Whose That Lion

I want to talk about what I feel to be one of the most misunderstood scriptures in the Bible- 1 Peter 5:8

This scripture has been interpreted as a warning - be careful your going to get attacked.......WHEN IT WAS GIVEN FOR INSTRUCTION ON HOW TO BE SUCCESSFUL!

Tonight we will find out what this scripture is saying to us!

1 Pet 5:8

8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the , as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:(KJV)

Be Sober:

"SOBER" from Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary:

Marked by self-control; of sound moral judgment. A sober Christian denies himself worldly pleasures <Titus 2:12>. This allows him to be always alert, able to guard against ’s attacks <1 Pet. 5:8> and ready to receive the revelation of Christ <1 Pet. 1:13>.

Clark’s commentary: Avoid drunkeness of your senses, and drunkeness in your souls; be not overcharged with the concerns of the world

Webster’s: Temperate; not intoxicated; exercising cool reason; subdued

Webster’s - "Subdued": to bring under one’s power; to conquer; to bring under control; to reduce force or strength of; to soften

BE VIGILANT: Clark’s commentary - Awake and keep awake; be always watchful; never be off your guard.

Webster’s: Watchfull; alert;

Adversary: Websters - one who strives against us; an enemy

“As a roaring lion”.....”as a” NOT “is” (characteristics of a)

There is a perception of a lion that is not true that has given us a misconception of . We will explore that in a minute

“Seeking whom he may devour”..... He apparently cannot devour anyone he wants to because he is seeking someone whom can be devoured.

IF WE WERE TO REWRITE THIS SCRIPTURE IN MODERN ENGLISH IT WOULD SOUND SOMETHING LIKE THIS:

Do not allow your senses to get dulled and do not get burdended down as that will cause you not to pay attention. Be awake and alert at all times to ’s ods. Because he is your enemy and as a lion he looks for the weak, the weary, and the one not paying attention to attack to increase his chances of success.

TONIGHT I WILL SHOW YOU THAT HAS NO POWER!

Let me take you on a safari for just a few minutes:

Our impression of the lion:

à King of Animals

à Powerful

à Majestic in the animal kingom

à Powerful claws

à Crushing jaws

à fast and skillful

Even if all of this was true God has given us power over this mighty beast:

Samson vs Lion

David vs Lion

Ps 91:13

13 Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.(KJV)

In studying the lion from books checked out of the library I have learned some very interesting things about the lion:

1. His hunt is more unsuccessful than successful

Þ It is not uncommon for the lion to go 5-7 days without eating

Þ A percentage of their food comes from animals that have already died by disease or drowning or old age

Þ Even during a hunt it is not uncommon to ge gored by the horns of a buffalo or have their jaws smashed by a kick of a zebra.

The animal kingdom has done something the christian community hasn’t yet figured out.....they have learned how best to react to each species of preditor.

A herd of gazelle will allow a lion to walk past a hundred feet away!

They know that a visible lion is a safe lion - to slow to catch an animal alert to its presence. A lion wastes no effort in futile pursuit.

TO BE SUCCESSFUL A LION MUST FIRST STALK CLOSE WHILE

UNDETECTED AND THEN ATTACK WITH A RUSH BEFORE THE

SURPRISED PREY HAS A CHANCE TO FLEE.

When God made prey animals He gave them ways to protect themselves against predators/just as God has given us tools:

¨ Speed

¨ Hoofed animals have bulging eyes placed on the sides of the head giving them extreme wide angled vision

¨ Strong sense of smell

¨ Zigzag when running to confuse any pursuer

¨ They bunch up with the young in the middle to protect them as well as keeping them from singling out one prey

¨ Travel single file to avoid more than one stumbling on a lion

¨ Alarm systems - snort, barks, whistles to alert of an oncoming threat

LIONS CATCH WHATEVER IS EASIEST!

They often kill the very young, sick, or old AND THE CARELESS

Success rate is also influenced by the alertness of the prey

Wart hog - almost 50% success

Wildebeest and Zebra’s about 1/3

and 14% for the quick and alert topi

EVEN AFTER THE LION HAD DECIDED THAT IT’S CHANCES OF SUCCESS WERE GOOD AND FLUNG ITSELF INTO AN ATTACK IT STILL MISSED AT LEAST TWO OUT OF THREE TIMES.