The Lion of Judah

Copyright: Saint Mary’s Press/Anthony VanArsdale

For a long time now (probably a few years?) I have been keeping a list in my phone notes of all the names of Jesus that I come across. Names have always interested me: I love looking into origins and meanings of names, finding out what my friends want to name their future babies and why, and I have kept an ever-changing “baby name list” for myself down the road since I was probably in elementary school. So as I read through Scripture, I realized one day that there are COUNTLESS names for Jesus. I wanted to keep track of them somehow and learn more about my Lord through His various titles. I have even tossed around the idea of writing some kind of devotional as I learn. But today, I wanted to dive into some of the names, as a kind of Advent Study this year. If I would have been more on the ball, I would have written a short post each day in December for a different name of Jesus, but as it is, the ball rolled away faster than I anticipated 😉

This name of Jesus is my favorite, I do believe. Maybe it’s because I love the picture of Aslan as Jesus in the Chronicles of Narnia. I love to picture Him as a good King like Aslan, but One who “of course isn’t safe.” I love knowing that my loving Savior is also a Conqueror and a Holy Ruler.

The Lion of Judah.

There are hints about this Lion all throughout Scripture, but one of the clearest passages referring to Jesus under this name is in Revelation 5, and is foreshadowed clearly in Genesis 49. Let’s take a peek.

“Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, ‘Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?’ And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. And one of the elders said to me, ‘Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.'”

Revelation 5:1-5

“And they sang a new song, saying, ‘Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to ourGod, and they shall reign on the earth.'”

Revelation 5:9-10

Now, I am not about to parse apart Revelation (the intimidation is real), but some notes in my Bible and notes from theologians much more knowledgable than I, point to Jesus’ worthiness. He is the only one worthy enough to be selected to read these scrolls, as the secret things of the world belong to Him (Deut. 29:29). He is the only one worthy enough to be a perfect sacrifice for the sins of the world. He is the only one worthy enough to ‘make a kingdom’ and rule it ‘on earth as it is in heaven’ (Matth. 6:10). This is the Lion of Judah. He isn’t the king of the jungle, but the King of the World He created. He rules and He ransoms. He deserves our devotion and He deserves our love. “No elder could redeem the universe. No angel could redeem the universe. But here is one who can. ‘Look.’ And he points to the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah.” -John MacArthur

We see in the historical book of Matthew’s gospel the physical genealogy of Jesus.

“Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob [Israel], and Jacob [Israel] the father of Judah and his brothers.”

Matthew 1:2

Judah was one of the 12 sons of Jacob. Symbolically, Judah was one of the 12 tribes of Israel (another name for Jacob). Jesus did not descend from the firstborn son of Jacob (as one would expect of a great historical figure and trustworthy Messiah). I doubt the Jews expected this when He first came either. But Genesis 49 tells us more about Judah the person, as well as what Judah’s lineage was supposed to look like. And here we see great foreshadowing to Jesus Christ. Before Jacob (one of the great Israelite fathers…a father of the Jewish/Hebrew people) died, He blessed each of his sons individually. Here is the blessing He gave to his fourth eldest son, Judah:

“‘Judah, your brothers shall praise you; your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; your father’s sons shall bow down before you. Judah is a lion’s cub; from the prey, my son, you have gone up. He stooped down; he crouched as a lion and as a lioness; who dares rouse him? The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until tribute comes to him; and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.'”

Genesis 49:8-10

Woah. Jacob prophesied that the “scepter” and “ruler’s staff” shall never depart from him (and his lineage). At this time in Israel’s early, early history, the Israelites were not a large enough nation themselves to warrant a king as a leader. At this point, they were just a community of one large family. So Jacob’s talk about a ruler in his son’s line was a bit out of place. But we see the foreshadowing of Jesus here, especially as we connect this passage with Revelation (and knowing the history of Jesus’ death, burial, resurrection, and promise of return). Jesus comes from the line of Judah. Check. Jesus is the only one worthy to bring the kingdom of heaven to earth. Check. Jesus must be this Lion of Judah that Jacob is referring to. He is the King of kings who will wield the scepter and ruler’s staff. All people will be called to obey Him.

So what does this add to our knowledge about Jesus Christ, then? A lion is not quite the picture of the all-loving, gracious Savior that we think of, is it? It should be. A lion is “king” of his jungle. No other animal challenges this title. A lion’s roar can be heard for great distances and is to be feared. A lion is bold. A lion devours its prey, yet is gentle and protective of its own. A lion is majestic. A lion is not to be toyed with. Again…does this feel right to us? It’s more than uncomfortable to think of Jesus as wrathful, devouring, and not to be challenged. But this is Scriptural.

So often, in “cultural” christianity, especially, we love to see Jesus as tolerant of everyone, all-loving, forgiving of everything, and not vengeful of sin (because He died for our sin, right?). What we often fail to remember and teach is that God is a jealous God. God does hate sin. He does punish unfaithfulness. And He does have the ability and will to cast into Hell those who do not entrust their lives to Him and accept Him as God. (See the entire Old Testament as reference!) Yes, Jesus is loving. But it is also loving to keep His kingdom perfect and holy, just as He created it. He cannot allow sin to rule over the lives of His children when HE should be their ruler. He will spit out the person who is “lukewarm,” who is neither hot or cold.

Jesus is like a lion in the fact that He is protective and loving towards His own. “I give them [my children, my sheep] eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.” (John 10:28)

Jesus is like a lion because no one can challenge Him and win. “For thus the Lord said to me, ‘As a lion or a young lion growls over his prey, and when a band of shepherds is called out against him he is not terrified by their shouting or daunted at their noise, so the Lord of hosts will come down to fight on Mount Zion and on its hill.‘” (Isaiah 31:4)

Jesus is like a lion because His roar…His anger towards sin… is to be feared, as He is holy, and it should make us run to Him in submission. “They shall go after the Lord; he will roar like a lion; when he roars, his children shall come trembling from the west;…and I will return them to their homes, declares the LORD.” (Hosea 11:10-11)

Jesus is like a lion because He will not be toyed with. “The terror of a king is like the growling of a lion; whoever provokes him to anger forfeits his life.” (Proverbs 20:2)

Judah is a lion. And Judah will produce a lion who will have the scepter and who will bring about the rule that shall cause all the nations to bow down. The Messiah then became known as the lion that would come from the tribe of Judah. Lion because of his fierceness, lion because he would come in strength and destruction and devastation. It speaks of the Messiah as a strong, powerful, menacing, destructive, and deadly personality.

John MacArthur, ‘A Vision of the Lamb’

But the Jews killed Jesus because of how He wasn’t lion-like. He was meek and humble. He was a healer, a forgiver of sins. He claimed to be the Son of God. Instead of being the conquerer of the Romans…a destructive and powerful earthly king, He was a teacher and friend.

Even though Jesus is a teacher and a friend, we must remember that He is coming again. He will be coming to finally condemn and punish sin. He will be strong and powerful, destructive and deadly, to those who do not belong to Him. Thank Heaven for a Holy God who loves me enough to save me from such a punishment.

“His lion-like judgment still waits for the right day. It is yet to come.”