“Peaceable Kingdom” by Meghan Williams, Dyed4you Art
I’ve always been intrigued by the two animals that symbolize our mighty Savior—the lion and the lamb. As far as Messianic references go, these two animals seem like they couldn’t be more different from one another. One is the fierce king of the jungle, while the other is the docile and innocent vessel of atonement. While the lion and the lamb may seem very different, I believe they perfectly represent the two faces of victory in the Kingdom of Heaven—the two faces of our Messiah. Christ is both suffering servant and conquering king.
Like the Jews of the first century, modern believers look with hope for the Son of David, the one who will set up a godly kingdom that will fill the whole earth. Many of us groan within to see the kingdom of darkness fully expelled by our mighty Warrior King. If His ancestor King David foreshadowed Christ’s second coming, what power can withstand Him when the God of the Universe backs Him?
And yet, as the Lamb, as the sacrifice for our atonement, in many ways Christ has already demonstrated great might. He walked the earth in gentleness and humility. He was a vessel of compassion, healing the sick, raising the dead, and sharing the sweet news of the Kingdom with all who would hear. And most of all, He defeated death forever with one great act of love and self-sacrifice.
In the Kingdom of Heaven, complete victory can look mighty and peaceful all at once. In Scripture, there were times when God called His people to arise in courage and war for the sake of His Kingdom. He would clothe His warriors with physical might through His Spirit. Yet I believe He still calls His people to arise in courage and go to war—yet now with our most powerful weapons in the Spirit that we can often overlook. The kingdom of darkness is no match for traits such as humility, gentleness, selflessness, and love. The weapons of the Spirit may reflect the face of the Lamb, but they most certainly overcome the darkness with the roar of the Lion.
Revelation 5:5-6 (TPT) Then one of the elders said to me, “Stop weeping. Look! The mighty Lion of Judah’s tribe, the root of David—he has conquered! He is the worthy one who can open the scroll and its seven seals.” Then I saw a young Lamb standing in the middle of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders. He appeared to have been slaughtered but was now alive! He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out to the ends of the earth.
