September 6, 2024

The Book of Job tells the story of a man of God, named Job. Job was a very wealthy and prosperous farmer in the land of Uz. He had thousands of sheep, camels, and other livestock, a large family, and many servants. Suddenly Satan, the accuser, came before God claiming that Job was trusting God only because he was wealthy and everything was going well for him.

Job 2:3 “And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause.”

And so the testing of Job’s faith began. Satan was allowed to destroy Job’s children, servants, livestock, herdsmen, and home; but Job continued to trust God. Next Satan attacked Job physically, covering him with painful sores. Job’s wife told him to curse God and die. Job 2:9 “Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.” Job 2:10 “But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.”

Three of Job’s friends, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, came to visit him. At first, they grieved with Job. But when they began to talk about the reasons for Job’s tragedies, they told him that sin had caused his suffering. They told him to confess his sins and turn back to God. But Job maintained his innocence.

Unable to convince Job of his sin, the three men fell silent. Job 32:1 “So three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes.” At this point, another voice - the young man named Elihu - entered the debate. Although his argument also failed to convince Job, it prepared the way for God to speak.

Finally God spoke out of a mighty storm. Confronted with the great power and majesty of God, Job fell in humble reverence before God - speechless. God rebuked Job’s friends, and the drama ended with Job fully restored to happiness and wealth.

It’s easy to think that we have all the answers. In reality, only God knows exactly why things happen as they do, and we must submit to Him as our Sovereign God. I encourage each of you to read the entire 42 chapters of the book of Job. As you read this book, emulate Job and decide to trust God no matter what happens.

Tonight, we will focus on the 41st chapter of the book of Job. God is speaking to Job just before his trial is over and just before Job is about to be fully restored to wealth and happiness.

Job 41:1–8 “Canst thou draw out leviathan with an hook? Or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down? Canst thou put an hook into his nose? Or bore his jaw through with a thorn? Will he make many supplications unto thee? Will he speak soft words unto thee? Will he make a covenant with thee? Wilt thou take him for a servant for ever? Wilt thou play with him as with a bird? Or wilt thou bind him for thy maidens? (put it on a leash for your daughters) Shall the companions make a banquet of him? Shall they part him among the merchants? Canst thou fill his skin with barbed irons? Or his head with fish spears? Lay thine hand upon him, Remember the battle, do no more.” (If you lay a hand on it, you will remember the struggle and never do it again)

Here God is asking Job some very important questions, which we will revisit in a few minutes, but I just wanted to explain to you exactly what a “leviathan” is. Webster’s dictionary describes it as an immense sea monster. It is a sea serpent demon, like a prehistoric whale or crocodile. Leviathan is mentioned five times in Scripture and each time it is likened unto a King - a ruling spirit. The spirit of PRIDE. Let us continue:

Job 41:9–21 “Behold, the hope of him is in vain: Shall not one be cast down even at the sight of him? None is so fierce that dare stir him up: Who then is able to stand before me? Who hath prevented me, that I should repay him? Whatsoever is under the whole heaven is mine. I will not conceal his parts, Nor his power, nor his comely proportion. Who can discover the face of his garment? Or who can come to him with his double bridle? Who can open the doors of his face? His teeth are terrible round about. 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. By his neesings a light doth shine, And his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning. Out of his mouth go burning lamps, And sparks of fire leap out. Out of his nostrils goeth smoke, As out of a seething pot or caldron. His breath kindleth coals, And a flame goeth out of his mouth.”

The scales on this crocodile-like sea monster are so tight that no air can get between them. Nothing can penetrate those tight scales. The spirit of leviathan operates at the bottom of the water. That’s where he likes to lurk and play. Water and wind represent the Holy Spirit in Scripture. The scales on leviathan are so close together and so tight that there is no way for water or air to penetrate those scales.

Job 41:22–34 “In his neck remaineth strength, And sorrow is turned into joy before him. The flakes of his flesh are joined together: They are firm in themselves; they cannot be moved. His heart is as firm as a stone; Yea, as hard as a piece of the nether millstone. When he raiseth up himself, the mighty are afraid: By reason of breakings they purify themselves. The sword of him that layeth at him cannot hold: The spear, the dart, nor the habergeon. He esteemeth iron as straw, And brass as rotten wood. The arrow cannot make him flee: Darts are turned with him into stubble. Darts are counted as stubble: He laugheth at the shaking of a spear. Sharp stones are under him: He spreadeth sharp pointed things upon the mire. He maketh the deep to boil like a pot: He maketh the sea like a pot of ointment. He maketh a path to shine after him; One would think the deep to be hoary. Upon earth there is not his like, Who is made without fear. He beholdeth all high things: He is a king over all the children of pride”.

