The Lion Has Roared

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.