Jacob (“Israel”) gave that symbol to this tribe when he refers to his son Judah as a Young Lion” when blessing him.  Judah was comparable to a young lion for his strength, courage, and generosity; the fiercest, and therefore the most dangerous to rouse up a lion when laid down, either in its den, or with its prey in its paws: so dangerous it was to provoke the tribe of Judah, as its enemies found out.

Jacob {Israel} Blessing to the Tribe of Judah

Genesis 49:9 Judah is a lion’s whelp {young lion}; From the prey, my son, you have gone up. He bows down, he lies down as a lion; And as a lion, who shall rouse him?

The Lion has no natural predator or enemy.  The lion is hard to provoke, but when it is provoke, watch out.

Revelation 5:5 But one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.”

John 1:29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

Remember, Lord Jesus is called and has description of two aspects of Jesus Nature.

Conquering Lion and Lamb of God.

OK, what about the place we call, Gaza.  We like to blame someone for this area.  Who.

Genesis 10:19 And the border of the Canaanites was from Sidon as you go toward Gerar, as far as Gaza; then as you go toward Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, as far as Lasha.

Cities of the Philistines, well known in Scripture, the former for being the place where Abraham and Isaac sometimes went.  First time mention in Scriptures.

Deuteronomy 2:23 And the Avim, who dwelt in villages as far as Gaza, the Caphtorim, who came from Caphtor, destroyed them and dwelt in their place.)

Joshua 10:41 And Joshua conquered them from Kadesh Barnea as far as Gaza, and all the country of Goshen, even as far as Gibeon.

Gaza, which lay to the southwest, and was one of the five main cities of the Philistines

Joshua 11:22-23 None of the Anakim were left in the land of the children of Israel; they remained only in Gaza, in Gath, and in Ashdod.  (23)  So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the LORD had said to Moses; and Joshua gave it as an inheritance to Israel according to their divisions by their tribes. Then the land rested from war.

This verse show Joshua did not conquered Gaza.  Anakim was left alive. 

Joshua 15:1 So this was the lot of the tribe of the children of Judah according to their families: The border of Edom at the Wilderness of Zin southward was the extreme southern boundary.

Joshua 15:20-21 This was the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Judah according to their families:  (21)  The cities at the limits of the tribe of the children of Judah, toward the border of Edom in the South, were Kabzeel, Eder, Jagur,

Joshua 15:47 Ashdod with its towns and villages, Gaza with its towns and villages—as far as the Brook of Egypt and the Great Sea with its coastline.

Gaza was another main city of the Philistines

Judges 1:18-19 Also Judah took Gaza with its territory, Ashkelon with its territory, and Ekron with its territory.  (19)  So the LORD was with Judah. And they drove out the mountaineers, but they could not drive out the inhabitants of the lowland, because they had chariots of iron.

Judah now subdue Gaza territory.  Made the Philistines slaves? 

Judges 6:3-4 So it was, whenever Israel had sown, Midianites would come up; also Amalekites and the people of the East would come up against them.  (4)  Then they would encamp against them and destroy the produce of the earth as far as Gaza, and leave no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep nor ox nor donkey.

Judges 16:1 Now Samson went to Gaza and saw a harlot there, and went in to her.   (Harlot in Gaza, evil city)

Gaza, One of the five main cities of the Philistines, which was ten miles from Ashkelon

Judges 16:21 Then the Philistines took him {Samson} and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza. They bound him with bronze fetters, and he became a grinder in the prison.

1 Samuel 6:17 These are the golden tumors which the Philistines returned as a trespass offering to the LORD: one for Ashdod, one for Gaza, one for Ashkelon, one for Gath, one for Ekron;

The Ark Returned to Israel, make atonement for the offence they had been guilty of in taking and detaining it.

1 Kings 4:24-25 For he had dominion over all the region on this side of the River from Tiphsah even to Gaza, namely over all the kings on this side of the River; and he had peace on every side all around him.  (25)  And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, each man under his vine and his fig tree, from Dan as far as Beersheba, all the days of Solomon.

2 Kings 18:8 He { King Hezekiah,} subdued the Philistines, as far as Gaza and its territory, from watchtower to fortified city.

Jeremiah 25:15-16 For thus says the LORD God of Israel to me: “Take this wine cup of fury from My hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send you, to drink it.  (16)  And they will drink and stagger and go mad because of the sword that I will send among them.”

Jeremiah 25:20 all the mixed multitude, all the kings of the land of Uz, all the kings of the land of the Philistines (namely, Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron, and the remnant of Ashdod);

Jeremiah 47:1 The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah the prophet against the Philistines, before Pharaoh attacked Gaza. 

Judgment on the Philistines

Jeremiah 47:5 Baldness has come upon Gaza, Ashkelon is cut off With the remnant of their valley. How long will you cut yourself?

Just means “vengeance is come to the inhabitants of Gaza.” 

Judgment on Israel’s Neighbors

Amos 1:6-7 Thus says the LORD: “For three transgressions of Gaza, and for four, I will not turn away its punishment, Because they took captive the whole captivity To deliver them up to Edom.  (7)  But I will send a fire upon the wall of Gaza, Which shall devour its palaces.

Zephaniah 2:4 For Gaza shall be forsaken, And Ashkelon desolate; They shall drive out Ashdod at noonday, And Ekron shall be uprooted.

Judgment on Israel’s Enemies

Zechariah 9:5-6 Ashkelon shall see it and fear; Gaza also shall be very sorrowful; And Ekron, for He dried up her expectation. The king shall perish from Gaza, And Ashkelon shall not be inhabited.  (6)  “A mixed race shall settle in Ashdod, And I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.

Acts 8:26 Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.“ This is desert.

So what is going to happen now. What do you think.

Zechariah 12:2 “Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples, when they lay siege against Judah and Jerusalem.

Zechariah 12:3 And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it.

Read verses Zechariah 12: 4 thru 12

The meaning is, the enemies of God’s people, Judah, shall be astonished at the failure of their attempts, and be filled with fury and madness because they cannot accomplish their designs; and shall be at their wits’ end, not knowing what course to take: