Let's Take a Look at Lions in the Bible Quiz

Answer: Jacob

Jacob, on his death bed, referred to Judah as a lion, as per Genesis 49:9. In the verse, Jacob states: "Judah is a lion's whelp; from the prey, my son, you have gone up. He bows down, he lies down as a lion; and as a lion, who shall rouse him?"

Judah's mother was Leah, as per Genesis 35:23. Scripture states Leah gave birth to five other boys and one girl. Their names were Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Issachar, Zebulun and Dinah.

Answer: Samson

Samson is the correct answer, as per Judges 14:5-6. According to the verses, a young lion came roaring against Samson when "the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him." The verses state he tore the lion apart with his bare hands, "as one would have torn apart a young goat."

Samson, a judge of Israel, was known for his Herculean strength. However, he ended up being betrayed by his lover Delilah and became a prisoner of the Philistines, the arch enemies of the Israelites.

Answer: Daniel

The account of Daniel in the lions' den is found in Daniel 6, with Verse 17 stating the entrance to the den was closed with a stone. Scripture states Daniel was thrown into the lions' den because he bowed and prayed to God, even though there was a decree citizens should petition only King Darius and no one else.

To the king's amazement, however, Daniel was not harmed when he spent a night in the lions' den. In Daniel 4:21, Daniel proclaims he was able to survive because, "My God sent His angel and shut the lions' mouths, so that they have not hurt me, because I was found innocent before Him."

Answer: Benaiah

1 Chronicles 11:22 tells of Benaiah, one of David's Mighty Men, killing a lion "in the midst of a pit on a snowy day."

Benaiah, it appears, was an unstoppable warrior who battled on behalf of David.

According to Scripture, he also killed killed two "lion-like heroes of Moab" and an Egyptian man "of great height." In fact, Scripture states the man stood five cubits tall. According to notes in the NIV Study Bible, five cubits is the equivalent of about seven feet six inches, or about 2.3 meters.

Answer: Saul and Jonathan

David described King Saul and his son Jonathan as being stronger than lions, as per 2 Samuel 1:23. The verse is part of a song of lament David made after Saul and Jonathan died on the battlefield. David's lament is found in 2 Samuel 1:17-27.

Verses 23-25 state in the NKJV:
"Saul and Jonathan were beloved and pleasant in their lives,
And in their death they were not divided;
They were swifter than eagles,
They were stronger than lions.
O daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,
Who clothed you in scarlet, with luxury;
Who put ornaments of gold on your apparel.
How the mighty have fallen in the midst of the battle!"

Even though Saul was deeply jealous of David and spent a considerable part of his life attempting to kill him, David harbored no ill feelings for Saul. Meanwhile, Saul's son Jonathan was David's best friend.

Answer: David

1 Samuel 17 provides an account of David telling a dubious King Saul that he was ready to battle the Philistine giant Goliath. In Verse 33, Saul flatly stated David was no match for Goliath because he was a youth and the Philistine was "a man of war from his youth."

Verses 34-36 tell of David's response to Saul: "Your servant used to keep his father's sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it. Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God."

In Verse 37, a highly confident David tells Saul the LORD who delivered him from the lion and the bear would deliver him from the hand of Goliath.

Saul reluctantly granted approval for David to face Goliath and the rest, as they say, is history.

Answer: Joel

Joel is the correct answer as per Joel 1:4-6. Much of the first chapter of Joel is about the land of being laid waste by locusts with lion's teeth. However, many scholars believe the locusts represent attacking armies.

Joel was the son of Pethuel but not much is known about the prophet, apart from the fact his name means "The Lord is God."

Answer: John

John, the writer of the Book of Revelation, is the correct answer. In Revelation 4:6-7, John tells of having a vision of "four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back" being in the midst of the throne of God.

The first creature was like a lion, while the second was like a calf, the third like a man and the fourth like a flying eagle.

Tradition holds that John, the writer of Revelation, was one of the original Twelve Disciples.

Answer: Satan

Satan is described as a roaring lion in 1 Peter 5:8. The verse in the NKJV states, "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour."

Tradition holds the epistles 1 and 2 Peter were written by Peter, one of the original Twelve Disciples.

Answer: Revelation

The term Lion of the tribe of Judah is found in Revelation 5:5, as well as Hosea 5:14-15 in the Old Testament.

In blessing his twelve sons, Jacob had a number of things to state about Judah, referring to him as a lion, as per Genesis 49:8-12. As a result, many Christians believe the term Lion of the tribe of Judah is a direct reference to Jesus Christ.

Hosea 5:14-15 states:
"For I will be like a lion to Ephraim,
And like a young lion to the house of Judah.
I, even I, will tear them and go away;
I will take them away, and no one shall rescue.
I will return again to My place
Till they acknowledge their offense.
Then they will seek My face;
In their affliction they will earnestly seek Me."

Meanwhile, Revelation 5:4-5 states:
"So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it. But one of the elders said to me, 'Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals'."

Judah is also included in the genealogy of Christ in Matthew 1 and Luke 3.