What comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb? Revelation 5!
In the apostle John’s vision of the heavenly throne room, he weeps and weeps because no one is worthy to open the scroll containing God’s plan for establishing his kingdom on earth (v. 4). But then he receives word that the Lion of the tribe of Judah is able to open the scroll (v. 5). However, John sees a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain (v. 6).
The slain-lamb image will be familiar to most readers of Scripture. It recalls the Passover lamb, as well as the words of John the Baptist when he first sees Jesus: “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29, NIV). But what is the origin of the image of the Lion of the tribe of Judah? The answer lies in an obscure yet stunning passage in the first book of the Bible: Genesis 49:8–12.
Let’s take a moment to understand the origin of the Lion of Judah and see how the Bible’s story climaxes in Jesus Christ.
What Will Happen in the Days to Come?
When Jacob is about to die, he calls for his sons and says, “Gather around so I can tell you what will happen to you in the days to come” (Gen. 49:1, NIV). Jacob speaks prophetically, providing insight into God’s fulfillment of his promise to bless all families of the earth through Abraham’s offspring. This is a major theme of Genesis, so Jacob’s prophecy is significant for the developing story of Scripture.
As Jacob begins to prophesy, he castigates Reuben (vv. 3–4) for an act of defiance (see 35:22) and blasts Simeon and Levi (49:5–7) for an act of violence (see Gen. 34).
We can only imagine what Judah is thinking when his father calls his name. Judah has his own sordid past. He abandoned his brothers and married a Canaanite (38:1–2). Then he slept with his daughter-in-law when she disguised herself as a prostitute (vv. 13–19). Later, Judah demonstrated repentance by taking responsibility for his younger brother, Benjamin (44:18–34). Still, Judah has good reason to worry about his father’s response. But if he expects his father to excoriate him, as Jacob had done to the first three sons, Judah is in for a surprise.
Jacob’s Words to Judah
Jacob began his words to Judah, whose name means “praise,” by saying that “[his] brothers will praise [him],” that he will triumph over his enemies, and that “[his] father’s sons will bow down to [him]” (49:8, NIV). The latter detail is surprising given that Jacob’s sons had previously bowed down to Joseph (42:6; 43:26, 28).
Then Jacob uses a series of images to liken Judah to a fierce lion that seizes his prey, returns to his den, and dares anyone to disturb him:
You are a lion’s cub, Judah;
you return from the prey, my son.
Like a lion he crouches and lies down,
like a lioness—who dares to rouse him? (49:9, NIV)
This sets up a spectacular statement—one that Judah could not have fully grasped. In verse 10, Jacob says,
The scepter will not depart from Judah,
nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet,
until he to whom it belongs shall come
and the obedience of the nations shall be his. (NIV)
The scepter and the ruler’s staff are symbols of kingship. Thus, Judah is the source of a dynasty—a line of kings. The words “until he to whom it belongs” translate the Hebrew expression shiloh. Translators differ on its meaning.
If he expects his father to excoriate him, as Jacob had done to the first three sons, Judah is in for a surprise.
It refers either to the city of Shiloh (KJV, NKJV, NASB), to tribute brought to this ruler-king (ESV, NRSV, NJB), or to the coming of this One to whom the scepter and staff belong (NIV, CSB, NET). Whatever option is best, verse 10 has long been understood as a prophecy of the Messiah. This conclusion goes back as far as the Commentaries on Genesis discovered in the Dead Sea Scrolls.
Finally, Jacob wraps up his prophecy by describing the effects of this ruler in Judah’s line. Verse 11 reflects outlandish prosperity. Ordinarily, no wise king would tether his animals to vines and branches where they could eat the fruit. Nor would he wash garments in expensive wine—any more than you would discard your used chewing gum in a hundred-dollar bill rather than in a Kleenex. The images in verse 12—eyes darker than wine and teeth whiter than milk—speak either of this ruler’s beauty or the effects of prosperity.
Jacob’s prophecy, then, anticipates a king in Judah’s line whose rule will be extraordinarily powerful and prosperous.
Lion and Scroll
Although there are subtle allusions to this messianic prophecy in the New Testament (e.g., Matt. 21:2; Rom. 15:18; Heb. 7:14), it’s not directly referenced until the Bible’s final book. As noted earlier, the apostle John weeps at the prospect that no one is worthy to open the scroll and thereby to set in motion God’s plan for bringing judgment and salvation to the world (Rev. 5:1–4).
Jacob’s prophecy anticipates a king in Judah’s line whose rule will be extraordinarily powerful and prosperous.
But in a great reversal of fortune, one of the elders says to John, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals” (v. 5, NIV). The great Lion-King has come!
Then, just as quickly as the powerful Lion appears, the imagery shifts to a slain Lamb, indicating the Messiah’s triumph is due to his sacrificial death.
The prophecy in Genesis 49:8–12 and its fulfillment in Revelation 5:1–5 assure us that God’s Messiah will triumph—even when the promise seems to lie dormant or seems unlikely to materialize. God’s plan to bring blessing to all families of the earth through Abraham’s offspring has initially been fulfilled and will be completely fulfilled at the second coming. To borrow C. S. Lewis’s words, “Aslan is on the move!”
