The Children of Israel Their Promises and Prophecies of Their Future.

CHAPTER 3 THE SCEPTER AND THE LAWGIVER PROMISE

THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE SCEPTER PROMISE is based on the astonishing identity of the Jewish peoples in Scriptural prophecies. This very eye-opening, astounding identity is the strongest proof of the inspiration and authority of the Hebrew Scripture! It is, at the same time, the strongest proof of the very active existence of the living Almighty SOVEREIGN! The identity of the Jews is widely known; the tribal name of Judah has not been lost even through 70 years of captivity. The first portion of this chapter, therefore, will be devoted to understanding the identity of the Jewish people. Then, we will see how these promises to Abraham also affect the Jews, to whom they greatly do. An English word, in many cases, may have several meanings depending on its use in a sentence. Thus, in a changing living language, English translators back in the 1700's may not have had access to the full range of meaning that may apply today. An example of this is the Hebrew word “shebet” (shay'-bet) used in Scripture 190 times. “Shebet” is translated by the King James boys into “tribe” 141 times, “rod” 34 times, “sceptre” 9 times, “staff” 2 times, “correction” 1 time, “darts” 1 time, “pen” 1 time, and “screptres” 1 time.1  The far greatest majority of times this word is translated as “tribe.” One of the essential verses in understanding the prophecies is overlooked by most people. To understand nearly any subject we must have full comprehension of its beginning. The first chapter of the Hebrew Scriptures is Genesis, which means the beginning, and in Genesis 49, the Patriarch Jacob (Israel) is giving prophecies of the latter days to his sons—known as the Children of Israel. The Lawgiver Maintains the Scrolls of Scripture. The Scepter Tribe Maintains its Tribal Name. Genesis 49:10. “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh2  comes; and to Him shall be the obedience of the people.” To understand this verse and how it applies to Hebrew Scriptural prophecy, there are two words stated that are of prime importance to understand, they are: Lawgiver Scepter. The Lawgiver The English word “lawgiver” comes from the Hebrew word3  “chaqaq” (khaw-kak') and means “to hack (i.e. engrave) to be a scribe simply.” Remember that as the Lawgiver ETERNAL simply engraved His Laws on two tablets of lapis lazuli (blue color stone) as a simple scribe would imprint ETERNAL's Laws on tablets of clay or later on scrolls. LAWGIVER - One who gives a code of law to a people (Isaiah 33:22). The KJV used lawgiver seven times. Modern translations replace lawgiver with scepter four times (Genesis 49:10; Numbers 21:18; Psalm 60:7; 108:8). At Deuteronomy 33:21 modern translations replace lawgiver with commander (NRSV), leader (NIV), ruler (NASB, REB), or an equivalent. The remaining two cases (Isaiah 33:22) identify the SOVEREIGN as the Lawgiver. Contrary to popular opinion, Scripture never expressly identifies Moses as “lawgiver.”4 Even though the Hebrew word “chaqaq” is translated as “lawgiver” and refers to ETERNAL as having originated and engraved the law in the beginning, it also refers to men, as scribes—who only engrave His Law, not invent it. To sum this up Scripturally a “lawgiver” is simply a scribe. Therefore, “THE LAWGIVER” is the SOVEREIGN Who established and transcribed His laws in the beginning, whereas “a lawgiver” is simply a scribe who transcribes ETERNAL's Laws. ETERNAL SOVEREIGN was acting as The Master Scribe when He wrote the Commandments on the two slabs of blue lapis lazuli stone, the Master Scribe but still a scribe. Keep in mind that the priests (Levites) were the first scribes (lawgivers), but Judah prevailed to become the scribes sometime after Ezra the High Priest compiled the Scriptures and later died. Judah – Tamar We need to look at Judah’s offspring as this could affect the lawgiver promise as mentioned by Isaiah. Judah’s daughter-in-law Tamar was the Canaanite wife of his eldest son Er. After her wicked husband died without fathering a child, Tamar was given to Er's brother, Onan, for the purpose of bearing a child in the name of the dead man. Onan refused to impregnate Tamar, for which the SOVEREIGN killed him. She then tricked her father-in-law into fathering her child (Genesis 38:6-18). Genesis 38:28-29. “As she [Tamar] was giving birth to twins, one of them put out his hand; so the midwife took a scarlet thread and tied it on his wrist and said, ‘This one came out first. But when he drew back his hand, his brother came out, and she said, ‘So this is how you have broken out!’ And he was named Perez.” The significance of this development of twins being born is that... “...since Tamar had twin boys by Judah, the personalities of the two boys were different. Historically. Jews have been identified into two major groups: the Ashkenazim, or ‘Germanics’ (‘Ashkenaz’ meaning ‘Germany’ in Medieval Hebrew, denoting their Central European base), and the Sephardim, meaning ‘Hispania’ or ‘Iberia’ in Hebrew (denoting their Spanish and Portuguese base).”5 Judah was the father of twin sons. It seems the midwife knew twins were about to be born. It is recorded that just before birth, one of the twins “put out his hand; and the midwife took a scarlet thread and bound it on his hand, saying, ‘This one came out first.’” However, the child drew his hand back, and the other was actually born first. “The midwife exclaimed, ‘How did you break through? This breach is upon you.’ Therefore, his name was called Pharez, meaning ‘breach or breakout’” (Genesis 38:26-30). Capt6  states there could be no other significance here than that both of these twins were to be inheritors of the NameSake promise somewhere along the line of descendants. You might wonder what difference that makes. To answer that, let us look again at the Scripture: Genesis 49:10. “The [tribal name] scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a [scribe] lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh comes; and to Him shall be the obedience of the people.” A casual reading of this Scripture would give you the idea that Judah was the lawgiver and ruler. However, what is being stated is that the tribe of Judah will be the Scribes. Psalm 60:7 and 108:8 both confirm that the tribe of Judah will take care of the scrolls down through the centuries, until Shiloh comes. Since each twin has his own personality that will show up in minor differences of filler words chosen to complete sentences in the versions that clan produces. This is why Jeremiah said to the people of Jerusalem... Jeremiah 8:8. “How can you say, ‘We are wise, and the law of ETERNAL is with us’? Look, the false pen of the scribe certainly works falsehood.” If the scribes of Judah wanted to change their genealogical record to include or exclude anyone, they certainly had the golden opportunity to try to make themselves the chosen Royal Tribe. Yet, Isaiah 33:22 plainly states that ETERNAL is Judge, Lawgiver, and King and He will save us. If ETERNAL SOVEREIGN refers to Himself as “Scribe,” what a great honor it is for the tribe of Judah to be the tribe of Scribes that maintains the Scriptures throughout history.7 Since Judah was promised the honor of the job of being the Scriptural Scribes back in Genesis, that required an obligation of ETERNAL for them to remain as a tribe because the Levites were scattered. That brings us to the second word we must understand. The Scepter To discern the setting for this understanding, we must notice something in Scripture. Ezekiel 20:13. “Yet the people of Israel rebelled against Me [ETERNAL] in the desert. They did not follow My decrees but rejected My laws...” ...20:23. “Also with uplifted hand I [ETERNAL] swore to them [House of Israel] in the desert that I would disperse them among the nations and scatter them through the countries.” Not only did the SOVEREIGN disperse Israel (Jeremiah 3:8,14; Isaiah 50:1), but He divorced them (Hosea 1:3-6; 8-9). Israel was not alone in breaking the Laws and Heart of their CREATOR because Judah did also. Jeremiah 3:8. “I gave faithless Israel her certificate of divorce and sent her away because of all her adulteries. Yet I saw that her unfaithful sister Judah had no fear; she also went out and committed adultery.” Nevertheless, ETERNAL had a job for Judah that mandated they must maintain their tribal identity. Their job was to maintain the Hebrew Scriptures, including the