The Lion of Judah

February 16, 2023

I was talking with our staff recently about how it seems like every generation looks back on Saturday Night Live with a particular fondness for the cast from when they were young. I think the same is true of worship songs. “Shout to the Lord” and “I Could Sing of Your Love Forever” take me straight back to a time when God was galvanizing a powerful faith and a bold calling within my heart. Sometimes words do this too – I instantly picture the walls of my high school when I hear the words “booyah” and “wassup.” 

     But sometimes old things lose their meaning and we no longer know what we’re saying. How many of you know have sung the word “ebanezer” without knowing what it means? And yet we totally still sing about raising them. What about hallelujah? (which by the way, means “God be praised” or “praise the Lord,” with “jah” referring to the personal name of the God of Israel; Jah=Yaweh). This also happens with some of the lesser known biblical references we include in our worship music. 

     At Oak Haven a couple of the songs in our rotation lately have referenced the ‘Lion of Judah.’ What I absolutely LOVE about this name for God is that it is found in both Genesis and Revelation – it’s so beautiful how the Bible contains motifs that echo and over the whole story arch. 

     In Genesis, Jacob’s sons become the patriarchs of the 12 tribes that eventually made up the nation of Israel (who were God’s special group of people). So each tribe was named after one of the sons, and when Jacob addressed his son Judah he said, “My son, you are a lion ready to eat your victim! You are terribly fierce; no one will bother you. You will have power and rule until nations obey you and come bringing gifts.” Genesis 49:9-10 

     Thus through history a lion became the symbol of the tribe of Judah. Because of Jacob’s blessing it also was believed that this tribe would produce the Messiah and the tribe of Judah became known as the Tribe of the Kings, out of which famous kings like King David and King Solomon came. 

     In Revelation, John (who wrote Revelation to record a vision God gave him) recounted, “I cried hard because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or look inside it. Then one of the elders said to me, ‘Stop crying and look! The one who is called both the ‘Lion from the Tribe of Judah’ and ‘King David's Great Descendant’ has won the victory. He will open the scroll and its seven seals.” Revelation 5:4-5 This is, of course, in reference to Jesus (who is listed in both the genealogies recorded in Matthew and Luke as a descendant of the tribe of Judah and King David). 

     Another cool inclusion in the song LION is the lyric “let the lion roar,” and The Lion and the Lamb says our God is “roaring with power.” Scripture actually doesn’t explicitly describe Jesus as roaring, however Peter, in 1 Peter 5:8, says Satan prowls around like a roaring lion. This comparison is significant because lions roar to establish their territory and power, to make themselves known. Satan is the counterfeit, imitating the True Lion and loudly boasting of himself, trying to establish his power. However he can roar and shout all he wants because the True Lion will return and conquer the imposter in Revelation 20:10. Hallelujah! 

     When we sing of the Lion of Judah, we glorify Jesus as the True roaring Lion who rules over the angels, who was prophesied about before He was born, and is worshipped by His followers. So the next time you sing the name “Lion of Judah “in worship I hope you can connect it with its rich power and majesty!