You don't have to be a rocket scientist--A look at the Lion

(a white lion at the Cincinnati zoo)

I absolutely love that God's word paints beautiful mind pictures for us (might be the writing teacher in me). He created it so that it would be applicable to EVERYONE, even years later. What is the saying...You don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure it out...The writers were inspired by God to make it where everyone can understand God's word, not just some.

One of my favorite chapters is James 3 about the tongue. A bit for a horse's mouth, a rudder for a ship, a fire, taming animals but not the tongue, a spring, a fig tree. 12 verses are FULL of comparisons to the tongue that we can easily relate to.

That brings us to the lion. I know that I mentioned yesterday that a lion was mentioned over 130 times. Another resource told me it was 157. Now, I haven't gone and counted every single one, but now that I am studying this, I can believe it. Let's look at the vivid descriptions used only with the example of the lion. (go look at yesterday's post if you haven't already for a run down on facts of a lion)

It is the KING OF BEASTS

• Micah 5:8 And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles, in the midst of many peoples, like a lion among the beasts of the forest, like a young lion among flocks of sheep, who if he passes through, both treads down and tears in pieces.

It's FIERCENESS

• Job 4:10 The roaring of the lion, the voice of a fierce lion, and the teeth of the young lions are broken (a lion's roar can be heard up to 5 miles from where the pride is stationed)
• Job 28:8 The proud lions have not trodden it, nor has the fierce lion passed over it.
• Psalms 7:2 (a prayer for deliverance from Enemies) Les they tear me like a lion, rending me in pieces while there is none to deliver.
• Proverbs 22:13 The lazy man says, "There is a lion outside! I shall be slain in the streets!" (pretty funny that a lazy man is compared here considering a lion sleeps or rests 16 to 20 hours during the day)
• Jeremiah 2:15 The young lions roared at him and growled; they made his land waste; his cities are burned without inhabitant
• Jeremiah 49:19 Behold, he shall come up like a lion from the floodplain of the Jordan.......

Living in a PRIDE

• Job 4:11 The old lion perishes for lack of prey, and the cubs of the lioness are scattered (sometimes men of other "prides" will come and attack the males and take over a pride--sometimes killing the cubs to start over)

It's STRENGTH

• Proverbs 30:30 A lion, which is mighty among beasts and does not turn away from any (if you look at 29 you will see there are 3 things majestic inn pace, 4 in a stately walk--lion, greyhound, male goat, and a king whose troops are with him)
• Isaiah 38:13 I have considered until morning-like a lion, so he breaks all my bones; from day until night you make an end of me.
• Joel 1:6 For a nation has come up against My land, strong and without number; His teeth are the teeth of a lion, and he has the fangs of a fierce lion.
  

It's instincts

• Psalm 10:9 -10 He lies in wait secretly, as a lion in his den; he lies in wait to catch the poor; He catches the poor when he draws him into his net, so he crouches, he lies low, that the helpless may fall b y his strength.
• Psalm 17:12 AS a lion is eager to tear his pray, and like a young lion lurking in secret places.
• Lamentations 3:10-12 He has been to me a bear lying in wait, like a lion in ambush. He has turned aside my ways and torn me into pieces; he has made me desolate. He has bent His bow and set me up as a target for the arrow (couldn't not share the rest of the verses--again, wonderful example of a VIVID description)
• Amos 3:4 Will a lion roar in the forest, when he has no prey?
• Nahum 2:12 The Lion tore in pieces enough for his cubs, killed for his lionesses, filled his caves with prey, and his dens with flesh.

The LAIR of...

• Jeremiah 4:7 The lion has come up from his thicket....
• Jeremiah 25:38 He has left His lair like the lion; for their land is desolate because of the fierceness of the Oppressor, and because of His fierce anger.
  

A lion---fierce, king of the beasts, it's movements, it's strength, it's instincts. Amazing detail that God has provided for us to be able to understand his Word.

It is applicable to you, me, and even that rocket scientist!