Hello and welcome to Van Life Devotions. We are in Egypt and behind me is The Great Sphinx of Giza. Estimated to be as old as 4,500 years, this Great Sphinx located in the Giza plateau, on the west bank of the River Nile, around a half-hour drive west of Cairo. It measures 73 metres high and 73 metres long. It was originally cut from the bedrock but has since been restored with layers of limestone blocks. It is the largest surviving statue from the ancient world.
It is a mythical creature with the head of a human, probably pharaoh Khafre, and the body of a lion. Over the years, Egyptian rulers worshiped this mysterious sphinx as a powerful form of sun god.
A few hundred years after this human/lion creature was carved, another human was given a title of lion. The mighty Jacob in Genesis called his twelve sons together. He was dying and was giving his blessings to his twelve sons, one of whom was Judah. And this is what he said to Judah in Genesis 49 verses 9 to 10: “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 scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until he to whom it belongs shall come and the obedience of the nations shall be his” (Genesis 49:9-10 NIV).
Jacob used the imagery of a lion to refer to this ruler. Lions are strong and powerful. The Lion of Judah was used as a Jewish symbol for many years, and as Jerusalem was the capital of the Kingdom of Judah, in 1950 when the state of Israel was created, the lion was included in the Emblem of Jerusalem. Jacob’s blessing to Judah was also a prophetic message that One would come from his tribe and would reign forever.
In Revelation, John was given a vision of who this will be. In chapter 5 verse 5, it says, “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”(Revelation 5:5 NIV). The Lion from the tribe of Judah is our Lord Jesus Christ who in the Last Days will come strong and powerful and will triumph over evil.
Incredible to think that for hundreds of years after this human/lion creature was carved and worshipped as a powerful form of sun god, Jacob prophesied that from Jacob’s Tribe will come the Lion of the tribe of Judah, who is the Son of God, and that He will be victorious over evil.
The worship of this Sphinx has long ceased. The worship of Jesus Christ continues to grow.
Let’s Pray.
Dear God, thank you for your Son Jesus Christ who has triumphed over the cross and will one day come in all glory to win the final battle and establish His new kingdom with all who follow as Your children. O God, preserve us who travel; surround us with your loving care; protect us from every danger; and bring us in safety to our journey’s end; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
David Moyes
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