Genesis 49:1 – “I will tell you what shall befall you in the last days.

The first tribe listed in Revelation 7 is the tribe from which Jesus came.

Read Genesis 29:30-35

These are the circumstances into which 12 boys were to be born. They were born in a polygamous family rent by heartbreak, envy, hatred, and strife. Leah was not loved by the husband and father. Rachel was. How does a woman feel in this situation? What sort of a genetical chemistry is going to be passed onto her children?

Leah bore children, while Rachel did not, and she felt miserable because Jacob did not love her as he did Rachel. Therefore, she was continually looking to have another child in order to obtain the love of Jacob. What an amazing story. The agony of soul and envy that was in her being would be the legacy passed on to her children.

Genesis 29:35 - And she conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, now will I praise the LORD: therefore, she called his name Judah; and left bearing.

Judah was the fourth son born to Leah.  She also had a daughter, Dinah.  By the time Judah was born she had learned to praise God because she recognised that He was indeed helping her.  Maybe Jacob would now love her as much as he loved Rachel. In the midst of that heart-agonising conflict between Rachel and herself, she now offered praise.

Psalm 50:23- Whosoever offers praise glorifies me: and to him that orders [his] conversation [aright] will I show the salvation of God.

The following words of inspiration give us an understanding of the way that parents pass their emotional and faulty life onto their children. Ham’s children and offspring were affected by his sin against his father; and Noah prophesied against him. But:

The prophecy of Noah was no arbitrary denunciation of wrath or declaration of favour. It did not fix the character and destiny of his sons. But it showed what would be the result of the course of life they had severally chosen and the character they had developed. {PP 118.2}

The life that Jacob had chosen found him with two wives, and there was conflict between the two. This affected the character development of the children.

As a rule, children inherit the dispositions and tendencies of their parents, and imitate their example; so that the sins of the parents are practiced by the children from generation to generation. {Ibid.}

Although Jacob was someone who revered God and wanted to follow Him, yet he became a polygamist, bringing into his family life all the sufferings of polygamy.  Into this tug of war between Leah and Rachael for Jacob’s love, children were born. Either a positive or negative chemistry is passed on from parents to children prior to birth.

As Leah gave birth to Judah, she was beginning to rejoice and to praise God that He had given her these children, and so a positive chemistry was imparted to this son. And God said, Whosoever offers praise glorifies me: and to him that orders his conversation (conduct) aright will I show the salvation of God.

Observe now how Judah, by ordering his conduct aright, comes through successfully as one of the tribes composing the 144,000, and as the one who was given the birthright, normally passed on to the eldest son.

Rachel finally gave birth to Joseph, and later to Benjamin, at whose birth she passed away. When Rachel, the favourite wife, gave birth to Joseph, there soon developed a conflict between the sons for Jacob’s attention. He clearly favoured this son of Rachel. As a result, the older brothers mistreated the young Joseph; they were envious of him, with the same envy that had been in the hearts of Leah and Rachel.

Read Genesis 37:18-21, 24-25

Now listen to what Judah says:

Genesis 37:26-27

Judah comes to the rescue. They were going to kill Joseph, but Judah says, no; let’s not do that. He possessed the same chemistry of envy that caused them all to hate Joseph, yet there was something good in Judah, received from Leah at birth, which revealed why his name meant praise.

As Judah thought of Joseph lying in the pit, suffering a lingering death by starvation, he was troubled. For a short time, he, with others of his brethren, seemed to possess a satanic frenzy. {1SP 129.1}

But after they had begun to accomplish their wicked purposes to the helpless, innocent Joseph, some of them were ill at ease. They did not feel that satisfaction they thought they should have to see Joseph perish. Judah was the first to express his feelings. He “said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood?” {Ibid.}

So, Joseph was sold to the Ishmaelites because Judah desired to save his brother from certain death. As we saw written in the Psalms, to those who order their conduct aright the Lord will show His salvation. By the selling of Joseph to the Ishmaelites salvation came to the house of Jacob. It’s wonderful how God orchestrates things. It was because Judah wanted to save the life of his brother that Israel was saved.

In the intervening years, Judah slowly developed that outstanding character which was demonstrated in his middle age.  Jacob’s sons had been sent to Egypt to buy grain, and Joseph, now the unrecognisable governor of Egypt, said to them, Have you another brother?

They said, ‘Yes, Benjamin’. So, Joseph said, ‘You bring him next time, or else no more grain’. But of course, the father didn’t want to let him go. And this is where Judah now demonstrates a transformed character.

Read Genesis 43:8-9

Judah is saying, ‘Father, we can’t buy anything unless we bring Benjamin along; the governor told us to bring him. But I am going to stand as surety for him’. Can you see a change here? An honesty and faithfulness developed in Judah’s heart.

But when they were returning home after buying grain, the governor’s cup was found in Benjamin’s sack. So now Benjamin had to go back to Egypt and face the governor’s wrath, and the brothers returned with him. Notice how Judah now bravely steps forward, takes the mantle of leadership, and becomes the spokesman for his family. Judah is here speaking to Joseph, not knowing he was the governor of Egypt:

Read Genesis 44:30-34 

Can you see the change? At one stage Judah had harboured a ‘satanic frenzy’ of evil envy, but now had developed a character that was honest and strong in defence of right.

