusion: We need to receive Jesus in our hearts. In Jesus’ time, only three types of people received Him. They were the three wise men from the east, Simeon, and Anna. The three wise men were like foreigners; Gentiles from the east. They had a revelation about the birth of the Messiah so they traveled a long way and brought gifts to him. Simeon and Anna were always at church praying and fasting and full of the Holy Spirit. Thus, they were able to recognize baby Jesus as God. Simeon said, “I have seen thy salvation,” and carried Jesus in his arms (Luke 2:29-32). This teaches us that we need to accept Jesus in His humanity and divinity for He is God Himself.
