Leviathan versus ‘the Worm’

‘In that day the Lord with His sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent … ‘Isaiah 27:1

‘Fear not you worm Jacob, and you men of Israel, I will help you, says the Lord, and your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel’ Isaiah 41:14.

 Figures of speech explain things so much more clearly and in fewer words than straight out description. To call someone a ‘donkey’ or ‘as thick as a brick’ needs no further explanation. The Bible uses figures of speech numerous times. Worm is one of them. It is used three times. Once it is applied to Humanity by Bildad in his debate with Job (Job 25:6). His characterisation of Humanity is depressing and true. How can it be justified in God sight? How can it be clean, implying moral and spiritual filth for it is a worm whose world is the dirt?

 Isaiah the prophet used the term ‘worm’ and applied it to Israel (Isaiah 41:14). According to Isaiah 27:1 this degraded Nation is mentioned alongside a creature called Leviathan. There this monster is being attacked by the Lord in defence of His people. Who or what is it? Though not an animal definitively recognized it is described as ‘the piercing serpent, the crooked serpent and dragon’. Could this be a clue which links it to the Serpent in the Garden of Eden? This creature mentioned in Genesis 3 is unmasked in Revelation 12:9. There the Serpent is also named the Devil, Satan, and Dragon. What the prophets wrote about the Last Days is clarified by the apostle John. Leviathan, alias Satan, had perpetrated numerous physical frontal assaults, spiritual perversions and moral debaucheries upon Israel over centuries. These were to prevent God’s purposes through Israel being accomplished. Whilst effective, all his attempts were thwarted by the Lord God of Hosts. Now, in Revelation, this creature rises up in one last horrific assault to destroy Israel.

Leviathan’s historical attacks caused Israel a loss of nobility, prestige and respect in their Lord’s eyes. It also undermined their witness to the rest of the World. They wanted to be like the Gentile Nations and in many ways that is what they became.  They had lost their spiritual and moral uniqueness which was its ‘backbone’ hence the term ‘you worm!’ Yet, God tells them not to fear, He will help them. His ‘battle plan’ is most surprising. Psalm 22 tells us about it and in verse 6, the person mentioned calls Himself a ‘worm.’ The Gospels reveal the identity of this ‘worm’ as Jesus, descendant of King David. The Lion of Judah as He is called became ‘the Worm.’ It would be in the weakness of His identifying with Israel and Humanity Jesus would enter the fray with Leviathan. David’s foresaw the ‘Worm’ as Israel’s substitute under God’s judgement and gladiator against Leviathan’s power. His opponents also included the ‘wild bulls of Bashan (rich and powerful) ‘dogs’ (scavengers, immoral), ravenous lions (godless royalty) and ‘unicorns’ (maybe rhinoceros, Political power).

The battleground was Golgotha (John19:17). The ‘Worm’ took God’s curse upon Israel and bore it. ‘The Worm’ also took Humanity’s Judgement and consumed it. ‘Jesus as ‘the Worm’ won the battle because, though He bore the sin of the World, no sin was found in Him. Though Leviathan still roars and ravages he is defeated and in retreat. His final moments are written in God’s word when it says ‘the Worm’ returns as the Lord of Glory and slays this monster with ‘the sword of His mouth.’

 

Life's Hills and Valley's

Cradle Mt. Tasmania.

The Nation of Israel was on the verge of entering the land promised to Abraham 470 years approximately before. In the book of Deuteronomy Moses gives some snapshots of it. Listening to it must have stirred the hearts of the people. The land was in sharp contrast to that from which they had come, the furnace of Egypt. Canaan was a good land, flowing with streams and with springs and underground water. The land had hills and valleys and fruit trees, pasture and minerals.

There were, however, certain obstacles and conditions to be faced before they could successfully possessed their promised possession. The land was occupied by godless and depraved Nations intent on keeping Israel out. Wandering throughout the land were also wild animals as we read about from David’s encounter with a lion and a bear. The Lord through Moses gave the people a strategy for victory. In one word is was ‘Obedience!’ By being faithful to the Lord’s commands, judgements and statutes the nation would prevail. Disobedience meant failure.

The historical experiences of the Nation can be transferred to the international and spiritual identity called the Church. We are called out of the ungodly world scene to live a lifestyle in sharp contrast to that of the World. When a person hears then heeds the call of Christ to take up their cross and follow Him it sounds idyllic. Sins forgiven, heaven beyond death’s horizon, a transformed life with purpose, hope and fellowship excite and bless. Then we face opposition, often from family and friends. Then from out of our soul the equivalent of the wild beast emerge to terrorise and make us doubt. There wouldn’t be a disciple of Christ who hasn’t felt the tread of sins past or the breath of guilt and shame producing a sense of unworthiness. How are these slain or chained? Through the grace of God, knowledge of His word, deliberately sharing them with the Saviour so that He can deal with such ‘creatures of the soul!’

The intent of the opposition is to turn our attention away from worship and fellowship with the Lord to the uncomplicated but ungodly life before salvation. Psalm 73 is a record of this temptation. It also offers the steps to refocus.

