Click this link to hear an audio version of the below text narrated by SOTH member Jerry Rhinehart:
Genesis 49:8-12 (NIV)
8 “Judah, 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, until he to whom it belongs shall come and the obedience of the nations shall be his. 11 He will tether his donkey to a vine, his colt to the choicest branch; he will wash his garments in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes. 12 His eyes will be darker than wine, his teeth whiter than milk.
In this passage, the patriarch, Jacob, is blessing his sons. This blessing of Judah should sound some alarm bells for us. Why? Because Jesus was a descendant of Judah and some of the poetic images and metaphors that talk about the descendants of Judah being kings and washing in the “blood of grapes”, also known as juice or wine. This blessing shows that God was laying the groundwork for the coming of Jesus for thousands of years. But here is another thing to think about: God uses people, like you and me, to accomplish His plan. Judah was not extra special, nor did he have incredible talents and abilities. God chose to use him. What is God using you for right now? To bless a friend? Forgive your spouse? Serve a client? Judah had no clue that God would use him in such an incredible way and you and I do not know how our love will affect the lives of those around us… yet.