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Tag: Roaring lion

Nahum 2:11-13 – Where is the lion?

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On August 27, 2013

In Christian, Nahum, Through the Bible

Prophet Nahum brings the questions of the Lord in Nahum 2:11. God questions “Where is the dwelling of the lions?”, “Where is the devouring (feeding) place of the young lions?”, “Where is the lion, the old lion and the lion’s whelp (young)?” Nahum 2:12 states that lions  tore their prey for their young and choked the life out of (strangled) their prey for their lionesses, filling their holes and dens with prey. The lions here refer to the Assyrian kings (rulers) (Jeremiah 50:17) and their whelps refers to the princes, who oppressed and afflicted many nations (prey) before their queens (lionesses) and their young ones (whelps), filling their own homes (holes) and palaces (dens) with their conquests. The identity of the lion (the old lion) is not explicitly stated, but some scholars think that it is a reference to the Babylonian king, Nebuchadnezzar who is likened to a lion (Jeremiah 50:17), but a more plausible reference, as some other scholars feel, is that the reference to the lion (old lion) is to Nimrod (which means – the rebel), the great hunter of ancient (old) times, who built the city of Nineveh (Genesis 10:8-12). When the Assyrian rulers (Tiglathpileser (2Kings 15:29), Shalmaneser (2 Kings 18:9), Sargon (Isaiah 20:1), Sennacherib (2 Kings 18:13) , Esarhaddon (Ezra 4:2)) were in power, as the king of their pride, there was no one to make them afraid (Nahum 2:11). But it was decreed (Huzzab) that Nineveh will be like a pool that is being drained and the dwelling and feeding place of these lions (rulers) and their young (princes) will being laid waste, bare and desolate (Nahum 2:7-8; Nahum 2:11), for the Lord God was against them (Nahum 2:13). The devouring lions shall be devoured themselves by the sword of the Spirit of the Lord (Nahum 2:13), which is His Word, his Decree (Ephesians 6:17).

Points to ponder:
The devil is the ancient (old) Assyrian who rebelled against the Lord (Isaiah 14:25; Revelation 12:9). As God’s adversary and rebel, the devil is like a roaring lion, roaming about, seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8). The devil was vanquished and defeated by Jesus Christ (1 John 3:8), the Lion of the tribe of Judah (Revelation 5:5), on the Cross, once and for all. The devil’s dwelling and devouring place, which is this world (2 Corinthians 4:4), wherein he has dominion presently, shall one day be replaced by the new heaven and new earth (Revelation 21:1), in which only the Lion of the tribe of Judah shall reign forever. God shall then ask – Where is the lion?

What are the lions in your life that intimidate and afflict you? Trust in the Lion of the Tribe of Judah and believe in him to become adopted into his pride, for He can vanquish and completely destroy all the lions in your life. Do you belong to the pride of the One True Lion – Jesus Christ?

Nahum 2:11-13 (KJV)
11 Where is the dwelling of the lions, and the feedingplace of the young lions, where the lion, even the old lion, walked, and the lion’s whelp, and none made them afraid?
12 The lion did tear in pieces enough for his whelps, and strangled for his lionesses, and filled his holes with prey, and his dens with ravin.
13 Behold, I am against thee, saith the Lord of hosts, and I will burn her chariots in the smoke, and the sword shall devour thy young lions: and I will cut off thy prey from the earth, and the voice of thy messengers shall no more be heard.

The first curse; Go on your belly and eat dust

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On June 28, 2013

In Christian, Genesis, Through the Bible

God asked Adam, where he was and if he had eaten the fruit of the tree that he had commanded him not to eat of. God asked the woman (who was beguiled by Satan) as to what she had done. But God did not ask, Satan, where he was (for God knew that he had fallen from heaven to earth – Luke 10:18; Revelation 12:9), or if he had rebelled against God (which was not new for Satan – Ezekiel 28), but instead cursed him for his deception.

Though man had sinned against God, the first curse was on Satan, who brought it upon himself for God said “Because thou (Satan) has done this (beguiling man to sin), you are cursed above all cattle and every beast of the field.” (Genesis 3:14).

The first curse of God can be exposited as being both literal and reflective. Literally, serpents crawl on their belly but what about eating dust? Snakes don’t eat dust or do they? Snakes have been observed to flick their tongue and lick the dust of the earth and take odor particles from the dust to an olfactory sensory organ (Jacobson’s organ) that is found in the roof of their mouth (buccal cavity). Once these particles reach the organ, the chemical compounds in these odor particles bind to receptors in the organ and sensory messages are sent to the brain. These organs helps snakes to hunt and track their prey, which in a sense is akin to eating (licking) dust to eat (hunt and track).

