The Lion of Judah is roaring across Africa

There’s a sound and it’s rising like a fire
It’s the King and He’s coming in His power
He won’t stop ’till we see His Kingdom come
He’s coming now

Those are the opening lines of Lion of Judah one of the songs on Breakthru Worship’s album Kingdom Come which was launched at the Kingdom Come SA conference in Johannesburg last week.

As some 3 000 of us from various parts of South Africa sang the rousing Zulu chorus — Bhodla Ngonyama yakwa Juda phezukwesizwe (Roar Lion of Judah over this nation) — artists on the platform were painting. They were painting lions. And on days two and three of the conference more lions were painted.

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Clearly there was a message. And it intrigued me, as lions were already on my radar. The lion of Judah had been highlighted to me in my own quiet time devotions, and I had recently reported on a gathering where shofar blasts were videoed but when the video was played it sounded like a roaring lion, and we recently posted a report about a new worship movement called Roar Worship.

I asked Lisa Crumpton about the lions. Lisa, who heads up prophetic arts at Breakthru Life Church which hosted the conference, said that over the past few months the church’s artists had been inspired by the Lion of Judah song which carries a “great harmony”  between its lyrics and its strong African rhythm. The song itself, which was written by the Breakthru Worship team, was inspired by a Lion of Judah poem by team member Minette Keeve.

“We knew that the CD was going to be released and as a company of artists I think that was the inspiration, really knowing that our nation has a King that is in authority and that authority is known — hence the roar.

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“And I think that when the creatives come together doing what they know to do best, whether its music or visually or dance, there is a harmony that is a voice beyond words. I think that’s what’s happened among this group of people,” said Lisa.

The main speakers at the conference were Bethel Church leaders Bill and Eric Johnson and Jesus Culture founder and manager Banning Liebscher. Despite their US nationality their messages were relevant to the tangible hunger in the Family Church International conference venue for revival and for the Church to bring hope and solutions to the nation.

At one point Rev Moss Ntlha, general secretary of the Evangelical Alliance of SA, who facilitated the conference together with Breakthru Life lead elder John Crumpton, said what was taking place linked back to conversations he had had with John’s father, Derek, 20 years before, when they had dreamed of a day when the different branches of the Church in SA would walk united into their destiny, without being crippled by the baggage of the past.

At the end of the final session of Kingdom Come SA, I spoke to Trudie Oosthuizen, one of the artists, about her painting Lion of Judah is Roaring Over This Nation [see above] which she had started elsewhere but completed at the end of the conference. 

She said: “A few months ago we had a fire night meeting at church. I was doing a pastel drawing of a lion — it didn’t really have any significant meaning.

“But while we were worshiping my husband came to me with a word he got about my drawing. He said: ‘The Lord is saying that the Lion of Africa — the Lion of Judah — is taking back South Africa. He’ s saying: “It’s my terrain — I’m taking it back.” ‘ ”

Soon afterwards Trudie had a vision of her Lion of Judah is Roaring Over This Nation  painting. She painted a small version of what she saw at a 24/7 worship time at the church and she sensed the Lord tell her to do a bigger version at the Kingdom Come SA conference.

“Then Grant [Grant Clifton, worship director at Breakthru Life] got the word to write that song [Lion of Judah] and all the artists started seeing lions — lions breathing fire, fire burning. God’s just cleaning this nation.”

Pointing to her painting she said in her original vision of the roaring lion she had distinctly seen “not just South Africa, but the whole of Africa”. Her husband, Willie, had seen the veil.

“As He’s roaring the veil is lifted off Africa, revealing who we really are and revealing, our true destiny and how God created us — Our ground is full of gold and the green symbolises the newness.

“Everyone’s moving away and saying it’s so bad. I’m staying right here because I truly believe the Lord is going to bring a revival that’s going to start in South Africa and not just reach Africa, but the whole of the earth is going to be affected.”

Commenting on how so many people seem to be having dreams and visions of the Lion of Judah in this season she said: “It’s everywhere. The Lord is really wanting to tell us something. He can’t speak any louder than He’s speaking.”

LION OF JUDAH POEM

Behold. The Lion of Judah arises.
King of the earth! How the heavens proclaim your worth.

Your breath, is filled with Fire
You words, are filled with colour.
Your eyes, are a sea of glass.
Your hair, radiant with golden glory rains.
Your feet, thunder with power.

A crown of thorns now a crown of glory.
You have forever broken the curse.

Your roar carries the sound of Victory.
Your roar soars on the winds of eternity.
Your roar redeems all that was lost.
Your roar ignites the joy in reverence.
Holy holy are You Lord Almighty!

You are about to move.
You have said that You will do a new thing.
Where once valleys of desolation,
Garden’s of spring abound.

Nations in slumber reawaken in Hope’s Roar.
“Pour out in greater measure!”
Lion of Judah come and move.
Your every step brings breakthrough.

No longer hindered by fear.
No longer bound by chains.
No longer lost in tears of sadness.
You roar; love reigns.
You roar; freedom sings.
You roar; hope restored.
Roar, Lion of Judah, Roar!

Behold. The Lion of Judah.

LION OF JUDAH SONG: Click here for lyrics and chord chart.

The lion paintings on this page are some of the prophetic art depictions of lions by Breakthru Life artists. Inquiries about paintings that might be for sale can be made to info@breakthrulife.co.za