Morning light is picturesquely described as ‘taking hold of the ends of the earth and shaking the wicked out of it,’ because dawn disperses evildoers. Darkness is their “light,” for they are accustomed to carry out their evil deeds under its cover and this figurative “light” is taken from them by the literal light of dawn.—Job 38:12-15; compare Job 24:15-17.

As the light of the sun is clearly observable, thus Jehovah’s adverse judgments are obvious. This is alluded to at Hosea 6:5: “The judgments upon you will be as the light that goes forth.”

The ‘light of God’s face’ means divine favor. (Ps. 44:3; 89:15) “Lift up the light of your face upon us” is an expression meaning ‘show us favor.’ (Ps. 4:6) Similarly, the favor of a ruler is referred to as “the light of the king’s face.”—Prov. 16:15.

Light may denote brightness or cheerfulness, the opposite of gloom. (Job 30:26) This may explain the words of Job (29:24): “The light of my face they would not cast down.” Although others were gloomy and dejected, this did not cause Job to become of like disposition.

A bright prospect, such as salvation or deliverance, is at times referred to under the figure of light. (Esther 8:16; Ps. 97:11; Isa. 30:26; Mic. 7:8, 9) Jehovah’s causing his glory to shine forth upon Zion pointed forward to her deliverance from a captive state. As a result Zion was to become a source of enlightenment to the nations. (Isa. 60:1-3, 19, 20; compare Revelation 21:24; 22:5.) On the other hand, for the sun, moon and stars not to give their light would signify calamity.—Isa. 13:10, 11; Jer. 4:23; Ezek. 32:7, 8; Matt. 24:29.

LIGHTNING

The brilliant flashes of light resulting from the discharge of atmospheric electricity between clouds or between the clouds and the earth. This phenomenon accompanying a thunderstorm is common in Palestine during the rainy periods of spring and fall, especially reaching a peak in the cool months of November or December.

As Creator of the elements necessary for producing lightning, Jehovah is its source. (Job 37:3, 11) He can also control it, and apparently has used lightning and means comparable to it to deliver his servants from their enemies and to execute his judgments. (2 Sam. 22:1, 15; Ps. 18:14; 77:16-20; Zech. 9:14; compare Job 36:32; Pslm 97:4; 144:6.) Appropriately, therefore, lightnings are associated with God’s throne (Rev. 4:5; compare Revelation 11:19) and expressions of divine anger (Rev. 8:5; 16:18), and are figuratively represented as reporting the accomplishment of their task. (Job 38:25) At Mount Sinai lightning flashes accompanied awesome physical manifestations of God’s presence.—Ex. 19:16; 20:18.

Lightning is used figuratively to represent the glittering of polished metal. (Deut. 32:41 [NW, 1953 ed., ftn.]; Ezek. 21:10 [NW, 1960 ed., ftn.]; Nah. 3:3; Hab. 3:11) At Nahum 2:4 either the glitter or the great speed of the enemy chariots on Nineveh’s streets is meant by the words, “Like the lightnings they keep running.” And the radiant faces or appearance of angelic creatures is compared to lightning.—Dan. 10:5, 6; Matt. 28:2, 3; see also Ezekiel 1:14.

Christ Jesus showed that his second presence would not be kept secret, even as it is impossible to conceal lightning that “comes out of eastern parts and shines over to western parts.” (Matt. 24:23-27; Luke 17:20-24) Earlier, when the seventy disciples he had sent out returned with the report that even the demons were subject to them by the use of his name, Jesus alluded to the future ouster of Satan from heaven as a certainty, saying: “I began to behold Satan already fallen like lightning from heaven.”—Luke 10:1, 17, 18.

LIKHI

(Likʹhi) [learned, or, perhaps, captivator].

A man of the tribe of Manasseh who is named third in the list of Shemida’s sons.—1 Chron. 7:19.

