JESUS, BOTH LAMB AND LION
Our lesson today deals with Jesus being both a LAMB and a LION. These two animals have very different characteristics, and it is hard to see, at first glance, how one person could fit the description of BOTH.
As humans, it is easy for us to see only one side of a thing. Many times we hear said, "There are two sides to every issue." In reality, there are sometimes more than two.
In settling conflicts and making judgments, it is important to look at issues from more than one point of view. In our courts, we have lawyers and testimony to argue both sides before a judgment is made.
BOTH SIDES OF GOD
One of the most important areas where people need to look at both sides is in our relationship to God. Some people see only the goodness and love and compassion of God, and come up with such ideas as "Everybody is going to be saved in the end," or, "God is just too good to send anyone to hell."
Others look only at the instances of the indignation and wrath of God and conclude that God is too demanding, full of vengeance, and impossible to please.
Neither picture is a balanced view of God. (Rom 11:22 KJV) "Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off."
Some people, however, faced with the two-sided issue of the goodness and severity of God, come to the conclusion that God has CHANGED. They read of the anger of God, and how God punished people back in the Old Testament, striking people dead for disobedience, and bringing various calamities and plagues on the ungodly. Then they read of the LOVE, MERCY and COMPASSION of God in the New Testament, and come away with the idea that God has really "mellowed out" over the years, that He is not the same as He used to be. Yet God declares, (Mal 3:6 KJV) "For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed."
BOTH SIDES OF JESUS
But getting back to our study of Jesus as being both Lamb and Lion: I believe it is the "Lion" side of Jesus that most people never see. We see Jesus coming meek and lowly as a loving Saviour; actually being a "servant" to His own disciples; humbling Himself to wash His disciples' feet; returning good for evil, and even praying for His executioners, (Luke 23:34 KJV) "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do."
Then we are told that Jesus will one day come as JUDGE to execute wrath upon the lost, and our reaction is typically, "I just can't see Jesus doing something like that," or, "If He does, He is surely going to have to change." Yet, of Him the Bible says, (Heb 13:8 KJV) "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever."
We saw Him as a LAMB. In the Judgment, we will see Him as a LION. The truth of the matter is that He is both LAMB AND LION. He was in the past, and He will be in the future.
As we think of the Lamb, a Lamb is a very humble and defenseless animal. It was prophesied of Jesus long before He walked the earth in the flesh, (Isa 53:7 KJV) "He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth."
Jesus is called THE LAMB OF GOD. John the Baptist: (John 1:29 KJV) "The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world."
(John 1:36 KJV) "And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!"
As we think of the LION, The lion is a large, swift-moving cat. The lion is the proverbial symbol for strength (Judg. 14:18). The Bible describes the lion as powerful and daring (Prov. 30:30) and distinguished by a terrifying roar (Isa. 5:29). It was a sign of the tribe of Judah (Gen. 49:9; Rev. 5:5). David defended his father's flock against lions and bears (1 Sam. 17:34-35).
And Jesus is called THE LION OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH (Rev 5:5 KJV) "And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof."
It is true that in the New Testament, we see mostly the "Lamb" side of Jesus. Rev 21:14 refers to Jesus as the Lamb in speaking of the Heavenly Jerusalem: "And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb."
(Rev 21:22-23 KJV) "And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. {23} And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof."
(Rev 21:9 KJV) "And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the Lamb's wife."
JESUS' LAMB-LIKE MANIFESTATIONS
Jesus Humble entry into Jerusalem: (Mat 21:4-5 KJV) "All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, {5} Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass."
(2 Cor 8:9 KJV) "For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich."
(Phil 2:7-8 KJV) "But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: {8} And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross."
It was prophesied of Jesus: (Isa 42:2-3 KJV) "{2} He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. {3} A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth."
And in The New Testament: (Mat 12:16-20 KJV) "And charged them that they should not make him known: {17} That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, {18} Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall show judgment to the Gentiles. {19} He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets. {20} A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory."
(Mat 27:12-14 KJV) "And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing. {13} Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee? {14} And he answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly."
(Mat 11:28-30 KJV) "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. {29} Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. {30} For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
SOME GLIMPSES OF THE LION SIDE
We see some glimpses of the "Lion" side of Jesus during His earthly walk. (Mark 11:12-14 KJV) "And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry: {13} And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet. {14} And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it."
(Mark 11:20-22 KJV) "And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. {21} And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away. {22} And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God."
When Jesus cursed the fig tree, it is a foretaste of the fate of those who are not right with Him on the judgment day. Jesus refers to Himself as the "King," and says, (Mat 25:41 KJV) "Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels"
Another example is the time when Jesus cleansed the temple of the merchants and moneychangers: (John 2:13-17 KJV) "And the Jews' passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem, {14} And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: {15} And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables; {16} And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise. {17} And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up."
This prefigures the time when he will cleanse the earth of wickedness. (Mat 13:41-43 KJV) "The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; {42} And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. {43} Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear."
It is said of Jesus in the book of Revelation: (Rev 19:15 KJV) "And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God."
(2 Th 1:7-10 KJV) "And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, {8} In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: {9} Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; {10} When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day."
(Rev 6:12-17 KJV) "And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; {13} And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. {14} And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. {15} And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; {16} And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: {17} For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?"
Of those who worship the beast: (Rev 14:10-11 KJV) "The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: {11} And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name."
This may sound frightening, but as Christians, we can console ourselves with the words of (1 Th 5:9 KJV) "For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ."
CONCLUSION
So, how can Jesus be both a Lamb and a Lion? He has characteristics of both. He came the first time as Saviour. The second time He will come as JUDGE. As John the Baptist said of Jesus: (Mat 3:11-12 KJV) "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: {12} Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."
Which side of Jesus will we see when we meet him face-to-face? That totally depends upon us... Upon whether we are right with Him or not!
Please contact us, or a congregation of the church of Christ near you if we can by of any assistance to you in your relationship with God.
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