Topical Bible: Lion of Divine Judgments

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The term "Lion of Divine Judgments" is not a direct biblical phrase but is a thematic representation of God's power and authority, often symbolized by a lion in the Scriptures. The lion, as a symbol, is frequently associated with strength, majesty, and the execution of divine justice. This imagery is used to convey the fearsome and righteous nature of God's judgments upon the earth and His enemies.

Biblical Symbolism of the Lion

In the Bible, the lion is a powerful symbol of both majesty and fear. It is often used to describe the might and authority of God, as well as His ability to execute judgment. The lion's roar is depicted as a sound of impending judgment and power. In Amos 3:8 , it is written, "The lion has roared—who will not fear? The Lord GOD has spoken—who will not prophesy?" This verse illustrates the fear and reverence that God's voice commands, akin to the roar of a lion.

God as a Lion in Judgment

The imagery of God as a lion is particularly evident in the prophetic books, where His judgments are portrayed with vivid and fearsome imagery. In Hosea 5:14 , God declares, "For I am like a lion to Ephraim and like a young lion to the house of Judah. I, even I, will tear them to pieces and go away; I will carry them off with no one to rescue them." Here, God is depicted as a lion executing judgment upon His people for their unfaithfulness, emphasizing His power and the inevitability of His justice.

Similarly, in Isaiah 31:4 , the Lord is compared to a lion: "For this is what the LORD has said to me: 'As a lion or young lion growls over its prey—and though a band of shepherds is called out against it, it is not terrified by their shouting or subdued by their noise—so the LORD of Hosts will come down to do battle on Mount Zion and its heights.'" This passage underscores the determination and unstoppable nature of God's judgment, likening it to a lion undeterred by opposition.

The Lion of Judah

The lion is also a messianic symbol, representing Jesus Christ as the "Lion of Judah." In Revelation 5:5 , one of the elders says, "Do not weep! Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed to open the scroll and its seven seals." Here, the lion symbolizes Christ's authority and victory, as He is the one worthy to execute God's final judgments and bring about the fulfillment of divine prophecy.

Conclusion

The lion as a symbol of divine judgment serves to remind believers of the power, authority, and righteousness of God. It is a call to reverence and awe, recognizing that God's judgments are just and His sovereignty is absolute. Through the imagery of the lion, the Bible communicates the seriousness of divine justice and the ultimate triumph of God's will.

Nave's Topical Index

Isaiah 15:9
For the waters of Dimon shall be full of blood: for I will bring more on Dimon, lions on him that escapes of Moab, and on the remnant of the land.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

Instances from Scripture of Divine Judgments Upon the Self ...
... Chapter XVI."Instances from Scripture of Divine Judgments Upon the Self-Indulgent;
And Appeals to ... For he was prostrated by the rushing of a lion upon him in ...
/.../chapter xvi instances from scripture of.htm

Whether the Angel Guardian ever Forsakes a Man?
... 1:Pet.5:8: "Your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, goeth about ... some trouble,
or even from falling into sin, according to the ordering of Divine judgments. ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether the angel guardian ever.htm

Ezekiel and Daniel.
... There are, however, powerful addresses and eloquent predictions of Divine judgments
on the nations. ... (2) Judgments upon foreign ... 6. In the Lion's den, Ch.6. II. ...
/.../the way of salvation in the lutheran church/chapter xvii ezekiel and daniel.htm

The Prophet Joel.
... 32:2; Daniel 7:4), but not to natural locusts; for the lion cannot possibly be ... and
such the prophet could say, only if the whole sum of divine judgments, up to ...
/.../hengstenberg/christology of the old testament/the prophet joel.htm

Isaiah
... be, as it seems to be, either Sun-city (Heliopolis) or Lion-city (Leontopolis ... The
wicked will not learn from the divine judgments; but, while they are destroyed ...
//christianbookshelf.org/mcfadyen/introduction to the old testament/isaiah.htm

Of the Necessity of Divine Influences to Produce Regeneration in ...
... sufficient to fix a conviction in your judgments and consciences ... observable in the
manner in which Divine grace operates ... unto them as a bear or a lion, ready to ...
/.../practical discourses on regeneration/discourse vii of the necessity.htm

Psalm x.
... God doth not judge, and so are God's judgments taken away ... from the human generation
to the generation divine by magic. ... wait in a secret place, as a lion in his ...
//christianbookshelf.org/augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm x.htm

Book 8 Footnotes
... severe denunciation of a disobedient person's slaughter by a lion had lately ... is
denounced against them, and to escape the Divine judgments thereby threatened ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/book 8 footnotes.htm

Caput xv.
... holy Angels are the symbols of God's judgments to ourselves ... to the sacred explanation
of the Divine representations of ... that the shape of a Lion [221] signifies ...
//christianbookshelf.org/dionysius/on the heavenly hierarchy/caput xv.htm

The Prophet Amos.
... nature against His enemies: "As if a man flees from the lion, and a ... signifies, in
that passage, the dissolving effect of the divine judgments, the instruments ...
/.../hengstenberg/christology of the old testament/the prophet amos.htm