Powerful Water Creatures

The ocean is one of the most mysterious places on earth, and every culture seems to think there's something magical beneath the waves. From Leviathan to Atlantis to Mermaids...let's talk about what everyone seems to know about life in the deep blue sea.

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. Revelation 21:1 KJV

Sea Monsters

I started out thinking this episode was going to be on sea monsters like the Leviathan, so lets talk about those first.

Leviathan

The primary source for the leviathan is found in Job 41, though it is also mentioned in Job 3:8, Psalms 74:13; 104:26, and Isaiah 27:1. Using Blue Letter Bible to determine the meaning of the original Hebrew לִוְיָתָן which is translated to leviathan, I found a few interesting things. This definition acknowledges similarities to plesiosaurus and esentially defines leviathan as a serpentine sea monster, as we would expect. However, it also ties the word to the constellation of the dragon () and Babylon—which is often cited as a city that is in opposition to the Kingdom of YHWH.[1] In short, leviathan is described a fearsome sea serpent, with parallels to the dragon (Isaiah 27:1).

Jewish tradition holds more beliefs about leviathan that are not found in the Bible.[5]

Nessie (The Loch Ness Monster)

The Loch Ness Monster, often called Nessie, is also portrayed as a plesiasaurus, drawing parallels to the leviathan. Legends of Nessie are found in Scotland. While most scientist argue against a large sea creature in the Loch Ness and at least one phone has been declared a hoax, many people still flock to Ireland in hopes of catching a glimpse of the creature.[2]

Plesiasaurus

The plesiosaur or plesiosaurus is a dinosaur-era marine creature.[3][4] Many people think the legends about sea monsters stem from this creature. These massive reptiles, at one point, could grow up to 40 ft. long!

A Lost Kingdom?

So as I was trying to figure out how to make this episode more interesting and what this episode should really look like, my mind driffed from leviathan to Atlantis (mainly because Disney's Atlantis: the Lost Empire has a creature they call leviathan guarding the city of Atlantis). Of course from there my mind driffed to Atlantica, the home of Disney's The Little Mermaid—yes, I watched way too much Disney in my lifetime. Nonetheless, this got the wheels griding in my mind.

Many people know about the legend of Atlantis, but what many have never heard are Christians preaching against "the marine kingdom," a demonic kingdom of water spirits. I don't know enough about the topic to make a clear statement about it, but in the research I have done on it in the past plus what everyone seems to know about water spirits, it does make you think. plus Revelation 21:1 says that after the judgment, there will be no more sea...

Water Spirits

In the US we grew up with mermaids, and mostly mermaids like Ariel from The Little Mermaid, but around the world, the legends of mermaids or other water spirit are not so bubbly and cute.[6][9][10][11]

• Atargtis (Mesopotamia)
• Jengu (Iara)
• Mami Wata (Africa--and the African Diaspora)
• Melusine (French)
• Merrow (Ireland)
• Ningyo (Japan)
• Njuzu (Zimbabwe)
• Rusalka (Slavic)
• Sirens (Greek)
• Selkie (Celtic/Norse)

References

1. "Strong's H3882. לִוְיָתָן". Blue Letter Bible; visited September 5, 2021
2. Loch Ness Monster, Legendary Creature". Encyclopedia Britannica; visited September 2021
3. Plesiosaur". Encyclopedia Britannica; visited September 2021
4. "Plesiosaurs Pictures and Faces". The Dinosaur Database; visited September 2021
5. "Leviathan". Mythical Realm. 2012
6. "Mermaid". Wikipedia; visited September 2021
7. Emily Madriga. "12 Facts About The Ningen, The Creepiest ‘Animal’ You’ve Never Heard Of". Thought Catalog. March 2018
8. Regina Hansen. "Why We Keep Telling Legends of Sea Monsters". The Wall Street Journal. June 24, 2021
9. "Marakihau". The Journal of the Polynesian Society: Vol 66, No 1. 1957
10. Gillian Finklea. "9 Mermaid Legends From Around the World". Mental Floss. February 29, 2016
11. "Mermaid". Encyclopedia Britannica; visited September 2021

Job 41&42: God's Final Words to Job

Sometimes all it takes is hearing God's voice to see the error of our ways. God knows exactly what to say to us, all we have to do is choose to believe Him. When Job realizes how small and insignificant he is, that's when God blesses Him with all he could want. Oh...and let's talk about this sea monster, Leviathan.

