Õrigins of €xistence

In Job Chapter 41 in my NIV Study Bible, the Lord is speaking of the Leviathan, and a very clear description is given. Starting at verse 15, we read that the Leviathan's back

"has rows of shields tightly sealed together, each so close the next that no air can pass between". Verses 18-21 "His snorting throws out flashes of light; his eyes are like the rays of dawn. Firebrands stream from His mouth; sparks of fire shoot out. Smoke pours from his nostrils as from a boiling pot over a fire of reeds. His breath sets coals ablaze and flames dart from his mouth."

The NIV Study Bible states that Job 40:15 "is highly poetic and hyperbolic which I made. He is one of Gods creatures, not a mythical being" and is probably a "hippopotamus" and that Job 41:18-21 is "highly figurative, exaggerated poetic imagery" and is probably referring to a crocodile.

But this doesn't sit well with me, considering that it is the Lord who is speaking, not Job. God tells us that He often uses similitude's (word pictures), analogies or illustrations to help us better understand His Word (Hosea 12:10). But would God really exaggerate to such an extent as to mislead people? I think not. Therefore there is surely some other explanation to this very vivid description. For a start - the Hippopotamus does not have a tail "like a cedar tree" nor does a crocodile breathe fire. I would like now to give my very unscholarly view on this particular creature, the Leviathan.

I understand that the book of Job is the oldest book in the Bible. I have also read Chuck Missler's book, "Cosmic Codes: Hidden Messages from the Edge of Eternity" and recall reading that the ancient Chinese language appears to date back to the Tower of Babel (though I will have to check this out to be sure I remember it correctly). What does this have to do with a Leviathan? Perhaps you may recall seeing the Chinese Parades with mythical dragon creatures floating and dancing above peoples heads. I was pondering the Leviathan, when suddenly Frank Peretti's book "The Oath" came to mind, along with these strange mythical creatures the Chinese people seem somehow very connected to. Like the various "mythical" stories of a world-wide flood circulating many ancient cultures, there are also stories of dragons in many cultures, and a large number of children's story books written about them.

Could it be that this fire breathing Leviathan dates back to pre-flood and, after the flood, the environment was not suitable (not having the same atmosphere that was in place prior to the flood where "streams came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground" Genesis 2:6) and they could no longer survive, and thus became extinct? If this is in fact the case, then it also helps remove some of my confusion of Dinosaurs. (I'm leaning toward the idea that the Behemoth may be the large vegetarian dinosaur depicted in a number of children's books which appear to have had tails "like cedar trees" and could have stood, unafraid in the raging Jordan river.

I would like to have other peoples points of view on this topic, so feel free to e-mail me and tell me what you think.

Since writing this, I came across a web site verifying and expanding on it the topic of dinosaurs and the Bible. Visit Is there really a Mystery about Dinosaurs And The Bible? to see what it's all about. You can find also out more about the Terrible Flood of Noah

Leviathan UPDATE:

WOW! I've been encouraged by a friend to research more into the topic of the Leviathan, and believe God is teaching us some incredible new insights into just HOW important a role the Leviathan plays in the Bible, both historically and in the future! Want to know more? READ ON! The following is mostly just scripture with a few comments thrown in here and there, because I believe the scripture speaks for itself.

I'll start with the reference in Job, seeing as we have already covered that previously:

Job 41:1 Canst thou draw out leviathan with an hook? or his tongue with a cord [which] thou lettest down?

Now we'll cross-reference with Genesis, Isaiah and Revelation for another twist and a further description of Leviathan's role in the Bible:

Isa 27:1 In that day the LORD with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that [is] in the sea.

Gen 3:1 Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

Gen 3:14-15 And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou [art] cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

Rev 20:2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,

Isn't that incredible! Leviathan is the serpent who tempted Eve in the Garden of Eden! A further look into the words in Genesis 3:14-15 (above) and a cross reference into Revelation and Isaiah reveal something more:

Rev 12:17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Isa 53:10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put [him] to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see [his] seed, he shall prolong [his] days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.

Could it be that the Woman and seed in Genesis 3 and the Woman and seed in Revelation are one and the same?! Something important to remember is that the seed normally comes from MAN... the seed of Woman is reference to the Virgin birth of CHRIST

Rev 12:4 And the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born. 5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and [to] his throne.13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man [child]. 17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ

There is SO MUCH MORE to this than what I have so far, but this will do for now. Once again, your thoughts and insights into the article are more than welcome and I encourage you to get a cross-reference Bible and a concordance and study it for yourself!

Trusting In HIM
Jenny.