In 49:8 and 9 we see the victory of Christ. Genesis, a marvelous book, is a book of pictures. In his prophecy Jacob likened Judah to a lion in three aspects: a young lion, a couching lion, and a lioness. The young lion is for fighting, for seizing the prey. Verse 9 says, "Judah is a young lion: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up" (Heb.). The words "thou art gone up" imply that the young lion first had to come down. He came down from the mountain to the plain to capture his prey. After the young lion seized his prey, he went up to the mountaintop again to enjoy it. When Christ was on earth and was crucified on the cross, He was a young lion seizing the prey. And what a prey He captured! It included the whole world, all the sinners, and even Satan, the serpent. From seizing His prey Christ has gone up to the mountaintop, that is, to the third heaven. This means that from His victory, He has ascended to the heavens. Ephesians 4:8 says that when Christ ascended to the height, He led captive those taken captive. Christ gained the victory; He put His hand upon Satan's neck. Hallelujah, He has put His hand upon the neck of His enemies! As the young lion, He has overcome all His enemies. Many chapters in the New Testament reveal how Christ came as a young lion, how He went to the cross to seize His prey, and how He ascended to the mountaintop in the third heaven.
Genesis 49:9 also says, "He couches, he lies down as a lion" (Heb.). Christ is also a couching lion, the lion couching in satisfaction after enjoying His prey. After a lion has enjoyed his prey and has been satisfied, he couches; he lies down to rest in satisfaction. The figure of the couching lion in verse 9 describes Christ as the One enjoying His rest in the heavens. After gaining the victory and enjoying the prey, He was satisfied. Thus, He is now resting in the heavens in His satisfaction. This rest and satisfaction is the issue of Christ's victory. Christ is no longer fighting; rather, He is couching.
In verse 9 (Heb.) Christ is also likened to a lioness. As a lioness, He has produced many cubs. We all are Christ's cubs. In a very real sense, the church is lion country, and everyone in the church is a baby lion. Have you ever realized that you are a lion cub? If we saw the situation from God's viewpoint, we would realize that in the eyes of God the church is a country of lions. Toward men we are lambs following the Lamb; but toward Satan we are lion cubs. Although you may not have such a realization, Satan recognizes this fact. He knows that all the believers in the Lord's recovery are lion cubs. Frequently we need to tell Satan, "Satan, don't touch me. Don't you know that my family is the lion family?" Christ is the young lion, the couching lion, and the reproducing lioness, and we are His lion cubs. This is the full victory of Christ. This is why verse 8 says that Christ, typified by Judah, is to be praised and worshipped.