8-11 Leviathan and Assyria

Sennacherib having a hook in his nose " and my bridle in thy lips" to turn him around (2 Kings 19:28), portrays him as a huge beast, strengthening our view of there being an Arab manifestation of " the beast" of the last days.   There is an unmistakable link here with leviathan, and the other mighty animals spoken of in Job 39-41.    There is good reason to think, from the number of references to Isaiah and Hezekiah, that the book of Job was rewritten, under inspiration, at the time of the Sennacherib invasion (1).   These beasts whom God alone controls, therefore become typical of Israel's neighbouring Arab enemies, headed up by the awesome " Leviathan" (cp. Assyria?).   God alone can put a hook in Leviathan's nose (Job 41:2), as He did to Sennacherib (2 Kings 19:28).   Leviathan is thus a prototype of the Arab/Assyrian beast of the last days, which is further developed by Daniel and Revelation.

A few other intriguing connections are now presented:-

 

-  The mighty  horse is noted for swallowing " the ground with fierceness and rage" (Job 39:24) as Sennacherib's rage was directed against swallowing up Israel and Jerusalem (2 Kings 19:27,28).

 

-  Behemoth " trusteth that he can draw up Jordan" (Job 40:23), as Sennacherib thought he could swallow Israel, represented by their river Jordan.   Babylon " swallowed (Israel) up like a dragon" (Jer. 51:34).

 

-  Leviathan is God's servant (Job 41:4), as it is emphasized Nebuchadnezzar was (Jer. 25:9; 27:6;  43:10).

 

-  Men were " cast down even at the sight of him.   None is so fierce that dare stir him up" (Job 41:9,10) makes Leviathan sound like Goliath, the symbol of Israel's Arab enemy.

 

-  God could kill Leviathan with spears and arrows (Job 41:7), which, figuratively, was how He destroyed Babylon (Jer. 50:29).

 

-  Leviathan's " teeth are terrible" (Job 41:14), as are the teeth of the Arab beast which devours Israel in the last days (Dan. 7:7;  Joel 1:6 cp. Rev. 9:8).

 

-  He has " strong pieces of shields" for scales (Job 41:15, A.V. mg.), giving Leviathan the appearance of a besieging army advancing behind shields, not one of which is out of rank (Job 41:16 cp. Joel 2:7).

 

-  " He is a king over all the children of pride" (Job 41:34) makes him sound like the leader of a confederacy.

 

Notes

 

(1) See J.W. Thirtle, Old Testament Problems.