The Lion King

I love that passage of Scripture that describes Jesus as both a Lion and a Lamb (Revelation 5:1-6). Most people who are familiar with Jesus have little trouble understanding the concept of Jesus as a Lamb, led silently to the slaughter for your sins and mine. It is that Lion part that gives people trouble.

One of the things that irritates me the most is when people depict Jesus as a weak individual who never spoke a harsh word to anyone. It is true that Jesus refused to defend Himself before Pilate (except to tell him that he had no authority except that which the Father had given him, John 19:11). However, it is far from true to suggest that Jesus was weak; that He was always soft spoken or even effeminate.

Jesus was tough! He was the Son of a carpenter. That means He worked hard all of His life. He most likely was strong, with calluses on His hands. And make no mistake about it, when you are strong, and you can tell the wind and waves, “Hush!” when they scare your friends…and they hush…or when you can speak a word and a legion of angels come to your defense, then it would be awfully hard to go to the cross like a silent lamb. It would take incredible strength, tempered with incredible love.

I simply love the descriptions of Jesus found in the book of Revelation. Most of the portraits you see of what people think Jesus looked like definitely tend toward the softer, more passive side. I happen to have an artist’s conception of Jesus taken from the first chapter of Revelation when He appeared to the apostle John. It is such a powerful picture it is easy to understand why John fainted (Revelation 1:7).

In Revelation 5 Jesus is described as the Lion of Judah and a Lamb having died and been raised and possessing all authority and being the only One worthy to open the book. Notice His description in Revelation 19:11-16: And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

Now I ask you…does that sound like a wimp to you? If it does, you and I have different definitions of “wimp.” According to Scripture, Jesus is my Savior (Matthew 1:21), my Older Brother (Romans 8:17) and my Example (1 Peter 2:21), but even more, He is my Hero!

It may be hard to get through all that you will have to endure. Know this…the Lion King…the Lion of Judah and the Lamb of God…the One Who died to give us hope of eternal life, has your back. He is not weak! He is up to the task! He loves you and so do I.