In this post the focus is on leviathan, a complete contrast in nature with the mighty behemoth. As I read through this description, I couldn’t help but get the picture of a mighty, fire-breathing dragon. As we go through this section of scripture, I hope you will continue to meditate on the power and authority of the Creator of such a creature—your Creator, the sovereign Lord of the whole of creation. I will then close this post with observations regarding the application to the future antichrist. Note—this post is a bit longer than usual.
Job 41:1–11 “Can you draw out Leviathan with a hook, Or snare his tongue with a line which you lower? Can you put a reed through his nose, Or pierce his jaw with a hook? Will he make many supplications to you? Will he speak softly to you? Will he make a covenant with you? Will you take him as a servant forever? Will you play with him as with a bird, Or will you leash him for your maidens? Will your companions make a banquet of him? Will they apportion him among the merchants? Can you fill his skin with harpoons, Or his head with fishing spears? Lay your hand on him; Remember the battle— Never do it again! Indeed, any hope of overcoming him is false; Shall one not be overwhelmed at the sight of him? No one is so fierce that he would dare stir him up.” “Who then is able to stand against Me? Who has preceded Me, that I should pay him? Everything under heaven is Mine.”
Leviathan is described as a creature that can’t be caught with a hook. He is too dangerous to be captured and tamed or kept as a pet. The implication is that only a fool would try to capture him by any means. The LORD points out that as Creator of such a creature, why would anyone think they could stand against His authority. God boldly declares that everything under heaven belongs to Him; no one can claim precedence to Him.
The description of Leviathan continues: Job 41:12–34 “I will not conceal his limbs, His mighty power, or his graceful proportions. Who can remove his outer coat? Who can approach him with a double bridle? Who can open the doors of his face, With his terrible teeth all around? His rows of scales are his pride, Shut up tightly as with a seal; One is so near another That no air can come between them; They are joined one to another, They stick together and cannot be parted. His sneezings flash forth light, And his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning. Out of his mouth go burning lights; Sparks of fire shoot out. Smoke goes out of his nostrils, As from a boiling pot and burning rushes. His breath kindles coals, And a flame goes out of his mouth. Strength dwells in his neck, And sorrow dances before him. The folds of his flesh are joined together; They are firm on him and cannot be moved. His heart is as hard as stone, Even as hard as the lower millstone. When he raises himself up, the mighty are afraid; Because of his crashings they are beside themselves. Though the sword reaches him, it cannot avail; Nor does spear, dart, or javelin. He regards iron as straw, And bronze as rotten wood. The arrow cannot make him flee; Slingstones become like stubble to him. Darts are regarded as straw; He laughs at the threat of javelins. His undersides are like sharp potsherds; He spreads pointed marks in the mire. He makes the deep boil like a pot; He makes the sea like a pot of ointment. He leaves a shining wake behind him; One would think the deep had white hair. On earth there is nothing like him, Which is made without fear. He beholds every high thing; He is king over all the children of pride.””
Leviathan is described as a striking creature to behold. Though tempting to try, he cannot be captured. He is covered with scales that are so close together as to prevent even air to come between them. He has powerful jaws and teeth. When he sneezes, it produces flashes of light and he shoots fire from his mouth and smoke from his nostrils. To further emphasize this point, we are told that he can kindle a fire in coals with his breath. He has a very powerful neck and causes terror wherever he goes. The implication is that his skin is so thick and his heart so well protected that no weapon of man can pierce it. He has no fear of man or his weapons. The scales on his underbelly are not only dense, but sharp. His powerful movements in the water make it look like the water is boiling and he leaves a great white wake behind him. He is the proudest of creatures and fears nothing on earth. There is no other creature like him in this regard.
Again, we can note that this is a very powerful creature whose primary domain is the sea. His demeanor is fierce and combative compared to the quiet confidence evidenced by the behemoth. As I have continued to meditate on this section, I think it is possible that these two animals can be seen as types in the creation of the contrast between the Creator and Satan. Behemoth is pictured in peace and at rest in the confidence of his superiority over the other creatures. Leviathan, however, is pictured with great pride and arrogance; he seems to need to bolster his confidence by inciting fear and terror everywhere he goes.
The prophet Isaiah connects the dragon in the sea with leviathan.
Isaiah 27:1 “In that day the LORD with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea.”
The coming antichrist is also pictured as coming from the sea and coming in the power of the dragon—Satan.
Revelation 12:9 “And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.”
Revelation 13:1–2 “And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.”
Every comparison I make between leviathan and antichrist is actually a comparison to Satan as well since he is the controlling force behind the antichrist.
He cannot be caught or controlled by others. (v1-2)
He is proud and arrogant. (v3)
He is not trustworthy nor concerned with helping others. (v4)
He rejects discipline and cannot be tamed. (v5)
He cannot be manipulated by others. (v6)
He will act without mercy toward his enemies. (v7-9)
He cannot be intimidated. (v10)
His power and authority come through God’s permission and is limited according to God’s purposes. (v11-12)
He acts with impunity during the time allotted him according to God’s purposes. (v13-17)
His eyes and his words are penetrating and cause great fear to his enemies. His attitude is marked with simmering anger. (v18-21)
He is brash and bold in his sense of power. He relishes in the sorrow of his enemies. (v22)
He is hard-hearted and merciless. (v23-24)
He inspires fear in even the mightiest of men. (v25)
He fears nothing because nothing that man can do to him can stop him. (v26-30)
He causes great turmoil wherever he goes. His presence always leaves it mark. (v31-32)
He is full of pride to the point that he has no comparison on earth. There is no one on earth that can match his courage, confidence and power. (v33-34)
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