Bring Back the Lions?

Do you think if the lions were brought back into use as weapons of persecution towards Christians that there would be as many Christians?

According to Jesus there is a greater persecution that awaits His elect (Mark 13:20). Mark wrote this gospel with persecution in mind and many scholars agree that Mark's gospel is not only an account of one of Peter's disciples but is also a letter of exhortation to the persecuted church.

Keep this in mind.... During the time that Mark wrote his account (ca. 65-70 AD) Roman Colosseum's were just being built and beginning to gain popularity.

The Christians fighting lion's in the Colosseum's for sport did not come for several more years.

Think back to Daniel -- He was placed in a den of lions for what? His faith in the One True God.

The same for early Christians. They were rolled up into the skins of dead animals and used as a filler for the feeding of the lions.

Tacitus writes: "In their very deaths they were made the subjects of sport: for they were covered with the hides of wild beasts, and worried to death by dogs, or nailed to crosses, or set fire to, and when the day waned, burned to serve for the evening lights."


What Jesus said (Mark 13):

“But watch out for yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils, and you will be beaten in the synagogues.

You will be brought before rulers and kings for My sake, for a testimony to them.

But "when" they arrest you and deliver you up......

Now brother will betray brother to death....

and a father his child....

children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death.

And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake.

But he who endures to the end shall be saved.

"who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions" Mk 10:30

‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. 21 But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. 22 If I had not come and spoke to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 He who hates Me hates My Father also. 24 If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father. 25 But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, ‘They hated Me without a cause.’ Jn 15:20-25.

What Paul said:

11 And I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why do I still suffer persecution? Then the offense of the cross has ceased. Ga 5:11.

8 We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— 10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. 11 For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12 So then death is working in us, but life in you. 2 Co 4:8-12.


I am sure none of these people stood up and said, "Hey! Here am I, persecute me!". They trembled in fear, cried out with pain, suffered before their children, were enraged as their children died, wept as their grandparents were dipped and set aflame........... why?

For His Name's Sake.

These early Christians had to understand without a shadow of a doubt that this man for whom they were about to die; this man "Christ" was who He said He was.

If the enemy still used lions, would you still follow Christ?