Nuclear Leviathan
In God's Word we find symbols and names termed as "mysteries!" Mysteries represent or stand for something else - especially a material object representing something abstract. For example, like lamp-stand in Revelation represent: churches. The word flood can represent: an army or many people; lamb: Jesus Christ; two - olive - trees : two physical people as witnesses; stars: can mean angels or messengers; and women: a religion or church.
In this article today let's speculate on a subject who is named five times in three books, in the King James Version of God's Word. These three books are 1). Job; 2). Psalms and 3). Isaiah. We will begin in the book of Isaiah, but keep in mind that at this present time, our country, the United States of America, is in a state of degeneration and decay. Our nation is undergoing the throes of judgment and we are floundering as a people - on the edge of destruction. God addresses the United States of America prophetically in Isaiah 18: 4, [please read an article titled "The Planting of America" in a previous "Prove All Things" or on the Internet]; communicated a message that He [God] would rest in His "dwelling place" during a specially fixed period and refrain from intervening on behalf of His people. This will occur prior to the fulfillment of the prophecy found in Isaiah 26:21, where "God's place" is also mentioned starting in verse 20: "Come, My people, enter you into your chambers, and shut your doors about you: hide yourself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation [that is, annoyance provoked by what is perceived as unfair treatment] be over past. For, behold, the Lord cometh out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain" (Isa 26:20-21). In verse 20, God's people are advised to turn to Him for protection. In verse 21, they are told God will move against His opposing enemy during this time of trouble.
Now chapter 27, verse 1, reveals the subject we will look at in this article: "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" (Isa 27:1). Leviathan is Strong's number 3882, meaning; 1. A wrath animal; 2. A serpent; 3. A crocodile; 4. A large sea monster; 5. A whale.
The "Encyclopedia Mytheca" gives us their ideas: 1. It's some sort of chaotic animal like a crocodile or serpent; 2. Taken to mean a whale or dolphin; 3. Leviathan is a symbol of evil. An anti-driven power, some sort of devil which will be destroyed on judgment day. Most commentaries say about the same thing, calling leviathan a large animal.
Verse 1 of chapter 27 ends by saying. "He [meaning God] shall slay the dragon that is in the Sea." One comment stated, "The dragon" would seem to mean some nation having a strong naval force. That comment gives us a hint of who or what this mysterious "Leviathan" might be. If we try to associate this creature "leviathan" with those of flesh and blood such as a whale or crocodile or some indescribable dweller of the great deep that's never been seen by man, then leviathan will remain a mystery blurred and unreal in our thinking.
In the book of Job we will start to uncover the identity of who or what leviathan could be. In Job 41, we find Job being challenged to consider leviathan. God asks Job, "Can you draw out leviathan with an hook? Or his tongue with a cord which you let down? Can you put an hook into his nose? Or bore his jaw through with a thorn?" (Job 41:1-2). For centuries, this enigma of leviathan in Job's vision has remained an insoluble riddle. This riddle is like the mystery we looked at a couple months ago in Isaiah 18, in "The Planting of America." This time it's "Leviathan"that is used as the object of concealing the identity of the creature until its existence has become an accomplished fact! So it's by description and not by name that Leviathan is to be identified. The modern name by which it would be known would be something other than the name given by Job. These verses in Job shows Leviathan must inhabit the sea and be at home both submerged and on the surface, thus fulfilling in every detail the action described in Job's vision. "Can you draw out leviathan with an hook? Or his tongue with a cord which you let down? Can you put an hook into his nose? Or bore his jaw through with a thorn?" (Job 41:1-2). This questioning of man's ability to catch leviathan with conventional fishing tackle, immediately dispels any argument that this creature leviathan, can be caught by those methods used to land an ordinary fish or crocodile. The question God framed to Job in those first two verses answers itself: it cannot!
The mystery name of "leviathan" must apply to something in the sea that is different than a fish, reptile or some sea mammal. By now many of you probably have this mystery or riddle solved. By substituting the word "submarine" for leviathan, we have a large object which uses the sea as its natural habitat. It can surface, dive and turn like a whale and can stays submerged for months at a time! Submarines today are known for being a "fast attack weapon" and generally operate in a hunter-killer role. The larger submarines can carry cruise missiles, torpedoes and long range ballistic nuclear missiles. And submarines have been in the news lately: Germany is building two nuclear submarines for Israel and Russia is supplying nuclear powered submarines for the country of Iran. Recent news has stated that Israel is placing two nuclear subs in the Persian Gulf to monitor Iran! China has also unveiled its new class of ballistic missile submarines. These submarines will be China's first to have intercontinental, strategic nuclear delivery systems.
Reading God's challenge to Job about leviathan did not make sense until we look at leviathan as being a submarine: "Will he make many supplications unto you? Will he speak soft words unto you? Will he make a covenant with you? Wilt you take him for a servant for ever?" (Job 41:3-4). If we accept the thought that radios use digital signals with extremely low frequency; these communication systems endow "leviathan" with the ability to speak softly and quietly. The United States has new technology that can detect a type of ship 1,000 miles away! God also asks Job, "Will he make a covenant with you?" The submarine under human control becomes a killer in the sea. There has not been a war where a covenant was made to eliminate this dangerous killer!
