The Lion King

"And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth." (Revelation 5: 4-6)

In this passage the Lord Jesus Christ is viewed typically as both a "Lamb" and a "Lion." Both these animals are symbols of some aspect of the character, person, and mission of the Messiah. Although these animals, and the characteristics most often connected with them symbolically, are opposite each other, yet in the person of Christ (and believers also) they are both wonderfully and properly present. Christ is not lion in the same sense in which he is lamb, and vice versa.

Christ is Lamb because he is "meek and lowly in heart," and innocent, and harmless. Christ is Lion in that he is bold and daring, strong and courageous, and kingly. In Christ all manly and royal qualities symbolically connected with the "lion" are visible, although not any of the lower beastly qualities of the lion.

Satan, as a counterfeit and imitator of the divine, of Christ, is also styled in scripture as a lion. Wrote Peter:

"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith..." (I Peter 5: 8, 9 KJV)

But, the devil is only like a lion in its ravenous destructive nature. Christ, as Lion, does not walk about "seeking whom he may devour." He does not, however, reflect the nobler characteristics of the lion.

"Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion." (II Timothy 4: 17)

No doubt Paul alludes to Satan in this passage. Christ is the true Lion King, and so the Lord's people are safe from his lion-like destruction. It seems that Paul sees himself in a similar situation to that of Daniel the prophet, who was thrown into the "den of lions" for his faithfulness to God, and who also was "delivered out of the mouth of lions," albeit in a more literal way than Paul.

"A lion which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any; A greyhound; an he goat also; and a king, against whom there is no rising up." (Proverbs 30: 30, 31 KJV)

Thus the lion is the king of beasts, being the strongest or mightiest, and an animal that has little fear, be it against another beast or against a king.

'The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion." (Proverbs 28: 1)

A lion does not flee but all rather flee from the lion! The lion is bold and daring and is an object of fear and dread. Surely Christ had no fear as he was perfect and impeccable. The fear of man is a sin, that which Jesus taught against, arguing that God alone was to be feared. Jesus was fearless in the face of every trial and every danger!

"The king's wrath is as the roaring of a lion; but his favour is as dew upon the grass." (Proverbs 19: 12)

"The fear of a king is as the roaring of a lion: whoso provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul." (Proverbs 20: 2)

Although the Lord is not set on the destruction of any, for destruction's sake, yet he is a King who will surely destroy all the enemies of heaven and of righteousness. When Christ returns he will come as a Lion and will surely destroy all the unrepentant wicked of the earth. None will escape him in that day. The coming "day of wrath" will find Christ, as heaven's King, executing death, slaughter, and destruction upon the wicked.

Satan, as a lion, seeks to devour the righteous, but Christ "delivers them out of his mouth." Christ, as a lion, will seek, in the coming day of judgment, to devour the unrighteous. None will be able to deliver "out of his mouth."

Many passages speak of Christ returning from heaven with a lion's "roar." The wrath of a king is like the roaring of a lion! So will the appearance of Christ be for many.

"And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth, And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices. And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not." (Revelation 10: 2-4)

Such is part of the scene of the coming "day of wrath." When he sets his foot upon sea and land, to take possession of the earth, and to oust all the squatters and tresspassers (unrepentant sinners), all sinners will hear this mighty "roar" of Christ the Lion King! Fear then will seize all the hearts of the wicked, and they will attempt to flee and hide, but they will not have a place of protection.

"Therefore prophesy thou against them all these words, and say unto them, The LORD shall roar from on high, and utter his voice from his holy habitation; he shall mightily roar upon his habitation; he shall give a shout, as they that tread the grapes, against all the inhabitants of the earth." (Jeremiah 25: 30)

"They shall walk after the LORD: he shall roar like a lion: when he shall roar, then the children shall tremble from the west." (Hosea 11: 10)

Oh the consequences to the hearts of sinners when Christ "roars out of Zion"! It will be a fear that only those who have been in the midst of hungry lions can truly know.

"The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel." (Joel 3: 16)

"And he said, The LORD will roar from Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the habitations of the shepherds shall mourn, and the top of Carmel shall wither." (Amos 1: 2)

Again, more scripture that points to Christ as the Lion King and who will, upon his return, roar from on high, and every heart that is fearful and lacking faith will tremble and shake. It will be a day when the wicked will be devoured by the Lord's return.

"Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets. The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord GOD hath spoken, who can but prophesy?" (Amos 3: 7, 8)

When the lion roars, who can escape feeling fear? When Christ returns to judge the world, what unrepentant sinner will not fear?

"The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?" (Isaiah 33: 14 KJV)

It is said that the people who will be judged, destroyed, and sentenced to eternal burnings, in Gehenna or the "lake of fire," are people who are "fearful" and "unbelieving." (Revelation 21: 8 KJV) When Christ returns and "utters his voice," and "roars" as the Lion King, then all the sinners and hypocrites of the land will be gripped with paralyzing fear and will have no place to run or hide. There will be none to "deliver out of the mouth" of Christ the Lion King!

Christ is called the "lion of the tribe of Judah." This recalls the prophecy of Jacob concerning Judah and his famous son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

"You are a lion's cub, O Judah; you return from the prey, my son. Like a lion he crouches and lies down, like a lioness—who dares to rouse him?" (Genesis 49: 9 NIV)

One does not want to anger Christ! That is why the Psalmist said of him, the Son of God, "kiss the Son lest he be angry with you and you perish from the way when his wrath is kindled but a little." (Psalm 2: 12 KJV) To do so is to rouse the fierce anger of the Lion King!

"The people rise like a lioness; they rouse themselves like a lion that does not rest till he devours his prey and drinks the blood of his victims." (Numbers 23: 24 NIV)

Surely Revelation chapter 19 describes the time when Christ returns as the Lion King and when he "rouses" himself and destroys all the wicked of the land.

Surely also are believers in Jesus made to be spiritual lions. As Solomon said - "the righteous are as bold as lions."

"Saul and Jonathan—in life they were loved and gracious, and in death they were not parted. They were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions." (II Samuel 1: 23 NIV)

So it also true spiritually of all the Lord's people, of Christians, who are eagles (king of birds) and lions (king of land beasts).

Friend, Christ will surely come, and I urge you to now repent of your sins and believe and trust in Christ. He will give you faith and courage so that you will feel safe in the coming day when all others are trembling for fear.