Leviathan, King Over the Children of Pride
As mentioned earlier, Job 41 is the key passage about Leviathan. Most of those who have this powerful spirit never get delivered, for one of his chief jobs is to block deliverance. Ministers refusing to open up to the ministry of deliverance are controlled by a Leviathan spirit who is their chief problem. Most who fight the deliverance ministry have powerful Leviathan spirits and are rarely delivered. Strong’s Concordance (#3882, #3867) defines Leviathan as a wreathed animal or a serpent. He is also called the Constellation of the Dragon, or Orion. Within the constellation Orion there are seven stars, each with a name. These names have been found helpful in dislodging Leviathan in deliverance. Pleaides and Articus are two of these seven stars (demons) tied in with Leviathan. Often when you manage to force them out, Leviathan also suffers defeat.
Another word for Leviathan means to twine, to unite and to remain. Again we are reminded of his serpentine nature and that he is a strongman. A word which occurs six times in the Old Testament comes from a root word which means to bend or twist. It means literally wreathed; like a wreath; to be wreathed; gathering itself in folds. The context suggests some form of aquatic monster which dwells in the sea. In the scriptures the sea represents nations of people. The sea is the voice of many waters, or many peoples, in the Book of Revelation.
Thou brakest the heads of leviathan in pieces, {and} gavest him {to be} meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness. (Psalm 74:14)
This is a reference to Pharaoh and the Exodus which parallels with another Hebrew word “tannon,” which means a sea or river monster. The word occurs again in Ezekiel 29:3-5 symbolizing Pharaoh and the Egyptians. Oftentimes there is an Egyptian spirit tied in with Leviathan, a spirit of the world and worldliness.
In Job reference is made to a dragon. According to ancient mythology, a dragon was supposed to cause eclipses by wrapping himself around the sun. Leviathan was considered to be a great mythical monster, and was identified with the Babylonian mother goddess, Timat. The father of Timat was Apsu in the Babylonian creation story. This monster fought with Marduk by reciting charms and casting witchcraft spells.
In the Word there is a seven headed monster which takes us back to the constellation Orion and its seven stars. The seven heads are the seven stars and the creature is described as a fleeing serpent, the tortuous serpents smitten by Baal.
There is a dragon in the sea (people or nations) and God is going to slay him (Isaiah 27:1). The noun translated Leviathan may also designate serpents such as might be roused by snake charming magicians. These men were also reputed to be able to impose curses, therefore snake charming curses are involved here.
There is another root word, Lawa, in the Hebrew (Strong’s #1087) used once in Ecclesiastes 8:15. It refers to the joining of an item or a person to someone or something else. Significantly, we believe that in the Bible this refers to foreigners who join God’s people as converts, the joining of an alien thing to God’s people.
Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry: for that shall abide with him of his labor the days of his life, which God giveth him under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 8:15)
In general, I think this refers to the way which hedonistic pleasures stay with a man. These pleasures will cling to a man. Again the reference is to clinging, writhing and twisting. They get caught up with a man internally.
Job 41 says, Canst thou draw out Leviathan with an hook? Or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down? In a Dallas congregation there was a man from a hard background, a career army officer in Viet Nam. When he came home his brains were scrambled. Officials of the Army had judged him to be a 100% disabled schizophrenic. He appeared on the preacher’s doorstep one day after hearing his radio program. Six months ago began a battle such as had never been seen by these workers before.
Being a disabled veteran, he is required to report every month to a psychiatrist to maintain his disability. After deliverance he came to the preacher and said he was so much better that he was no longer schizophrenic. His question was, “What am I going to tell them when I go back for my interview?” The pastor asked what they wanted to find out. He said they just wanted to know whether or not he was still crazy. He was advised him to tell them what happened to him in deliverance. It worked. After that report they were absolutely convinced that he was insane!
In his Bible studies he came to believe that Behemoth (Job 40) might be lodged in the will of man. That big sluggish animal is strong, brassy and very hard to budge. Leviathan represents or burrows into the self of man.
The whole context of the book of Job is an ongoing debate between Job and his friends. Finally, God announces that He has had enough and demands an answer.
Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion? (Job 38:4, 31)
Here at the culmination of an entire revelation, God gives this righteous man of God an entire discourse about Leviathan. Some call him a crocodile but he is an evil spirit. Although we do not have complete understanding, we can utilize what we do comprehend.
When we get down to that real, true self, we are in Leviathan’s stronghold, deep inside. Even after ousting him, self will remains. The king may say, that this is as far as he is willing to go. If you heed him, you will go no farther.
Job 41:8 warns that when we attack Leviathan we will remember the struggle and will not want to repeat it. This reminds us of our old self who wants things to remain hidden.
Job 41:15 reveals that Leviathan is proud of his scales which are so tightly sealed that no air can come between them. In scripture, air, breath and wind are all synonymous with the Holy Spirit.
Because of the effects of Leviathan’s tight coils about them, victims are so closed in and choked that the moving of the Holy Spirit is inhibited. They can neither hear nor discern the Spirit; therefore they never get a word from the Lord nor do they move in the gifts. The reason is that no air of the Spirit is able to get in because of this demonic stranglehold. Scales are said to be joined together and cannot be sundered.
By his sneezings 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. (Job 41:18,19)
This brings to mind James’ references to the tongue kindling a fire. Problems involving loose tongues root in Leviathan. Anytime he infiltrates a church he looses some of that fire and soon the whole place is ablaze.
Out of his nostrils goeth smoke, as {out} of a seething pot or caldron. (Job 41:20)
This refers to a cutting, critical tongue rooted in a spirit of Pride. This smoke going out of Leviathan’s nostrils represents false praise and worship. It is like the smoke going up from the incense burning of Nadab. Because the person is so bound with pride and self importance, he is unable to really praise God. The man wrapped up in himself makes a very small package!
In verse 22, “in his neck remaineth strength.” Stiffnecked Pride and Stubbornness work with Leviathan. Sometimes strength in the neck can be a negative thing, because Stephen spoke of those who were stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart.
Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers {did}, so {do} ye. (Acts 7:51)
Bowing the neck is rebellion and this brings us back to pride and sorrow. Dismay goes with stubborn people just as the flakes or the folds of Leviathan’s flesh are joined together; firm in themselves and unable to be moved. These people resist being told anything, for they know it all. Haughtily they declare, “God showed me that a Christian can’t have a demon. You’re in deception, brother, etc.”
His heart or chest is said to be as firm as a stone, as hard as a piece of millstone (verse 24). Hard and cold heartedness are both tied to Leviathan.
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. (Job 41:24,25)
In verse 31, he makes the deep to boil like a pot.
Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me. (Psalm 42:7)
The deep is where the real you is located. There is a deep in us and we are very careful about who we allow to come in there. God can get in there, deep calls unto deep. The Leviathan spirit will cause that deep to boil with restless turmoil inside. Sometimes sleep is disturbed because of something boiling around buried inside. This might be a Leviathan spirit at work. This boiling is not only in you but it also stirs up other people.
If you ever spend much time around schizophrenics you will notice that they will wear you out. They have a problem and will give you one also. We need to become steady and unmovable. We should be stirred only about God’s righteousness and the evil that is in the world.
The following is an excerpt from “Leviathan and Other Spirits, Booklet #19″ by Pastor Win Worley. Copyright © 1983 by Win Worley, Revised © 1992. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including storage and retrieval system, without securing permission in writing from the publisher, WRW Publications, PO Box 852626, Mesquite, TX 75185.
If you’d like to obtain your own copy of not only this, but other materials authored by Win Worley, please contact WRW Publications at www.wrwpublications.com
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