The Lord confronts Job through describing the massive Sea Monster, Leviathan.  God inquires -- was it you who can conquer, tame, or create such beast?

Ideas of serpents, sea-monsters, and dragons creating mayhem is ancient and the Book of Job is from around the 5th or 6th century B.C., when such motifs were popular. Even in our era, it is astounding how pervasive dragons remain in relaying stories. 

Relevant questions become:  What is our fascination?  Is it having to face dragons in a metaphorical sense? Are dragons/sea beasts easier to conceptualize than God?

This chapter calls upon pre-biblical mythology.  As the Babylonian empire grew, people came together through commerce and conflict, each with their own gods, customs and ideals.  Some of these inevitably prevailed over others.  

One legend involved a Babylonian storm god, Marduk, who excelled to the position of “top god.” Civilization faced destruction through a flood brought about by Tiamat – goddess of the sea, who was called “Glistening one,” and depicted with a tail of scales.  Marduk defeated this Sea Dragon, who shares similarities with Leviathan.  Marduk had a multitude of names because of the number of gods he conquered and absorbed.  Marduk cut Tiamat into pieces, which represent the earth we inhabit.  A version of this story finds itself in Job. 

This Babylonian legend proffers that we live, so to speak, on from the remains of an ancient god. Additionally, Leviathan is referenced in Psalm 74, as a sea serpent God defeated, and Isiah 27, as a twisted serpent God will defeat.

God asks Job a series of questions: Can thou draw out Leviathan with a hook? Will Leviathan ever make a supplication unto thee?  Will he speak to you with soft words?  Could you fill his skin with barbed iron? Could this treacherous monster become Your servant?  Can you play with him like a bird?  Could you bind him to be toyed with by the maidens?  Could you make a banquet out of him?

Any hope or effort to defeat Leviathan is in vain.  He who lays his hand upon him will lose his life.  It will not resemble a battle.  Yet the bridge between God and man is even greater.   Even at the sight of Leviathan, man is cast down.  Here is a creature of invulnerability. But there comes a hint of God’s admiration for those who try to beat the unbeatable.  There may be a lesson that to defeat such malevolent forces, even everyday ones, you must stand with God.    

If a mortal succeeded in besting Leviathan (which is impossible), God would elevate him to His own platform.  Such a person would become the Lord’s beloved and his greatness proclaimed.  The point is, however, that there are some forces only God can defeat.

The Lord continues: Who can meet Leviathan face to face?  Get close enough to take in his features?   Who could survive those jaws?  Who could control him as a horse with a bridle?  

This mighty beast – his scales are his pride!   They are impregnable, even to air, and resemble a row of shields.   As he breathes, he exhorts flashes of light.  Out of his nostrils emit smoke as if from a cauldron. These are references are to the beauty and terror of the dragon. 

His eyes are the eyelids of dawn!  Out of his mouth fires a burning lamp.  Sparks of fire leap out; and his breath can kindle coal. 

All joy is turned to sorrow before Leviathan.  His heart is as cold and unwavering.  There is a cruelness and majesty within him.  

When he riseth; the Mighty become afraid.  When he crashes down into the sea, all inferior gods and man suffer.  He can make the cold of the Deep boil.

Whoever brings the sword against him fails. He esteemeth iron as straw;  brass as rotten wood.    He turns arrows  and stones to stubble.   

And when he disappears, Leviathan maketh a majestic path. He swims away leaving a shining wake.

Here a monstrous figure from pre-Biblical belief systems, who is cast as an enemy of God’s order, is transformed into something that continues to play a role in that order.