HoHum:
In the Chronicles or Narnia we are introduced to Aslan, Turkish word for Lion. When the 4 children come into Narnia, the Beavers begin to talk about Aslan. The children are interested in knowing more about him. Lucy the youngest asks, “Is—is he a man?” “Aslan a man!” Said Mr. Beaver sternly. “Aslan is a lion-THE Lion, the great Lion.” “Ooh!” said Susan, “I’d thought he was a man. Is he-quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous meeting a lion.” “That you will dearie, and no mistake,” said Mrs. Beaver, “if there’s anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees knocking, they’re either braver than most or else just silly.” “Then he isn’t safe?” asked Lucy. “Safe?” said Mr. Beaver. “Don’t you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.”
WBTU:
We have probably seen lions at the zoo. They are fierce predators. Cannot have them as a pet, dangerous. They are not native to our area. Today they are not native to Palestine either but back in Bible times there were a lot of lions.
We see that Samson tore a lion apart with his bare hands when it came roaring toward him. As a shepherd boy, David killed both a lion and a bear. In 1 Kings 13 the young prophet was killed by a lion but the lion did not eat him. After the destruction of Israel, the Lord sent lions among the Samaritans and they killed some of them because they were not worshipping the Lord. Daniel was thrown into the lions den and was not eaten but his enemies when they were thrown into the lions den were eaten before they reached the floor.
Most of the time the lion is used in a more figurative way in the Bible. Lions are mentioned in the Bible for their strength, boldness, ferocity, and stealth. Jesus Christ is called the Lion of the tribe of Judah in Revelation 5:5 referring back to a prophecy made in Genesis 49:9.
The next several months we are basing the messages on the OT prophets, specifically Hosea and Amos. The OT literary prophets referred to lions quite a lot, over 30 times. Talked about them in a varied of ways but in Hosea and Amos we are going to talk about how the Lord is like a lion. Yes, Jesus Christ is the Lion “Not safe, but he’s good” and Hosea and Amos talk about him in a way that might surprise many of us.
Thesis: Talk about 3 things: Hear the roar, heed the warning, and heal the wounded
For instances:
Hear the roar
In the Chronicles of Narnia, when Aslan is raised from the dead he tells Susan and Lucy to cover their ears and then he lets out a loud roar as they race to the battle scene. Nice imagery.
Hosea 13:7-9: So I will come upon them like a lion, like a leopard I will lurk by the path. Like a bear robbed of her cubs, I will attack them and rip them open. Like a lion I will devour them; a wild animal will tear them apart. “You are destroyed, O Israel, because you are against me, against your helper.
God is pictured as a lion or a leopard that is lying in wait to pounce upon Israel. God is going to confront Israel in judgment like a bear robbed of her cubs. He will attack them and rip open their chest cavity. That will mean certain death. What the bear has killed the lion will eat. The wild animals are beasts symbolizing the enemies that will come and destroy them.
Why? Because they turned against the Lord, their only true help. They have broken the covenant that their swore they would keep. They have abandoned the true God.
Notice that God is active in their destruction. God does not want the Israelites to misunderstand what will happen to them. The attacking armies of Assyria and Babylon are not servants of another god, the Lord explains in advance that it is his doing.
C. Hosea 5:14-15: For I will be like a lion to Ephraim, like a great lion to Judah. I will tear them to pieces and go away; I will carry them off, with no one to rescue them. Then I will go back to my place until they admit their guilt. And they will seek my face; in their misery they will earnestly seek me.”
God himself is coming against both Ephraim and Judah. God will be like a lion ruthlessly tearing the prey in preparation to eat it. Their God will carry them off to exile.
KJV Vs. 14- I, even I, will tear and go away- this reminds the Israelites that they are facing their covenant Lord. The lion’s attack may take the form of invasion by another nation, but actually it is God doing it.
As lion withdraws to its cave, so God withdraws himself from Israel until they feel guilty about their sin. Because of their suffering, Israelites will seek Lord’s mercy and deliverance.
Two conditions must be met before judgment can turn to compassion.
God’s people must admit their guilt. We must acknowledge that we have played a part.
The nation must seek God’s face. No temporary or partial measures will do. We need to seek the Lord and Him only.
What a dreadful picture of God? I thought God was working for our good. Here He is involved in bad things against His own people. I know this is a difficult concept. Many say that God is punishing us through 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, the recession. Let’s not be quick to say why God is doing what He is doing. Let’s look at how Jesus responded to catastrophe. Luke 13:1-5. When we hear of bad things happening, may this be a reminder to us that we need to repent and be ready because we do not know what will happen on this cursed earth.
When bad things happen to us as a nation, may we do the same. 11th anniversary of 9/11
Heed the warning
Amos 3:1-8
Vs. 2- I will punish you for all your sins.
1. The popular thought of this time was that “chosen” meant that Israel was exempt from punishment. Amos and others emphasized that Israel’s selection by God meant that the nation must live by a higher standard. Since Israel sinned against God’s commands, her punishment must be all the heavier.
Luke 12:48: From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.
Vs. 4- Does a lion roar in the thicket when he has no prey? The roaring of the lion when he has prey causes fear in the victim and this fear makes escaping harder for the victim and thus aids the lion in capturing his food. The point here is that the warnings given in the Bible are as scary as the roars of lions. We need to head these warnings before too late.
Vs. 7-8 we see two things.
In our day, the revealed plan is the completed Bible. We need to devote time to it personally.
Also in the church the preaching of the word needs to be a priority. We need to learn from the things of the past. In Abraham’s day, the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah cried out to heaven for judgment. In Amos’ day, Ephraim’s sins lead to her downfall. Lessons for the USA.
Amos 3:12: This is what the LORD says: “As a shepherd saves from the lion’s mouth only two leg bones or a piece of an ear, so will the Israelites be saved, those who sit in Samaria on the edge of their beds and in Damascus on their couches.” Only reason the shepherd “saves” these pieces is to prove that he did not steal animal from owner. Only a pitiful remnant would survive the judgment that God was about to unleash.
Heal the wounded
Hosea 11:10-11: They will follow the LORD; he will roar like a lion. When he roars, his children will come trembling from the west. They will come trembling like birds from Egypt, like doves from Assyria. I will settle them in their homes,” declares the LORD.
Hosea prophesied that one day God will summon his people to return to their land. They will come from all over the world to return to their land. This started during the reign of Cyrus.
Because of God’s covenant with Israel, this prevents Him from unrestrained punishment. Unlike humans, the Lord consistently maintains covenant love. Even in Deuteronomy God foretold that after the exile He would restore his people.
What does this have to do with us?
We need not assume that strong words of correction are not for us. In our day we underestimate the seriousness of sin and judgment. We need to preach about our societies sins in order to spare us from ruin. Must know about sin before we can respond to the Savior.
Such harsh verdicts against Israel can serve a good function for the church. 1 Corinthians 10:11: These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come.
Hosea 6:1: “Come, let us return to the LORD. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds.
Let us return-
Daniel 9:5: we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws.
James 5:16: confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.
He will heal- Only God can heal a sin sick soul. Acts 28:27: For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’
He will bind up our wounds- Put the broken pieces of our lives back together.
Plan of salvation
