LIONS
20th Apr 2016
I have been watching the 50 Year celebration of the introduction of lions into the Safari Park at Longleat in Wiltshire. What magnificent creatures they are, no wonder we have mixed emotions as we view their beauty, power and majesty. Fear, rulership, dominance are words that spring to mind, along with terror, as from a place of safety we watch their ferocity, as the king of beasts catches and disposes of its prey.
Our Jesus is described in lion terms, “The Lion of the Tribe of Judah, King of Kings, only Ruler among Princes,” and although we honour and worship Him as the Lamb of God, sacrificed in substitution for our sins, make no mistake He is still Awesome in Power and Mighty in Splendour. When He acts it will be with the same might and power we read of in the Old Testament encounters of the living God.
To us who believe He is Jesus our precious Saviour, but to His enemies who oppose His rule and harass His people, He will be lion like, inducing fear and awe, and routing all who even try to oppose His rule. In Psalm 76:1 it says, “In Judah God is known; his name is great in Israel. His tent is in Salem, his dwelling place in Zion.”
The NIV Study Bible declares the Hebrew words for tent and dwelling place frequently refer to a lion’s den and lair, and in Psalm 76 the psalmist is depicting Israel's God as a lion overpowering its prey. Verse 7 says, “You alone are to be feared. Who can stand before you when you are angry?”
Keep this image in mind as we cry out to God for this world, so ravished by the enemy. Ask for an intervention from Heaven. Let the “lion roar” and knock the wind out of horse and rider! (Exodus 15:1)
by Joyce Sibthorpe
