“Judah, your brothers shall praise you; your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; your father's sons shall bow down before you. Judah is a lion's cub; from the prey, my son, you have gone up. He stooped down; he crouched as a lion and as a lioness; who dares rouse him? The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until tribute comes to him; and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples." Gensis 49:8-12 (ESV)
This sounds nice but in Judges, the tribe of Judah is sent into battle first.
"After the death of Joshua, the people of Israel inquired of the Lord, 'Who shall go up first for us against the Canaanites, to fight against them?' The Lord said, 'Judah shall go up; behold, I have given the land into his hand.' " Judges 1:1-2 (ESV)
"The people of Israel arose and went up to Bethel and inquired of God, 'Who shall go up first for us to fight against the people of Benjamin?' And the Lord said, 'Judah shall go up first.' " Judges 20:18 (ESV)
This makes me realize that sometimes blessings require work on our part to see the fulfillment come to pass.
