Lions

Lions appear five times in the Bible.

Once before Israel has a king in the book of Judges chapter 14,

Three times during the time of the kings

And once after.

The first time a lion appears during the time of the kings of Israel, it is killing a disobedient prophet that followed another word instead of God’s.

The next time a lion appears, it kills a man who refused to strike someone when told.

And the third time in kings a lion appears there are many lions that are attacking the foreigners who have resettled in the land that did not fear the LORD.

The first time God sent His Word it was through Moses who was not able to enter the promised land due to his disobedience in striking the rock.

The next time, the Word is now flesh, and Jesus refuses to cast the first stone at the adulterous. This, among many other reasons lead to the religious leaders rejection and His death.

And now, we are currently waiting for His return, in which it says He will bring countless thousands of his holy ones to execute judgment on the people of the world.

As for the first and the last occurrences,

The last occurrence in Daniel, the lions devour two of the three commissioners and their families after allowing the other commissioner, Daniel, to pass safely through.

And from the beginning, in the story of Samson, we see it was God’s will for the lion to give up His life so that man might live.

References

Judges 14:5-9 – Samson and the lion

1 Kings 13:14-30 – Disobedient prophet

1 Kings 20:35-36 – Man refuses to strike

2 Kings 17:25-26 – Lions attacking those who did not fear the LORD

Numbers 20:12 – Moses excluded from entering promised land

Deuteronomy 34:5-6 – Death of Moses

Jude 9 – Michael the archangel disputes with the devil about the body of Moses

John 1:14 – Word became flesh

John 8:3-11 – Jesus doesn’t throw the stone

Jude 14 – Coming with countless thousands of His holy ones

Daniel 6 – Daniel and the lions’ den

Zechariah 13:8-9 – “It will come about in all the land,” Declares the LORD, “That two parts in it will be cut off and perish; But the third will be left in it. “And I will bring the third part through the fire, Refine them as silver is refined, And test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, And I will answer them; I will say, ‘They are My people,’ And they will say, ‘The LORD is my God.’”

Acts 2:23 – predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God