This old saying is used to describe the month of March, because it usually begins with harsh, wintery weather, and wraps up with mild, spring-like conditions. True to form, in 1999, March began with winter storms, at least in New England, and ended with warm, mild, weather.

This lamb/lion characteristic is not exclusive to the month of March. Although there is a stark contrast between these two creatures of God, both are used to describe aspects of our Lord Jesus Christ. More specifically, these show the dissimilarity in the two comings of our Lord.

When Jesus came the first time, almost 2000 years ago, John the Baptist declared Him to be "the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world." (John 1:29) It was for this very purpose that He came: to die on the cross, redeeming mankind to God by His sacrifice. When Pilate interrogated Jesus, and Jesus did not answer him, Pilate said, "Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee?" (John 19:10) By His silence, Jesus was fulfilling the prophecy in Isaiah 53:7, "He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth." Truly, He was the Lamb of God.

The term "sweet Jesus" is commonly used. Yes, from the time when Jesus walked on Earth, He expressed gentleness and mercy to mankind, with the ultimate expression in His death and resurrection, by which we now have eternal life. It is customary to carry this picture of Jesus to His second coming, but we are compelled to remember that Jesus is also described as "the Lion of the tribe of Juda." (Rev 5:5)

Enoch prophesied of our Master?s second coming, saying, "Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him." (Jude 14,15) This is the image of Jesus at His coming in the last days, when He comes King of kings and Lord of lords.

He shall come when His enemies have been made His footstool, to march through the land in indignation. (Hab. 3:8-13)

The days of the Lamb of God will cease as the Grace Age comes to a close and the Lion of Judah descends with a shout, to reward every man according to his works. (Rev. 22:12)

Let us take, therefore, advantage of this time of grace, and lay hold on the gift of eternal life, that when He comes, we may reign with Him, "for God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Thess. 5:9)