The Splendour of the King

Last night the English football team won 4-0! A magnificent victory! Each player wore 3 lions on his shirt…

Musing on football, 3 (Bible stories about) lions, and a song we often sing in church.

The splendour of the King, clothed in majesty
Let all the earth rejoice…

Strong man Samson: ‘…suddenly a lion came roaring towards him. The Spirit of the Lord came upon him in power so that he tore the lion apart with his bare hands…’ (Judges 14)

Samson teaches us that sometimes we must face and confront our problems. God-given strength is big enough for big problems; the God-King is stronger and more powerful than ‘the king of the jungle’ or any human power.

How great is our God, all will see how great
How great is our God.

Old man Daniel is thrown in a lion’s den: ‘My God sent his angel and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me.’ (Daniel 6)

Daniel believed in and trusted his God whatever the consequences. Daniel was faithful to his God; God protected him from apparently dangerous lions in a very public way – seen by all.

The God-head three in one, Father, Spirit, Son
The lion and the lamb, the lion and the lamb

Jesus is in heaven, and in complex imagery is seen as a lion… but also a lamb: ‘See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah… has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and it’s seven seals. Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain…’ (Revelation 5)

I don’t know how England will do in the semi-finals on Wednesday against Denmark, but I do believe that Jesus, the powerful Lion who provides strength and protection now, will open the pages of an my unknown future, and in final resolution for the world.

How great is our God, all will see how great
How great is our God.