I used the book These Are The Garments by C. W. Slemming along with this study.
The 12 stones in the breastplate correspond with the 12 tribes of Israel, also engraven in the breastplate. They were chosen by God according to four different characteristics:
1. Their birth- Genesis 29:31- Genesis 30:24
2. The Patriarchal Blessing- Genesis 49
3. The Mosaic Blessing- Deuteronomy 30
4. Stones in the Breastplate- Exodus 28:17-21
These stones are not listed in the order of birth. God has chosen a different order for them to appear on the breastplate, and that is the order in which we will look at them.
Sardius- Judah
1. His Birth
The theme of Judah is praise. Genesis 29:35- And she conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, Now will I praise the LORD: therefore she called his name Judah; and left bearing. Judah means "the praise of Jehovah".
2. The Patriarchal Blessing
Genesis 49:8a- Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: Praise brings blessing and blessing brings praise. The man not only gave forth praise, but he was the recipient of it.
Genesis 49:8b- thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; This means victory.
Genesis 49:8c- thy father's children shall bow down before thee. This is a prophecy about the kingly line coming thru Judah.
Genesis 49:9- 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? Judah is always likened to a lion. Christ himself is the lion of the tribe of Judah.
Genesis 49:10- 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. The scepter is the symbol of authority and acceptance (Esther 4:11). This is also a clue as to whom the Messiah would come thru.
Genesis 49:11-12- Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass's colt unto the choice vine; he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes: His eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk. The ass is a beast of burden, and the vine is a type of fruitfulness. Judah had the ability to take the common burdens of life and find a fruitfulness and a joy in them.
Wine is a type of blood (Exodus 7:17). Judah has washed his garments in blood- the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. As such, his sins are forgiven him and he is able to see joy in the common things of life.
His eyes are red, as if he had been drunken. Ephesians 5:18- And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; and Acts 2:15- For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. He's not drunk with wine; he's filled with the Holy Spirit.
Milk represents strength, and is almost always associated with wine. Isaiah 55:1- Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. and used together would be strength in the Lord. Ephesians 6:10- Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
3. The Mosaic Blessing
Deuteronomy 33:7a- And this is the blessing of Judah: and he said, Hear, LORD, the voice of Judah, and bring him unto his people: Most of the prayers in the Bible are by the Kings of Judah- especially King David! These are all of the line of Judah. And we know that the Lord hears the prayers of His saints.
Deuteronomy 33:7b- let his hands be sufficient for him; and be thou an help to him from his enemies. If we look at this as the Kings of Judah, their hands were sufficient in battle. From David to Uzziah, God helped the Kings of Judah in battle. But, looking at this as the coming Messiah, we see that His hands helped the poor and needy, healed the sick and lame, and defeated His enemies while nailed to the cross. And still, they minister today to the many saints around the world who need help against their enemies- the world, the flesh, and the devil.
4. The Stone Sardius in the Breastplate
This is a red stone (garments washed in wine). The color of this stone just sums up the character quality of Judah.
