Prowling Lions

Greetings in the Lord!


Lions, tigers and bears--oh no! Yes, more prophetic words from the Lord referring to wild animals, only this time it is specifically about lions. In 2 Kings 17, it tells us about the events and reasons for the fall of the Northern Kingdom of Israel: spiritual idolatry and the apostasy of the Israelites. They stubbornly continued to worship foreign gods and idols, even though they were told many times to repent by prophets. Therefore the Lord turned His back on them and sent them into exile by the hand of the Assyrians.


Now here's the interesting part: after Assyria deported Israel from their towns and reoccupied those cities with foreigners, lions came and attacked the people. In fact, there was so much devouring that they wrote to the king of Assyria and requested to know the "requirements" of the God of the land (Israel)--since none of them knew or worshipped God. Therefore an Israelite priest was sent back by the Assyrian king to teach them about God and His commandments. After I read that passage I had to wonder about those attacking lions--why did the Lord allow lions to attack them? Lions mean business; they see an opportunity to have lunch and go for it!


As I was pondering that thought the Lord took me to Mark 1:12-13~

"At once the Spirit sent Jesus out into the desert, and he was in the desert forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him."


Well, in studying that passage I found out that lions were a lot more prevalent in Israel back in those days and the author Mark wanted us to know that even though Jesus was being tempted by the devil in the desert, he was fully protected from the wild animals, meaning lions primarily, while he was there. Just like Jesus, we will go through seasons of being tempted and tried, but we do not have to fear the lions in the desert, for we are protected when we trust in God. Jesus had to endure fasting and temptations, but he did not once have to overcome an attack by a lion. I feel that is important, because the enemy roams about like a lion, looking to see whom he might devour--it is a time to be seriously diligent in our spiritual life: be alert, pray often, live with His purposes in mind, know who you are in Christ.



I discern that "lions" for us are the things that come against people to try and devour and destroy them--and they are roaming about among us, attacking and trying to destroy like many of us have not quite experienced before. I believe we are in a similar situation as the Northern Kingdom, where lions roamed about attacking so much that the people were wanting to know: "What does the God of the land require?" In the midst of fiery ordeals people have an opportunity to cry out to God for deliverance. And since mercy triumphs judgment, we know that the Lord is wanting hearts to turn back to Him, to answer that question of their hurting souls with compassion and to bless and restore them as they come to Him.


"You shall have no other god than the Lord your God and serve Him only."

That leads me to the story the Lord had me read today from Judges 14-16, the story of Samson. As you may recall, he was a Nazirite from birth and could not eat or drink anything from the grape vine, could not cut his hair, and had to stay away from dead bodies. In chapter 14, we read that Samson was going to Timnah to marry a Philistine girl. Timnah was known for its wonderful vineyards--what a temptation right there! Then he was confronted by a young lion outside of a vineyard and torn it to pieces, telling no one. A few days later when he returned to Timnah, a swarm of bees and honey was in the lion carcass and he took some honey--thus violating the Nazirite vow to stay away from dead bodies. Finally, in chapter 16 we read how the new love of his life, Delilah, was pestering him to tell her the secret of his strength: his uncut hair. Instead of running away from Delilah, he toyed with her until finally giving in and telling her the secret, whereby she promptly lulled him to sleep and had his hair cut. Samson had unknowingly betrayed his calling by letting the Philistine woman rob him of his special sign of consecration to the Lord. (NIV study notes).

Though Samson was able to tear apart a lion and previously defeat his enemies, ultimately his lax spiritual attitude and "doing as he saw fit" (as was the days Israel lived in at the time) was his downfall. It is another lesson on being spiritually diligent and putting on the "new man" as we go from day to day. We are God's children, separated and consecrated to do His bidding and should not live and believe like the world. There are too many Chrisitans that are secular in every way they live and believe, but give God lip service and sacrifices instead of faithful obedience. The Lord does not want that kind of "service." In fact, and this might sounds harsh, but many are just like Samson--"He awoke from his sleep and thought, 'I'll go out as before and shake myself free.' But he did not know that the Lord had left him." Judges 16:20

How devestating! Believe me when I tell you that the Lord is teaching many Christians in this hour to distinguish between what it is to have Him near versus what it is to NOT have Him by your side! Yes, it's true. And from personal experience, after you go through that, you'll never want Him far away--you learn a fear of the Lord that is life-saving! The best part is that its this kind of fear of the Lord that begins our receiving of wisdom from the Lord. In fact, we cannot have wisdom without having fear of the Lord first.

Anyway, the last part of the story I like the best. As Samson's hair grew back, the Lord returned and strengthened him to complete his task on earth. I love that. Even though we may have messed up big time by getting lax in our service to God, not following His word, giving into temptations, whatever, and we go through a time of "separation" from God, the Lord is so merciful that He is quick to restore us as we return to Him to complete the tasks He has for us in this hour. He wants to have that close relationship with us, close as a loving and fulfilling marriage can be. And that, my friends, is good news!

~Be blessed and be a blessing.

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