What lessons can modern leaders learn from the "lioness" in Ezekiel 19:5? Setting the scene • Ezekiel 19 is a lament for Judah’s royal line. • In verse 5 the image shifts to a lioness who has already lost one cub to captivity. •: “When she saw that her hope was frustrated, her expectation gone, she took another of her cubs and made him a young lion.” (Ezekiel 19:5) Key observations about the lioness • She recognizes shattered hope. • She acts decisively: “took another of her cubs.” • She actively shapes the cub into a “young lion,” repeating the pattern that failed before (vv. 2–4, 6–8). • The outcome is again disaster (vv. 9, 14). Lessons for modern leaders Anchor hope in God, not outcomes • The lioness placed hope in her offspring’s strength; when that failed, hope collapsed. • Psalm 20:7—“Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.” • Leaders guard against rooting confidence in talent, strategy, or succession plans rather than God’s purpose. Learn from failure instead of repeating it • She reproduces the same training that led the first cub to ruin. • Proverbs 26:11 warns that folly returns “like a dog to its vomit.” • Modern leaders must evaluate mistakes, repent, and change course. Disciple the next generation toward righteousness, not merely power • She “made him a young lion,” emphasizing ferocity over faithfulness. • 2 Timothy 2:2 calls leaders to entrust truth to reliable people. • Grooming successors in character and obedience prevents perpetuating destructive leadership. Face reality with humility rather than desperation • Seeing hope gone, she scrambles for alternatives without consulting God. • Isaiah 30:1 describes “rebellious children” who make plans “but not of My Spirit.” • Honest lament plus humble prayer (James 1:5) guides better responses than frantic self-reliance. Break destructive cycles before they harden • Verse 6 reveals the cub “learned to tear prey.” Violence became systemic. • Hosea 10:13—“You have eaten the fruit of lies.” • Leaders identify and dismantle harmful organizational habits early. Remember accountability is inevitable • Both cubs end in chains (vv. 4, 9). • Galatians 6:7—“God is not mocked. For whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.” • Power without submission to God invites eventual judgment. Warnings illustrated • Charisma and strength cannot override God’s decrees (Deuteronomy 17:18–20). • Successor planning minus spiritual integrity multiplies loss (1 Kings 11:11–13). • National or organizational hopes crumble when leadership ignores covenant faithfulness. Positive applications today • Conduct regular, Scripture-based reviews of leadership decisions. • Mentor future leaders in humility, service, and reverence for God’s Word. • When facing failed initiatives, pause to seek God’s direction before launching the next. • Set measurable safeguards against repeating moral or strategic errors. • Publicly credit successes to the Lord, reinforcing corporate dependence on Him. The lioness’s story cautions and counsels: hold hope in God, learn from loss, disciple wisely, and lead under divine authority. |
    |