Revelation 5:5 KJV
(5) And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.
Jesus Christ, the Lion of the Tribe Of Judah… what an amazing name for our Lord! What can we learn about Him from this glorious name?
First of all, our Lord is described as a Lion pointing us to two great truths:
1. Our Lord is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, possessing ultimate authority over all.
In the Old Testament Scriptures, the lion was associated with the authority and power possessed by Kings. Solomon’s throne was “guarded” by two statues of great lions (1 Kings 10:19). To this day, the lion is known as the “king of the jungle” which finds its origination in the Kings of old.
2. Our Lord is the Almighty God, possessing the physical power to defeat all His enemies.
Also, the lion was known for the ability to overcome any enemy and overpower any prey. It’s physical strength and prowess was well known throughout the world in the days of the Old Testament (Isaiah 31:4).
Secondly, the Lord is pictured as being a descendent of the house of Judah revealing two other great truths for us:
1. Our Lord was born into this earth as a man.
This title points to Christ as being a descendent of the human tribe of Judah, pointing to Him as possessing a human nature. He was conceived in, and came forth from, Mary’s womb.
2. Our Lord was a member of the physical Jewish nation.
He was a physical Jew and, therefore, possessed the physical characteristics that are displayed in the Jewish race. Being a physical Jew, He was born under the Godly rules and regulations that were given to the Jewish nation, He was a worshipper and servant of Jehovah, and He was the only One that perfectly pleased God with His life. (One side note: although Christ was legally a member of the Jewish nation, remember that He possessed Gentile blood in His physical lineage as well… 4 different women who appear in His lineage were Gentiles (Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba – Matthew 1:1-6).
Folks, in this one great title for Christ, we see Him presented as both God and Man, King and servant, the One possessing all authority and the One under authority, the One with all strength and ability and the One that possessed the frailness of human fleshly bodies.
May we all recognize and forever appreciate the wonder of the incarnation of God. He was God Himself, made in the likeness of sinful flesh, so that He might experience temptation, suffering and death for His beloved people….
Hebrews 2:9 KJV
May the Lord bless us as we seek to serve Him, the One that is so clearly revealed to us in the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ.
For an in depth look at this section of the Revelation:
Settled In Heaven Blog 
Reblogged this on My Delight and My Counsellors.
Thank you Rob
I am glad you mentioned the side note. A lot of people forget that fact. Bless you Pastor Rob.
Hi Sheila,
I have to agree with you… it seems as if anything related to Gentiles is sometimes ignored when it comes to Christ, His person, lineage and work. And yet in many ways Gentiles also held a positon of importance in His life and ministry. Lord bless you my friend.
Good observation on the lion. I also think lion of Judah echoes OT prophecy in Genesis 49
That’s a great point SJ! Thanks!