As we look at these verses in Isaiah, Job and Psalms, keep in mind all the modern technology that has taken place since these books were written. And a lot of this has taken place since the late 1800's! Verse 5, of Job 41, is interesting in that it seems to compare the speed of development or advancement between the submarine and airplanes: "Will you play with him [leviathan] as with a bird? Or will you bind him for your maidens?" During the years of World War I and II, the navy lagged badly in the construction of submarines, but the same was not true of advances made with aircraft design. The submarine took second place to the modernization of the airplane.
You might recall reading in history or seeing on T.V., films of the encouragement given to aircraft designers and manufacturers via the international races held yearly by Britain and the United States. This was a game of play like verse 5 said, "Will you play with him [leviathan - submarine] as with a bird [as with an airplane]?" This establishes the time line when the airplane would be a competitor to the submarine. Verse 5 continues to say, "Will you bind him [leviathan] for your maidens?" The "Navy Warfare Seal" says: "Female officers are eligible to serve in all of the Navy officers communities, except the submarines!" In another document it states, "In the Navy, women are excluded from submarine warfare - says Special Warfare Seal." We know women can pilot airplanes around the world, but it is an historical fact that women have never been used to man a submarine as an officer in the United States Navy. Not sure in other countries!
Looking now at verse 6, "Shall the companions make a banquet of him? Shall they part him among the merchants?" The two questions asked here should be easily understood: It seems this verse was inserted to assure us that leviathan is not made of flesh and blood. Because a submarine would be a very poor banquet entree!
Job 41:7 asks two more questions: "Can you fill his skin with barbed iron? Or his head with fish spears?" The first question speaks of spears, pointed like a thorn [Strong's number 7905], and the second, harpoons [Strong's number 6767].
With the understanding that "leviathan" is a submarine, there is no difficulty in answering both questions: Leviathan cannot be harpooned or stuck with spears or harpoons, because its thick skin is built of heavy steel plates. Verse 8, "Lay your hand upon him, remember the battle, do no more" (Job 41:8). This verse shifts our thought from the form of a question to that of a command: "If you strike it" - that is, "lay a hand on him" - remember, be aware that a fearful conflict will ensue! The mere thought of a battle with leviathan deters one from taking action against it. "Behold, the hope of him is in vain: shall not one be cast down even at the sight of him?" (Job 41:9).
Iran, China, North Korea and Russia are all working on developing better weapons of mass destruction and ways of delivering them to their target. A submarine gives them a tool that remains hidden - even at close range of the target.
Today, our nation and its leaders are in fear of these Eastern nations; as they have become allies with Russia. Russia's massive, sophisticated fleet of submarines, is equipped with many weapons of mass destruction. God asks Job in the last part of verse 10, "Who then is able to stand before me ?" Or be against me?" Ezekiel give the answer to the vision of who is standing before God. "And say, 'thus saith the Lord God; behold I am against you, O Gog [Russia], the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal: And I will turn you back, and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you forth, and all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords'" (Ezek 38:3-4). God is describing Russia, the leader of a vast coalition of Eastern heathen nations! "Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say unto Gog, 'thus saith the Lord God; in that day when my people of Israel dwells safely, shalt you not know it? And you shalt come from your place out of the north parts, you, and many people with you, all of them riding upon horses, a great company, and a mighty army: and you shalt come up against My people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring you against My land, that the heathen may know Me, when I shall be sanctified in you, O Gog, before their eyes'" (Ezek 38:14-16). In the destruction of Gog, the character of God will be fully vindicated, just as with the destruction of Satan at the end of the millennium.
Now God asks Job, "Who has prevented Me, that I should repay him? Whatsoever is under the whole heaven is mine" (Job 41:11). God will repay the man and nation who controls the submarine as an offensive weapon. Time has now moved forward when submarines will be one of the Eastern nations major weapons of mass destruction!
God tells Job, "I will not conceal his parts, nor his power, nor his comely proportion" (Job 41:12). God returns now to a fuller and more detailed description of leviathan: Three things are drawn to our attention: 1. Its parts: the steel plates which are shaped to form its hull. 2. Its power: that is the power to move it with speed or force. 3. Its proportions: proportion is meant to convey balance. A submarine has to have perfect balance in order to remain upright while submerged.
