Under David, the scepter had come to Judah, and it was not to depart from the tribe, as declared in ancient prophecy. Upon Solomon's death around 975 BC, his son Rehoboam reigned in his place, but the kingdom faced division due to heavy taxation and forced labor imposed by Solomon. When Rehoboam refused to lighten the burden, certain tribes rebelled against the house of David, rejecting their inheritance in the son of Jesse and leaving Rehoboam to rule over a smaller portion of the original kingdom. This reduced realm, named after its leading tribe, became the Kingdom of Judah, often referred to as the southern kingdom due to its location. Far smaller in size and population than Solomon's consolidated kingdom, it consisted of only three tribes, while the remaining ten tribes formed a separate northern kingdom under different leadership. The history of the Kingdom of Judah took a distinct path from that of the northern tribes, marking a significant division in the once-unified nation.

The scepter promise, symbolizing the kingly line culminating in the Messiah, was handed down to Judah, father of the Jews, as foretold by Jacob in Genesis 49:10. After the Israelites demanded a human king, God chose David of the tribe of Judah, and the scepter remained with his lineage. Following Solomon's sins, God divided the nation, taking the ten northern tribes, called Israel, from Rehoboam and giving them to Jeroboam, while Rehoboam ruled over the smaller Kingdom of Judah, consisting of Judah, with additions from Benjamin and Levi. Thus, the scepter promise stayed with Judah, while the birthright went to Israel. For generations, Israel and Judah existed as separate nations with their own kings. Due to their sins, the House of Judah was taken into Babylonian exile between 604 BC and 585 BC, with King Zedekiah's sons killed and himself blinded and imprisoned, where he died. Though no male heirs survived to inherit the throne, Jeremiah records that Zedekiah's daughters and others escaped to Egypt with the prophet. The Judah-Pharez-David-Zedekiah line held the scepter, and Jesus Christ is of this lineage, as shown in genealogies. Ezekiel 21:25-27 prophesies the overturning of the throne, indicating a shift in the ruling line until He whose right it is comes to claim it.

The State of Israel today represents only a part of ancient Israel, specifically the remains of the southern Kingdom of Judah. While the northern Kingdom of Israel, comprising the ten tribes, has been scattered across various regions, the modern-day Judah has been engaged in a continuous struggle for existence since 1947. This ongoing conflict highlights a shared adversary with the broader nations of Israel: radical Islam. Despite the apparent military strength of Judah, the true measure of success in these struggles, as seen through biblical history, lies not in military might but in the moral condition of God's people. God will ultimately prevail, ensuring that a remnant of His people, including those from Judah, will be saved and brought through times of great trouble, though only those who turn to Him in repentance will be spared. The spiritual state of Judah, as judged by God, will determine the outcome of current and future conflicts, far beyond the impact of any weaponry or strategy.