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From Lamb to Lion

An Ephramite brother speaking under the direction of the Holy Spirit said, “Behold, my people in Jerusalem looked for my coming as a lion and I came as a lamb. Now you look for a lamb and I come as a lion.”

In the scriptures Jesus Christ’s ministry has a duality that is best characterized in the opposing images of the meek lamb and the aggressive lion. Also, the emphasis or two phases of Jesus’ ministry is divided between pre-crucifixion and post-resurrection. In other words, Jesus Christ manifested himself as the lamb of God before the cross and as the lion of Judah after the cross.

Today, most followers of Jesus Christ are familiar with the sacrificial lamb, but know almost nothing of the lion of Judah. The follower of Jesus Christ today who knows Jesus only as a lamb is in danger of following the pattern of so many Jews at Jerusalem who did not recognize their Messiah. It is essential that we understand the significance of Jesus Christ as the lamb and lion or we will miss our callings and place in the kingdom of God.

John the Revelator, in his heavenly vision on the Isle of Patmos, saw a lion prevail as the one who could open the sealed book held in the right hand of the one who reigns in heaven. “And I saw in the right hand of him that sits on the throne a book written within and on the back side, sealed with seven seals.

And I saw a strong angel, and heard him proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and loose the seals thereof? And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon.

And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. 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. Revelations 5:1-5

Though the lion of Judah is the one who prevails, John’s writing says no more of the lion. Suddenly the imagery shifts and John sees a lamb opening the book of judgments. Though the lion of Judah prevailed it is the lamb who is praised as the worthy one.

And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having twelve horns and twelve eyes, which are the twelve servants of God, sent forth into all the earth. And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne.

And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odors, which are the prayers of saints.

And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof; for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;” Revelations 5:6 -9

In the verse which follows we have the lamb credited with bestowing the rights of kings and priests to people. Acording to the Old Testament accounts only a king has the legal right to grant the right to reign or serve as a priest. And the legal rights of kingship in Israel belongs to the line of Judah through the descendants of David.

“And hast made us unto our God kings and priests; and we shall reign on the earth.” verse 10

From this 5th chapter of Revelations we see that the ministry of Jesus Christ shifts back and forth between his rights as the lion of Judah and the lamb who gives up all rights. Jesus Christ’s rights to the throne of David are inseparably connected with his sacrifice as the lamb.

In Jesus’ first coming he did not claim his rights as the heir of David’s throne. This was confusing to Jesus’ disciples because they all had personal revelations of him as the promised Messiah of David’s line. In their theology the sacrifice of the lamb was overshadowed by their own aspirations for national deliverance from Roman oppression. Jesus’ disciples anticipated Jesus’ use of miraculous power to claim and powerfully assert his rights to the throne of David.

Jesus’ crucifixion caught all Jesus’ followers off guard. Though the prophets gave a balanced revelation of the Messiah as the lamb of God and the lion of Judah; the Jews of Jesus’ day were focused on the Messiah who would bring the nation back to its former glory under king David.

The resulting confusion and lost hope among Jesus’ disciples is apparent in Jesus’ post resurrection appearance to two disciples on the road to Emmaus. “And behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem three-score furlongs.

And they talked together of all these things which had happened. And it came to pass,that while they communed together, and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. But their eyes were holden, or covered, that they could not know him.

And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these which ye have one with another, as ye walk and are sad? And one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering, said unto him, Art thou a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?

And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people; And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him.

But we trusted that it had been he who should have redeemed Israel. And besides all this, to-day is the third day since these things were done; Luke 24:12 -20

Jesus called these disciples foolish because they did not consider all that the prophets had to say. These disciples only considered the glory side. Their zealous national pride, their desire for the glory of David’s throne; blinded them to the whole prophetic picture.

“Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.” Luke 24:24 - 26

This one line “Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and enter into his glory?” is one of the best illustrations of the balanced revelation of the lamb and lion. Without the cross there is no crown. The lamb suffered and gave up his rights. The lion forcefully claims his rights through spiritual warfare.

This exchange between Jesus and the two on the road to Emmaus points to where we are today. The Jews looked for a lion and Jesus, the Messiah came as a lamb. Today, we look for the return of Jesus as a lamb and he comes as a lion.

The point here is that an unbalanced revelation of Jesus the Messiah will cause lost hope. We lose hope because we do not comprehend the spiritual warfare of the Lion of Judah. The image of a lamb making war is foreign to us.

The foolish ones on the road to Emmaus did not believe false prophecy. They did not believe enough prophecy. The two on the road drew upon the true prophets to support their own false desires. Jesus had to expound all things to them concerning himself because they took the true prophecies about the lion Messiah without the prophecies of the suffering lamb. The fulfillment of the prophecies of Messiah’s earth reign were far down the road of time.

We live in the opening time of the lion’s dominion which these disciples looked for. We live in the time of the restoration of the whole house of Israel.

The prophet Hosea points to our day.

“For I will be unto Ephraim as a lion, and as a young lion to the house of Judah; I, even I, will tear and go away; I will take away, and none shall rescue him. I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offense, and seek my face; in their affliction they will seek me early.

Come, and let us return unto the Lord; for he hath torn, and will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. After two days will he revive us; in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. Hosea 5:14 to 6:2

One of the foolish disciples on the road to Emmaus said “But we trusted that it had been he who should have redeemed Israel. And besides all this, to-day is the third day since these things were done. .”

On the prophetic time line of a day for a thousand years; the year two thousand is the dawning of the third day from the sacrifice of the lamb. We are at the prophetic turning point of the manifestation of the lion king of Judah. The revelation of Jesus Christ as the redeemer of Israel, the lion of the tribe of Judah, will now break forth in its fullness.

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