LILY

The Hebrew term shu·shanʹ and its corresponding Greek equivalent kriʹnon, both rendered “lily,” probably embrace a great variety of flowers, such as the tulips, anemones, hyacinths, irises and gladioli. According to a recent Hebrew and Aramaic lexicon by Koehler and Baumgartner, the Hebrew designation is derived from an Egyptian word meaning “big flower.” The Greek historian Herodotus (Book II, par. 92) speaks of the Egyptian lotus as “lily,” and many believe that in the Scriptural references to the “lily” or “lily work” in ornamentation, the Egyptian lotus, a water lily, is meant. (1 Ki. 7, 19, 22, 26; 2 Chron. 4:5) However, in view of the fact that the lotus figured prominently in the false religious symbolism of Egypt, the identification of the lily with the lotus is questionable.

The lilies of the Scriptural record were to be found in the low plain, among thorny weeds and in pastures where flocks and gazelles, razed. (Song of Sol. 2:1, 2, 16; 4:5) They may also have been cultivated in gardens (Song of Sol. 6:2, 3), and allusion is made to their sweet fragrance. (Song of Sol. 5:13) Possibly with reference to the lily’s beauty, Hosea, in foretelling Israel’s restoration, spoke of the time when God’s people would blossom as a lily.—Hos. 14:5.

In de-emphasizing the importance generally attached to material things, Jesus Christ pointed out that not even Solomon in all his glory was as beautifully arrayed as the lilies of the field. It has been suggested that Jesus probably had the anemone in mind. However, he may simply have been referring to lilylike flowers in general, as may be inferred from the fact that “lilies of the field” is used in parallel with “vegetation of the field.”—Matt. 6:28-30; Luke 12:27, 28.

The significance of the expressions “The Lily,” “The Lilies,” appearing in the superscriptions of Psalms 45, 60, 69 and 80, is not exactly known. The Hebrew word has in this case been defined as “six-sided.” Possibly a six-stringed lute is meant.

LIME

A substance, white when pure, that is prepared by burning forms of calcium carbonate such as limestone, shells or bones. (Amos 2:1) Abundant in the mountainous region of Palestine, limestone was converted into lime (calcium oxide) by burning fragments of limestone in conical or cylindrical limekilns. In ancient times lime was a principal ingredient in mortar and was used for plastering walls and for whitewashing walls, graves, and so forth. (Deut. 27:4; Ezek. 13:10; Matt. 23:27; Acts 23:3) The Bible also uses the burnings of lime figuratively to represent destruction.—Isa. 33:12.

LINEN

The thread or cloth made from flax. (Ex. 25:4; Judg. 15:14) Among the Hebrews most garments were either woolen or linen. (Lev. 13:47; Prov. 31:13, 22; Hos. 2:5, 9) A mixture of the two materials was prohibited by the Law, evidently meaning that two kinds were not to be woven together, one in the warp and the other in the woof. (Deut. 22:11) Other items made from linen included belts (Jer. 13:1) and sails. (Ezek. 27:7) The Israelites, although evidently manufacturing their own linen, imported some linen from Egypt.—Prov. 7:16; see CLOTH.

Linen varied in quality, as indicated by Scriptural references to “fine linen” and “fine fabric.” (Ezek. 16:10; 27:16) The wealthy, kings and men of high governmental station wore linen of a superior quality. (Gen. 41:42; 1 Chron. 15:27; Esther 8:15; Luke 16:19) Jesus’ corpse was wrapped in clean, fine linen by Joseph, a rich man of Arimathea.—Matt. 27:57-59.

