Topical Bible: The Lion: Lurks for Its Prey

◄ The Lion: Lurks for Its Prey ►

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Topical Encyclopedia

In the biblical narrative, the lion is a powerful symbol often associated with strength, majesty, and ferocity. However, it is also depicted as a creature that lurks for its prey, embodying danger and the threat of sudden attack. This duality is evident throughout Scripture, where the lion serves as both a metaphor for divine power and a representation of peril.

Symbol of Danger and Stealth

The imagery of the lion lurking for its prey is vividly portrayed in several passages. In Psalm 10:9, the psalmist describes the wicked as one who "lies in wait like a lion in a thicket; he lurks to seize the oppressed; he catches the helpless and drags them off in his net." Here, the lion's stealth and predatory nature are used to illustrate the cunning and malice of the wicked, who prey upon the vulnerable.

Similarly, in Psalm 17:12, the psalmist likens his enemies to a lion: "They are like a lion hungry for prey, like a great lion crouching in cover." This verse emphasizes the imminent threat posed by adversaries who, like lions, are poised to strike unexpectedly.

A Metaphor for Spiritual Adversaries

The New Testament also employs the lion as a metaphor for spiritual adversaries. In 1 Peter 5:8, believers are warned, "Be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." This passage underscores the vigilance required of Christians in the face of spiritual danger, as the devil is likened to a lion that lurks, ready to pounce on the unwary.

Divine Judgment and Protection

While the lion often symbolizes threat, it is also used to convey the power and judgment of God. In Hosea 5:14, God declares, "For I will be 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, the lion's ferocity is a metaphor for divine judgment against unfaithfulness.

Conversely, the lion's strength is also a symbol of God's protection. In Isaiah 31:4, the Lord is compared to a lion: "As a lion growls, a great lion over its prey—and though a whole band of shepherds is called together against it, it is not frightened by their shouts or disturbed by their clamor—so the LORD Almighty will come down to do battle on Mount Zion and on its heights." This passage reassures the faithful of God's unwavering defense against their enemies.

Conclusion

The lion's depiction as a creature that lurks for its prey serves as a powerful reminder of both the dangers that believers face and the strength and protection offered by God. Through these vivid images, Scripture calls for vigilance, faith, and reliance on divine power in the face of life's adversities.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Psalm 10:9
He lies in wait secretly as a lion in his den: he lies in wait to catch the poor: he does catch the poor, when he draws him into his net.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Letter cxxx. To Demetrias.
... the ox may learn ferocity from the lion but that the lion may learn ... ripe in Egypt
and the East; and now it lurks secretly like a viper in its hole among ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/letter cxxx to demetrias.htm

Letter cxxv. To Rusticus.
... root of all evil;" [3408] and on the other lurks the Scylla ... by the people of the
city or by its bishop, act ... poet tells us that it was in front a lion, behind a ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/letter cxxv to rusticus.htm

The Poet.
... shall be planted by waters, That stretches its roots to ... the vulture, stork, crane
and swift; the lion, wolf and ... of his use of them there lurks an occasional ...
//christianbookshelf.org/smith/jeremiah/lecture ii the poet.htm

The Being of God
... What scorpion lurks within?] Seneca. ... The soul, being sensible of its immortal nature,
trembles at him who ... If it be so terrible to hear the lion roar, what must ...
//christianbookshelf.org/watson/a body of divinity/1 the being of god.htm

Book ii. Jerome Answers the Second, Third, and Fourth Propositions ...
... For the lion lurks in ambush to slay the innocent. ... and do the first works; or else
I will come to thee, and will move thy candlestick out of its place, except ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/book ii jerome answers the.htm

Preface.
... The traitor lurks who doubts the truth I sing. ... Command the grave restore her
taken prey? Bid death's dark vale its human harvest yield,. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/young/youngs night thoughts/preface.htm

Life and Works of Rufinus with Jerome's Apology Against Rufinus.
... cast upon him, does not trouble himself, in the answer which he is compelled to
make, about the elegance and neat turns of his reply, but only about its truth. ...
/.../various/life and works of rufinus with jeromes apology against rufinus /