Dumb Idols - Spiritual Thoughts of Daniel J. Clausen

     A lesser known messianic prophecy in the book of Genesis, known as the "Shiloh Prophecy" sheds significant light on the timing of the messianic age. The prophecy reads, "The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh comes; and to Him shall be the obedience of the people."        This prophecy connects the coming of Shiloh, identified as a person, to a time when the scepter, a symbol of rule, passed out of the control of Judah. This verse is part of Jacob's blessings and prophecies for his sons before his death. Each of Jacob's sons receives a specific blessing or prophecy, and in the case of Judah, Jacob foretells the continuity of royal authority within the tribe until the arrival of Shiloh, a figure long interpreted as the Messiah. Passing the Scepter     This begs the question, did the scepter ever pass from Judah?  The traditional interpretation is that the scepter departed from Judah with the Roman conq