Discover the Hebrew Roots of the Lion of Judah
We are accustomed to hearing Jesus referred to as the Lamb of God – a symbol of meekness and sacrifice. But Jesus also has a vastly different Biblical image: the lion. What mysterious ties exist between the lions and the Messiah? Discover the secrets hidden in the sacred pages and unveil the true essence of the “Lion of Judah”.
The Most Dreaded Hunter
In the days of the Bible, lions were the most feared predators that roamed the Land of Israel. The shepherds of ancient Israel were constantly on the lookout for lions attacking their defenseless flock. Only the most heroic fighters like Samson and David were able to slay a lion. And so, it should come as no surprise the Bible refers to lions as the greatest symbol of might and authority.
A Most Powerful Ruler
The Bible mentions lions almost 200 times. Jacob ensured that Judah would be the ancestor of the kings of Israel by comparing him to a lion that has “gone up from the prey” (Genesis 49:9). King David was said to have the “heart of a lion” (2 Sam. 17:10). Because the lion is the preeminent symbol of royalty, it is highly appropriate that the final book of the Bible depicts the triumphant messianic king as the “Lion of the tribe of Judah” (Rev. 5:5).
The Truth Lies in the Original
Lions are so important to the mentality of the Bible that Hebrew in fact has six different words for lion: aryeh, lavi, kefir, layish, shahal, shahaz. Each refers to a different stage of the lion’s long life that isn’t always translated.