Introduction

God to finish His Words to Job in the last two chapters and Job realizes his error. I imagine, on Judgment Day, non-believers will be like Job, standing in awe at the wonder of God and realizing how wrong they've been. Unfortunately for them, it will be too late, but fortunately for Job, it was not too late.
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God's Message

In the previous chapter, God reminded us that only He could subdue a monstrous creature called Behemoth. In Job 41, God tells us only He can subdue Leviathan. We'll talk about whether Leviathan is a creature or a symbol later; for now, let's stick to God's power. The main problem we have as humans, is a loss of perspective. We become so involved in our own world, that we forget how small and insignificant we truly are. This has a tendency to make us prideful and vain. God's reason for describing such a ferocious creature and asking Job if he can subdue it is to remind Job of his frailty. We don't have control over anything in our world, except ourselves, and sometimes we don't have control over ourselves either (I'd never be sick if I had 100% control over myself). Even with tame, house broken animals such as a dog or cat, they are not completely under our submission. Your dog may scratch your chair or keep trying to play with you after you tell him to sit. My cat brings lizards in the house no matter how many times I tell her not to... We aren't in control.

Job Repents

Once Job hears this from God Himself, he realizes that we can't know everything. Job may not know why God allowed him so suffer, but he should always know that God's reason is pure and just. Job repents of accusing God of being unjust, and he also asks for forgiveness for his friends. Eliphaz, Zophar, and Bildad angered God, just as the angered Elihu, with their false doctrine. Part of being a believer, a leader, and a servant of God, is asking for forgiveness for those around us. Although Job was hard on his friends and was frustrated with their lack of answers, Job knew that like himself, they couldn't know everything. He recognized that they had tried to help him and were not spreading false doctrine on purpose. Now that Job understood the truth, he could teach his friends. It is only after Job prays for his friends that his fortune is reversed.

It is interesting to note that Job's friends must make sacrifices for their sin, but Job does not. I think the reason is the nature of the sin. Job did not violate any of God's laws; however, he was over confident in his own righteousness. Job's friends spread false doctrine, a practice that has severely crippled the modern church and continues to drive people away from God. Most likely God found the latter to be more harmful.

Job is blessed two-fold, receiving double of everything he once had (except children). I have heard people question why Job didn't receive twice as many children afterward, and I would assume it's because he didn't actually lose the first 10. Example: if I have a house and it burns down, then I buy a new house, I only have 1 house. If I have a child and he or she dies, then I have another child, I'm still a mother of 2. Another reason could be the fact that 10 is the number of completeness in the Bible. Both 7 and 3 have Biblical significance as well.

Leviathan

Photocredit: Unsplash.com/Caleb George

The Leviathan has appeared in many legends. Scholars attribute the origin story of the Leviathan to pagan myths found in Baal Cycle; they argue that the name and thus the creature are a continuation of Lôtān, a sea monster found in Ugarit myths.^[1] Bible believers, however, argue that Leviathan was a real creature.

Leviathan is mentioned 6 times in scripture: Job 3:8, Job 40:15–41:26, Amos 9:3, Psalms 74:13–23, Psalm 104:26 and Isaiah 27:1. Depending on which translation you're reading, the text may say serpent. Job 3:8 in the KJV doesn't say anything that seems remotely related to Leviathan, but my study Bible has a footnote that says the Hebrew text translated "their mourning" could also be translated to Leviathan.^[2]

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. Isaiah 27:1 KJV

From a Biblical stand point, Leviathan could be real or symbolic (or both). The language in Isaiah 27:1 sounds very symbolic. The serpent and dragon are often used to describe Satan. This verse sounds like much of the text in Revelation in which we are told God will defeat the dragon (i.e., Satan) on Judgement Day. In Job 41, God is asking if Job can tame the beast. The list of questions God asks could be in reference to a real creature, but God also asks Job if he can make a covenant with Leviathan. I would think only beings with intelligence can make a covenant: God, angels, and humans.^[3]

References

1. Leviathan". Wikipedia; visited June 2017
2. Holman Bible Publishers. Holman KJV Study Bible, pg. 867. 2014
3. Jeffrey J. Meyers. "Leviathan and Job, Part 2". Biblical Horizons Newsletter, No. 88. October 1996

Job 38-40: God's First Speech

In Job 38-40, Job gets his wish. God speaks to Job and gives Job the chance to speak. Of course, when the Almighty asks Job what he has to say, Job is suddenly very aware of his boldness to think he could accuse God of treating him unfairly.

