Context – Jacob is foretelling a blessing on each of his sons (The 12 Tribes of Israel) while on his deathbed. Judah is given preeminence over his brothers and this promise:

Genesis 49:9-10 – 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.

Context – Jesus’ genealogies connect Him to Judah, David, and others in two ways: physically by birth through Mary (Luke 3) and legally by adoption through Joseph (Matthew 1):

Luke 3:23,33,38 – Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry. He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph, the son of Heli… 33 the son of Amminadab, the son of Ram, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah… 38 the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.

Context – In the apostle John’s vision of the end times, he sees God’s hand holding a scroll with seven seals that represent judgments. Up until this point, no one in heaven or on earth is found worthy to open them:

Revelation 5:5b-6a,9-10,12b – “See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.” 6 Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders… 9 And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation. 10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth… 12b “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!”

• Most Jewish and Christian scholars agree that “He to whom it belongs” or “Shiloh” (Genesis 49:10) referred to the coming Messiah.
• That means there would have to be a king and ruler in Judah until the Messiah came.
• During Babylonian captivity, the kings were subjugated, but judges remained to uphold the law and rule (Ezra 7).
• In 6-7 A.D., Herod Archelaus was exiled and rule was taken over by the Romans. The Bible and the Talmud also agree that the Jews lost their power to enforce the law as seen in the appeal to Pilot for capital punishment (John 18:31). 
• So, at that time, some would say, “Woe unto us for the scepter has departed from Judah and the Messiah has not come.”
• Of course, we know that Jesus was already a young child living in Nazareth.

• Why is Jesus called “The Lion of Judah”?
• What makes Jesus worthy to take the scepter and open the seals?
• What does Jesus’ rule mean for His followers?