Really? Is that so?

Problem number one: The Bible says no such thing. Search the Bible through and through, from cover to cover, from Genesis to Revelation and you will never find where it says the lion will lay with the lamb.

It simply is not there.

How did this tradition get started? Well, we don't know for certain, but many years ago a man by the name of Thomas A. Dorsey wrote a song titled "Peace In The Valley". It has been sung by many popular worldly singers including, Red Foley, Elvis Presley, Dolly Parton, George Jones, Johnny Cash and Loretta Lynn, to name a few.

Part of this song says:

There will be peace in the valley for me, some day.
There will be peace in the valley for me, oh Lord I pray.
There'll be no sadness, no sorrow,
No trouble, trouble I see.
There will be peace in the valley for me, for me.

Well the bear will be gentle,
And the wolves will be tame.
And the lion shall lay down by the lamb, oh yes.
And the beasts from the wild,
Shall be lead by a child.
And I'll be changed, changed from this creature that I am, oh yes.

The closest thing to this expression in the Bible is found in Isaiah 11:6 where it says: "The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them."

Nothing at all about a lion laying down with a lamb!

Problem number two: Even this passage is not teaching a time when a literal wolf will dwell with a literal lamb. Rather, it is prophesying of a time when a great change will come about when the nature of men, (symbolized by various animals in the animal kingdom) will be changed. It prophesied of a time when men's hearts filled with animosity and hatred towards one another would be replaced with peace, love and joy towards one another. 2 Peter 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

The little child mentioned in this scripture is none other then Jesus Christ, the Messiah. Matthew 1:21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

Problem number three: Many put this prophesy off to some time yet future. In reality, we can experience the reality of this scripture today by accepting Jesus as our personal Savior. We can experience the kingdom of God now. Jesus said in Luke 17:21, "Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you." This is a kingdom of peace, and it is reigning within!

Have you been changed from within? Has that "beastly" nature been removed and God's divine nature implanted into your heart? If not, even today you can experience what this scripture is teaching.

"While others dram of an age to come, He's reigning in our hearts today!"