In his deep distress Judah now drew near to the ruler and exclaimed, “O my lord, let thy servant, I pray thee, speak a word in my lord’s ears, and let not thine anger burn against thy servant: for thou art even as Pharaoh.” In words of touching eloquence, he described his father’s grief at the loss of Joseph and his reluctance to let Benjamin come with them to Egypt, as he was the only son left of his mother, Rachel, whom Jacob so dearly loved. {PP 230.2}

Envy is now gone. And strength of character is shining through.

“Now therefore,” he said, “when I come to thy servant my father, and the lad be not with us; seeing that his life is bound up in the lad’s life; it shall come to pass, when he sees that the lad is not with us, that he will die . . .” {Ibid.}

 Judah now asks that he be exchanged for Benjamin. His life for Benjamin’s, so that Benjamin might be free to go home. This broke the heart of Joseph. He sent all his servants away and revealed who he was.  Joseph could now see that his brothers had indeed changed; and Judah was the spokesman for that change. He was therefore the one who received the birthright, because he was the one who stood up and spoke in defence of his brother.

If you love Jesus, you will love the souls for whom He died. A man may not bear the most pleasant exterior, he may be deficient in many respects [as was Judah in the beginning]; but if he has a reputation for straightforward honesty, he will gain the confidence of others. The love of truth, the dependence and confidence which men can place in him, will remove, or overbear, objectionable features in his character. Trustworthiness in your place and calling, a willingness to deny self for the purpose of benefiting others, will bring peace of mind and the favour of God. {4T 353.3}

Isn’t this what Judah had become? He had an objectionable character. But no matter how unpleasant our exterior may be, how deficient we may be in many respects, honesty, a love of truth, and a willingness to deny self for the purpose of benefiting others, will bring peace of mind and the favour of God.

So here is Judah, the father of one of those twelve tribes whose names appear on the gates of the New Jerusalem. In the blessing Jacob pronounced upon Judah before he died, we see what was communicated genetically to his posterity - a firmness of character and the gift of leadership’.

Read Genesis 49:8-10

A lion’s character, a firm, decided character – this was what Judah had developed and passed on to his posterity.  And all the children of this tribe who take hold of the same, who, from a sinful, unpleasant character, develop strength and firmness, and a willingness to deny self for the sake of others, will be the ones who are sealed from the tribe of Judah.

The crowning blessings of the birthright were transferred to Judah. The significance of the name–which denotes praise, –is unfolded in the prophetic history of this tribe… {PP 236.1}

Praise. Why? Because they conducted their lives aright, and the Lord brought them salvation. There was Caleb, one of those spies who said to the people, ‘We can take the Promised Land,’ when the majority said ‘no’, and were ready to stone him for his stand.   And there was Daniel. He stood firm in relation to his diet. In bondage he was true to principle.  As a ruler in the land, he was prepared to go into the lion’s den rather than deny his Lord.

No other tribe has furnished the world with so many mighty men of God. Jesus, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, heads the list. There is Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.  And there are the kings - David, Solomon, Jehoshaphat, Hezekiah, and Josiah.

Therefore, for those who, although failing and sinful, become resolved, firm, and trustworthy, these traits of character will equate them with the tribe of Judah. In the tribe of Judah, we learn that whatever our past may have been, if we overcome our sinful tendencies, we may be among those who are sealed from the tribe of Judah.

They are fully conscious of the sinfulness of their lives, they see their weakness and unworthiness, and as they look upon themselves, they are ready to despair. The tempter stands by to accuse them, as he stood by to resist Joshua. He points to their filthy garments, their defective characters. He presents their weakness and folly, their sins of ingratitude, their unlikeness to Christ, which has dishonoured their Redeemer. He endeavours to affright the soul with the thought that their case is hopeless, that the stain of their defilement will never be washed away. He hopes to so destroy their faith that they will yield to his temptations, turn from their allegiance to God, and receive the mark of the beast.

Satan urges before God his accusations against them, declaring that they have by their sins forfeited the divine protection, and claiming the right to destroy them as transgressors.

But while the followers of Christ have sinned, they have not given themselves to the control of evil. They have put away their sins, and have sought the Lord in humility and contrition, and the divine Advocate pleads in their behalf. He who has been most abused by their ingratitude, who knows their sin, but also their repentance, declares: “‘The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan.’ I gave My life for these souls. They are graven upon the palms of My hands.” {5T 473-4}

“Judah’s self-sacrifice is certainly deserving of praise. Voluntary submission to servitude on behalf of a brother who enjoyed a higher degree of parental affection, in order to save his aged father fresh sorrow and anguish, cannot be overestimated. Judah’s self-forgetful magnanimity has never been surpassed, and but seldom equaled. Judah emerges here as a truly converted man, a worthy ancestor of the promised Seed, and worthy to give his name to the chosen people of God.” 1BC 461

“Judah’s speech has appropriately been called one of the masterpieces of Hebrew literacy, one of the finest examples of natural eloquence in the world.” 1 BC 460.