New Song – Lion and the Lamb

This song has been so fun to do over the past few weeks! There are so many reasons I love this song. There are some songs that seem easier to sing as a group. Many of those songs for us at South Fellowship tend to be majestic slow building songs. This one is so singable but it’s also upbeat and joyful at the same time. It’s just fun!

The lyrics of this song are my favorite part. Deposited in the words is a beautiful contrast that we see in our God. Scripture describes Jesus as both a lion and as a lamb. What does that mean for us? God is powerful like a lion; he has fangs and claws and rippling muscles that are capable. That means he is able to protect, and capable to fight on behalf of his people.

That is good news for anyone who is on his side. At first glance we might feel satisfied with only that one description of God thinking that we are on God’s side. But if we look closer, we must recall that, “None is righteous, no, not one (Rom 3:10.” If we look also to Romans 5 where it says, “while we were enemies we were reconciled to God.” No one has approached God as a pure and and worthy person. That means the lion is not on your side. This “lion of judah” is on the side of what is good and we are not good. In fact, on our own, we are God’s enemies. Without some radical transformation we are what is wrong with the world and this lion is protecting what is good.

This is where the beautiful balance of the second description comes in. Jesus is also the lamb that was slain. At first we might think the point of this description is to conjure ideas of Jesus being sweet and gentle, maybe even a bit cuddly. For Israel, that is not what a lamb represented. Lambs were an animal of sacrifices for sin. Jesus isn’t just a lamb, he is the “lamb that was slain.” This sacrifice is what opens the doors of the forgiveness, reconciliation, and healing. The blood of the lamb is what pays for the evils that we have done in this world. Jesus being a sacrificed lamb allows us to have the option of being on the same side as the lion.

In C.W. Lewis’ masterful series Chronicles of Narnia Aslan is the good King of Narnia. Aslan also happens to be a huge lion. Before any of the children have met Aslan there is a beautiful dialogue that captures some of the ideas that I am writing about. In this scene Mr. Beaver is telling the children about Aslan.

“Aslan is a lion- the Lion, the great Lion.” “Ooh” said Susan. “I’d thought he was a man. Is he-quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion”…”Safe?” said Mr Beaver …”Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.”

I love that line, “Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good.” This song is all about that. Our God is both a lion, a very unsafe but good lion. He is also a lamb who lays down his life for his enemies so that all of his strength and power can be on our side.

May prayer as we sing this song is that we would remember the beautiful contrast of these two images. May that contrast heighten our appreciation for the Gospel that we have been offered because of the “lamb that was slain.” May we rest in the presence of the Lion of Judah who is strong on our behalf.

Lyrics

Verse 2
Open up the gate make way before the King of Kings
The God who comes to save is here to set the captives free
For who can stop the Lord Almighty

Bridge
Who can stop the Lord Almighty
Who can stop the Lord Almighty
Who can stop the Lord Almighty
Who can stop the Lord