The Lion of Judah

"Thousands upon thousands are waiting in the valley of decision. There the day of the Lord will soon arrive. The sun and moon will grow dark, and the stars will no longer shine. The Lord's voice will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem, and the heavens and the earth will shake. But the Lord will be a refuge for his people, a strong fortress for the people of Israel."
(Joel 3:14-16, NLT)

I think this scripture has an ominous feel about it.
I believe we have a supernatural understanding as we read its heavy words.

I would like to look at why the Lord's voice would be described as a roar. Have you ever heard of the term, "Lion of Judah"? I spent some time today connecting the dots and I can't wait to share with you.

First, let's look at Genesis 49:8-12. Jacob is preparing to die and is blessing each of his sons. To Judah he says, "Judah, your brothers will praise you. You will grasp your enemies by the neck. All your relatives will bow before you. Judah, my son, is a young lion that has finished eating its prey. Like a lion he crouches and lies down; like a lioness - who dares to rouse him? The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from his descendants, until the coming of the One to whom it belongs, the one whom all nations will honor. He ties his foal to a grapevine, the colt of his donkey to a choice vine. He washes his clothes in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes. His eyes are darker than wine, and his teeth are whiter than milk."

Oh my goodness. Where to start?
Let's start with the symbolisms:

Judah is a young lion, the offspring of a Lion.
Like a lion he crouches and lies in wait.
The scepter (belonging to a King) will not depart from him.
Nor will the ruler's staff depart until the coming of the One to whom it belongs.
Judah ties his foal (colt) to a grapevine. ("I am the vine, you are the branches," Jesus said.)
His robe is washed in blood ("He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God" ~ Revelation 19:13)

From Genesis and Joel both, a cross reference took me to Revelation. Are you ready? You might want to shout! Here it comes *grin*...

Revelation 5:4,5 reads, "Then I (John) began to weep bitterly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll and read it. But one of the twenty-four elders said to me, 'Stop weeping! Look, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the heir to David's throne, has won the victory. He is worthy to open the scroll and its seven seals.'"

The Lion of Judah is worthy!
Jesus Christ, the Word of God, is worthy!

His voice roars out of Zion as He reclaims His children.

The Lion of Judah is of the Root of David. Think of the most majestic tree in the forest. Picture its tap root - the root that sustains it and connects it to the underground stream. Then picture the tree as the family tree of King David. Can you see it? The Lion of Judah is the tap root of the lineage of David that eventually brought forth Jesus, the Son of God.

"I and my Father are one," said Jesus.

The Lion of Judah.
Follow the roar to find your way home.

Father, I ask You to open the eyes of our heart to understand these scriptures. Please clear up anything that I blurred in my haste to keep it short. This is such an awesome image. Our minds cannot conceive of Your majesty, Your holiness. Thank You, Lord for giving us a glimpse, a taste of that glorious Day when You come to take Your children home. Lord, You are beautiful beyond description, more wonderful than words. We love You, Lord and give You praise.