The simple answer to this question is that Jesus was from the tribe of Judah in order to fulfill the Bible prophecy of Genesis 49:10: “The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs and the obedience of the nations is his.” As to why the Lord chose Judah above the other eleven tribes of Israel I can only venture an educated guess or speculation.
Perhaps the reason can be found in the story of Joseph, at the time he was sold into slavery by his brothers and was taken to Egypt. Although it was the eldest brother Reuben who wanted to save Joseph from the other brothers who wanted to see him die, it was ultimately Judah who was used to save him. His motives may not have been altogether pure, but it was Judah who suggested selling Joseph to the Ishmaelites who were passing by them in the desert.
“Judah said to his brothers, ‘What will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? Come, let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him; after all, he is our brother, our own flesh and blood.’ His brothers agreed” (Genesis 37:26-27).
It was Reuben’s desire “to rescue him from them and take him back to his father” (Genesis 37:22). Therefore, it could be argued that if Reuben had been able to rescue Joseph, the entire family may have starved during the famine that followed some years later. Instead, because Judah was motivated to sell his brother, Joseph went to Egypt as a slave, but was later used to rescue his entire family from starvation.
We can see the sovereign hand of God in all of this, something that was not missed by Joseph himself, who said to his brothers, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives” (Genesis 50:20). If Jacob’s entire family (which was the nation of Israel) had perished during the famine, God’s promise to send a savior through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob would have gone unfulfilled. And, of course, the Lord keeps His promises!
Perhaps it is because Judah was used in this way that Jacob made the prophecy regarding him in Genesis 49:10: “The scepter will not depart from Judah.”
As to why Jesus was not in the tribe of Levi, the priestly tribe—again the answer is simple. The Psalmist, in referring to the coming messiah, wrote, “The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind: ‘You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.’” (Psalm 110:4).
The Bible teaches in the book of Hebrews that the priesthood of Melchizedek is a higher priesthood than that of Levi and Aaron. In referring to Melchizedek, Hebrews 7:6-7 says, “This man, however, did not trace his descent from Levi, yet he collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. And without doubt the lesser person is blessed by the greater” (emphasis mine).
Melchizedek’s priesthood also predates the Levitical priesthood, as Hebrews 7:9-10 points out, by saying, “One might even say that Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham, because when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the body of his ancestor.”
Another reason why Jesus was not a Levite, is that his priesthood was an eternal one, based on His eternal existence. “For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah, and in regard to that tribe Moses said nothing about priests. And what we have said is even more clear if another priest like Melchizedek appears, one who has become a priest not on the basis of a regulation as to his ancestry but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life. For it is declared: ‘You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek’” (Hebrews 7:14-17).
“Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant. Now there have been many of those [Levitical] priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them” (Hebrews 7:22-25).
Isn’t it a comfort to know that Jesus intercedes on our behalf, that God is true to His Word, and that every prophecy of His will be fulfilled!
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished” (Matthew 5:17-18).