[119]Jacob spent his last days with his family in Egypt.  Just before his death he called before him his sons, that he might bestow upon them his last blessings.  From this time forward dates the history of the nation of Israel.  While pronouncing the blessing upon his various sons, he said concerning his son Judah:  “Judah is a lion’s whelp:  from the prey, my son, thou art gone up:  he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up?  The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.” (Genesis 49:9,10) This prophetic promise definitely shows that the mighty one to come through whom the blessings of the people would flow must spring from the tribe of Judah, the word Shiloh being one of the titles applied to the great Prince of Peace, the Deliverer, the Savior of mankind.

[120]After the death of Jacob his offspring were known as the children of Israel, or Israelites.  Joseph when a lad had been sold into Egypt, had grown to manhood, had become a mighty man and ruler in Egypt under the king, and was dwelling there in power and glory when his father Jacob and the other members of his family moved into Egypt to live.  During the lifetime of Joseph the Israelites were well treated.  After his death, however, a new king came to the throne of Egypt, who began to oppress and persecute the Israelites.  God raised up Moses and used him to deliver the Israelites from the land of Egypt and the oppressive hand of Egypt’s king.

[121]We incidentally remark that here are some other pictures foreshadowing portions of the divine plan.  Egypt under the rule of a wicked king pictures or represents the world of mankind in darkness under the rule of the unrighteous one, Satan, who is the god of this world.  The Israelites in Egypt picture the people of God and those who shall ultimately come into harmony with him; while Moses was a type foreshadowing the great Messiah, who is to deliver all mankind from the bondage of sin and death.

[122]Moses was a prophet of God and God spoke through Moses, using him as a mouthpiece or messenger.  After the Lord had delivered the children of Israel from Egypt by the hand of Moses, he spoke through Moses, who prophesied unto Israel, saying:  “The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken”. (Deuteronomy 18:15; Acts 3:22) From that time forward the Israelites watched and waited for the coming of the great prophet, priest, and king who should be like unto Moses and of whom Moses was a picture or a type.  They knew that such a one must come from the house of Judah, because God had promised as much.  David was a direct descendant of Judah.—­Luke 3:31-34.