Reflectively, this first curse of God was on Satan, the ancient serpent (Revelation 20:2). The Bible teaches us that the things that go on their belly in an abomination (Leviticus 11:42). God told man that he was dust and to dust he shall return (Genesis 3:19). The Bible also teaches us that Satan is like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour (eat) (1 Peter 5:8). So reflectively, to eat the dust for the rest of his life implies that Satan will continue to seek to devour mankind, till his appointed time.

To go (crawl) on the belly is a sign of disgust (abomination) To eat dust is a sign of despondency (Micah 7:17) which is the current cursed and future (the rest of his life) state of Satan

Points to ponder:
Sin brings with it a curse – the curse of death for the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23) and the soul that sins shall die (Ezekiel 18:20). Let us be sober (in the Lord) and watchful and not allow ourselves to be devoured as dust by Satan but let us be transformed now by believing in Jesus and look forward to the transformation of our bodies of dust (jars of clay – 2 Corinthians 4:7) to an eternal celestial glorious one like his (Philippians 3:21).

Genesis 3:14 (KJV)
14 And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:

Leviticus 11:42 (KJV)
42 Whatsoever goeth upon the belly, and whatsoever goeth upon all four, or whatsoever hath more feet among all creeping things that creep upon the earth, them ye shall not eat; for they are an abomination.

Micah 7:17 (KJV)
17 They shall lick the dust like a serpent, they shall move out of their holes like worms of the earth: they shall be afraid of the Lord our God, and shall fear because of thee.

The ‘Naked’ Question

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On June 25, 2013

In Christian, Genesis, Through the Bible

When God asked Adam, “Where are you?”, Adam responded that he was hiding because he was naked. God followed Adam’s response with two additional questions. He asked Adam, “Who told you that you were naked?” and secondly, “Have you disobeyed my commandment to refrain from eating the fruit of the forbidden tree?”

From Genesis 3:7, we learn that Adam and Eve had sewn themselves aprons of fig to cover themselves; so physically they were not naked. Then why did Adam say he was (still) naked? It is not physical nakedness that Adam and God are dialoging about here, but spiritual nakedness. Since there are no secret (hidden) sins from the sight of God, everyone stands exposed (spiritually naked) before God to whom we must each give our account (1 Corinthians 4:5; Hebrews 4:13). We are counseled to buy white raiment (clothes/robes) so that we may be clothed and the shame of our nakedness does not appear (Revelation 3:18).

So who told Adam that he was naked? At that point in time, besides God and his creation of living things, which included the plants, the animals, the man Adam and the woman Eve – the other creature that was on earth, was the adversary (Satan). Satan had been kicked out of the presence of the Lord God (Isaiah 14:12) and he established his dominion on the earth as its god (2 Corinthians 4:4). He was walking to and fro on the earth (Job 1:7) as a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8) and he was in the garden of Eden (Ezekiel 28:13). God did not accuse Adam and Eve, but instead questioned Adam if he had disobeyed God, we can assume that it was not The Lord God who told Adam that he was naked. And since the plants and animals are not known to have natural vocal abilities, the plausible option is to speculate that it was Satan, that could have told Adam (and Eve) of their spiritual nakedness, for he is the accuser of the brethren (Revelation 12:10). However, this is merely a conjecture as the scripture does not explicitly confirm this.

The Scripture does tell us that the eyes of Adam and Eve was opened and then they realized that they were naked. When Jesus said, “Let him who is without sin, cast the first stone” and stooped to write in the ground, the Bible records, that the accusers of the adulteress, were convicted by their own conscience (John 8:9) and they left her, one by one. Jesus also said, that when the Holy Spirit of God comes upon you, he will convict the world of sin, of righteousness and of judgment (John 16:8-11). When the breath of life (Holy Spirit of God) was breathed into the lifeless body of dust (of Adam), Adam became a living soul (Genesis 2:7). It is more plausible that the Holy Spirit convicted Adam and Eve of their sin and of righteousness and judgment; of sin (that they disobeyed God and were beguiled by Satan), of righteousness (that they had fallen short of God’s glory and found themselves to be spiritually naked needing now robes of righteousness) and of judgment (that made them afraid for along with the prince of this world, they would also be judged unless they are clothed in righteousness).

