Why is Jesus called Lion of the tribe of Judah?

Jesus is often referred

to as the Lion of the tribe of Judah by those that follow the Christian
religion because it is believed that he is a great leader and he will
come back a second time to gather his followers.Sep 8, 2022
What is the symbolism of the Lion of Judah?
In Genesis Chapter 49, Jacob, Judah's father, blesses Judah on his deathbed. He
states that Judah is a like a '"...lion's whelp"', or lion's cub. This symbol would go
on to represent the House of Judah throughout history up to the present time.
The lion would symbolize Judah's power, bravery, success in battle, and
leadership for him and his descendants.

What was the tribe of Judah known for?

The tribe of Judah is known for being a prominent leader in the history of Israel.
Many great kings and leaders would descend from the house of Judah, including
King David, King Solomon and Jesus.

What is the color of the tribe of Judah?

Each of the 12 tribes of Israel had their own color that was equated with natural
stones found in the area. The soldiers of each tribe would incorporate that stone
and color into their armor or shields. The tribe of Judah used a sky blue color.

What is the Lion of Judah?

The Old Testament of the bible reports that as Jacob lay on his deathbed, he gave a blessing to
each of his 12 sons. Each of Jacob's 12 sons would go on to lead the 12 tribes of Israel. When it
came time to bless Judah, his fourth son, he gave a special blessing. According to the New
International Version of the Bible, Genesis 49:9 states: "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?"
The lion is commonly known as the king of animals and is a symbol of strength, power, and
nobility. The lion is used as a symbol over 150 times throughout the bible. Jacob stating that
Judah was like a lion, pointed to the outstanding character with which Judah had led his life, as
well as foreshadowing the success with which Judah's tribe would meet when it came to divine
providence or taking over a large part of the country and leading other tribes. Comparing Judah
to a lion means he will win battles and defeat those that oppose him.
In Judaism, the lion of Judah is a symbol not only of the person Judah and the tribe of Judah but
the entire House of David, David being a direct descendent of Judah and also a future king. Due
to the prolific nature of both the Tribe of Judah and the House of David, the lion became a very
common Jewish symbol. It is often depicted on the Ark of the Covenant, which holds the Torah,
or Jewish Bible, that is read during prayer services in Jewish synagogues.
The lion of Judah also holds tremendous symbolism in Christianity. Jesus is a direct descendent
of the House of David, and is also descended from Judah. In the case of Christian believers, the
lion is the symbol of Jesus when he returns to the earth to gather believers. In the New Testament
of the Bible, in Revelations 5:5, Judah is again tied with the lion, and this time, it extends
through the lineage of Judah to David, then Joseph, then Jesus: "Then one of the elders said to
me, 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." This passage alludes to the fact that Jesus will be the
one that can open the scroll.
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The History of the Tribe of Judah

In 1455 BCE, the Israelites were freed from the slavery of the Egyptians.
According to the bible, the Israelite people would wander the desert for 40 years
before settling in the Promised Land of Canaan in 1405 BCE. The Israelites would
take this land through warfare, and it is believed by many that they were
successful in taking this land through the promise made by Jacob to Judah that
he was the lion of the tribes and would be successful in his conquest to take
over this area. Seven years later, the Israelites would divide the land so each of
Jacob's 12 sons, including Judah, could head their own tribe of Israel. They lived
as one nation for many years united under one king, and each tribe would have
its own freedom and customs including each tribe choosing a color
and gemstone to associate their tribe with. They would wear these colors into
battle so each tribe could be identified. The tribe of Judah used a sky-blue color.

The Tribe of Judah in the Holy Land

It was very unusual for the leadership birthright to be given to a 4th
born son. The entire birthright would customarily be given to the
firstborn son. However, Jacob's first three sons, were noted by
Jacob as being unstable and showing impulsive in his behavior.
When it came to Judah's turn, the 4th born son, Jacob noted that he
would receive all of the leadership birthrights because he had
already won many outstanding victories and proven himself brave
and strong like the lion. Almost all of the future kings of unified
Israel were descendants of Judah, the most famous of these kings
would be King David. King David, King Solomon and Jesus were
all direct members of Judah's lineage. The tribes likely were unified
peacefully under one king due to the need for military alliances in
order to preserve their own tribes. The expansion of the Israelites
toward the areas occupied by the Assyrians was likely to cause
military conflict. Leaders were often chosen based on their military
record and their proven ability to win in a battle. This made the
descendants of Judah likely choices as rulers.
Proverbs 30:30 isn't specifically talking about Jesus as the lion, but He
is called the Lion of Judah, and this verse is empowering if envisioning
Jesus as that mighty lion who retreats before nothing.Jul 9, 2021
The last book of the Bible, called Revelation, tells about the end of history and
the second coming of Christ. In Revelation 5:5, we read this about Jesus:
“Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah has conquered.” Jesus is the Lion of
Judah.Nov 13, 2018
What verse refers to Jesus as a lion?
In our Groundwork series “Jesus: the Lion and the Lamb,” we'll follow
Revelation's purpose and turn our attention to two images of Jesus
presented in Revelation 5:5-6: Jesus, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah and
Jesus, the Lamb who was slain.Jul 5, 2018

Map of Israel under King David

The Decline of Judah
Directly following the reigns of King David and King Solomon, Solomon's s son,
Rehoboam, took the throne and promised reforms in the area that he did not
follow through on. This caused the 12 tribes to rebel and Israel divided into two
distinct kingdoms with two kings. The descendants of Judah and Benjamin
formed one kingdom in the south and called themselves Judah, while the other
ten tribes formed another kingdom in the north and named themselves Israel.
This greatly weakened the power of the Israelites and left them far more
vulnerable to attack. The northern kingdom of Israel was conquered by the
Assyrians in 722 BCE, and just over 100 years later, the southern kingdom of
Judah would be conquered by Babylon in 586 BCE. After this time,
although Judea still existed, it was weaker and was no longer the wealthy
nation it had been in the past.