Fine linen yarn spun by Israelite women was used in making the ten tent cloths of the tabernacle, the curtain separating the Holy from the Most Holy, the screen for the entrance of the tabernacle, and that of the gate of the courtyard. (Ex. 35:25; 36:8, 35, 37; 38:18) Fine twisted linen was used in the robes of the priests, the ornamental headgears, the drawers and the sashes, as well as the high priest’s turban, ephod and breastpiece. (Ex. 39:2, 3, 5, 8, 27-29) In the case of these curtains and garments for use in the sanctuary, it seems that linen was the basic cloth used and that the colored materials of wool and gold were embroidered on for decorative effect. Thus the law prohibiting mixing of two kinds of materials was not violated. Additionally, these were special items designed according to Jehovah’s direct, specific instructions.—Ex. 35:35; 38:23.

FIGURATIVE USE

Babylon the Great is depicted as being arrayed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, representing luxury. (Rev. 18:16) But in the case of the bride of Christ the fine linen of her apparel is clearly said to represent the “righteous acts of the holy ones.” Likewise the heavenly armies are shown clothed in white, clean, fine linen, indicative of their carrying on war in righteousness.—Rev. 19:8, 11, 14; see also Daniel 10:5; Revelation 15:6; FLAX.

LINUS

(Liʹnus).

A Christian in Rome named by the apostle Paul as sending greetings to Timothy. (2 Tim. 4:21) Irenaeus (born about 130 C.E.) and others after him have identified this Linus with an early overseer of Rome who bore the same name, but this identification rests merely on tradition.

LION

A large, tawny-colored mammal of the cat family having a long, tufted tail. The distinctive shaggy mane of the male begins to grow when the animal is about three years old. Although now extinct in Palestine, anciently lions were very plentiful there. They were found in the area of the Anti-Lebanon and Hermon ranges (Song of Sol. 4:8), the thickets along the Jordan (Jer. 49:19; 50:44; Zech. 11:3), and in “the land of distress and hard conditions,” that is, the wilderness to the S of Judah.—Isa. 30:6; compare Deuteronomy 8:15.

There were times when shepherds had to protect the flock from lions. David on one occasion courageously struck down a lion and rescued the sheep it had taken. (1 Sam. 17:34, 35) This, however, was exceptional. Frequently even “a full number of shepherds” could not frighten away a maned young lion. (Isa. 31:4) Sometimes the shepherd recovered merely a portion of the domestic animal from the lion’s mouth (Amos 3:12), thereby enabling him to present the needed evidence to free him from having to make compensation.—Ex. 22:13.

Although David, Samson and Benaiah single-handedly killed lions (Judg. 14:5, 6; 1 Sam. 17:36; 2 Sam. 23:20), others did not escape the lion’s paw. (2 Ki. 17:25, 26) Jehovah used lions to execute his judgment on a prophet who had disobeyed him (1 Ki. 13:24-28) and on a man who refused to cooperate with one of His prophets.—1 Ki. 20:36.

The Scriptures repeatedly allude to the characteristics and habits of the lion, including its thunderous roar and its growling. (Prov. 19:12; 20:2; Amos 3:4, 8) The animal does well in its pacing (Prov. 30:29, 30), dashing toward its prey at a speed of about forty miles (64 kilometers) an hour. Its strength is proverbial. (Judg. 14:18; Prov. 30:30) A single blow from the lion’s powerful paw is enough to break the neck of a small antelope. The lion can kill and carry animals larger than itself, and its short, strong jaws are equipped with teeth of sufficient strength to break large bones. (Ps. 58:6; Joel 1:6; Isa. 38:13) Little wonder that the lazy man is depicted as excusing his failure to act with the words: “There is a lion outside!” (Prov. 22:13; 26:13) However, being carnivorous, lions may perish for lack of prey. (Job 4:11; see also Psalm 34:10.) And a “live dog [although despised] is better off than a [once majestic but now] dead lion.”—Eccl. 9:4.

