by Doreen Kajulu | 16 July 2020 08:46 pm07
The Bible occasionally mentions a mysterious creature called Leviathan, particularly in poetic and prophetic books. The name itself evokes awe, mystery, and even fear—but what does it really represent? Was Leviathan a real creature, a symbol, or both? And what can believers learn from its mention in scripture?
In Psalm 104:25–26, Leviathan is described as one of God’s sea creatures:
“There is the sea, vast and spacious, teeming with creatures beyond number—living things both large and small. There the ships go to and fro, and Leviathan, which you formed to frolic there.”
(Psalm 104:25–26, NIV)
This passage presents Leviathan as part of the natural world—something God created to inhabit and enjoy the sea. This suggests it could have been a real animal, possibly now extinct. Some scholars and theologians suggest it may refer to a large marine reptile (like a plesiosaur), a crocodile, or another sea creature that ancient people observed and described in poetic language.
This view aligns with the reality that many species on Earth remain undiscovered, and many others have gone extinct. Scientific estimates indicate that 200–2,000 species disappear each year. Some creatures once feared or revered in ancient times may have vanished before the modern age could study them.
While Leviathan might have been a real creature, scripture also uses it symbolically, especially in prophetic and apocalyptic texts. In Isaiah 27:1, Leviathan is portrayed as a force of evil to be defeated by God:
“In that day the Lord will punish with his sword—his fierce, great and powerful sword—Leviathan the gliding serpent, Leviathan the coiling serpent; he will slay the monster of the sea.”
(Isaiah 27:1, NIV)
Here, Leviathan symbolizes chaotic, evil forces—possibly representing Satan or empires opposed to God. The “sea” in biblical imagery often represents chaos, danger, or nations in rebellion (cf. Revelation 13:1; Daniel 7:3). Leviathan, as a “monster of the sea,” becomes a picture of spiritual and political forces hostile to God’s kingdom.
Leviathan is also described in detail in Job 41, where God uses the creature to demonstrate His unmatched power:
“Can you pull in Leviathan with a fishhook or tie down its tongue with a rope? … Nothing on earth is its equal— a creature without fear. It looks down on all that are haughty; it is king over all that are proud.”
(Job 41:1, 33–34, NIV)
Here, Leviathan is a symbol of something beyond human control, meant to humble Job. God emphasizes that if Job cannot contend with Leviathan, how can he question the Creator? The passage underscores the greatness of God compared to human beings and serves as a poetic climax to God’s response to Job’s questioning.
The New Testament speaks of a “man of lawlessness” or Antichrist—an ultimate adversary of Christ—who will be revealed in the last days. This figure is aligned with Satan and mirrors Leviathan’s destructive nature:
“And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming.”
(2 Thessalonians 2:8, NIV)
This parallels Isaiah’s image of the Lord destroying Leviathan with His sword. In this way, Leviathan becomes a symbolic forerunner or image of the Antichrist, or any demonic force resisting God’s rule. Just as Leviathan is too powerful for humans to subdue, so too is the Antichrist beyond human resistance—but both will be destroyed by God’s power.
Even though Leviathan is presented as mighty, the Bible teaches that God gave humans dominion over all living things:
“Then God said, ‘Let us make mankind in our image… so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky…’”
(Genesis 1:26, NIV)
This means no creature, no matter how mighty, is greater than mankind in authority. Creatures like Leviathan, even if real, are part of creation and under God’s command—and ultimately, under the stewardship of humanity.
The true message behind Leviathan is not to invoke fear, but to remind us of God’s sovereignty and the ongoing spiritual battle. The same forces Leviathan represents—pride, rebellion, chaos—still exist spiritually in the world. Paul warns that the “mystery of lawlessness” is already at work (2 Thessalonians 2:7), and believers must remain alert.
“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against… the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
(Ephesians 6:12, NIV)
Thus, our focus should not be on physical monsters, but on resisting spiritual deception, standing in truth, and trusting in God’s ultimate victory.
Leviathan may have been a real sea creature or a poetic symbol—or both. But its role in Scripture goes beyond biology or myth. It challenges us to recognize the greatness of God, to trust in His sovereignty, and to prepare ourselves for the spiritual battles of today and the last days.
God will destroy all evil—including the Leviathan-like forces at work in the world.
Let us stay faithful, alert, and grounded in truth.
Maranatha – Come, Lord Jesus!
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