Lion of Judah

<p>One of Jesus’s names is the Lion of Judah. But what does this name mean? We have to go way back to the beginning of the Bible for this question, to the book of Genesis. The ancestors of the Israelites’ tribes were the sons of Jacob—who was later called Israel (Genesis 32:24-30). Among these brothers, Judah was elevated to be the brother who would be an ancestor of Jesus, even though Judah wasn’t the firstborn in his family.</p><p>.</p><p>Before this happened, all the sons of Jacob ended up in Egypt when there was a famine. But here’s the shocking part: Joseph, one of the youngest sons, was already there. Years earlier, his brothers had sold him as a slave to Egypt, but, through a series of events with all kinds of twists and turns, Joseph ended up becoming second in command in Egypt. God had given Joseph the ability to interpret dreams, and through this gift, Joseph learned that a famine was coming. Thus, Egypt was prepared and had extra food to share.</p><p>Joseph’s brothers, unaware of what had happened to their brother since they sold him, arrived in Egypt asking for food, but they didn’t recognize Joseph. But Joseph recognized them and put them through an elaborate test: he demanded that Benjamin, the youngest brother, stay in Egypt as a slave. That’s when Judah showed that he had changed: he offered to take Benjamin’s place (Genesis 44). This offer of self-sacrifice also points to the sacrifice that Judah’s descendent—Jesus—would later make. Jesus, who is God, took our place on the cross, and His self-sacrifice fulfilled prophecies of a Savior that are found all throughout the Old Testament.</p><p>.</p><p>Jesus, a descendent of Judah, had victory over His enemies through dying on the cross and rising from the grave. He is a voice for the voiceless and a shelter for those in need. He is our ruler and is the only One with the strength and power to conquer death. Jesus is called the Lion of Judah. The image of a strong and powerful lion is fitting for Jesus as a ruler. A lion is fearsome and is not easily de