December 27 - Lion of the Tribe of Judah

December 27 – Lion of the Tribe of Judah (Revelation 5:5)

One of my favorite physical images is that of the Lion and the Lamb.  For years (back when I was a kid), I thought it came from the “Peaceable Kingdom” passage found in Isaiah 11:1-10, but no … the wolf will live with the lamb (that makes sense, I guess) and the lion will eat straw like the ox (rather than zebras, I suppose).  No, the time when we see the image of the lion and the lamb together is right here in Revelation 5.

Jesus is introduced by the elder as the One who is worthy to open the scroll. When the elder announces Jesus, He is introduced by the title, “Lion of the tribe of Judah.”  But, when John looks, he doesn’t see a lion, but he encounters a Lamb, with all of the marks of slaughter.

In Genesis 49, Jacob (Israel) calls his sons around him before he dies and prophesies over them.  Some call this a blessing, but for several of his sons, these were not words of blessing at all.  He begins with Reuben, Simeon and Levi – those aren’t pleasant words at all, but when he gets to Judah, the words change.

“Judah, your brothers will praise you; your hand will be on the neck of your enemies; your father’s sons will bow down to you. 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?  The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs, and the obedience of the nations is his.” (Genesis 49:8-10)

The words of Jacob regarding the tribe of Judah will be fulfilled in the person of the Lamb of God.  This designation of the Messiah, along with Isaiah 11:1, 10 – “root of Jesse,” was very important in early Jewish thought concerning the coming King.   Both are found in Revelation.  Jesus identifies Himself in Revelation 22:16 as the Root and Descendant of David (Jesse’s son).

The roaring power of the lion, the tenderness of the sacrifice of the Lamb … found together in our Savior.  We could be in no better hands whether it is in this life or in eternity.