"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour."
1 Peter 5:8
Part 2
Yesterday:
“Be sober, be vigilant;”
Christians, stay awake, and guard!
“Because your adversary the devil,”
You have an enemy who would destroy you!
Today:
“As a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.”
“A lion.” In the Bible, there are two significant lions spoken of.
The Devil is the “roaring lion” who roars against believers. His roar is, “implying his violent and insatiable thirst for prey as a hungry lion.”[1] He is set on your destruction! His method, intimidation.
Believers fear not! Jesus Christ is the “lion.” Because of His magnificent courage, He is known as “the Lion of the Tribe of Judah.”
“And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book and to loose the seven seals thereof” (Revelation 5:5).
The Devil, that “lion” is our adversary. Jesus Christ, this “Lion” is our “Advocate!” (1 John 2:1).
“Through man’s sin, he [the devil] got God’s justice on his side against us; but Christ, our Advocate, by fulfilling all the demands of justice for us, has made our redemption altogether consistent with justice.” [2]
The devil “walketh about…” He doesn’t stay home, he’s out and about looking for prey.
“The Arabs call him the Busy One” [3] (Vincent).
“And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it” (Job 1:7; 2:2).
“Seeking whom he may devour.” He is tirelessly looking for prey whom he may swallow up! Beware! When Peter wrote these words, he understood what he was saying, for Luke wrote,
“And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren” (Luke 22:31-32).
The Devil is a genuine enemy, our adversary, but do not fear to resist him!
“Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4).
“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7).
[1] Jamison, Fausset, and Brown. Jamison-Fausset-Brown’s Commentary, the electronic version in eSword.
[2] JFB, ibid.
[3] M.R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament, the electronic version in eSword.