The Leviathan | The Institute for Creation Research

The Leviathan

“Canst thou draw out leviathan with an hook? . . . None is so fierce that dare stir him up: who then is able to stand before me?” (Job 41:1, 10)

Leviathan was a large and fierce marine animal and may be the source for the dragon stories. God uses a whole chapter to describe this creature! It had limbs, power, and graceful proportions. It also had teeth in the “doors of his face” that were “terrible round about.” The leviathan had scales fitted so close together “that no air can come between them.”

We might compare the leviathan to an ichthyosaur or a mosasaur, or maybe a pliosaur. It is also possible that this enormous animal could have been a Spinosaurus. But when God speaks of “neesings” that cause “sparks of fire [to] leap out,” with smoke coming out of its nose like “a seething pot or caldron,” we get the impression that this creature was something very unusual!

There are, of course, many legends and stories about fire-breathing dragons of the sea and land—all of which contain references to fire that comes from the mouth or nostrils of these ancient animals. Whatever this creature may have been, God Himself uses it as an example of a real animal that Job would have known either from his own personal experience or from current accounts of active commerce that plied the waters of the ancient world.

It is interesting to note that Job understood the need to learn that “the beasts . . . and the fowls of the air . . . and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee. Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this?” (Job 12:7-9). Perhaps God wanted him to understand something of His implacable justice and punishment. HMM III

Adapted from Unlocking the Mysteries of Genesis by Dr. Henry Morris III.

The Latest
NEWS
Puzzling Fossils at an Unlikely Time
Wherever and whenever life is found, it is incredibly complex. This certainly applies to cyanobacterial photosynthetic life that supposedly were some...

CREATION PODCAST
A Theory Designed to Be...Anti-Design | The Creation Podcast:...
Science is objective. At least, that’s what we’re told. But there are inherent issues with this statement that can...

NEWS
Seeing the Case for Creation in Fruit Flies
Our brain is designed to smoothly and constantly process what we see via the incredibly sensitive photoreceptors (cones and rods) of our eyes.1...

DAYS OF PRAISE DEVOTIONALS
Winter 2024
...

NEWS
Amazing Defense Systems
Bacteria (prokaryotes) are ubiquitous. A fraction cause disease in people, animals, and plants, but the majority are the foundation for the global food...

NEWS
Octopus and Fish Plan a Complex Coordinated Hunt
The octopus—an invertebrate—never fails to surprise researchers with its incredible abilities.1,2 The octopus was designed...

NEWS
A ''40 million year old'' 100% European Gnat
Finding well-preserved creatures in amber1 is a landfall for creation scientists, much like the numerous discoveries of soft dinosaur tissue...

CREATION PODCAST
The Undeniable Power of Narrative | The Creation Podcast: Episode...
Science is objective. At least, that’s what we’re told. But there are inherent issues with this statement that can cause...

NEWS
Paintbrush of the Creator
Who doesn’t enjoy the amazing color patterns of butterflies?1,2 Such beautiful designs and construction do not reflect blind naturalistic...

NEWS
November 2024 ICR Wallpaper
"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NKJV) ICR...