BE BOLD—BE STRONG
Jesus Is The Lion Of Judah
“See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed.” -Revelation 5:5
 

                Why would anyone be called a lion? Yes, we might think of someone as a lion because they are powerful and mighty, perhaps because they have kingly qualities like the king of the jungle, and maybe because they protect and fight for their young. We will learn about someone today who has been called a lion.
            Do you remember the story of Jacob’s twelve sons? Their names were Reuben, Simeon, Gad, Asher, Levi, Naphtali, Zebulun, Issachar, Joseph, Benjamin, Dan and Judah. Because Joseph was Jacob’s favorite, his older brothers hated him and sold him to some travelers who sent him to Egypt. After many years the brothers and their father were reunited with Joseph. Jacob and his entire family stayed in Egypt. Years later, Jacob became very ill. When he was about to die, he called all his sons to his bedside because he had words he wanted to share with each one of them. When he came to Judah, Jacob said to him, “Judah, your brothers will praise you…You are a lion’s cub, O Judah; you return from the prey, my son. 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 between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs.”
            Jacob was telling Judah that the Savior would come from his family line of descendants. Just as God had given that promise to Judah’s great grandfather Abraham, to his grandfather Isaac, and to his father Jacob, so he would continue to carry that promise right to the birth of Jesus. That wonderful Bible account is found in Genesis, the first book of the Bible. Now let’s turn to Revelation, the very last book of the Bible. Can you guess who is mentioned there?
            In Revelation 5:5 we find a vision that was given to the Apostle John. In it he saw a scroll that was sealed, and he wanted desperately to find out what was written on the scroll. Revelation 5:4 says, “I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll and look inside.” Verse 5 continues, “Then one of the elders said to me, ‘Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has TRIUMPHED. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.’”
            Who do you think was that Lion of Judah who had triumphed? It was no one other than Jesus Christ, our victorious Savior. Jesus, the Lion of Judah whom God had promised in Genesis, is now mentioned as the triumphant one in Revelation. And truly, Jesus is triumphant. On Calvary he battled with Satan and won the victory. Jesus paid for all our sins and we are now able to enter heaven as his dear brothers and sisters.
            The famous Easter hymn says, “He lives triumphant from the grave!” It is because the Lion of Judah stands beside us that we can be confident that we too will live triumphant from the grave. We should remember daily to thank the Lion of Judah for caring for us.
            It is my prayer that we all stay bold and strong throughout our lives in the eternal comfort that we have knowing that our all-powerful, all-loving, all-knowing, ever-present Savior is with us wherever we go and whatever situation we are in. Be BOLD and Be STRONG-for our help comes from the risen LORD, the maker of the Heavens and the Earth!

In Christ, Mike Allard, Principal @ St. John’s