Bob and Philippe delve into how different books of the Bible, including Genesis, Ezekiel, and the Psalms, speak of the Messiah as a mighty ruler. Through nuanced discussion, they illuminate the connections between these texts that illustrate the Messiah’s power to lead and govern. This episode also considers the interplay between rulership, as symbolized by the scepter, and the different roles the Messiah occupies — from the Lion of Judah to the Lamb who was slain.
The following is a listener-supported ministry from the Grace Evangelical Society.
SPEAKER 01 :
Welcome to Grace in Focus as we continue our series on the Messianic Thread. Today, looking more specifically at the fact that the Messiah has a scepter. What is a scepter and what does it signify? Welcome, friend. We’re glad you’re with us today. Grace in Focus is a ministry of the Grace Evangelical Society. Find out more about this ministry by going to our website, faithalone.org. We publish a magazine which is also called Grace in Focus, six issues per year, every two months. It is full size and full color. It is full of many great articles by Bob Wilkin, the Grace and Focus staff, and others. Here’s the best part. The subscription is free. You only have to pay postage if you’re outside of the 48 United States. Find out more about it at our website, faithalone.org. Now with today’s discussion, here are Bob Wilkin and Philippe Sterling.
SPEAKER 03 :
So today, Philippe, we’re going to discuss the scepter and the Messiah. Now, a scepter was a ruling rod, right? It was a kind of a rod.
SPEAKER 02 :
It was a rod a king would hold as a symbol of his authority and of his power. And he would rule with a rod of iron. Yes. Psalm 2, it says, you know, with a rod of iron. And of course, that is picked up. in the New Testament.
SPEAKER 03 :
Meaning he’s a mighty ruler. Right. He’s a powerful ruler. The idea that he has smashed his enemies and everything. Okay. So now that, where does that start? The scepter idea related to the Messiah. Is that in Genesis?
SPEAKER 02 :
Yeah, that begins in Genesis with Jacob’s last words to his sons. We read in Genesis 49. So we go… Abraham, Isaac, Jacob.
SPEAKER 03 :
So the third generation of the patriarchs. And he’s now blessing his 12 sons. Right.
SPEAKER 02 :
Part of it involves disciplinary measures and everything that his sons would experience as well as promises.
SPEAKER 03 :
Because the three oldest sons messed up a lot. Yes. Yes. Reuben, Simeon, Levi, they had some major moral flaws. Okay, so Genesis 49, what verse is talking about the scepter?
SPEAKER 02 :
Well, first of all, you know, too, it says, Gather together and hear you sons of Jacob, and listen to Israel, your father. So he gathers and gives descriptions of their character and then what will happen to them over time. So it’s prophetic. To the tribe, it’s prophetic. In verse 10 specifically to Judah, it says, And usually that’s explained as the one to whom it belongs. until the one to whom it belongs. The Messiah comes and to him shall be the obedience of the people. So that’s the idea. His rule and the people will obey him. He’s a lawgiver.
SPEAKER 03 :
And it doesn’t go to the oldest son. It doesn’t go to Reuben or the second oldest son. Or the third oldest. But it passes to the fourth oldest from Leah is the one who now becomes the line of Messiah.
SPEAKER 02 :
Which is a great blessing. Yes.
SPEAKER 03 :
And it’s because the three oldest basically forfeited the right to be in the line of Messiah.
SPEAKER 02 :
So here, then, we follow that line of the Messiah, of course, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and now it’s going to be Judah. And, of course, Jesus in Revelation 5 will be called the Lion of Judah. Yes. So that’s the end point of that scepter. But in between there are other references, I think. And one of them that I found very interesting is Ezekiel chapter 21, verse 27. Okay. Because it’s not until I traced through that I saw Ezekiel so clearly bringing that matter of the scepter. And the context is interesting. So chapter 21. Chapter 21. And verse 27. And this deals with the, for the moment anyway, the cessation of the Davidic line in exercising power and control and dethrone. So verse 27, we read overthrown. I will make it overthrown. It shall be no longer. So this is a judgment that’s there on the Davidic line. And the crown in verse 26, the crown. Yeah, the crown. So we move the turban, take off the crown. Nothing shall remain. Exalted, humble, humble day, exalted. But no, the end of verse 27, it shall be no longer overthrown. until he comes whose right it is, and I will give it to him. So that’s clearly tying it back to Genesis 49, verse 10.
SPEAKER 03 :
So this is messianic.
SPEAKER 02 :
This is about the Messiah. This is the Messiah coming in the line of Judah to take up the scepter, because I will be at the second coming of Christ. So that’s Ezekiel 21, 27.
SPEAKER 01 :
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SPEAKER 02 :
We can also see Psalm 2 because Psalm 2 is a prophetic psalm. A messianic psalm. A messianic psalm. Some of the psalms are called messianic psalms because they predominantly talk about… Messianic or sometimes they’re categorized as royal psalms. But looking to the Messiah who will rule. And of course, this is what, this is my son. Again, Yahweh declares, but again, the one who’s ruling. And who will, should we turn to Psalm 2? Yeah, which verse? So the son portion of it, and do homage to the son. Oh, yes. That is there.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yeah, this is the, you are my son today, I have begotten you. Right. Ask of me and I will give you the nations for your inheritance and the ends of the earth for your possession.