The spirit of leviathan is PRIDE. God is wanting Job to recognize his own inability to deal with PRIDE.

God says you can’t pull it out with a hook! Only God can pull it out.

Proverbs 16:18 “Pride goeth before destruction, And an haughty spirit before a fall.”

God gave four questions to Job:

Job 41:3 “Will he make many supplications to you? Supplication is praying, asking for help, begging... The answer is “NO”. The reason people don’t pray is because they don’t think that they need to. If we don’t pray - we are full of PRIDE. Jesus said, “I am the vine, you are the branches, without me you can do nothing.” One sure sign that the leviathan has a hold on your life is that you refuse to pray. Proud people don’t pray. Some are addicted, some are depressed, but they will not ask for help. Philippians 4:6 “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” Hebrews 5:7 “Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;” Here we see the Son of God offering up prayers and supplication in HUMILITY with crying and tears. HUMILITY is a spirit of prayer.

Job 41:3 “Will he speak soft words?” No! When you become prideful you can’t speak soft words. You speak angry words, like fire coming out of your mouth. Proverbs 18:23 “The poor plead for mercy; But the rich answer harshly.” Because I am so successful, or because I have my degree, or because I feel that I am superior to you, I can talk any way that I want to you - Harsh words. 1 Timothy 3:6 “Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.” A lot of preachers never mention the devil, but God told us to be aware of the devil. Once we get Baptized with water it is possible for the spirit of leviathan to slip back in. Some of us need to admit that we have been too proud.

Job 41:4 “Will he make a covenant with thee? NO! God made a covenant with Noah - A rainbow Genesis 9:12–16 “And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth. And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud: And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.” The Gay Pride movement has made that sacred rainbow their own sign of PRIDE - Before destruction, the scales of lust, perversion, offense, and gossip get so close together that air can’t get in. Air represents the Holy Spirit. God breathed air into the nostrils of Adam, when he created man. Isaiah 27:1 “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.” Repent of PRIDE, because PRIDE goes before a fall. Humble yourself before the mighty hand of God. I need to fall on my face in repentance to God. If you want to break the power of leviathan, you need to humble yourself and become a servant. Marriage is a covenant - when PRIDE starts to get into a marriage, we begin to say things like, “I don’t have to put up with this!” “My needs are not being met, so I don’t have to stay in this marriage!” We become unforgiving . We have hardness of heart. The devil only has those three weapons: Lust of the eyes, Lust of the flesh, Pride of life. Can you become humble enough to say, “I’m sorry”? Leviathan is a strong necked, stiff necked, rebellious, hard hearted spirit. We want to be humble, like the Spirit of Christ.

Job 41:4 “Wilt thou take him for a servant for ever?” NO! Pride will not let you serve people. You will want to be served. Serving is a position of humility. Jesus gave us a stunning example of humility: John 13:4–5 “He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. After that he poureth water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.” John 13:14 “If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet.” The moment that we begin to wash feet , the Holy Spirit begins to find it’s way between those very tight scales. So now you are supposed to rise up and and start serving - lose the harsh words - start using softer words. Break the power of the leviathan - become a servant. Be a prayerful person. Learn to forgive. Jesus told Judas, “ I already know what you are going to do and I have already forgiven you. Jesus told Peter, “I already know that you will deny me and I already have forgiven you.” Jesus washed the feet of both Judas and Peter. If I have hurt you, I will wash it away. If you have hurt me, I will wash it away. I don’t care who you are - or what you have done - how much money you have or don’t have. What do you think would happen if I went home tonight and washed my wife’s feet? if I admitted that I have been too proud or that i have been a covenant breaker? The moment that we wash feet , the Holy Spirit finds it’s way between those very tight scales and humility enters, defeating the king of PRIDE.in our lives. Life is too short! How long will you carry that grudge and be unforgiving? How long will you refuse to pray?

Job was tested. He had a life filled with prestige, possessions, and people, he was suddenly assaulted on every side, devastated, stripped down to his foundation. But his life, his very foundation, was built on God, and he endured. As you read the book of Job, analyze your life and check your foundation. And may you be able to say that when all is gone but God, He is enough. Job never gave up on God - even in the midst of suffering. He never placed his hope on his experience, his wisdom, his friends, or his wealth. Job focused on God.