Who Is Leviathan?

JUST DINOSAURS?

The book of Job is a really hard book to read because it deals with suffering, which is really hard to understand (at least for me). In chapters 38 through 41, the Lord finally answers Job after he has experienced great suffering, loss and agony. As I was reviewing the end chapters, the discussion about Leviathan really stood out to me. Most of the commentary and information I have read about these passages conclude that Behemoth and Leviathan (chapters 40 and 41) are evidence of the creation of dinosaurs and that’s why it’s a little confusing. While I still believe Behemoth could be referencing the dinosaur, I think there could be more too it, especially with Leviathan.

Can you draw out Leviathan with a fishhook or press down his tongue with a cord? Can you put a rope in his nose or pierce his jaw with a hook? Will he make many pleas to you? Will he speak to you soft words? Will he make a covenant with you to take him for your servant forever? Job 41:1-4

CONSIDER JOB

First, I want to note a couple of things I noticed in this study. In the beginning of the book of Job, Satan comes before God and, strangely, God brings up His servant Job and asks if Satan has considered him. It’s odd that the Lord would bring attention to Job in front of Satan. But is there more going on in this story?

If we noticed then in the last chapters, God’s questioning focuses on Leviathan. Why? In this article we will look at other scriptures that talk about Leviathan to see if we can find deeper understanding.

The Lord spends a great deal of time asking Job questions about things to complex for human understanding. Through God’s questioning, our eyes and minds should open up to see the majesty of God and how much we take for granted. Such as the verse – Who has put wisdom in the inward parts or given understanding to the mind? Job 38:36

GIRD UP

Additionally, two matching verses are given when the Lord starts His speech to Job:

Dress for action like a man. Job 38:3

The Lord says this again in chapter 40 verse 7, right before He starts talking about Behemoth. The Hebrew literally means ‘gird up your loins like a man.’ A healthy fear of the Lord could give us deeper insight, which we will discuss towards the end. But first, who is Leviathan?

WHO IS LEVIATHAN?

His breath kindles coals, and a flame comes forth from his mouth. In his neck abides strength, and terror dances before him. The folds of his flesh stick together, firmly cast on him and immovable. Job 41:21-23

Does Leviathan breathes fire? What kind of dinosaur is this? Earlier in the book, during Job’s suffering he wishes he wasn’t born, he says this:

Behold, let that night be barren; let no joyful cry enter it. Let those curse it who curse the day, who are ready to rouse up Leviathan. Let the stars of its dawn be dark; let it hope for light, but have none, nor see the eyelids of the morning. Job 3:7-9

However, toward the end of the book God responds that Leviathan’s:
…sneezings flash forth light, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the dawn. Job 41:18

What’s interesting about this passage is that lightning is often used in some of the translation for this scripture. I’m curious as to the deeper meaning; so let’s look at more scripture.

SCRIPTURE TO PONDER

When we look at Ezekiel 21 it says:

A sword, a sword is drawn for the slaughter. It is polished to consume and to flash like lightning. Ezekiel 21:28

2 Thessalonians 2:8 says:

And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of His mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming.

Then Revelation 1:16 says this about Jesus:

In His right hand He held seven stars, from His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and His face was like the sun shining in full strength.

And Matthew 24:27 says this about Jesus’ coming:

For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

Can you see the similarities and how each scripture links together in a small way giving us a bigger picture? In Psalm 74:12-14 it says:

Yet God my King is from of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth. You divided the sea by Your might; You broke the heads of the sea monsters on the waters. You crushed the heads of Leviathan; You gave him as food for the creatures of the wilderness.

Notice how it says heads (plural) which would line up with the scriptures from Revelation, chapters 12 and 13. My point is this – I believe that Leviathan is a representation of Satan. And the Lord will defeat him. There will be flashes of light and the sharp two edged sword will come from the mouth of Jesus. No one will mistake it.

THE TWISTING SERPENT

In the book of Isaiah, regarding the redemption of Israel it says:

In that day the Lord with His hard and great and strong sword will punish Leviathan the fleeing serpent, Leviathan the twisting serpent, and He will slay the dragon that is in the sea. Isaiah 27:1

This dragon shows up in revelation which is our final book in our holy Bible. You cannot read and understand revelation, without knowing the Scriptures from the Old Testament.

