The Lion King

I love that passage of Scripture that describes Jesus as both a Lion and a Lamb (Revelation 5:1-6). Most people who are familiar with Jesus have little trouble understanding the concept of Jesus as a Lamb, led silently to the slaughter for your sins and mine. It’s that Lion part that gives people trouble.

One of the things that irritates me the most is when people depict Jesus as a weak individual who never spoke a harsh word to anyone. It’s true that Jesus refused to defend Himself before Pilate (except to tell him that he (Pilate) had no authority except that which the Father had given him, John 19:11). However, it’s far from true to suggest that Jesus was weak; that He was always soft-spoken or even effeminate.

Jesus was tough! He was the Son of a carpenter. That means He worked hard all of His life. He most likely was strong, with calluses on His hands. And make no mistake about it, when you’re strong, and you can tell the wind and waves, “Hush!” when they scare your friends…and they hush…or when you can speak a word and a legion of angels come to your defense, then it would be awfully hard to go to the cross like a silent lamb. It would take incredible strength, tempered with incredible love.

I simply love the descriptions of Jesus found in the book of Revelation. Most of the portraits you see of what people think Jesus looked like definitely tend toward the softer, more passive side. I happen to have an artist’s conception of Jesus inspired by the first chapter of Revelation when He appeared to the apostle John. It is such a powerful picture, it’s easy to understand why John fainted (Revelation 1:17).

In Revelation 5, Jesus is described as the Lion of Judah and a Lamb having died and been raised and possessing all authority and being the only One worthy to open the book. Notice His description in Revelation 19:11-16: “And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.”

Does that sound like a wimp to you? If it does, you and I have different definitions of “wimp.” According to Scripture, Jesus is my Savior (Matthew 1:21), my Older Brother (Romans 8:17) and my Example (1 Peter 2:21), but even more, He’s my Hero!

It may be hard to get through all that you will have to endure, but know this…the Lion King…the Lion of Judah and the Lamb of God…the One Who died to give us hope of eternal life, has your back. He is not weak! He is up to the task! He loves you and so do I.

Donnie Bates

The War of My Soul

The darkness is closing in. My heart is pounding so hard I can hear nothing else. Yet, there’s nothing else to hear. There is only silence…silence…deafening silence.

I remember the words: “Trust in the Lord…” “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death…” “Fear not for I am with you…” But i do fear. I know, I know, the Lord is with me…but where?!

My mind races. It’s alternately filled with terror, then the Word, then terror again. My mind screams at me. “Where is your God?” He answers, “Here!” And calm seeps in again.

Still, I find myself here, in this world with enemies on every hand. It’s so hard to fight because the enemy is so hard to see. He comes dressed as some of the best people I know; my friends, even. His methods are subtle. Before long, I’m back in the dark room of my mind. I’m in the fight of my life. Where do I turn? I hear my enemy calling, “Where is your God?”

There is calm again. I remember the words of my Master. I hear Him answer my enemy, “Here I am!”

As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; when shall I come and appear before God? My tears have been my food day and night, while they say to me all day long, “Where is your God?” These things I remember and I pour out my soul within me. For I used to go along with the throng and lead them in procession to the house of God, with the voice of joy and thanksgiving, a multitude keeping festival. Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him for the help of His presence. O my God, my soul is in despair within me; therefore I remember You from the land of the Jordan and the peaks of Hermon, from Mount Mizar. Deep calls to deep at the sound of Your waterfalls; all Your breakers and Your waves have rolled over me. The Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime; and His song will be with me in the night, a prayer to the God of my life. I will say to God my Rock, “Why have You forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?” As a shattering of my bones, my adversaries revile me, while they say to me all day long, “Where is your God?” Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God (Psalm 42).

Hang in there. God loves you and so do I.

Donnie Bates