Behind Lewis's Lions - Searching the Bible for C.S. Lewis's Lions by Mary Tilden

Author:Mary Tilden [Tilden, Mary]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: authority, glory, cs lewis, justice, conquering lion, prophets, lions, evil
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 4: The Coming of the Conquering Lion

Two velvet-footed lions came bouncing into the open space, their eyes fixed upon each other, and started playing some solemn romp.

- C.S. Lewis, The Great Divorce

“I tell you he is the King of the wood and the son of the great Emperor-Beyond-the-Sea. Don’t you know who is the King of Beasts? Aslan is a lion – the Lion, the great Lion.”

- C.S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

Exploring lion symbolism in the Bible has revealed a running theme about the Lion of the tribe of Judah. The representation started with Judah, continued with his lineage, focused on God, and completed with the Lamb. Surely C.S. Lewis had these passages in mind – and possibly only these passages – when writing about Aslan. To see how the old prophets weaved this theme into their books, and to understand why C.S. Lewis might have used them for his fiction, a few examples have been provided.

Finding God in Lewis’s Lions

A meal, lip-smacking and succulent, and a nap, long and restful, likely preceded the frolic between the lions in The Great Divorce. So, satisfied in mind and body, they naturally turned to each other, reveling in each other’s company. A similar relationship exists between the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Fulfilled in His being, each part of the Trinity loves and enjoys the others, as seen in the Son’s prayers to the Father and the Father’s gifts to the Son.

Tea with fauns and battles against evil foes might grab a child’s imagination first, but C.S. Lewis crafted Aslan, the Lord of Narnia, to appeal to children while remaining true to its real-life form. Putting a twist on phrases used to describe God, Lewis made his message clear: Narnia had a God, and he was a lion, the undefeatable Lion. As fitting to the circumstance, Narnia inhabitants paid him homage, claiming his greatness and calling him King.

Meaning behind the Lion’s Roar

Located in the wilderness, a lion’s roar means approaching death. Animals run at the sound, knowing a lion crouches nearby, ready to spring. Like the lion, God speaks for a reason, often to advise repentance before sudden judgment. Read the following Scripture:

•Amos 3:4-8

•Hosea 5:13-14

Called to prophesy, Amos confronted the Israelites as a divinely appointed prosecutor (Apologetics, 2007). The Lord wished for repentance, for the Israelites to turn from their sin. To emphasize the importance of God’s Word, Amos compared his message to a roaring lion. As a lion roars before taking prey, God announces judgment before taking action. Kind and just, God warned the Israelites and asked for corrective action (ESV, 2007). But if they refused to repent, then God would fall on them like a roaring lion falling on its prey (MHC, 1961).

God also gave warning to the Israelites in Hosea 5, telling them to repent of their sins. But they were so immersed in their sin, so comfortable in their unrighteous existence, they refused to repent. Fearing the punishment which their disobedience would bring, they turned to the Assyrians for help.

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