Have you ever noticed the parallels between the Bible and the movie The Lion King? I knew there were some parallels but I never noticed how many until recently!
One recent Friday night I found myself without anything to do so I fell back on an old favorite of watching Disney movies. I picked one of my favorites...The Lion King.
As a started watching I noticed a few more similarities between the movie and the Bible than I had noticed before. So...I started to be on the watch for them, and afraid that I would forget them (and being the nerd that I am) I started taking notes. J
The movie begins with the "presentation" of Simba. Rafiki, a leader in the land, rubs liquid on Simba's head and then holds Simba up for everyone to see. When Simba is held up, the clouds open up and a light shines down on him. When babies are baptized they have water poured on their head by the pastor and then they are held up (presented) to the church. When Jesus was baptized, the clouds opened up and a voice said "You are my Son, whom I love, with you I am well pleased". It's true that no voice spoke to Simba (at this moment), but the implication that Simba was great and important was portrayed with the light shining out of the clouds.
Simba doesn't only represent Jesus like he does in the example above, but at other times he represents humanity. I was trying to hard to make him fit into one role or the other (either Jesus OR humanity), but that wasn’t working. Also, Jesus WAS human. It's true that he was perfect and 100% God, but he was also human.
I often feel like I have to prove myself to others, prove that I am able to do things just as well if not better than others. Simba tried to do this when he went to the hyena’s land. He tells his dad later "I just wanted to be brave like you." Simba tried to prove his bravery but by doing so he got himself and his friends into trouble. He tried and tried to save himself but in the end, he needed his father. Mufasa came to rescue Simba when Simba felt alone and scared. We need our Father in the same way that Simba needed his. We sin and dig ourselves into a deeper and deeper hole until we reach out and ask for help. God willingly and eagerly answers our prayers for help. He loves us soooo much because God IS love!
When Simba runs away, Scar tells everyone that he has died. All the lions (people) believe Scar. They don't question that their king, their leader has died. Years later, as an adult he comes back, back to life in the eyes of many, to take his place as king. When he comes back the world is burned, black, with very little life left-in short, it's broken. He comes back to a hurt and broken world to return life to pride rock, and he gives everyone hope that all is not lost. Is this so much different from what Jesus did when he was raised from the dead and the kind of life he offers all of us one day?! Jesus was put to death on the cross but he was alive again three days later. He will come again to this hurting and broken world and he will bring new life. Because of Jesus, we have a reason to hope and a purpose for living!
There is one part of the movie in which I feel like Simba is symbolizing humanity that I absolutely love! Simba has just been through another life changing experience. Rafiki wants to show Simba that Mufasa is still with him, still a part of him, so Rafiki leads Simba through the wilderness to a pond where Rafiki shows Simba his reflection. Simba can’t see his father in him but then he hears his father talking directly to him. Here is the exact conversation…
“That’s not my father, it’s just my reflection.”-Simba
“No. Look Harder. He lives in you.” –Rafiki
“You have forgotten me. You have forgotten who you are and so forgotten me. Look inside yourself. You are more that what you have become.” –Mufasa
“How can I go back, I’m not who I used to be.” –Simba
(I don’t know if I got every line/word of the conversation so I apologize if that’s the case.) But so much of this conversation rings true in my own life!!! We are made in God’s image. There is a part of Christ in all of us but many of us need to be reminded of this daily. Simba couldn’t see his father inside him because he was so caught up on the outward appearance. He was so distracted by his reflection-how the world saw him-and he had to be reminded that his father was a part of him. God is alive in each one of us but we are so worried about what the world thinks that we forget that God made us beautiful, in his image, just the way we are meant to be.
When we first meet God, whether there was one life changing experience or it happened gradually over time, we are changed. We are not the same person and we can’t go back to who we used to be. We will still sin and maybe struggle with many of the same things but in Christ we are a new creation. Simba alludes to this when he says he can’t go back. Simba is saying he can’t physically go back to the place he used to live, but we can say the same thing spiritually, mentally, and emotionally.
And at the end of the movie, Simba (Jesus) triumphs over Scar (Satan). Simba wins the battle and throws Scar down into the flames. Satan keeps fighting against us and against God, but God has already won the battle. Isn’t that such a comforting thought-God has ALREADY WON?! There is a place for us in God’s family and in heaven if we only accept the gift. Jesus gave the ultimate gift of his own life, and we can’t earn it or repay it-that’s why its called a gift. Accept the gift today-God is waiting for you to admit that you are broken and need help. He is right there, waiting with open arms…
