Lion and Lamb

There's a line that passed through my mind this morning - "the lion will lay down with the lamb." It's supposed to be an image of what it will be like when God recreates this world - how things we recognise at threats here, will no longer be that way.

But I was surprised to find there is no such verse in the Bible! The actual verse is Isaiah 11:6 "The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them" (ESV).

This verse seems to have been linked with Revelation 5, where John looks for the Lion of Judah, who alone is worthy to open the scroll, and sees instead, a sacrificial lamb.

Both symbols represent Jesus. The lion - majestic and powerful king, able to deliver swift justice, and the lamb - meek and gentle, offering himself on our behalf.

Two dramatically different personas lie down together in Jesus' final role in his redeemed world. I love him showing me more than the literal image in these things.

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