God calls His people by many names, and each name is meant to reveal to us a truth that we should know about ourselves, or about our God, so that we may better live to His glory.

I found one such name this week. It is a beautiful sounding name; one that is yours if you are God’s child. The name is Ariel. It is another name for Jerusalem, and literally means "lion of God" (Isa. 29:l). Jerusalem and Mount Zion are names of God’s people. They are His city (Isa. 60:14, 62:12, Rev. 3:12, 21:2). 

A lion is a very strong and courageous animal, not afraid of anything (Prov. 30:30), and we as God’s people are called to be the same. The Lord says, "Watch ye, stand fast, quit you like men, be strong" (I Cor. 16:13). 

Satan, as a lion, may go about seeking whom he may devour, but we are the lion of God. Satan is chained and can only advance towards us as God allows for our good (Job 1:12, 2:3, 6). He has shut the lion’s mouth; he no longer can destroy us. He has delivered us from his ruling power, and brought us into His kingdom (Col. 1:13). Let us go forward now, not only treading on Satan, but overcoming the whole world with all its temptations (Psa. 91:13, I Jn. 5:4). 

Lions roar after they kill their prey, and if they have cubs, they tear the prey apart for them to eat it (Nah. 2:12). 

Let us make the world aware of the roar of OUR LION -- THE LION OF JUDAH. He is KING OF ALL, not just the forest. Let us show the world how well He feeds His cubs enabling them to grow to be just as He is (Gen. 49:8-10, I Jn. 4:17, Rev. 5:5). 

Let us make the words of Samson true in our experience. He killed a lion, and later found honey in it, and ate it. He then made up a riddle to see if anyone could figure it out. His riddle was, "Out of the eater came forth meat and out of the strong came forth sweetness" (Judges 14:14). Let us turn the temptations of Satan into meat to feed on, enabling us to grow in grace. Then we shall taste the sweetness that always comes out of the evil that God has purposed for us (II Cor. 4:15-16, Prov. 27:7).

At times God may seem to be a bear or a lion to us, tearing us to pieces as Jeremiah felt when he was under much affliction for long periods of time (Lam. 3:10-11). He said, "My strength and hope is perished from the Lord." But then he remembered that it was because of the Lord’s mercies that he was not consumed – His compassions fail not – 

they are new every morning – great is His faithfulness. The Lord was his portion; He was enough (Lam. 3:18-24). 

Sin made the Lion of Judah sweat, cry, pray, and wrestle with strong supplication (Lk. 22:44, Heb. 5:7). His trial was not a light affliction, but ours will be if we seek Him (Psa. 34:10, II Cor. 4:17-18).

Remember your name Christian. YOU ARE THE LION OF GOD - ARIEL.