“No one is fierce enough to rouse him. Who then is able to stand against me?”
~ Job 41:10
Hi James and Ellen,
Have you ever seen a leviathan? Do you know what a leviathan is? Do you think that a leviathan is some kind of sea monster? Do you think that a leviathan is a large marine animal? Do you think that a leviathan could possibly be a crocodile? Job 41 is a poem that was written with all kinds of exaggerated imagery. God used a leviathan in this poem to affirm to Job the power that He had given to Job that he was to use for His sake. God – in His final speech or discourse that He made to Job and to Job’s three self-ascribed friends, used this figurative poem of a leviathan to enforce the fact that He alone is the One Who is able to humble even the scariest of all the critters that He created. God – in His leviathan poem, explicitly refers to the leviathan as not having equals and not having fear. God – in His leviathan poem, facetiously wonders if a leviathan can be caught using a fishhook or if a cord can be put through the nose of a leviathan. God – in His leviathan poem, sarcastically reflects on a leviathan being a pet like a bird or being put on a leash for a gal to walk. God – in His leviathan poem, cynically questions if a harpoon can pierce the hide of a leviathan or if a fishing spear can be speared into a leviathan’s head. God – in His leviathan poem, states definitely that a leviathan cannot be subdued and that just seeing a leviathan will cause a guy, gal or kid to be overcome with overpowering fright. God – in His leviathan poem, asserts in verse 10, “No one is fierce enough to rouse him. Who then is able to stand against me?” God – in his leviathan poem, emphatically conveys to Job and to Job’s so-called good friends that even though a leviathan is the most feared beast on planet Earth, even though a leviathan cannot be captured and sold and even though a leviathan would never have a reason to seek mercy because of its indisputable strength, even the leviathan was subject to Him as one of His created creatures. God – in his leviathan poem, subtly articulates His omnipotent role over His entire creation – including leviathans.
Have you ever seen a crocodile? Is a crocodile strong? Can a crocodile be graceful? Can a bridle be put on a crocodile? Does a crocodile have fearsome teeth? Does a crocodile have impenetrable skin? Does a crocodile throw out flashes of light when it snorts? Are the eyes of a crocodile like the rays of dawn? Does sparks of fire and hot firebrands come out of a mouth of crocodile? Does smoke pour out of a crocodile mouth? Is a crocodile chest like a rock? Does a crocodile treat iron like straw and bronze like rotten wood? Can a crocodile be killed using a sword, spear, dart, javelin, arrow, slingshot or club? Does a crocodile stir the sea? Is a crocodile a fearless creature? Does a crocodile have enemies? Is a crocodile dangerous? When your grandpaa was on the South America Mission field missionary team in Bolivia and with the OC International field missionary team in Guatemala, your grandpaa saw crocodiles a couple of times. Because a crocodile will sometimes attack even a guy or gal, guys, gals and kids who are living in Bolivia and Guatemala are scared of crocodiles. After your grandpaa decided that he would try fishing at night in a river that is located not far from the rural resident Bible education and leadership training center that was in Concepción, Nuflo de Chavez – in Bolivia, your grandpaa learned why Bolivian guys, gals and kids are frightened of crocodiles. It had just gotten dark when Eucletes – a young Bolivian kid whose dad was a student in the rural resident Bible education and leadership training program in Concepción, who had gone with your grandpaa to the river asked your grandpaa for his flashlight. When Eucletes pointed the lit flashlight on the water near the river’s opposite bank, your grandpaa saw a pair of evenly spaced, bright red dots moving slowly in one direction, then your grandpaa saw another pair of evenly spaced, bright red dots going in the other direction and . . . Eucletes told your grandpaa that the red dots were crocodile eyes. Eucletes then aimed the lit flashlight on the water right below where your grandpaa was standing at the edge of the river on a rock – which was not that high above the water. When your grandpaa saw two bright red dots that looked like they were a foot apart staring back up at him, your grandpaa immediately decided that doing night fishing on that river was not a bad idea. When your grandmaa and grandpaa were missionaries with the OC International field missionary team in Guatemala, your grandmaa and grandpaa each February would join Wooddale Church’s short term ministry team while the team was in Guatemala. While your grandmaa was translating one February for the medical personnel who were on Wooddale Church’s short term ministry team in Guatemala, your grandpaa went on what was referred to as a remote – which was to an isolated community called El Quetzalito, with three guys from Wooddale Church’s short term ministry team to help build a cement block house for the pastor of the Christ-follower guys, gals and kids who were living in El Quetzalito after hurricane Mitch displaced them. The guys, gals and kids who live in El Quetzalito live next to Motagua River. Motagua River flows into Honduras Bay. V shaped areas that barely go into Motagua River’s water have been made using side by side posts to protect gals from being attacked by a crocodile while they wash clothes in the river.
If there are leviathans in your lives, God is – just as He was with Job, ready to deal with them if you ask Him.
Job 41 (938)