"The Jesus we think of at this time of year is a baby lying in a manger.  But He was also a Lion..."

12-2005

The movie star of the Christmas season this year will most likely be a lion named Aslan, the central figure of C.S. Lewis’ classic The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, opening this December as a new Disney movie.

I wonder, will most people know who Aslan symbolizes? Will people go to the movie thinking of it as just another fantasy action film–or will they see the significance of Aslan?

There was some discussion over whether certain passages from the original story would make the final cut in the movie. I was happy to read a review from Barabara Nicolosi, director of Act One, who was part of the “religious community” invited to an advanced screening. She reports, “I haven't been so eager to see a film since The Passion of the Christ, nor felt the same sense of relief and joy! The movie is lovely...All the scenes you want to see are here and lovingly rendered... Aslan is absolutely discernible as a figure of Jesus—for those who have eyes to see.” ¹

For those who will open their hearts and eyes, there is no mistaking who Aslan is.

First, he’s the Creator, the lion who sings creation (Narnia) into existence:

In the Bible, God spoke creation into existence (“Let there be light”), and later asked, perhaps in His deepest, wildest voice, "Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? ...When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?” (Job 38:4-7).

The Jesus we think of at this time of year is a baby lying in a manger. But Jesus, in the words of the prophets, was also “the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, [who] has conquered.”  He created the world, and was not a “tame lion” at all, defeating sin and death (Revelation 5:5).³ Jesus is the majestic and dangerous Lion who stands as the King of all creation.

In the prophetic book of Revelation, the writer, John, turns to see this majestic Lion. But what he sees instead must have surprised him: “I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain"  (Rev. 5:6).  The Lion was also a Lamb.

Four critical sentences in The Lion, the Witch and Wardrobe surround a scene in which Aslan willingly sacrifices himself for another’s betrayal:

The White Witch: "That human creature is mine. His life is forfeit to me. His blood is my property."

Aslan (later) : "The Witch knew the Deep Magic. But if she could have looked a little further back...she would have known that when a willing victim who had committed no treachery was killed in a traitor's stead, the Table would crack and Death itself would start working backwards."

Lewis’ inspiration for this scene comes straight from the New Testament: “You know that you were ransomed...with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without defect or blemish.” (1 Peter 1:18-19).

First we see Jesus, the babe born in a manger, then a Lion. Now we see the sacrificial Lamb, without treachery, without defect, who died in place of all sinners, the traitors of the world (us), to defeat death.

Narnia was imprisoned by perpetual winter, in need of a rescuer. Jesus saved the world from perpetual darkness, declaring, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life" (John 8:12).

I hope you enjoy the movie. Read the books if you get the chance. They are wonderful stories for this time of year. But most of all, I pray everyone will know who the true Aslan is: the Creator of the universe, the Savior of mankind, and the Light of world. Jesus.

Have a blessed Christmas!
Pastor Ray Bentley

1.Church of the Masses, the Blog of Barbara Nicolosi, churchofthemasses.blogspot.com
2. Lewis, C.S., The Magician’s Nephew, Book 1,The Chronicles of Narnia, HarperCollins Publishers, 1955, pp. 112,113,126.
3.. see also Genesis 49:9-10

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