Lion And The Lamb

Back in the dark ages, when dinosaurs roamed the earth, and I still had a FB account, there were several videos posted that showed people and animals interacting together in very unusual ways. There was one of a man who raised lions and other large cats and he was so comfortable with them and them with him, that he could literally lay down with them and sleep or even play with them and they treated him like one of their own pride. It was such a beautiful thing to see.

I have also seen various videos where animals,that should be chasing each other, were playing together, such as birds and cats, or dogs and deer, totally oblivious to the idea that they are supposed to be mortal enemies.

Imagine a time when this becomes the norm rather then the exception. Animals that should be afraid of each other interacting together. People intimately involved with creatures that normally would kill them.

Continuing with Isaiah 11,and the themes of the messiah, verse 6-9 give us a picture of G-d's Kingdom, that we have only seen a glimpse of through these video posts.

Isaiah 11:6-9

The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The infant will play near the cobra’s den, and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.

One of my favorite cartoons when I was younger was the story of a wolf and a sheep dog. They would both be seen carrying a lunch bag and would greet each other at the clock, punch in to work, and then have at it. The wolf always trying to steal and eat the sheep and the sheep dog spent his time coming up with ways to stop him. At the end of the day they would punch out say goodnight to each other and head home.

In the verse's above we are told that in the time of the messiah the wolf will live with the lamb. Not kill and eat, not punch into the clock and get chased by a sheep dog, no, they will live together as will the leopard and the goat. The cow and bear will eat the same food ,a child will lead them and will be able to play next to a den of Cobras and not be harmed. This is clearly not the world we live in today, yes there are some notable exceptions, but this will become the norm in the days of the messiah and the kingdom of G-d.

“They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.”

No harm and no destruction on His holy mountain, why? Because the world will be filled with the knowledge of G-d. Not just in some intellectual way but in a truly personal manner; “But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.” Jeremiah 31:34-35

Again, universal peace and universal knowledge of G-d, in the time of the messiah. The wolf will lay down with the lamb and we shall all know G-d. Amen.

Shalom.