The lion generally spends part of the day sleeping in its lair and does its hunting at night. In procuring its food, the animal either resorts to ambush or stalks its prey until close enough to make a short rush. (Job 38:39, 40; Ps. 10:9; Lam. 3:10) After making a kill, the lion usually devours part of the meat immediately, hiding or guarding whatever may remain to be eaten later. During the time the female is nursing the cubs, the male supplies her with food, and later assists the female in bringing game to the den for the cubs. Not until the young lions are half grown or even older do they actually participate in the hunt, at which time they really learn how to tear apart prey.—Ezek. 19:2, 3; Nah. 2:11, 12; see also Psalm 7:2; 17:12.

Lions have long been hunted by man. Pits and nets were employed to capture them. (Ezek. 19:3, 4, 9) In ancient Assyria, hunting lions was a favorite sport of the monarch. Either on horseback or in his chariot, the king, armed with bow and arrows, pursued the lions.

Hungry lions were anciently used to inflict capital punishment. Protected by Jehovah’s angel, the prophet Daniel escaped this fate. (Dan. 6:16, 17, 22, 24; compare Hebrews 11:33.) In the first century C.E., the apostle Paul was delivered from the “lion’s mouth,” either literally or figuratively.—2 Tim. 4:17.

ORNAMENTAL AND FIGURATIVE USE

Engraved lions ornamented the sidewalls of the copper carriages designated for temple use. (1 Ki. 7:27-36) And the figures of twelve lions lined the steps leading up to Solomon’s throne, in addition to the two lions that were standing beside the armrests. (1 Ki. 10:19, 20) Also, the temple seen in vision by Ezekiel was adorned with cherubs having two faces, one of a man and the other of a maned young lion.—Ezek. 41:18, 19.

Most of the Scriptural references to the lion are figurative or illustrative. The entire nation of Israel (Num. 23:24; 24:9), and individually the tribes of Judah (Gen. 49:9) and Gad (Deut. 33:20), were prophetically compared to lions, representative of invincibility and courage in righteous warfare. (Compare 2 Samuel 17:10; 1 Chronicles 12:8; Proverbs 28:1.) Jehovah likens himself to a lion in executing judgment on his unfaithful people. (Hos. 5:14; 11:10; 13:7-9) And God’s foremost judicial officer, Jesus Christ, is “the Lion that is of the tribe of Judah.” (Rev. 5:5) Appropriately, therefore, the lion, as a symbol of courageous justice, is associated with Jehovah’s presence and throne.—Ezek. 1:10; 10:14; Rev. 4:7.

Because of the lion’s fierce, rapacious and predatory characteristics, the animal was also used to represent wicked ones (Ps. 10:9), persons who oppose Jehovah and his people (Ps. 22:13; 35:17; 57:4; Jer. 12:8), false prophets (Ezek. 22:25), wicked rulers and princes (Prov. 28:15; Zeph. 3:3), the Babylonian World Power (Dan. 7:4) and Satan the Devil. (1 Pet. 5:8) And the seven-headed, ten-horned wild beast out of the sea, which derives its authority from Satan, was depicted as having a lion’s mouth. (Rev. 13:2) At Psalm 91:13 the lion and the cobra seem to denote the power of the enemy, the lion being representative of open attack and the cobra of underhanded scheming, cunning.—Compare Luke 10:19; 2 Corinthians 11:3.

At the time the Israelites returned to their homeland in 537 B.C.E., Jehovah evidently protected them from lions and other rapacious beasts along the way. (Isa. 35:8-10) In the land itself lions and other predators doubtless had increased during the seventy years of its desolation. (Compare Exodus 23:29.) But, evidently due to Jehovah’s watch care over his people, the Israelites and their domestic animals apparently did not fall prey to lions as had the foreign peoples whom the king of Assyria settled in the cities of Samaria. (2 Ki. 17:25, 26) Therefore, from the standpoint of the Israelites, the lion was, in effect, eating straw like a bull, that is, doing no harm to them or their domestic animals. (Isa. 65:18, 19, 25) Under Messiah’s rulership, however, there is to be a greater fulfillment of the restoration prophecies. Thus, both