Jesus Centered Bible – questions and answers category goes through the questions given throughout the New Testament of the Bible I use and I give my answers and thoughts. Always, feel free to comment your thoughts and your own answers to these questions!

The question

Why has Jesus left “the roaring lion” in the world – if that “lion” has been defeated, why does Jesus let Him stay? Referenced in 1 Peter 5:8-9.

The answer

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.

1 Peter 5:8-9

This is a hard question. Why would Jesus permit this lion in particular to stay? He could just wipe him out. God is the most powerful here. I don’t think I’m going to get to a definite answer and really, no one probably can. The most we can do is believe that all that we don’t understand about God is limitless and whatever His plan is, it has a purpose. Whether we understand or agree with that purpose is a different matter and in the eyes of God, possibly even irrelevant.

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Jesus conquering death was more than just some end to all of the evil – obviously since evil is still present in our world today.

We don’t have to worry with Jesus on our side (or rather, when we’re on His side) because the work has already been done.

The real issue is that we are here after Jesus suffered in many forms. To follow Him, we must also walk a similar path and there will be trials, tribulations and things that are unique to our journeys. The devil is active so we must be on watch. We’re being tested and it’s possible that we can stumble and more than likely we will at some point.

I’d like to ask just why the devil is a lion here in this passage. Lions are scary and rightfully so.

Not all lions are scary though. It’s a different kind of fear, depending on what lion you actually mean.

He is also referred to as a lion. In the Chronicles of Narnia, Aslan is the lion who represents Jesus. It’s important to remember that when one object can be portrayed on opposing aisles, it’s a matter of just who you are listening to when they roar.

In this case, I don’t have a solid grasp on this to talk on the lion staying here by Jesus’s will. We can rest though (maybe like Jesus did in the boat during a storm???) even when the lion is on the prowl because we have a greater Lion in our midst who we lean on.

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Do you have anything to add?