Thursday, July 27, 2017

Leviathan

Since studying Job my fascination at Leviathan is as big as Leviathan itself. Not because of Leviathan, but because of what God says about this sea monster. When God answered Job "out of the whirlwind" beginning in 38:1 He begins by asking Job questions like, Can you do this? 'Cause I can and I did. Job's answer after two chapters of listening to God's great works is this,
"Behold I am of small account; what shall I answer you? I lay my hand on my mouth. I have spoken once, and I will not answer; twice, but I will proceed no further."
Yet, God was not done because there are two more chapters of His greatness. One of my favorite parts is in chapter 41:1-11 because of what God reveals of his power in His description of Leviathan,
"Can you draw out Leviathan with a fishhook or press down his tongue with a cord? Can you put a rope in his nose or pierce his jaw with a hook? Will he make many pleas to you? Will he speak to you soft words? Will he make a covenant with you to take him for your servant forever? Will you play with him as with a bird, or will you put him on a leash for your girls? Will traders bargain over him? Will they divide him up among the merchants? Can you fill his skin with harpoons or his head with fishing spears? Lay your hands on him; remember the battle - you will not do it again! Behold, the hope of a man is false; he is laid low even at the sight of him. No one is so fierce that he dares to stir him up. Who then is he who can stand before me? Who has first given to me, that I should repay him? Whatever is under the whole heaven is mine."
That last part where God dares Job to lay his hands on Leviathan - you will not do it again! Why? Because man is laid low when they see him and there is not a man in existence that is so fierce that he would even think to stir up this dreaded sea monster. And yet, God draws him out with a fishhook! He presses down his tongue with a cord. Leviathan pleas to God! God plays with him as with a bird!

And then there is this incredible question God asks of Himself, "Who then is he who can stand before me?" If you cannot stand before Leviathan, how on earth do you think you'd be able to stand before God?!

God is so incredibly big! I cannot fathom His greatness. Reading scripture like this puts me in a complete state of awe over God.

Today I was reminded of this portion of Scripture while reading Psalm 104. In this Psalm the author spends 35 verses describing God's greatness. When I read through verses 24-26 my mind was blown,
"O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. Here is the sea, great and wide, which teems with creatures innumerable, living things both small and great. There go the ships, and Leviathan, which you formed to play with.
Which you formed to play with.

I could not get over this! God is so mighty, so powerful, so great that he created a sea monster to play with. To.play.with.

Ponder that.

And then stand in awe of Jesus. Because of His work on the cross - when He died, was buried and rose again - we are able to stand before God. This powerful, mighty God who formed Leviathan to play with Him - a sea monster we would never dare to stir up and live to tell it - is more powerful, is greater than, this creature He formed. If we cannot endure meeting Leviathan, then we sure as heck have no hope before God. BUT because of Jesus, and our faith in HIS work, we can be in God's presence. I cannot wait for that day when I can behold His greatness with my own eyes - and live!