The mention of hills and valleys associated with the land is instructive. Once again they have their spiritual counterparts within the Christian life. For us the important hill is that of Calvary. There our redemption was secured. Included in what the Lord Jesus achieved for us was our own death. We have died to our old life and destiny. We have died to the impossibility of keeping the Mosaic Law. (Romans 6. Romans 7:1-6. And Galatians 2:19-20). Within our walk with the Lord He will bring us to experience the Mount of Transfiguration where we discover new dimensions to our Lord. These two lead us to a mountain where He has a challenge for us. Matthew 28:16-20 expresses the challenge by the word “GO!” We are not told the how. We are simply given the command. It is out of our circumstances, personality, training, abilities, and maturity that we are to seize opportunity to share our faith in Christ.

Mountains and hills mean that valley’s also exist. Reading the Old Testament reveals quite a number of them. Each has its spiritual and moral relation in our walk of faith. It is in the valleys the reality of our trust in the Lord becomes evident. The valley of Achor was where Israel failed (Joshua 7 is the account and its aftermath). However, when dealt with God is able to turn failure into testimony through repentance according to Hosea 2:15. As disciples of the Lord we will fall over and the ungodly will laugh at the ‘mud’ which covers us. There isn’t any value in denying it or ignoring it. When we apologise to the Lord and accept His discipline, He washes us though His poured out life and intercession. Then He lifts us up and gets us on the narrow way again. Our testimony is not of being perfect but of being forgiven. We boast not of our goodness but of Christ’s grace. Other valleys we will walk through. The Lord wants to turn them from tears to triumph, from conflict to conquest. The final valley we will face is of course recorded in Psalm 23. For a Christian it is a valley to pass through but not alone. The Good Shepherd walked it first and has promised to walk it again with His people, His ‘sheep.’

In closing, the wonder associated with the physical land and its spiritual foreshadowing is this promise. ‘The land that you are crossing over to occupy is a land…that the Lord your God looks after. The eyes of the Lord your God are always on it, from the beginning of the year to the end of the year.’ Deuteronomy 11:11-12.

When The LION Roars!

I wonder who gave the Lion the title ‘King of the Jungle?’ Did he take the word picture from the Judeo-Christian Bible, or did it commandeer it? The first mention of a lion is in Genesis 49:9. It is applied to the tribe of Judah, which was also the tribe considered to give Israel their king. In Revelation 5:5 we discover the full meaning of linking ‘Lion’ and ‘Judah’ together. It is a title for Jesus, the risen Lord!

There are some wonderful insights presented in the Scriptures about the lion. In Numbers 24:1-9 this term is applied to the God of Israel. What is interesting is that He is pictured as a lion on the hunt. A feature of the lion is his roar. Within the Old Testament we are told that the Lord God ‘roars.’  The prophets see Him in this metaphor as coming in judgement (Hosea 13:7 is upon Israel and Jeremiah 25:30-31 is upon the Nations.)

Another reason why Yahweh, the Lion of Heaven, is forecast as ‘Roaring’ is something God will do to Israel. ‘They shall go after the Lord, who roars like a lion; when he roars, his children shall come trembling from the west. They shall come trembling like birds from Egypt, and like doves from the land of Assyria; and I will return them to their homes, says the Lord.’ (Hosea 11:10-11) The prophet Joel tells us that the Lord God will roar from Zion and it will shake the heavens and the earth. His breath and its sound will engulf the multitude of Nations in the ‘Valley of decision.’ That will make a person’s hair stand on end. However Joel goes on to say that God, at that time, will be a refuge and a stronghold for Israel. (Joel 3:16.)

The thing I like about the Bible is its use of words with deliberate, specific and defining intent. This is especially true in regard to the character of God and His Son, Jesus Christ.  The mystery of the Godhead is always before our eyes as we read the Bible. It is once again before us when we consider the title of the Lion! Yahweh is the Lion of Israel. Jesus is the Lion of Judah, the future King of that Nation and indeed of the whole World.

The term ‘the Lion’ not only implies the Lord’s regal stature, it also upholds His warrior status. He is the Lord God of Hosts. When He returns it will be in that warrior capacity to bring His rule and reign to earth. People shy away from the image of Jesus as warrior and Judge. It means they are accountable to Him in some way or other. They prefer the babe of Bethlehem. In a manger Jesus isn’t so threatening. However, He is no longer in the manger. Nor the carpenter, or Rabbi. He is the crucified, entombed and risen Lord and Saviour. At this moment His offer is about the grace of salvation by obedient faith. That has a time limit, known only to him and also our own mortality. That is why the Bible says, ‘Now is the day of salvation’ don’t let it pass you by.

Proverbs has two quotes referring to earthly kings. I would like to apply them to Jesus Christ in His status as the Lion of Judah, King of Israel. ‘A king’s anger is like the growling of a lion, but his favour is like the dew on the grass’ (19:12). What would make Jesus angry? Our refusal to bend our knee in gratitude for His salvation! In 20:2 the author takes it further. ‘The dread anger of a king is like the growling of a lion; anyone who provokes him to anger forfeits his life.’

When the Lion of Judah roars from Heaven and prowls upon this earth He will not be laughing. HE comes to set up His kingdom. He comes to reign. He comes to Judge. Those who know Him as Lord and Saviour will rejoice at the sound of the roar. Others will be filled by terror.

©4.5.2015.  Ray Hawkins