The Lion of Judah

     The black maned adult African male lion has long been a symbol of strength, courage, and majesty in many cultures. He is depicted in their art and in their flags. Solomon used the lion as a decoration in the temple and on his throne (1Ki 7:29 & 36, 1Ki 10:19-20). There are other types of lions such as the mountain lion, also known as the cougar, but none is as inspirational as he. There are other big cats such as the leopard, jaguar, and cheetah, but none is as awesome as he. The tiger is the closest in impression. Proverbs 30:30-31 says, “A lion which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any”. Even today, the lion is represented in art and culture.

     An adult male lion can be 10 feet from head to tail and 500 pounds. His roar can be heard for several miles. They have a bite force of 650-1000psi. The mane is a main feature of adult male lions. It signals high testosterone levels, which tells lionesses that they make good mating partners. It also signals other males that this lion is in top physical condition and in his prime. There are a few examples of maneless lions, such as those in the Tsavo River region. It is theorized that these lions do not have manes because of the thick thornbush shrubs in the area. The maneless Tsavo lions became famous because of the 1898 incident in which two male Tsavo lions began killing railroad workers in the area. It is estimated that somewhere between 28 and 130 men were killed before they were finally killed. The bodies of these lions are on display at the Field Museum in Chicago, Il.

     The lion is the only social cat. They form groups called prides. A pride is usually about 15-30 total including cubs. The lion is an apex predator, meaning they are at the top of the food chain. They prey on others, but none prey on them. The male’s job is to guard the pride and its territory. This is vital because their territory determines their hunting grounds. Females do most of the hunting for the pride. They work in teams with each individual usually taking the same role. They will patiently stalk their prey, looking for easier targets like the young and old. Sometimes one will take up a position in hiding to ambush while the others will drive them towards that position. Lions are fast and can run up to 40 miles an hour, but only for shorter distances. So, they will methodically creep as close as possible before they charge.

     Young adult males are driven out of the pride when they reach 2-3 years old. They roam as nomads until they are strong enough to challenge a pride leader. Sometimes nomads link up to form a coalition. If they win, they kill all the cubs. This causes the lionesses to go into heat so they can have their own offspring.

     Lions used to have a wider range than today, and they are mentioned several times in the Bible as having lived in Israel. They are mentioned in the Bible 148 times. They are used to symbolize many things.

God is symbolized as a lion 8 times:

     Like as the lion and the young lion roaring on his prey (Is 31:4)

     As a lion, so will he break all my bones (Is 38:13 - Hezekiah’s prayer)

     He was unto me as a bear lying in wait, and as a lion in secret places. (Lam 3:10)

     For I will be unto Ephraim as a lion, and as a young lion to the house of Judah: I, even I, will      

     tear and go away (Hos 5:14)

     They shall walk after the LORD: he shall roar like a lion: when he shall roar, then the children

     shall tremble from the west. (Hos 11:10)

     Therefore I will be unto them as a lion: as a leopard by the way will I observe them… and

     there will I devour them like a lion (Hos 13:7-8)

     The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord GOD hath spoken, who can but prophesy?     

     (Amos 3:8)

     The Lion of the tribe of Juda (Rev 5:5)

Angels are described with lionlike attributes 2 times:

     As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on

the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face

of an eagle (Eze 1:10 - the 4 living creatures)

     And the first beast was like a lion (Rev 4:7)

Israel is represented as a lion in both good and bad ways:

     Good 6 times:

        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? (Gen 49:9)

        Behold, the people shall rise up as a great lion, and lift up himself as a young lion: he shall

        not lie down until he eat of the prey, and drink the blood of the slain. (Num 23:24)

        He couched, he lay down as a lion, and as a great lion: who shall stir him up? (Num 24:9)

        And of Gad he said, Blessed be he that enlargeth Gad: he dwelleth as a lion (Deut 33:20)  

        Israel the mother lioness (Eze 19:1-9 – Jehoahaz (2Ki 23:24), Jehoiachin (2Ki 24:15)

        And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles in the midst of many people as a

lion among the beasts of the forest, as a young lion among the flocks of sheep: who, if he go

        through, both treadeth down, and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver. (Mic 5:8)

     Bad 5 times:

        Mine heritage is unto me as a lion in the forest; it crieth out against me: therefore have I   

        hated it (Jer 12:8)

        He hath forsaken his covert, as the lion: for their land is desolate (Jer 25:38)

        There is a conspiracy of her prophets in the midst thereof, like a roaring lion ravening the    

        prey; they have devoured souls (Eze 22:25 - the false prophets)

