Often at church we sing the song Lion and the Lamb which has this chorus:

Our God is the lion
The Lion of Judah
He's roaring with power
And fighting our battles
And every knee will bow before Him
Our God is the lamb
The lamb that was slain
For the sins of the world
His blood breaks the chains
And every knee will bow before the lion and the lamb
Every knee will bow before Him’

It's a great truth to sing and it comes from this passage (amongst references elsewhere in the Bible!). Our God is both the lion and the lamb.

But what does this mean?

Well put simply, a lion conjures up such image of power, authority, glory, and honour… you could imagine a great lion is one who sits there in charge and determines the fate of all under His rule.

But the lamb is very different… it brings up ideas of meekness, gentleness, humility, and even beauty.

We could do a full run down of the theological significance of both of these images as themes that run throughout the Old and New Testament, but I think the simple point actually makes the strongest claim… The lion and the lamb… Our God is the gentle King.

And, if you’re struggling to grasp how God is able to hold these two images together… simply look to Jesus. The Jesus who shared meals with his friends, got down in the dirt with the weak and lowly, is the same Jesus of Revelation whose face was ‘shining like the sun’ in chapter 1:16.

Jesus is the gentle King… and every knee will bow before Him!

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Questions:

Do you find it easier to think of Jesus as a lion or a lamb? Or do you sway between the two? Explore some of the reasons for this.

Prayer:

Jesus, help me to see you for all you are, as our great lion and humble lamb. Amen.