Introduction

Who are we that we could approach God and question His actions? We often complain about the fairness of the world and why God let this or that happen, but as Elihu pointed out, we know nothing compared to what God knows. We are not more righteous than God, therefore we cannot judge a situation. When God speaks to Job, He opens the floor for Jon to question Him, but Job realizes at that moment that he has been foolish. The description of the scene reminds me of the times I would mumble somthing smart in response to my mother, but when she confronted me about what I said, I would clam up and hold my breath. I image Job reacting in similar fashion.
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God Speaks

God answers Job from out of a whirlwind. I want to dwell on this because previously, I always envisioned God simply speaking out of nowhere. A whirlwind could be anything from a tornado to a simple wind storm, but either way, Job would have been in the midst of such weather. Hearing God's voice seems terrifying enough, add in a whirlwind, an it's no wonder Job lost his resolve. Job realizes its in his best interest to keep his mouth shut.

God tells Job to "gird up now thy loins like a man," which is basically the predecessor to "man up." Now that God had made His presence known, Job wasn't springing forth to take advantage of the opportunity as he said he would. God says that Job has spoken without knowledge and echoes much of what Elihu has already said, reminding Job that he wasn't there when God created everything. Job can't affect change, only God can, because God created these things. Job has no wisdom of what's in the world, but God does, again, because He created everything. It is He who created and cares for everything. This is why we cannot question Him.

As God reminds us that He created everything, God mentions several types of animals—"unicorns" ostriches, peacocks, wild donkeys, horses, and hawks— that despite being unintelligent, He looks out for. Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, were under the impression that only good can happen to the righteous and bad to the wicked, but these animals were neither righteous nor wicked. As animals, they don't have the ability to choose a side, yet God cares for these animals because He created them. Similarly, God cares for us because He created us.

Photocredit: Jon Taylor

Behemoth

During God's comments to Job, He brings up Behemoth. Behemoth is a reference to a legendary creature that no one can figure out, or rather agree upon. Scholars have identified the creature with well known creatures of today such as the elephant and the hippopotamus, mythological creatures, and dinosaurs. There is no consensus of which category the animal actually falls into.

Some of the descriptions seem to rule out the elephant and hippopotamus of today, however. God tells us that the animal is only approachable by God. While I wouldn't advise running up to an elephant or hippopotamus, both have been cared for by humans. People even ride on the backs of elephants. It seems unlikely that this description applies to these two creatures. Behemoth is described as follows:

1. Herbivore (eats grass like an ox)
2. Strong
3. Tail like a cedar
4. Bone like iron or brass
5. Lives in marshes
6. Chief of God's ways (Large?)
7. Can drink up an entire river
8. Only God can approach it

Based on this description, I'm not inclined to believe the creature is a hippopotamus or elephant. That leaves mythology or an extinct creature like a dinosaur. God says that He made behemoth just as He made Job; therefore it seems that God is not referencing mythology, but something real.

Naturally, scholars then assert that the animal in question must be a dinosaur, specifically, a sauropod.^[1][2] The most well known sauropod is probably the Brontosaurus. Another possibility is found in the Baluchitherium. Baluchitherium was one of the largest animals to ever walk the earth and was something like a massive, hornless rhinoceros.^[3]

God uses behemoth as an example to ask Job, if he couldn't approach an animal such as behemoth, how could he judge anything? God was able to tame the creature the way we tamed dogs and cats. The contrast is meant to remind us that we are small and helpless while God is infinite and all powerful.

Science

Once again, we find reference to science in the text of Job 38-40.^[4] Below, we discuss the relevance of these verses.

Ocean Springs

Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea? or hast thou walked in the search of the depth?Job 38:16

Topically, we can see lakes, rivers, streams, and the ocean. We know that rivers empty into the ocean, but the Bible gives more than one hint that there are other sources of water. In the details of the flood, we learn that water didn't just come from the sky, but from the earth as well. Job 38:16 tells us that there are springs in the depths of the ocean. Scientists began expecting hot springs in the ocean in the early 1970s and found the first one in 1977, 1.24 miles (2 km) below sea level. God said asked if Job had entered the springs of the sea, but until recently, we didn't possess the technology to dive that deep.^[5][6][7]

Light

Job 38 actually has quite a bit to say about light. Light is probably one of the most pervasive of God's creations and God is often compared to light Himself, so it makes sense that there is a lot more to the phenomena than meets the eye.