During World War II, submarines were powered by diesel engines and these engines were considered the "heart" of a submarine. Today's up to date " heart" of a submarine is described in verse 24: "His heart is as firm as a stone; yea, as hard as a piece of the nether millstone" (Job 41:24). With the advent of nuclear powered submarines, we see how the words of God are completely fulfilled. From the heart of the submarine like the heart in a person, flows all its life's energy and sources. At the heart of a nuclear submarine is a uranium/atomic reactor core which provides the nuclear fuel for powering the submarine and all its internal systems. Uranium is very hard and heavy. It is a heavy radioactive metallic element mined from the depths of the earth and then highly "enriched" to provide fuel for nuclear reactors. God's definition of a modern day submarine's heart is right on target! "His heart is as firm as a stone; yea, as hard as a piece of the nether millstone." "Nether" is Strong's number 8482, meaning, "lower part - lower most depth." The nuclear fission reactor powers the sub by heating sea water and producing steam energy which powers electric steam turbines. This is why we read in verse 31, "He makes the deep to boil like a pot: he makes the sea like a pot of ointment."
Can you see the picture emerging? Go back and look at verse13. "Who can discover the face of his garment? Or who can come to him with his double bridle?" (Job 41:13). First, "who can discover the face of his garment?" The "garment," would be the outer steel hull that is hung on the steel girders, to which it is attached the face of this "garment."It follows in a natural sequence, because it is meant to question the entrance to the garment or hull of the submarine. By linking the hull to the "face," we are led to consider the entrance to the interior of the body - you can think of it as the mouth. The last part of verse 13 says: "Who can come to him [or who can control him] with his double bridle?" The bridle is the means by which a horse is guided and controlled and we know the mouth of a submarine is not at the forward end, but midway of the body, and is steered from the stern. In the stern is the propeller and rudder. The rudder steers, and the propeller supplies the power. The "double bridle" is the two sources that steers and guides leviathan!
Job 41:14 ask the question, "Who can open the doors of his face? [that's easy to answer - God can!] his teeth are terrible round about." There is a term used "face of the deep" to refer to "the surface of the ocean." When a submarine surfaces its top deck emerges out of the "face" of the water. So if viewing a submarine from the air we see its top deck as being its face and its door can only be opened from the inside when latchet down. That verse continues to say, "His teeth are terrible round about." Submarines today are built with missile silos - the doors to the silos open on the deck or face of the submarine. These silos are always arranged in two rows along each side of the top deck, each row has eight openings. With the doors open and two rows of missiles exposed, they appear as two rows of teeth! Silos and missiles are round, so we read in verse 14, "His teeth are terrible round about."
Leviathan is described further, "His scales are his pride, shut up together as with a close seal. One is so near to another, that no air can come between them. They are joined one to another, they stick together, that they cannot be sundered" (Job 41: 15-17). A submarine skin is welded and riveted together air tight just as these verses describe it.
Job 41:18, "By his neesings a light doth shine, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning." The word "neesings"means "sneezing"- Strong's number 5846. When a missile is launched (usually done underwater) it makes a rushing sound from the combination of missile exhaust and the decompression of air. So when a submarine is heard "sneezing," it is a missile from a silo being fired out of the "mouth of its face." Then, when it breaks the surface of the water, the fire from the missile exhaust illuminates the surface of the water - especially if the launch is done at night. This also explains the next two verses. "Out of his mouth go burning lamps, and sparks of fire leap out. Out of his nostrils goes smoke, as out of a seething pot or caldron" (Job 41:19-20). The word "nostrils" draws our attention to the nose of the submarine. This is where the torpedo tubes are located. I have read: "Torpedoes when launched, give off smoke because they are being propelled by a rocket engine. Cruise missiles when launched, utilize compressed air like a torpedo, which creates thousands of tiny air bubbles when launched. Both appears to go "Out of a seething boiling and bubbling pot or caldron."
When a cruise missile breaks the surface of the ocean, it's like a ballistic missile - it gives off light. Connect that with verse 21, "His breath kindles coals, and a flame goes out of his mouth." A nuclear tipped cruise missile or the larger, deadlier ballistic missile that has multiple atomic warheads (MIRV's) that have been fired, brings our attention to verse 27. "He esteems iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood." Iron and bronze were the most effective metals for implements of warfare known at the time of Job. But they are like straw or rotten wood in dealing with a modern day leviathan!
Job 41, implies that one day the doors will be opened and many will be fatally "bitten" by the teeth of "leviathan." But God has set limits on the use of weaponry such as this. Jesus Christ said: "And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened" (Matt 24:22).
In Isaiah 54, God tells us any form of atomic, conventional, bacterial, or some other type of weaponry now hidden from public view, will not harm His people. "No weapon that is formed against you shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against you in judgment you shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of Me, saith the Lord" (Isa 54:17).
When God's time comes to opens His arsenal, the Psalmist writes, "For God is my king of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth. You did divide the sea by Your strength: You brake the heads of the dragons in the waters. You break the heads of leviathan in pieces, and gave him to be meat [burn up for fuel] to the people inhabiting the wilderness" (Ps 74:12-13). God will save His people from the enemies "nuclear arsenal."
Now a verse containing God's promises given to His people living in "that day"- meaning at the end of the age: "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" (Isa 27:1).
PROVE ALL THINGS
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