Christ: the Lion of Judah
Christ As a Lamb When Christ came in the flesh over 2,000 years ago, he came humbly. No one knew the time of his birth except for his parents, Mary and Joseph. They were of the tribe of Judah, specifically from the line of King David. Christ’s birth, in itself, was not a royal one, nor were his parents rich. Our Savior was born in a barn and his bed was a manger, an animal’s feeding trough.
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Rejoice, Christ Is Born! Christ was born in Bethlehem, which is the city of David. On the day he was born, the angel of the Lord came to the shepherds who were feeding their flocks and led them to where Christ was born. They indeed rejoiced and told the people of the city that Christ, our Lord was born, (Luke 2: 8-20).
The Wise Men The wise men of the east were led to Christ by following a star in the sky. At this time, Christ had turned 2 years old. The wise men brought young Jesus gifts befitting a king including gold, frankincense and myrrh. They not only brought gifts but reverenced and worshipped him. (Matthew 2: 11) “And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down and worshipped him, and when they opened their treasures they presented him gifts, gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Seed of the Gospel Christ is the word of God. He is the seed of the gospel of truth, which is planted in our hearts to take root and grow. Both in past and present, this seed has been rejected by many. In the flesh, Christ was not an attractive man. Though he was King of Kings, he did not look the part according to man’s shallow standards. But Christ remained merciful, for he healed them, fed them, both physically and spiritually and gave them the gospel of salvation.
Christ Rides Upon a Colt Before Christ was crucified he rode into Jerusalem on a colt of an ass, to humbly offer salvation to all who would believe and accept the gospel of life.
Christ Resurrected The scripture teaches us that Christ was crucified on the cross, buried for three days and nights, resurrected from the grave and later ascended to heaven. His disciples, who witnessed his departure, were assured by the angels that Christ would in fact return (Acts 1: 10-11). But until that time it was the apostles duty to teach the gospel and build the church.
The Former House The 12 apostles as well as other leaders who built God’s church during ancient days were strong and faithful. They indeed preached God’s gospel with great power and miracles but their flesh was mortal, meaning there bodies were subjected to death. This church of old is also referred to as the “former house” and refers not only to a physical structure but a body of people. We know that the apostles as well as many other saints were persecuted and killed like lambs for the slaughter. Eventually, Jerusalem was destroyed and the truth fell. We now live in a time of great darkness.
Christ the Lion Though we live in a time of darkness, there are peaks of light for we know that our Savior will return. But how will he return? Will he be humble like before? Absolutely not. When Christ returns the second time, he will come as a king with power and force. He will come as a Lion, the Lion of Judah.
Christ the Lion Why is Christ called the Lion of Judah? What is the nature of a lion? The lion is one of the fiercest predators in existence. It patrols its borders, protects its pride and destroys all other predators who come in to take over it’s pride. When we think about it, that is what a king does. He too patrols his realm, protects his citizens and destroys the enemies who try to come into his country to take over.
Christ Will Save & Destroy Christ, who is our King, is going to destroy our enemies including the wicked people and Satan. He will not come to this earth to bestow mercy to ALL but he will come to execute judgement and vengeance upon all who have persecuted his children.
The Latter House Not only will he execute judgement but he will save his people. Christ will restore the truth and rebuild his church. This new church is also called the “latter house” which includes both a physical structure and his people. The latter house will be greater than the former house. Why? When the Holy Spirit will be poured out upon the people, the truth will stand and never fall again. Evil will be put out of God’s children, and they will prosper and grow. The gospel that will be preached will be known as the everlasting gospel, for it has no end. Additionally, the glory and power of God will surround this holy sanctuary and the wicked won’t be able to come near it, let alone destroy it.
Haggai 2: 9 “The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the LORD of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the LORD of hosts.�
144,000 For those given the honor of being one of God’s servants to teach his people and preach the everlasting gospel, the word of God will finally be effective. All of those who belong to God will be able to see and hear and understand. Great power will be given to a special group called the 144,000 or the first fruits (see class entitled “First Fruits on Christian Academy Page). They will have greater power than the apostles had in their time, because they will be immortal.
144,000 They will be able to defeat the enemy, both mankind and devils. They will stand as priests, kings, judges, governors, teachers, protectors and soldiers for the cause of the children of God. They will be given the gifts of prophecy, speaking all languages, healing the sick, performing miracles, and all of the gifts associated with the immortal body. The greatest gift will be the gift of eternal life. The 144,000 will be a living sign of the glory of God that all of the world can see. They will follow Christ wherever he goes. They will have eternal joy and gladness.
All Saints Unite & Fight One day, ALL of God’s saints will come together and fight the wicked in the Battle of Armageddon with Christ as their captain (see class entitled“The Battle of Armageddon”) At this time, all of the children of God will be granted the gift of immortality, which means their bodies and minds will no longer be corrupted with sin and death. They will no longer be lambs or prey for the wicked but instead lions, who cannot be defeated.
Micah 5: 7-8 “And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people as a dew from the LORD, as the showers upon the grass, that tarrieth not for man, nor waiteth for the sons of men. And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles in the midst of many people as a lion among the beasts of the forest, as a young lion among the flocks of sheep: who, if he go through, both treadeth down, and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver.�
Special Thanks This presentation was based on the class entitled “Christ: the Lion of Judah” By: Colleen Henry
Questions? For questions regarding this presentation please contact us via email at info@householdofisrael.org or by phone at 219.949.9308.