Lion and Lamb

What a contrast these two are, and it's fitting that an old proverb uses them to describe the changeable March weather: "In like a lion, out like a lamb," and supposedly, the reverse is true as well. Our weather here on March 1 was not exactly leonine, but it wasn't lamblike either. Today, on March 31, the weather is pleasant, but we are still talking about the blizzard some parts of Kansas experienced last week, with twenty-eight inches of snow in at least one county, and drifts up to six feet. Definitely the lion!

My favorite linking of lion and lamb, though, does not concern the weather. Old Christian hymns and modern worship songs alike honor the Lord Jesus Christ as both the Lion of Judah and the Lamb of God. A strange pairing indeed, for the One who is not unpredictable like March weather, but is "the same yesterday, today, and forever"!

Why is Jesus called a lion? Lions are fierce and mighty, often used as a symbol of royalty. As John received the Revelation of Jesus Christ, he reported, “Look, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the heir to David’s throne, has won the victory. He is worthy to open the scroll and its seven seals.”(Revelation 5:5) This makes reference to the prophecy Jacob gave about the descendants of his son Judah, "Judah, my son, is a young lion that has finished eating its prey. 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 his descendants, until the coming of the one to whom it belongs, the one whom all nations will honor. (Genesis 49:9, 10) When John looks then, he expects to see a powerful, majestic lion, a king who can overcome all opposing forces. Instead—a lamb.

Why is Jesus called a lamb? There are a great many references in Scripture to lambs, the vast majority referring to those which were killed as sacrificial offerings. Perhaps the most significant one is found in Isaiah 53, where the Savior is said to be like a lamb led to slaughter "for the iniquity of us all." In God's justice, He must exact the penalty for sin about which He warned Adam and Eve—death. In His mercy, He has provided a substitute sacrifice in His Son, Jesus Christ.

Jesus, both Lion and Lamb. We need to see Him as both; to see Him as only one or the other is to have a distorted view. If we see only the Lion-Jesus, we may expect Him quickly to avenge us against our enemies—that is, whoever opposes us personally, politically, or nationally—and take His rightful place as ruler. That is exactly what the first-century Jews wanted, and they failed to recognize their Messiah because He did not "roar." We could even make the mistake of thinking that we can force others to accept the Lion's authority—and by extension, our own special rights.

If we see only the Lamb-Jesus, we may be charmed into thinking that grace and forgiveness and eternal life are ours without question or commitment. We may minimize the seriousness of God's commands, or we might fail to develop a sturdiness of faith that can withstand difficulty.

Love the complete Jesus. Don't try to direct the Lion. Don't try to make a pet of the Lamb.

MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)

Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved.

Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com