Points to ponder:
There is no condemnation to those who are clothed in the righteousness of Jesus Christ, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit of God (Romans 8:1). It is not quiet as important as to who tells us that we are spiritually naked – be it the accusation of the adversary (Satan), or the conviction of the Holy Spirit in our own conscience, when we sin. What is of critical importance is, that, when God calls for us saying “Where are you?”, will we find ourselves saying that we are spiritually “naked”? – that is the question. Let us be clothed with the white robes of Jesus’ righteousness, being imputed on us, when we believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only son and Savior, so that when The Lord God comes looking for us, we will not have to hide, as a result of our spiritual nakedness. Are you (spiritually) naked (and hiding) – that is the question?

Genesis 3:11 (KJV)
11 And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?

Revelation 3:18 (KJV)
18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

Jesus Impersonator :: Lion

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On September 25, 2012

In Christian, Jesus Impersonator

Satan uses the deception of impersonation to deceive many. We must therefore watch out and pray and be on the alert (sober and vigilant) so that we are not deceived (1 Peter 4:7).

In Genesis 49:9-10, when Israel is blessing his sons, he blesses Judah by calling Judah a lion’s whelp (cub) and affirms that the sceptre (rule/government) shall not depart from Judah and the ruling staff from his descendants (from between his feet), until the coming of the one to whom it belongs (Shiloh) – the one whom all nations will honor. Prophesying the birth of Jesus, God’s prophet, Isaiah announced that the government (sceptre) shall be on the shoulder of Jesus Christ and the increase of his government (rule) and peace shall have no end (Isaiah 9:6-7). Revelation 5:5 affirms that the one that was prophesied as the one who is to come to whom the sceptre (kingdom) belongs is Jesus Christ, the Lion of the tribe of Judah – the True (Lion) King. All those who are under the protection of Jesus, the Lion King, who conquered (devoured) death and prevailed, have life – life eternal.
But Satan wants to be the king over all and impersonates Jesus by walking around like a roaring lion, seeking to devour and bring death in the end (1 Peter 5:8).

Points to ponder:
We must be aware and beware the adversary (Satan), for Satan walks about like a roaring lion seeking to devour and bring death. We must submit to the Kingship and Lordship of Jesus Christ, The True Lion King, who brings life!

Genesis 49:8-10 (KJV)
8 Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father’s children shall bow down before thee.
9 Judah is a lion’s whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up?
10 The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.

Revelation 5:5 (KJV)
5 And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.

Luke 21:36 (KJV)
36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

Roaring lion

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On November 8, 2010

In Christian

Amos 3:4 asks the questions “Will a lion roar in the forest, when he hath no prey? will a young lion cry out of his den, if he have taken nothing?” which is indicative of a cause and effect relationship. The shepherd-turned-prophet uses this example to warn a rebellious nation, that their disobedience will lead them to be like prey to the kingdoms (Assyrians) that the Lord was raising against them. Israel was soon going to be invaded and destroyed by the Assyrians and Judah would go into exile (captivity) in Babylon. But going back to the cause and effect relationship, the fact of life, is that a lion roars when it has caught its prey (Isaiah 5:29). Hold that thought!

1 Peter 5:8 counsels us all to be sober and vigilant, because our adversary the devil is like a roaring lion, walking about, seeking whom he may devour.

Now putting Amos 3:4 and 1 Peter 5:8 together, we can extrapolate, that the devil’s roar (the effect) is as a result of of him having caught prey (the cause).  Sadly, there are many who believe not in Jesus Christ, whom the devil, the god of this world, has blinded and held as prey (captive) in the darkness and in the fear of the shadow of death,  so that the glorious light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is not shone on them (2 Corinthians 4:4).

So what should be our response? We are to be watchful (sober and vigilant) so that we ourselves don’t fall to be prey to seeking satan. Second, Jesus said, Watch and Pray always so that you are counted worthy and that you escape (Luke 21:36). Let the only Lion whose roar (of victory) can be heard, be Jesus Christ, the Lion of the tribe of Judah (Revelation 5:5). Let us be vigilant to shut the roar of the lion that is seeking whom he may devour.

Amos 3:4 (KJV)
4 Will a lion roar in the forest, when he hath no prey? will a young lion cry out of his den, if he have taken nothing?

1 Peter 5:8 (KJV)
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

Luke 21:36 (KJV)
36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

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