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The Lion of
the Tribe of Judah
The lion is an ancient symbol
of royalty. Due to its majesty and power it has long been
considered the “king” of beasts. Its likeness is commonly
found on the thrones and palaces of rulers. It was also
associated with the sun because of its mane.
The lion was the sign of the
Tribe of Judah, because this was the royal tribe of the Hebrew
nation. All kings of Judah were called the “Lion of the Tribe
of Judah” and this was, therefore, one of the titles of King
Solomon.
The Mithraic god Aion had a
human body with a lion’s head. Because of its association with
the sun and its correspondence to the zodiacal sign of Leo,
the lion is also considered a symbol of alchemical fire.
In the Middle Ages, the lion
was also understood as a symbol of resurrection. There were
common tales that the lion cub when born lay dead for three
days until breathed upon by its father and restored to life.
Representation of roaring lions symbolized the resurrection of
the dead on the Last Day.
Article is
copied from the Master Mason Handbook, Masonic Formation
Volume III, page 9 from the Grand Lodge of Free & Accepted
Mason of California
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