Lion Of Judah

by Jill Rhodes

February 2004

One of the elders said to me, "Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome…" Rev. 5:5

"The fundamental biblical opposition is not between flesh and Spirit, creature and Creator, but between the Creator of the flesh and its destroyer, between God and the devil, Christ and Satan, the Holy Spirit and the unholy." Philip S. Watson

Lucifer dreamed of being the Lion-King. But instead, his descent was swift and sure, reduced to slither in the dust, where untamed, he awaited an opportune moment to dominate destiny. Striking at the vulnerability of one left alone, the Serpent hissed the suggestion of sin in the garden, the fallen prey languished, and the Lion roared out His response: He would inevitably crush the Serpent's head, but the battle would be hard fought.

The struggle begun, the serpent now pretended dominion, feigning lion rights, and counterfeiting the Conqueror as he brazenly and hungrily claimed territory and rulership. Ruthlessly, the lion of darkness stalked the earth for fresh prey - ravaging, ransacking, devouring, destroying always lurking in the shadows to deliver the stinging blows of death - while the Lion of Light patiently awaited the fullness of time, in order to bear His strong arm of salvation, defeating His ferocious foe once and for all.

Finally, in the Judean wilderness the two lions met one on one. It was a stand-off well chosen, the battle field of Judah, the Lion's own lair of destiny. And in that barren place, the Lion roared, taming the tempter, and sending him scampering for safe haven, for now the true Lion-King was present in the flesh, and powerfully poised to reclaim His territory.

From there, the Great and Mighty raged through the Temple, reminding all of Whose den it really was, then His roar was heard once more as He rebuked a savage storm that sought to devour those in His charge.

No matter the battle, the Lion of Judah brought victory, returning Hell's death blows with healing and hope wherever He roamed, leaving His prints of power and pre-eminence everywhere He went.

Gethsemane would set the stage for the greatest conflict of all as the lions met again head to head in a garden, where the Lion of Judah would regain the ground lost in Eden. In the midst of betrayal, the Lion-King gave one thunderous roar and mowed down the accusations of His adversaries, before willingly submitting His majestic might to their cruel capture.

Though Calvary appeared a moment of defeat as the Lion of Strength became the Lamb of Sacrifice, Christ assumed the headship of the Lion one final time as He roared victory, conquering through the Cross, thereby relinquishing the curse and relegating the regal impostor to slither in the dust of defeat, crushing his stolen headship forever. And in that moment, the conquest of the cross not only made it possible for us to prevail, but it also provided the Lord's Lion-share of power in place of our weakness.

No wonder all heaven shouts the triumph of the Lion of Judah, once and forevermore, valiant and victorious!

Come and See

Triumphant Over Temptation

1. How is Satan described in 1 Peter 5:8? How is this consistent with the lion pictured in Proverbs 28:15?
How is Jesus described in Revelation 5:5? How is this consistent with the lion pictured in Proverbs 30:29-30?

2. Genesis 3:15 unfolds for the first time the coming conflict between Jesus (the seed of the woman) and Satan (the Serpent). What does this verse tell us about the outcome?
At what point in the life of Jesus was the battle won. (Col. 2:13-15)?

3. We've learned that Jesus is the Lion from the tribe of Judah. How is the blessing of Judah fulfilled in Jesus (Gen. 49:8-12)?

4. Read Matthew 4:1-11. What do you think Satan's purpose was in tempting Jesus?
What did Jesus use to defeat the devil?

5. What do the following verses teach us about triumphing over temptation? Matt. 6:13, Matt. 26:41, James 1:13-18.

6. What is Satan's strategy to defeat Christians (Rev. 12:10)? What is the Christian's strategy to defeat Satan (Rev. 12:11)?

7. What was the result of Jesus triumphing over temptation in the wilderness (Lk.4:14)? How is this an encouragement to you?

"Why comes temptation, but for man to meet and master and make crouch beneath his foot, And so be pedestaled in triumph?" Robert Browning

Triumphant Over the Tempest

8. Read Mark 4:35-41. What two things did Jesus do to calm the storm on the sea? How did the disciples respond?

9. Following the storm on the sea, Jesus calmed the storm in a soul (Mk.5:1-20). What is most encouraging to you about this story?

"Jesus is all we have; He is all we need and all we want. We are shipwrecked on God and stranded on omnipotence!" Vance Havner

Triumphant Through Testing

10. How was Jesus tested by Peter on His way to the cross (Matt. 16:21-23)?
Why did the Lord rebuke him?

11. Peter had a test of his own on the way to the cross (Lk. 22:31-34). What did Jesus do to help Peter (v.32)? How is this an encouragement to you?

Word for Word

There are two different words in the Greek that explain the difference between temptation and testing. The word "temptation" in the Greek is peirazo meaning "to tempt, to prove by solicitation to sin." Peirazo has the intention of proving that someone has sinned or causing him to want to choose to sin. The word used for testing is dokimazo, meaning "to prove that someone is good and acceptable" (see James 1:3-4). Satan tempts in order to show that someone is not approved because of their failure, whereas God tests to show that someone is approved because of their faithfulness. In another sense, a temptation is an opportunity to gain a good thing the wrong way (Satan's way), whereas a testing is an opportunity to gain a good thing the right way (God's way).

12. Perhaps the greatest hour of testing for Jesus came in a garden. How is the triumph of Jesus displayed in the Garden of Gethsemane (Lk. 22:39-53)?

The lion is by far the most dynamic animal portrait seen in the Scriptures, depicting the conflict between God and Satan which ends in the ultimate conquest of the Lion of Judah who is Lord of all!

~ In Psalm - Psalm 91
Who will have victory over the lion and the serpent in verse 13?

~ In Prophecy - Daniel 6
Why was Daniel delivered from the mouths of the lions according to verses 22-23?

~ In Parable - Luke 11:17-26
What lessons can you learn about spiritual warfare from this passage?

"The soul is the place where man's supreme and final battles are fought." Abraham Neuman

Come and Follow

13. How is James 1:12 a motivation to you to stand strong through the temptations, tempests, and testings of life?

14. What does Romans 8:33-39 tell us about Jesus? How is this an encouragement to you?

15. In your life right now are you experiencing victory or defeat? Why?

What have you learned in this lesson that will help you walk in victory (Psa. 60:12)?

NAME ABOVE ALL NAMES

"At the name of Jesus every knee will bow… and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father." Phil. 2:10-11

~ The King Over All the Earth ~
Zechariah 14:9

~ The Lord Mighty in Battle ~
Psalm 24:8

~ Warrior ~
Isaiah 42:13

~ The Hope of His People ~
Joel 3:16

~ A Shelter from the Storm ~
Isaiah 25:4

~ A Wall of Fire ~
Zechariah 2:5

~ The Overcomer ~
John 16:33