Leviathan

 

 

What do you do when you come across the creature known as the Leviathan in Scripture? He shows up five times in the Bible and most of us, just breeze past it, not knowing what to make of it! The entire chapter of Job 41 deals with the Leviathan and is worthy of our study. But before we go there, let’s take a look at this creature that people of the Bible were very familiar with.

 

There can be no doubt that such a creature existed, and who knows, may still exist today. We’ve all heard of the sightings of the Loch Ness monster and the Lake Champlain sea serpent known as Champ.” Personally, when I read  Ps 104:26, (the only “playful” mention of the creature, I always thought of Cecil, the sea sick serpent of Beanie and Cecil cartoon fame.) Ps 104:26 speaking of the sea, describes Leviathan this way:  There the ships sail about; There is that Leviathan Which You have made to play there.

 

The point I want to make is that whether we’ve seen one or not, we know the Leviathan pre flood or post flood has existed and God uses the existence of these  creatures to portray our great enemy……Satan.

 

If that’s the case one might ask, “Why does He use the word “playful” to describe him in Ps 104:26? Good question! The Bible often uses the sea to portray a place that is perilous, unpredictable or tumultuous. Seas can strike terror even in the hearts of seasoned fishermen. (Just ask the disciples!)

 

This hair raising aspect of the sea is why we are told in Re 21:1 that the “sea,” will no longer exist! “Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea.”

No it’s not that seas will be gone forever, but rather the terror associated with them will be no more. Heaven will be an absolute absence of fear! Perfect love casts out all fear.

 

That Ps 104:26 says the Leviathan is “playful,” is just a reminder that fear and terror and tumult is the playground of the devil. Always has been and always will be.

 

So get that picture of Cecil, the friendly sea sick serpent out of your mind. You will see in the days ahead that the Leviathan is to be taken seriously and not someone to be messed with in your own strength.