The Risen Scepter

Ge 49:10The scepter will not pass away from Judah or a ruler from between his feet till SHILOH [Man of Rest] comes whom the nations will obey.
Beck Translation

In the Egyptian system of writing the scepter was the key symbol in the word to rule, and in the ancient eastern world a scepter was used as a symbol of royal authority and power. Consequently, in the Bible the scepter was an emblem of a king's rule and his right to exclusively govern; the reign and ruling control exercised by a head of state. Therefore, the scepter was recognition of complete sovereignty, and absolute power.

In the Old Testament we find scepters made of both gold (divine nature) and iron (judgment). Moreover, the Hebrew word group can be found used for a rod of correction or conversely, a shepherd's staff.

The Ruler must summon you

In the ancient world no one was allowed to approach a ruling sovereign unless they had been summoned. To do this was to place one's life in one's hands. The penalty for this breach of protocol would be certain death; the means being up to that particular sovereign's good pleasure (or bad mood). The only escape for the enactment of the consequence of this breach would be if king were to extend (raise) his scepter. This very custom can be seen displayed in the book of Esther.

Est 4:11
11 "If anyone, man or woman, goes to the inner courtyard and sees the king without being summoned, that person must die. That is the law; everyone, from the king's advisers to the people in the provinces, knows that. There is only one way to get around this law: if the king holds out his gold scepter to someone, then that person's life is spared.
TEV

It was the same for the ruler of the universe

Although God is not man and therefore not subject to the passions that humankind falls prey to, He is still a passionate God. He passionately loves us and He passionately hates sin. The difference between His passion and ours is simply that His passion is holy, righteous, and perfect, while ours is distorted by that sin for it destroys the correct functioning on the image of God within us; whether it is the sin that emanates from that which lies resident in an individual or the sin that has been foisted upon someone by another's misdeeds, leaving them fractured and hopeless. You see, God never brings judgment because of a bad mood; He is so perfectly pure that sin cannot approach Him without being destroyed, and also with it the bearer of the sin. This is why under God's economy whether Old Covenant or New, He may only be approached as He has prescribed. This was the fatal lesson learned by Nadab and Abihu the sons of Aaron

Lev 10:1-3
10:1 Aaron's sons Nadab and Abihu took their censers, put fire in them and added incense; and they offered unauthorized fire before the LORD, contrary to his command. 2 So fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD. 3 Moses then said to Aaron, "This is what the LORD spoke of when he said:"' Among those who approach me I will show myself holy; in the sight of all the people I will be honored.' "Aaron remained silent.
NIV

Lev 10:3

'All who serve me must respect my holiness;

TEV

To Whom the Scepter Belongs

The coming of the "man (ruler) of rest" had been promised in Genesis 49:10. This man of rest would rule the nations. We see in this a suggestion of the extension of a sovereignty that reaches much further than any particular, specific, or individual kingdom. In the following passage (Mic 5:2) it is stated the He shall rule over Israel , yet in the subsequent verses it is said that this Coming One's greatness will reach to the ends of the earth. If we are to see Israel as only intending to mean that of the natural nation, certainly it would not seem to follow that this is the same as the one promised in Genesis 49:10. Yet if Israel is intended to represent more than a natural nation, unquestionably then, we could hold that the expression is much more far reaching.

Mic 5:2
2 "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times."
NIV

Mic 5:4-5
4 He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth. 5 And he will be their peace.
NIV

This man of rest would be the emissary of peace to those of God's good will. Further, this promised peace (rest) was then announced at the coming of the Messiah in the Gospel of Luke. This pronouncement would herald forth a means of reconciliation and approach that would far surpass the tutorship of the law.

Lk 2:8-14
8 In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. 10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; 11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." 13 And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14 "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased."
NASU