God, Job and Leviathan

Near the end of Job there is description of a beast called leviathan.

The Destruction of Leviathan by Gustavo Dore (1865)

Leviathan is described in Chapter 41 as having:

• Fearsome teeth

• A back of shield like scales

• Flames from its mouth

• Glowing red eyes

• Smoke rising from its nostrils

• A tough hide which can resist weapons

• A rough under belly

• The ability to stir up the sea like a boiling cauldron

Looking at this description, several commentators have suggested that leviathan is a crocodile or a whale. However, I would propose it sounds more like the chaos beasts of legend.

There are several of these beasts; Tiamet from Babylonian myth, Lotan from the Canaanites and Illuyanka from the Hittites. In all these examples, the beast is defeated after a lengthy battle with a god.

What is different with Yahweh is he does not fight leviathan. He does not even try to defeat it. But instead, He commands leviathan. In Psalm 104 v 25, he allows leviathan to play and frolic in the sea. I have heard of a translation which suggests He interacts with the beast like someone playing with a pet cat.

So why did God bring up Leviathan to Job?

He wanted to show Job that even though he might domesticate, hunt and kill other animals, he is not God and cannot rule over leviathan.

Job’s response is to recognise his limitations. He acknowledges how God can do all things, His purposes cannot be thwarted and the only correct response to God is submission and repentance.

Sometimes in our lives, we may feel leviathan is ploughing over us. Ask God for help, trust in Him and God will command leviathan to leave.