And they worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?” Revelation 13:4

Furthermore, a strong warning begins to appear in Job, through this encounter with the Lord as He says this about Leviathan:

He is king over all the sons of pride. Job 41:34

Pride is highlighted in the book of Job. Leviathan is a creature that cannot be defeated by man, he causes fear and causes those who see him to be amazed. But he is king of those filled with pride.

In the book of Job, one of the earliest biblical books ever written, it talks about Behemoth and Leviathan. In revelation, the last book of the Bible, it talks about the beast and the dragon. Could Leviathan be the dragon behind the beast?

THE SONS OF PRIDE

The lesson I learned from the Lord through this study was a bit surprising to me. I assumed it would be about pride. After all, pride is why Satan fell. Pride is a barrier to repentance, which is a barrier to God. It is the sin you can’t necessarily see because it lies in the heart. I myself struggle with pride and have been humbled off and on by God because of it. Pride was at the heart of the Pharisees who were called serpents and a brood of vipers by Jesus (Matthew 3, 12 and 23). This pride is at the heart of legalism. But it is also at the heart of the lukewarm church, because they refuse to repent and prefer the smooth things of scripture (Isaiah 30:10). Pride keeps us in our sins.

FEAR OF THE LORD

The lesson instead, is the fear of the Lord. I can’t imagine what it would’ve been like for Job to have been told to gird up his loins before the Lord started addressing him. And to be reminded of all the things that he did not understand.

Personally, I don’t know how the ocean stays in its boundaries. It is quite amazing. I don’t understand how the eagle returns to its nest every time without navigation. And I don’t understand how I can read text, that are just words, and have deeper understanding and wisdom that could only come from God. We must remember our place. We are the created being. We are not equal with God. We should have reverence of Him. He is the alpha and the omega. I think we have all become so desensitized that we forget that God Almighty created us and He holds our life in His hands. Why are we so afraid to fear God? He is God!

DO WE DESPISE THE FEAR OF THE LORD?

One time when I was a young teenager, I snuck out through my window to go see my boyfriend in the middle of the night. I was very young and small in stature. I had no protection. I chose to leave in the dead of night to go mess around and do things I should not have been doing. I stayed out with my boyfriend all night. Then, really early in the morning I came back in through my window. What I didn’t realize is that my Dad found out that I was gone and he had been up all night worrying about me. He was standing in my doorway when I came through my window. I have never experienced such regret and fear in that moment.

I did not fear that my Dad would hurt me physically. I feared that I had devastated him. Not only that but I had disappointed him and embarrassed myself because of my actions. I had done what was not right and I knew it. I also knew it was possible it could’ve changed my Dad’s perception of me because of the choice that I made.

If I had come through that window and with the attitude that I can’t control my sin so oh well. Can you imagine how he would have felt? Forgiveness came because I repented and was sincerely sorry for my actions. And I didn’t sneak out anymore. When we sin that is how we should come to our Father in heaven. He deserves our respect. We should have a healthy fear of disappointing Him. He is God and we are not.

OUR RIGHTFUL PLACE

While Jesus gave believers the authority to cast out Satan, God makes it clear in the book of Job that we cannot tame, hurt or defeat Satan. Only God can do that. The devil is the ancient serpent of old. Remember in the book of Jude, the reference about the Archangel Michael?

But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, was disputing about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you.” Jude 1:9

God will take care of it, we must keep our eyes and focus on Him, the Almighty. Put your armor on and seek wisdom. We get wisdom from God by continually asking Him and seeking Him. (Matthew 7:7)

God’s wisdom is complex and wonderful. When you study His Word you will see how much smarter He is than all of us put together. When we study God’s Word it becomes rooted in our heart and our love for Him grows. We hear a lot about how much God loves us, but let us not forget His power and His glory. When we understand God is also the King who brings judgment, we appreciate His forgiveness and love on such a deeper level. Let us never despise the fear of the Lord.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. Psalm 111:10