The symbol of the
Lion of Judah is one of the main Jewish cultural symbols, according to tradition, the symbol of the tribe of Judah, the fourth son of Jacob and his descendants. Judah's symbol is a lion because of the blessing bestowed upon him by his father in the blessing of the sons in the Book of Genesis, in which Jacob calls Judah a Gur Ariyeh (a young lion). This symbol is a national symbol for Israel, shows up in several city flags, such as Jerusalem's, and is a cultural symbol because most of the Jews today are from the tribe of Judah (thus, Judaism).
Also one of the titles of the Solomonic Emperors of Ethiopia, the lion of Judah shows up on a map of the Upper Nile from 1683 in which the lion of Judah is depicted as the Royal Insignia of the Ethiopian empire, by italian Jobi Ludolfi. This Solomonic dynasty was three thousand years long and is patrilineally connected to the Israelite Royal house of Judah. The Lion of Judah was a title passed down through Solomonic Ethiopian emperors, including Haile Selassie, which is why the Rastafarati movement uses the symbol. It was even on the flag of Ethiopia from 1897 to 1974.
According to Christian theology, the Book of Revelation states that the
lion of Judah symbolizes Jesus. "And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof." Christians believe that this refers to the Second Coming. This is why many Christian organizations use the symbol or sometimes even the name.
The common theme is of royalty, dignity and importance. To be a Lion of God is to embody these traits and be a force of respect and unification, with a closeness to God and the royal legacy that comes with the symbol.
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