        Her princes within her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves (Zeph 3:3)

        Here is a voice of the howling of the shepherds; for their glory is spoiled: a voice of the   

        roaring of young lions (Zech 11:3)

The enemy is described as a lion 20 times:

     Rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions (Ps 35:17)

     My soul is among lions (Ps 57:4)

     Break out the great teeth of the young lions, O LORD (Ps 58:6)

     Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample      under feet (Ps 91:13 - lion, adder, dragon)

     As a roaring lion, and a ranging bear; so is a wicked ruler over the poor people. (Prov 28:15)

     Their roaring shall be like a lion, they shall roar like young lions: yea, they shall roar, and lay      hold of the prey, and shall carry it away safe, and none shall deliver it (Is 5:29)

     From whence come the young and old lion, the viper and fiery flying serpent (Is 30:6)

     The young lions roared upon him, and yelled, and they made his land waste: his cities are     

     burned without inhabitant (Jer 2:15)

     Your own sword hath devoured your prophets, like a destroying lion. (Jer 2:30)

     The lion is come up from his thicket, and the destroyer of the Gentiles is on his way (Jer 4:7)

     Wherefore a lion out of the forest shall slay them (Jer 5:6)

     Behold, he shall come up like a lion from the swelling of Jordan against the habitation of

     the strong: but I will suddenly make him run away from her (Jer 49:19 - Edom)

     Israel is a scattered sheep; the lions have driven him away: first the king of Assyria hath      

     devoured him; and last this Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon hath broken his bones (Jer    

     50:17)

     They shall roar together like lions: they shall yell as lions' whelps (Jer 51:38 - Babylon)

     Thou art like a young lion of the nations (Eze 32:3 - Egypt)

     Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say    

     unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? (Eze 38:13)

     The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings (Dan 7:4 - Babylon)

     For a nation is come up upon my land, strong, and without number, whose teeth are the teeth      of a lion, and he hath the cheek teeth of a great lion. (Joel 1:6)

     Where is the dwelling of the lions, and the feedingplace of the young lions (Nah 2:11-13 - 

     Nineveh)

     His mouth as the mouth of a lion (Rev 13:2)

Satan is also described as a lion 2 times:

     I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion (2Tim 4:17)

     The devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour (1Pet 5:8)

God used actual lions in judgment 2 times:

     And when he was gone, a lion met him by the way, and slew him (1Ki 13:24)

     Therefore the LORD sent lions among them, which slew some of them (2Ki 17:25)

The Lord gave His people victory over actual lions 4 times:

     A young lion roared against him (Jud 14 - Samson)

     Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear (1Sam 17:34 - David)

     He slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow (2Sam 23:20 - Benaiah)

     Daniel in the lion’s den (Dan 6)

     In the original order of creation before sin, there was no death and therefore no predation (Gen 1:29, Gen 2:9 & 17). Meat was introduced to the diet after the flood (Gen 9:3). After the second coming of Christ, that which was lost in the garden of Eden will be restored (Rev 22:1-5). Between His return and the eternal state, there will be a 1,000-year period (Rev 20:1-10). During this time, predation will cease. “The leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them…. the lion shall eat straw like the ox (Is 11:6-7, Is 65:25)”.

     There are some parallels to make between lions and the spiritual life of Christians:

Strength (1Sam 15:29, 2Sam 22:33 & 40, 1Chr 29:12, Neh 8:10, Ps 29:11, Ps 37:39, Prov 10:29, Is 12:2, Hab 3:18-19, 2Cor 12:9)

Courage (Josh 1:6-9, Ps 27:14)

Apex, king (Col 2:10 & 15, Rev 19:16)

Social (Jn 15:14-15, Heb 2:11)

Guard territory (Ex 34:24, Ps 74:18, Ps 78:54, Prov 15:15, Mic 5:6, Mal 1:5)

Roar (Is 42:13, Jer 25:30, Hos 11:10, Joel 3:16, Amos 1:2, Amos 3:8)

Reproduce (Jn 15:16, 2Cor 9:10 & 1Pet 1:23 - spora, 1Jn 3:9 – sperma)

Good when on your side, dangerous when not (Rom 11:22 – goodness and severity)

Satan (2Tim 4:17, 1Pet 5:8 – as)

Victory over the lion

     Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample     

     under feet (Ps 91:13 - lion, adder, dragon) Rom 16:20

     Lion of Judah (Rev 5:5)