Light Travels

Job 38:19 asks about the way in which light dwells. The Hebrew word translated to way is "derek" which can mean way, road, distance, journey, or manner.^[9][10] Essentially, Job is telling us that light travels in a particular direction. Job may not have known the speed of light, but God informed him well ahead of schedule that light travels, which means it has speed. (The calculation of the speed of light started in 1670 with Olaus Rømer.^[11])

The Division of Light

Job 38:24 informs us that light can be parted or scattered. The scattering of white light is what creates color. This is part of the process of creating a rainbow. Snell's law, which describes the bending of light, wasn't established until the 984ad and is based on a concept that Ptolemy started in 2nd century ad, well after Job's era.^[8]

Light Waves

In Job 38:35, God brings up radio waves! Lightnings, or light, is a wave. There are several types of waves in the light spectrum, one of which is radio waves. It is through radio waves that we send messages. Although we are unable to see the waves, they are still part of the spectrum of light, thus we are sending messages through light, just as God said in Job 38.^[4][12]

Dinosaurs

We already talked about the relationship many scholars see between behemoth and dinosaurs. As such, many use the verses in Job 40 that describe behemoth (as well as the verses in Job 41 on Leviathan) to say the Bible discusses dinosaurs.

Astronomy

Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion?Job 38:31 KJV

God asks Job if he is able to bind Pleiades or loose Orion. Both Pleiades and Orion are constellations that can be seen in the sky. What's interesting about this question is the fact that the stars that create Pleiades are actually bound by gravity,^[13][14] but the stars those that make up Orion are not bound by gravity and are loose.^[15]

I have seen people who try to refute the accuracy of this claim since Pleiades is not permanently bound. The fact of the matter is that they were bound at the time the words were spoken, are bound now, and honestly, the world will probably end before they come unbound (the estimate for when they won't be gravitationally bound is about 250 million years). Furthermore, the point of God's question was whether Job (mankind) could replicate this act and the answer is still no.

Animal Instincts

Job 39 concentrates on animal instinct. God informs Job that animals can function without anyone teaching them anything because He made them that way. Today, scientists explain instinct as a product of evolution. It is interesting that lower order species, spiders, are born with knowledge of building webs having little to no contact with their mothers.^[16] Turtles find their way to the ocean without their mothers.^[17] Yet, humans have to be taught everything; we don't learn to walk until almost a year into life, some of us will never learn to build anything, and navigation is hit or miss.

References

1. "Behemoth". Wikipedia; visited June 2017
2. Mart-Jan Paul. "Behemoth and leviathan in the book of Job". Creation; visited June 2017
3. Melchia. "Behemoth: Largest And Strongest Land Animal In Man’s World!". The Apple of God's Eye. February 22, 2011
4. "101 Scientific Facts & Foreknowledge". Eternal Productions; visited June 2017
5. B. Hanks. "Exploring the deep ocean floor: Hot springs and strange creatures". U.S. Geological Survey. June 24, 1999
6. Steven A. Austin, Ph.D. "Springs of the Ocean". Institute for Creation Research. 1981
7. Brian Thomas, M.S. "Scientists Describe Job's 'Springs of the Sea'". Institute for Creation Research. July 23, 2015
8. "Snell's Law". Wikipedia; visited June 2017
9. Job 38:19". Bible Hub; visited June 2017
10. "Strong's 1870. derek. Bible Hub; visited June 2017
11. Jose Wudka. "Light. University of California Riverside Physics Department. September 24, 1998
12. Thuy Mai. "Electromagnetic Spectrum. NASA. April 28, 2016
13. "Pleiades". Wikipedia; visited June 2017
14. Bruce Mclure. "Pleiades star cluster, aka Seven Sisters". Earth Sky. November 7, 2016
15. Barbara Kennedy. "Speeding star gives new clues to breakup of multi-star system". Phys.org. March 30, 2017
16. "Spiderlings". Kid Zone; visited June 2017
17. Carrie Arnold. "How Do Sea Turtles Find the Exact Beach Where They Were Born?". National Geographic. January 16, 2015