SPEAKER 02 :
Yes. And then, of course, earlier, you know, against the Lord, against his anointed. So, anointed is mentioned here. He is Christ. You know, he is anointed. In verse 6, yet I have set my king on. On my holy hill of Zion. Which is Jerusalem. Where he will rule from, yes. And then Yahweh said to me, and of course in my New King James Version, of course we have Yahweh, our capital, L-O-R-D. He said to me, me is capitalized here. Capital M, yeah, for Jesus. The father said to the son. Yes. Today I have begotten you. In essence, they’re saying today I have set you on the throne. You know, we might say, then ask of me. I will give the nations as your inheritance. And verse nine, you shall break them with a rod of iron. The scepter. The scepter. you shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel. And of course, 12, kiss the son as he be angry and you perish in the way. And, and yet blessed are all those who put their trust in, in him. So Psalm two, now some argue that it’s indirectly messianic. I see it as being directly, directly messianic there, but the idea of water of the rod and everything is there. And we don’t directly have the rod, but Daniel 7, 13 says, I love this passage, yeah.
SPEAKER 03 :
And Daniel is not listed as a minor prophet, even though he’s shorter. Not quite sure why a few of the prophets are put that way.
SPEAKER 02 :
Yeah, he’s usually classified with the major prophets, but that typically goes up the length of the books, and Daniel is usually among the major prophets, too. But we come to Daniel 7.13, and this is about the Son of Man, which is a Messianic reference. Right. And verse 13 is, I was watching the night visions. Behold, one like the son of man coming of the clouds of heaven. He came to the ancient of days and they brought him near before him. Then to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him. And his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away. And his kingdom, the one which shall not be destroyed. Now, it’s interesting. I’m not sure where it was, but Johnny Miller had an article on this. And he, I think it’s a good argument that this actually occurs in the future. It’s yet to come. This whole scene of the Son of Man is really what we see occurring in Revelation chapter 5. So Daniel is not seeing something that… It’s already taking place, but it’s prophetic. This would be one of the second coming prophecies, not first coming, the second coming. This is a second coming where all of this happens. But like John, like Daniel is taken to see what will happen, much like what John sees in Revelation 4 and 5. And that’s where we can follow that thread of ruling. Now remember back in Genesis 49, Judah is called a lion’s whelp. So the Lion of Judah idea comes from there. And that’s what we then pick up in Revelation chapter 5. So Revelation chapter 5.
SPEAKER 03 :
And you know how I remember where Revelation is? Because it’s the last book.
SPEAKER 02 :
It’s pretty easy.
SPEAKER 03 :
Go to the end and you’ll find it. Okay. And it’s not, by the way, some people say Revelations.
SPEAKER 02 :
It’s singular. No S at the end of Revelation.
SPEAKER 03 :
It’s the revelation or the apocalypse of the Lord Jesus Christ.
SPEAKER 02 :
Now, Revelation 5, you know, begins with the whole idea of the scroll and all. But the scroll somehow is associated with the matter of the inheritance, the thread and the rulership. And initially, John sees no one. And then he weeps. But then the interpreting, then he comes. But one of the elders, you know, said to him, do not weep because behold, the lion of the tribe of Judah wept. The root of David has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals. So here directly going back to, I think, to Genesis 49, note 10. That’s great. That is there. And also we have the Davidic covenant and everlasting covenant with David of one who will be on his throne and everything. So the idea of rulership or scepter.
SPEAKER 03 :
That’s great.
SPEAKER 02 :
It’s all connected.
SPEAKER 03 :
And it’s also connected with suffering because you’ve got the Lion of Judah is also the Lamb who was slain in verse, what is that, 12?
SPEAKER 02 :
12, yes. And they go with the idea of the Lamb. You know, we have the idea of his suffering, of his death, his risen. Yet at the same time, he’s going to exercise wrath. Yes. The wrath of the Lamb, you know, to deal with the enemies and then ultimately, you know, to… That’s fantastic. …the rulership.
SPEAKER 03 :
Well, this scepter and the Messiah is beautiful stuff because Jesus didn’t just come to die on the cross for our sins and to redeem us so that by faith in him we have eternal life. He came that he might take up the scepter and rule and reign. Remember, he said the Son of Man didn’t come to be served, but to serve and give his life for ransom. That’s first coming. In his second coming, he will come to be served. And he’s not going to keep dying perpetually like some people think that he keeps dying on the cross every time you take communion. No, he died on the cross once and for all, and he has purchased our redemption. And by faith in him, we have everlasting life. And if we follow him and if we suffer with him, Romans 8, 17 and 18 and following, then we will rule and reign with him in the life to come.
SPEAKER 02 :
Yes, and all that’s going to carry through and the whole matter of the suffering and of ruling.
SPEAKER 03 :
Okay, next time we’ll talk about the angel of Yahweh, the angel of the Lord, because this is also part of the messianic thread. But in the meantime, let’s keep grace in focus.
SPEAKER 01 :
Be sure to check out our daily blogs at faithalone.org. They are short and full of great teaching, just like what you’ve heard today. Find them at faithalone.org resources blog. We would like to thank all of our financial partners who help us keep this show going. All gifts are tax deductible and very much appreciated. If you’d like to find out how you can be a financial partner, visit us at faithalone.org. On our next episode, the Messianic Thread, who is the angel of the Lord? Join us for that. And until then, let’s keep grace in focus. The preceding has been a listener supported ministry from the Grace Evangelical Society.
