The King arises ....

In a celebrated wildlife DVD, a cobra bit a lioness and her cubs. The cubs died and she was left to work poison through her system and grief through her heart. She received no help because hers was a personal struggle that she had to win to reclaim her place in the pride.

Hyenas worried her for ten days as she fought to regain her health and recover. As the season of struggle continued, she slowly regained strength to make a full recovery. She triumphed over the serpent and the hyenas.

Hyenas are good archetypes of the demonic, opressive, spiritual forces that worry, persecute, frustrate and hound believers.

Soon after this, the lioness was watching one of the big males of her pride move through a clearing, marking pride boundaries. The spiritual principles are so clear, for the essence of our spiritual struggle is to enter our heritage, establish our boundaries and come to a place of certainty and rest, something that Satan will opppose furiously

The large matriarch of the hyenas that had once troubled her, followed the Lion and scratched at his markings. This was an open challenge of his territorial claims and the claims of the pride.

The weak lioness saw this. In light of her recent struggle, something exploded in her. She started chasing the hyena. Just then, the dominant male in her pride entered the clearing, some distance behind her own position in the charge.

He quickly summed up the situation and knew she was not yet ready to hold such a charge. But more because of the offence and the fact that she had already borne enough sorrow, He charged. Within moments he overhauled her - it was no longer her fight, but a contest between the King and his "eternal enemy". Bounding through the air in mighty leaps and with an awesome display of power, the huge male bore down on a deeply frightened and regretful hyena.

A hyena is no sloth and is also a very effective hunter, but she was no match for a big lion at full flight. He closed the distance and with one, well-timed swipe of his mighty paw, broke the hyena's back. The King had spoken .... that is why few hyenas would dare get in the way of a male lion.

There is and has been a hounding of believers, a season of many struggles of diverse kinds that has been on the church. It reflects what ancient Israel contuously faced at the hands of the neighbouring Philistines: a persistent badgering that mindlessly undermines the resolve of God's people and leaves them in despair.

But the time will come in every cycle of crisis, when the King will arise, overtake us and haul in our immortal enemies to drive them away. The King will arise, He will have the final word ... for the shout of a King is amongst us and to they that overcome will be given the prize reserved for the faithful.

Jesus is not some tame Lion, to be domesticated within our religious, cultured, safe contexts. Like Aslan of Narnia, He is the mighty lion who appears in the fullness of time to break the cycle and end our struggles.

Arise, Shine, for your light has come and the glory of the lord is risen on you: Isaiah 60:1.

(c) Peter Eleazar at http://www.bethelstone.com/