Verse 10 says that the scepter will not depart from Judah nor the ruler's staff from between his feet until Shiloh comes. Shiloh means Peace-bringer. The proper kingdom is a realm of peace. If you do not have peace, you are not actually in the kingdom. The King must be the Peace-giver, the Peacebringer. When our King comes back, He will come as the great Shiloh who brings peace to the whole earth. But there is no need for us to wait until that day to enjoy Him as our Shiloh. We may enjoy Christ as Shiloh today.
Consider the example of family life. In a sense, family life is a stormy sea full of turmoil. We never know when a storm will come. I have been sailing on the family-life sea for many years, and I can testify that it is often very stormy. In Matthew 14 we read of the disciples' experience on a stormy sea (Matt. 14:22-33). When Jesus was about to go up into a mountain to pray, He charged His disciples "to step into the boat and to go before Him to the other side" (Matt. 14:22). When evening had come, the boat was being tossed by the waves. Eventually, after praying there on the mountaintop, the Lord came to the disciples in the boat, walking on the sea (Matt. 14:25). When He entered the boat, the wind ceased (Matt. 14:32). This is very meaningful. The storm ceased because there can be no storm where Jesus is. The storm is not afraid of us, but it is afraid of the heavenly King. Although the storm may trouble us, it cannot trouble Him, for He walks upon the waves. In the midst of the stormy family-life sea we should not pray in a begging way. Instead, we should exercise the authority and say, "Lord, You are walking upon the sea. You are the King and You have the authority. Now I exercise Your authority over this stormy situation." Try to pray like this.
In the eyes of God the victory has been won, the kingdom is here, and peace is present. Everything has been accomplished. Therefore, we should not look at our environment. In Matthew 14:28 Peter said, "Lord if it is You, command me to come to You on the waters." Peter seemed to be saying, "Lord, if it is You, give me the word and I'll come to You. You are walking on the sea, and I'll walk on the sea also." The Lord said, "Come," and Peter came out of the boat and walked on the water to go to Jesus (Matt. 14:29). Peter had the faith to jump out of the boat and to walk on the waves. But when he began to look at the environment, his faith disappeared, and he began to sink. Peter's experience is a lesson to us not to look at our environment, but to stand on the Lord's word. Faith is a matter of standing on His word. Faith is not based on the environment; it is based on the word of the Lord. If you jump out of the boat and stand on the Lord's word, many problems will be solved. You have prayed too many begging prayers. Instead of begging, issue a command to the environment and say, "I will not allow you to disturb me. Jesus is King. The kingdom is His, and He is Shiloh. Therefore, I must have peace in my surroundings."
Often before troubles come our way, we have accepted them already. This is entirely a matter of psychology. Before Satan, the subtle one, attacks you, he first takes you over in a psychological way. Job said, "For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me" (Job 3:25). Before Job's difficulties came upon him, he thought about those difficulties and became afraid of them. To be afraid of something means that you have already received it. Whenever you are fearful, you must immediately say, "Satan, get away from me. I am not afraid of anything. I do not accept this fear." Fear is Satan's calling card. If you accept his calling card, Satan himself will come. Every fear is a calling card. Before Satan sends you the actual difficulty, he first sends the fear of that difficulty. Do not accept Satan's calling card of fear—throw it away. This is a matter related to spiritual warfare. Some brothers have been afraid of being laid off from their jobs. A few days after they accepted this fear, they were laid off. Do not receive the thought of being laid off, but say, "Satan, I will never be laid off. Although everyone else may be laid off, I will still be employed. Because I am in the kingdom, I don't accept this fear." Christ has won the victory, and the issue of His victory is the kingdom.
Genesis 49:10 says that unto Shiloh "shall the obedience of the peoples be" (Heb.). This word refers to the millennial kingdom. When Christ will come the second time as Shiloh, all the peoples will submit themselves to Him and obey Him. In principle, it is the same today. Where the authority and kingdom of Christ hold sway, there will be the submission and obedience of the peoples.