“The Lord will roar from Zion
and thunder from Jerusalem;
the earth and the heavens will tremble.
But the Lord will be a refuge for his people,
a stronghold for the people of Israel.” (Joel 3:16 NIV)
Yesterday we saw Jesus as the Lamb of God, a name that points to His sacrifice on the cross. Yet in the same vision where John sees Him as “the Lamb who was slain,” He is also introduced as the Lion of the tribe of Judah (Revelation 5:5). Jesus willingly gave Himself to be slain like a defenseless lamb, yet He is also mighty and majestic like a lion.
The Old Testament also contains several prophecies in which the Lord is compared to a roaring lion — a picture of untamed power and fierceness. His roar announces judgment and victory. For His enemies, it is a message of certain defeat; for His people, it is a powerful assurance of His protection and triumph over evil.
Jesus is like a lion: strong and mighty, full of majesty and fierce power. Yet He did not defeat His enemy by force. Instead, He conquered through loving self-sacrifice, allowing Himself to be led like a lamb to the slaughter.
The Lion fought as a Lamb, but the Lamb now reigns with the power and majesty of a Lion. In the end, He will establish perfect justice. The course of history is secure in His hands.
Do you think of the Lord Jesus primarily as the Lamb, or more as the Lion? Why would the Bible put both titles side by side?