Why does the scepter never depart from Judah?
The scepter never departs from Judah because God sovereignly gave Judah the leadership that Reuben forfeited through sin, and because Christ comes from the tribe of Judah. Since Jesus descends from Judah, Scripture declares the scepter shall never leave Judah.
Les explains that Reuben was the oldest and should have held the place of leadership, but he sinned, so God in His sovereignty brought Judah to the place Reuben should have enjoyed. Judah therefore takes the place of leadership. The tabernacle’s outer gate was always set to the east, and the tribe that always led whenever Israel journeyed was Judah. The other reason is that Christ comes out of the tribe of Judah; Jesus comes from Judah, and so it says the scepter shall never leave Judah. Around the tabernacle, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun camped on the east; Reuben, Simeon, and Gad on the south; Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin on the west; and Dan, Asher, and Naphtali on the north. Levi was not listed among the twelve in that arrangement but received the territory surrounding the whole tabernacle area.
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.