Exegeting the Hymns #14 - The Lion and the Lamb

Lion and the Lamb
w/m - Leeland Mooring, Brenton Brown, Brian Johnson
 
He's coming on the clouds, kings and kingdoms will bow down
And every chain will break, as broken hearts declare His praise
Who can stop the Lord Almighty?
 
Our God is the Lion, the Lion of Judah
He's roaring with power and fighting our battles
And every knee will bow before Him
Our God is the Lamb, the Lamb that was slain
For the sin of the world, His blood breaks the chains
And every knee will bow before the Lion and the Lamb
Oh every knee will bow before the Lion and the Lamb
 
So open up the gates, make way before the King of kings
Our God who comes to save is here to set the captives free
For who can stop the Lord Almighty?
 
Who can stop the Lord Almighty?
Who can stop the Lord Almighty?
Who can stop the Lord Almighty?
Who can stop the Lord Almighty?
 
     This is very solid song from the top 100 that we love to sing at Mount Airy. It aptly describes the fact that Jesus is described as both a Lion and a Lamb. He's coming on the clouds, kings and kingdoms will bow down. It’s interesting that the song actually starts at the end of the story, instead of the beginning. One day, when this world reaches the apex of its sin and wickedness at the end of the Great Tribulation, Jesus will split the skies and return in power and judgment. Revelation 19 describes it this way, “Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The One sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems, and He has a name written that no one knows but Himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which He is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following Him on white horses. From His mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the wine-press of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On His robe and on His thigh, He has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.” This is a far cry from the Son of Man we see hanging on the cross, like a lamb, taking away the sin of the world. The next time He comes, it will be to rule and reign as a Lion.

     And every chain will break, as broken hearts declare His praise. Who can stop the Lord Almighty? When I think of breaking chains, I think of sin that binds us. We know, as Christians that we don’t have to wait for the Lord’s return to be free from the penalty and power of sin. We have that now through the shed blood of Christ. However, when He comes to set up His kingdom and rules and reigns physically here on the earth, He will bind Satan so that the wicked one will have no power over the world’s systems.

     Our God is the Lion, the Lion of Judah. He’s roaring with power and fighting our battles, and every knee will bow before Him. Philippians 2 says, “Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Jesus is LORD and every knee will bow before Him because He is Lord. Too many times, we speak of “making Jesus Lord”, when in reality, He IS Lord, we can either choose to recognize it or not. One day, everyone will recognize it because every knee will bow to Him. I am so glad that Jesus fights my battles. In my power, I have nothing, but I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

     Our God is the Lamb, the Lamb that was slain for the sin of the world, His blood breaks the chains, and every knee will bow before the Lion and the Lamb. Jesus was predestined to go to the cross from before the foundation of the world. He atoned for our sins on the cross so that we would not have to ever pay for them ourselves. The work was done… It is finished! He defeated sin and death and when we call on the name of the Lord to be saved, those chains of sin fall off and we serve Him in freedom.

     The song takes an evangelistic turn here in the second verse. So open up the gates, make way before the King of kings. Our God who comes to save is here to set the captives free. Obviously, this is not speaking of the physical return of Christ, since He has not yet physically returned. God does set captives to sin free even today. There are people who are saved and added to the Kingdom daily. It is such a thrill to see someone repent of their sin and trust in Christ. We rejoice when we see someone give their testimony and be baptized as a sign of what God has done.
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     Who can stop the Lord Almighty? The bridge is simple and a bit repetitive and doesn’t add anything new to the song, other than the chance for the band to build musically, but this does not take away from the wonderful message of this song that shows both sides of the second person of the Trinity, the Lion… AND the Lamb.

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