Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father's children shall bow down before thee. 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 49:8-10
Here is the great and glad word! Here is the great prophecy; the Messiah will come through the tribe of Judah, the family of Jesse and the house of David. Where did Jacob get the name Shiloh? God gave him a special name for a special person and a special time. Here are some of the meanings given to the word by various writers:
- Shiloh means "sent" (John 9:7). Some point out the likeness between Siloam and Shiloh. Christ is truly the sent one: "As my Father sent me..."
- Shiloh means the "son," others say (Isa. 9:6-7). He is the true Son of God, the Son of David, and the Son of Man.
- Shiloh means "the one to whom it belongs" (Ezek. 21:25-27). The scepter, the crown, the throne, and the worship belong to him. All others are imposters (Col. 1:14-18).
- Shiloh means “peace.” It is said that the word comes from the same word as "Salem" or "peace" (Heb. 7:2). The Lord Jesus is our peace (Rom. 5:1). He made peace through the blood of his cross.
"Unto him shall the gatherings of the people be." The object of his covenant, his cross, and his coming to earth was to redeem a people and gather them to himself for ever. They shall come! In repentance, faith, and love, they shall come! (John 6:37-39).
About Henry Mahan
Henry T. Mahan was born in Birmingham, Alabama in August 1926. He joined the United States Navy in 1944 and served as a signalman on an L.S.T. in the Pacific during World War II. In 1946, he married his wife Doris, and the Lord blessed them with four children.
At the age of 21, he entered the pastoral ministry and gained broad experience as a pastor, teacher, conference speaker, and evangelist. In 1950, through the preaching of evangelist Rolfe Barnard, God was pleased to establish Henry in sovereign free grace teaching. At that time, he was serving as an assistant pastor at Pollard Baptist Church (off of Blackburn ave.) in Ashland, Kentucky.
In 1955, Thirteenth Street Baptist Church was formed in Ashland, Kentucky, and Henry was called to be its pastor. He faithfully served that congregation for more than 50 years, continuing in the same message throughout his ministry. His preaching was centered on the Lord Jesus Christ and Him crucified, in full accord with the Scriptures. He consistently proclaimed God’s sovereign purpose in salvation and the glory of Christ in redeeming sinners through His blood and righteousness.
Henry T. Mahan also traveled widely, preaching in conferences and churches across the United States and beyond. His ministry was marked by a clear and unwavering emphasis on Christ, not the preacher, but the One preached. Those who heard him recognized that his sermons honored the Savior and exalted the name of the Lord Jesus Christ above all.
Henry T. Mahan served as pastor and teacher of Thirteenth Street Baptist Church in Ashland, Kentucky for over half a century. His life and ministry were devoted to proclaiming the sovereign grace of God and directing sinners to the finished work of Christ. He entered into the presence of the Lord in 2019, leaving behind a lasting testimony to the gospel he faithfully preached.
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