Revelations 5:5

Written on 12/11/2017
Teddy Gebretsadik

“Then one of the elders said to me, “Stop weeping! Look, the Li
David, has conquered;”

(Revelation 5:5 NET)

When you see a Lion’s cub in a zoo it’s cute and adorable but w
when you see that same cute and adorable lion in the wilderness
the context is different, you know this cub is not alone, its mother
somewhere nearby ready to strike at any thing that she conceive
see in the early church is that we see the Lion of Judah an
Roman empire for as the Roman government tried to attack
multitudes more to the point that one theologian said “As often
more we grow in numbers; the blood of the Christians is the seed

Now What characteristic traits come to mind when you think of a

and that is exactly what defines the christians in the early church
christians as examples lets look at christianity in that period.

Christianity at the crossroads

The 2nd century was a sort of a crossroad for christianity as it tra

know it today many of the things that we think of when we think of
such as christianity being based on a set of beliefs rather th
ethnicity.

In the first century religion was centered on a nation or ethnicity

deities are known by the nation that worships them such Greek
could worship these gods and still remain gentile on the other
religion went even farther and expected gentiles to become Jew
wanted to worship Yahweh you had to live like a Jew otherwise i
christianity on the other hand came up with an innovative conce
that being a deity that could be worshipped regardless of the co
same city Jesus could be worshipped in one house church by Je
couple of blocks away you have a gentile house church where g
deity.

Besides christianity being multicultural it was also a very exclu

denied their existence and christians refused to participate in th
this would have been perceived as nothing less than treaso
participation of festivals and worship of the gods were for the we
a group of people made up of predominantly slaves and women, w
thought of as bringing instability to the empire as a whole. christ
have been viewed as a capital offense susceptive to prosecution
what happened. In the beginning christianity was not severely
found to be a christian they would have been asked to abandon
christianity grew persecution became more and more severe . So
was to say the least very dangerous and yet the Lion of Judah
went until He outlasted many emperors and kings that tried to des

Lion’s Cub from Antioch

“I write to all the churches, and I bid all men know, that of my ow
should hinder me. I exhort you, be ye not an unseasonable kind
wild beasts, for through them I can attain unto God. I am God’s w
of wild beasts that I may be found pure bread of Christ” Ignatius o

On his way to Rome to be martyred Ignatius a bishop of one of t

christianity that being the church of Antioch writes a letter to th
them that they desist from trying to exonerate him from execut
pray and plead with God that his execution be certain.

He writes “May I enjoy the wild beasts that are prepared for me;
to rush upon me, which also I will entice to devour me speedily,
whom, out of fear, they have not touched. But if they be unwilling
do so. Pardon me [in this]: I know what is for my benefit. Now I be
of things visible or invisible, envy me that I should attain to Jesus

For Ignatius a disciple is one who is willing to forsake all things

Jesus Christ, a disciple is only as good as what he has forsak
disciple if he has not forsaken that which will cost him for the on
that Ignatius reminds us to keep in mind, Sure you can follow Jes
follows Jesus but is one who will at any cost attain to Jesus Christ

A Baby Cub from Carthage

Perpetua was a young new believer who just had gotten married
living in Carthage which would be modern day Tunisia, She was
taking classes on discipleship when she was arrested for being a
her execution.
She recounts what happens next in her own words, “While we
father both desired to agitate me with words and persevered i
because of his affection: “Father,” I said, “for example, do you se
jug or other?” And he said, “I see it.” And I said to him: “Is it possi
what it is?” And he said: “No.” “So I am also unable to call m
Christian.”

For this young new believer her identity was not tied to her fa
baby instead it was tied only to the God she served and fell in l
like sweet nectar that she could not wait to taste with her life
sentenced us all and condemned us to the wild beasts; and we ch
your self denial, forsaking all identity except the one identity th
cheerful walk to your cross or a prison sentence?

Conclusion

Many Christians desire to be courages and bold and live like on

are attainable only if we seek to attain Christ and know who we a
who he is and one who does not seek to attain Christ with
christian.Make no mistake about it attaining Christ and living li
always fulfilling.