Child's Life Threatened By Mangy Lion
In this dream I was coming out of a building with a group of people. We had been at some sort of seminar, but I didn't recognize anyone in the group. As we were walking out under a long awning, I saw right in front of us a large but thin and mangy looking male lion prowling down the middle of street. He saw the group, but paid no attention to us. As he looked for prey, the lion saw some children playing unsupervised. They were directly in front of him and to our left. As he started to stalk them, they all scattered to get away from him. The lion picked out one young boy as his victim and I could see that he would quickly kill the child if someone didn't stop him. I yelled really loud; not a word, but a noise. The lion turned toward us and the group groaned, gasped in fear, and shirked back. It was clear that they were distraught by my bringing the lion's attention to our position. When the lion saw the group was not going to stop him, he quickly turned back to his original course and again went after the child.
The lion had nearly caught the child when I yelled really loud for a second time. Again the agitated lion turned from his pursuit of the boy and came toward us. The group had the exact same cowardly reaction as the first time. The large animal seeing we were no real threat turned back towards the boy and again began hunting him down. I felt I had to do something to distract the lion away from the child. Since the people didn't seem to share my conviction to help him, and I felt that I shouldn't endanger them further, I decided I needed to leave the group and divert the lion on my own. However, as I stepped out from under the awning and began to cross the street, I immediately became the mangy lion's targeted prey! It had become increasingly aggravated by my diverting it from its intended victim and swiftly came at me. I hurried back into the group under the awning and the mangy lion turned back to attack the boy for the fourth and surely final time. I felt if I yelled another time the group might abandon me to the lion, but if I didn't the boy would be devoured right in front of us. I had no idea what to do to save him.
Suddenly, from out of nowhere, another lion leaped in with a man riding on his back. This lion was majestic! He was very fit, had clean gracefully flowing fur, and was adorned with a beautifully jeweled, golden saddle. The man riding the magnificent lion swiftly withdrew his sword and killed the mangy lion before it could come any closer to the child. Praise God! I woke up feeling such deep relief and joy! I was thanking God for that child's salvation. As we know, God is rarely early but He is always on time!
Interpretation:
The group of people 'under an awning' would appear to represent an assembly of people under the same protection. Most likely a church group, but there was no clear leader. It may have been because we had come together for a seminar. We had been inside learning, but when we came out and were faced with the enemy, we as a group did not know what to do. [2 Tim 3:7] It could be that the group is more symbolic of the 'church' in general. (Referring here to believers of all Christian denominational backgrounds.)
The mangy lion would be Satan roaming the earth to see who he can devour. [1 Peter 5:8] He was boldly walking down the middle of the street for anyone to see which exposes that he has been left unchallenged for the most part. When he was only slightly confronted, the lion threatened the group in such a manner that not only frighten them, but also caused them turn on the person who exposed the enemy's ploy. (Kill the messenger!) Theirs was a typical human reaction when comfort and safety are threatened. The lion never really made a truly aggressive attack toward the group. The way he came skulking towards us was more to intimidate us to inaction than to actually harm us. I believe he was making sure we were not going to get between him and his intended victim. He was concealing that he was, in reality, afraid of the group and stopped us from confronting him by using intimidation. This would reveal that many demonic attacks are designed to frighten us just enough to keep us at bay, so they are free to ravage the weak. Satan hopes he can seem so menacing that we will totally withdraw our assault against him and his cohorts. We are further led to believe (by our own flesh), that if we don't challenge the approaching lion and stay in our area of comfort, we will be alright. To me, this borders on debauchery. We do need to stay together, and there is comfort in that, however, we also need to come together to protect those who are too weak to protect themselves. The lion was distracted from his intended kill by only one voice. Can you imagine how quickly he would have fled the scene had everyone joined together and started yelling at him? If he would have gotten that child, he surely would have returned for more! (This may have been why he was so bold in the first place.) We need to learn to attack the enemy on a united front and protect God's children!
The unsupervised children seem to be symbolic of; A) lost sheep [Luke 15:4-7 and Matt 18:10-14] B) Those who are young or immature in the Lord and have yet to find spiritual covering - orphans of the Lord so to speak. [1 Co 4:15] C) The children that some have forbid to come to Christ [Matt 19:13]
The boy singled out by the lion seems symbolic of one of these children at their weakest, but I believe any of those children would have been an easy target.
I believe that yelling was a type of intercession the man of God heard and understood that he needed to take action. [Rom 8:26, 27] It being a noise was more like a trumpet was blown or an alarm was sounded. [Joel 2:1]
My choosing to leave the group while the enemy was afoot was a foolish and dangerous thing to do. Much to my dismay, even though the enemy was thin and mangy, I was no match against him on my own. [Jude 9] Though I recognized something had to be done, in the end I realized I was not going to be able to save that child without help. This reveals that when we get outside a group of believers we become easy prey for the enemy. God does not call us out in the middle of a battle. If we are to leave a group we are not to leave during times of conflict but during times of peace. Even though the group did not come to the aid of the child or react the way I thought they should, I became the target when I stepped away from the safety of fellowship. [Proverbs 11:14, Heb 10:25] I was protected when I came back under the awning and stood with them. [Eph 6:13]
At first I thought the man and the lion were both Jesus. However, as I reflect on this dream I believe that the regal lion is Jesus; the Lion of the Tribe of Judah and the man is one who has been chosen to serve the Lord as a protector of His flock. This man of God is symbolic of those who ride or operate in the power of God, who have been chosen by Him, have learned to wield the sword of the Spirit, and know how and when to protect the lost sheep. When the majestic Lion of the Tribe of Judah came in carrying the man of God, he withdrew his sword, which is the word of God, and he killed the enemy! [Eph 6:17] Christ, the word made flesh, in the man is what brought the victory! It takes men and women of God who not only know how to wield the sword to beat such a foe, but they must be given the authority by God to ride atop the Lion of Judah to lead Christ's church. It would be dangerous to sit in that saddle presumptuously. This is a place only the King of kings can grant! It would also seem prudent to point out that it would be unwise to be in direct opposition to such a God-appointed person.
I believe the ending of this dream reveals that it will take strong leaders who operate in godly power to teach the body of Christ how to wield the sword and to show that the body of Christ that we are already more than conquerors. [Rom 8:37] This way it won't matter what we are engaged in doing or what group we are among when attacks come. We will all (Christians of all denominations) know what to do and we will be more than able to stand victorious in Christ. [Matt 11:12] The enemy being utterly destroyed, not just distracted, was the work of a true commander. Those who ride in Christ's authority take note.
To God be all the glory!
Judy
