When I was a boy, I thought the St. Louis zoo was the most wonderful place. The acts of the trained animals were especially exciting. There were lion, elephant and monkey shows. My parents used to take us boys there, but how glad we were when they said we were old enough to go alone. Now we could look at just the things we wanted to see.
We were at the lion show and the trainer had just stepped into the arena. A gate opened and the announcer shouted out the names of the lions as they ran in.
“That’s Suzy, and that’s King!”
The big male lion faced the trainer proudly. Cracking his whip the trainer approached the big beast. King backed off with a growl, and slowly the man forced him toward the rear wall.
“Up!” he commanded.
The lion obeyed and leaped up onto a large stand six feet high. Soon Suzy was up on another stand beside him.
“Now we’re going to do what can’t be done!” shouted the announcer. “The lion and tiger are mortal enemies, and if they are put into the same cage, they will fight to the death. But our animals are so well—trained that we are going to bring tigers into the lion arena today!”
Another door clicked open and three tigers leaped into the arena. They, too, were huge beasts; and in spite of the excellent training they were supposed to have, to me they seemed fearfully wild. In spite of the trainer’s attempts to control them, one of the tigers continued to run around wildly.
Finally the tiger ran too close to where the big male lion was crouched and watching. With a loud growl King jumped down on top of the tiger and pinned him to the floor. Then I witnessed my first and only lion and tiger fight. There were the two huge cats battling each other, the lion standing over the tiger and biting at him.
The trainer was terribly excited. He tried to hit the lion with his whip, but in his excitement he struck the floor and it broke in his hand. Grabbing a big stick he really laid it on the big lion who finally gave up the battle. The trainer proved he was master.
Instead of King fighting back at his trainer, he ran off. In the mean time zoo keepers had opened side doors, and the big cats all ran to their respective cages, except one tiger who stayed and did a few tricks before the show came to an early closing.
Years have passed, but I often think of that lion and tiger battle. Each time it reminds me that the millennium, that blessed reign of peace and rest when the Lord Jesus shall rule over this whole earth, has not yet come. But in that day the creatures God has made, now suffering because of man’s sin, shall no longer fight each other.
In the meantime we have a great enemy we do well to fear. The Bible tells us to “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” (1 Peter 5:88Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: (1 Peter 5:8).)
When that big lion leaped on that tiger, he would have killed him had not the trainer come to his rescue.
Now Satan tempted man to sin in the garden, and so wields the power of death over man because death is the result of sin. However, the Lord Jesus came into this world to save sinners like you and me. By His death and resurrection he has overcome the power of Satan, for all those who by faith trust Him as their Saviour. Christ died for sin upon the cross, and now God offers forgiveness to all who believe in Jesus. He has taken Satan’s weapon out of his hand and we need not fear Him any more. Christ Jesus is his Master: he is defeated.
May each one who reads this be able to say “Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Cor. 15:5757But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:57).
ML-03/18/1979