Read
The Lord Continues
Can You Catch
1 Can you catch a sea monster
by using a fishhook?
Can you tie its mouth shut
with a rope?
2Can it be led around
by a ring in its nose
or a hook in its jaw?
3Will it beg for mercy?
4Will it surrender
as a slave for life?
5Can it be tied by the leg
like a pet bird
for little girls?
6Is it ever chopped up
and its pieces bargained for
in the fish-market?
7Can it be killed
with harpoons or spears?
8Wrestle it just once—
that will be the end.
9Merely a glimpse of this monster
makes all courage melt.
10And if it is too fierce
for anyone to attack,
who would dare oppose me?
11I am in command of the world
and in debt to no one.
12What powerful legs,
what a stout body
this monster possesses!
13Who could strip off its armor
or bring it under control
with a harness?
14Who would try to open its jaws,
full of fearsome teeth?
* 15Its back is covered
with shield after shield,
16firmly bound and closer together
17than breath to breath.
When This Monster Sneezes
18When this monster sneezes,
lightning flashes, and its eyes
glow like the dawn.
19Sparks and fiery flames
explode from its mouth.
20And smoke spews from its nose
like steam
from a boiling pot,
21while its blazing breath
scorches everything in sight.
22Its neck is so tremendous
that everyone trembles,
23the weakest parts of its body
are harder than iron,
24and its heart is stone.
25When this noisy monster appears,
even the most powerful
turn and run in fear.
26No sword or spear can harm it,
27and weapons of bronze or iron
are as useless as straw
or rotten wood.
28Rocks thrown from a sling
cause it no more harm
than husks of grain.
This monster fears no arrows,
29it simply smiles at spears,
and striking it with a stick
is like slapping it with straw.
30As it crawls through the mud,
its sharp and spiny hide
tears the ground apart.
31And when it swims down deep,
the sea starts churning
like boiling oil,
32and it leaves behind a trail
of shining white foam.
33No other creature on earth
is so fearless.
34It is king of all proud creatures,
and it looks upon the others
as nothing.
Reflect
Only now does the Lord begin to weave together the loose strands in this book. Of the absolute highest significance is the fact that God controls “Leviathan” (v. 1). Although English translations differ, the word symbolically refers to a great demon/god/power.[1] This being cannot be controlled by humans; it is too powerful to be subdued by the human race.
Leviathan is an evil spiritual being of tremendous strength. Readers of Job know that Job is suffering from the attack of Satan, the great evil prince of darkness. Satan is clearly far more powerful than Job. Poverty, tragedy, sickness, and death have followed in Satan’s wake. No human power or plan can stop him.
But Leviathan is not the ultimate power in the universe. As great as he is—and as much as he is beyond all human abilities—he is not greater than the Creator. The epitome of evil strength is nothing when compared to almighty God.
From the very beginning God is the one who set the boundaries for Satan. Only the Lord ultimately decided what Satan could do to Job. Leviathan cannot be tamed by human hands, but he submits to the hand of God. He is above every power on earth, but he is beneath the power of heaven.
Job has been reminded that he does not comprehend the visible world. But there is an invisible world too. Job does not understand the creation he sees. But there is a world that is unseen, unknown to humans but known by God. Job does not know—as the reader knows—about Satan’s activity in his life. The invisible and visible worlds connect in a way which is impossible for humans to comprehend. But even Leviathan and all evil is under the rule of God. His ways are higher.
[1] See Robert Fyall Now my Eyes have Seen You: Images of Creation and Evil in the Book of Job (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2002).
Respond
Lord, you know everything in both the visible and invisible realms.You fully understand all things, both physical and spiritual. Our perspective is so limited and finite.But we rejoice in your perfect knowledge, power, and rule. We praise you that even Satan himself is no match for you. Amen.
Steve West
Steve West is the Lead Pastor at Crestwicke Baptist Church in Guelph, Ontario, as well as an adjunct professor at Heritage College and Seminary (Cambridge) and Toronto Baptist Seminary.