knowledge of the Sabbath and knowledge of the Single SOVEREIGN, which is what they have done. The Jews have lost everything else including the Name of the SOVEREIGN and how to obey the Torah. Hosea 1:7. “But I will have mercy on the tribe of Judah. I will personally free her from her enemies without any help from her armies or her weapons.” ETERNAL moved Cyrus to voluntary free the Jews from their captivity in Babylon. The Jews retained their tribal name through 70 years of captivity and in fact still maintain it today. In modern battles in 1948 until 1988, the Jewish army has been given the credit for saving the Jews. However, it does not take a military strategist to realize that in 1948 a ragtag group of settlers could not hold off the well equipped armies of four Arab nations—without the direct intervention of ETERNAL SOVEREIGN of Hosts. Likewise, in 1967 when the Jews gained control of Jerusalem and the Sinai Peninsula in a six day war against all odds, ETERNAL SOVEREIGN of Hosts is obviously again the source of the victory. After their 40 years of protection ended in 1988,8  the record of the Jewish Armies has been very dismal on the battlefield. However, the final fulfillment of verse seven will be at the end of the Time of Jacob's Trouble. To summarize to this point, the Jews were the tribe chosen to keep their tribal name of Judah, to maintain the Torah, the knowledge of which day is the Sabbath, and the concept of a monotheistic SOVEREIGN. These four things they have done. A Nation and a Company of Nations The Mighty One re-promised these tremendous promises to Isaac and to Jacob. He rejected Ishmael and Abraham’s other sons from this birthright. Esau,9   Isaac’s son and Jacob’s twin brother, sold the birthright and was rejected by ETERNAL. The birthright promise, as confirmed to Isaac, is recorded in Genesis 26:1-5 where it also contains the twofold promise of greatness and blessings. To Jacob (Genesis 27:26-29), material blessing of wealth in the things of the ground is added, with the prophecy that foreign nations shall be ruled by the birthright nations of Israel. Also, (Genesis 28:13-14) added still another detail, that these nations of Israel shall eventually spread around the world. In addition, these scriptures repeat the twofold promise. Later, the Mighty One appeared unto Jacob and changed his name to Israel. The English word “Israel” comes from the Hebrew word “Yisra´el” (Strong’s #H3478 yis-raw-ale´) and means, “he will rule as ‘SOVEREIGN.’” Genesis 35:11. “Also, Elohim said to him: ‘I am El Shaddai [the Mighty One]. Be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall proceed from you, and kings shall come from your body.’” So, the “many nations” are described to take shape as a Nation (one great, wealthy, powerful nation) and a Company of Nations (a group or Commonwealth of Nations that are allies. This promise has never been fulfilled in the Jews. Neither can it pertain to any congregation because they are a collection of called-out individuals scattered through all nations. Yet this amazing promise must stand fulfilled unless we are to deny the Scriptures and the CREATOR’s Righteous Word! Continued in Chapter 4 [ Chapter 4 ] [ The Promises to Abraham - Introduction Index Page ] [The Hope of Israel Main Page ] Footnotes [1] BDB or Browns-Driver-Briggs' Hebrew Definitions, electronic version as part of “Quick Verse.” [2] Shiloh is the coming Mashiach; see our booklet “New Proof of the Messiah” and verses 11 and 12 are also referring to Shiloh. A place in Ephraimite territory was named Shiloh [3] Strong's H#2710 “chaqaq.” [4] Holman' Dictionary, electronic version. [5] op. cit. Wikipedia, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SephardiAshkenazi>. [6] Jacob’s Pillar a Biblical Historical Study, by E. Raymond Capt, Artisan Sales, 1977. [7] As a side-note, to be chosen to be the Scribes for the Tanakh (Old Testament) DOES NOT include other books that ETERNAL did not give, such as the Talmud, Mishnah, or Oral Torah. [8] That point will be explained in detail later is this booklet. [9] Ishmael and Esau were still given a blessing see (Genesis 17:18-20 and Genesis 27:39-40 respectively), yet neither blessing was nearly as great as the ones to Jacob and his descendants.