Lesson 41 TheTwo Sides of Satan

In 40:4-6 Job gave an answer to the LORD that was unsatisfactory to the LORD.

In 40:7 the LORD told Job to gird up his loins for the second time.

·       Obviously Job did not obey the first time. To 38:3

·       To gird uh is loinswhat would Job have to do? Stand up out of the ashes.

·       40:8 the LORD judgment was that Job get up out of the ashes.

Again Job’s response was unsatisfactory, the LORD continue by using two great beasts that Job knew to break Job’s hardened spirit.

40:15-24 Behold the Behemoth

Many want to believe this behemoth is an elephant, hippopotamus, a crocodile or maybe a brontosaurus. This is a one of a kind animal that Job knew.

·       15a which I made with thee: and other of God creations

·       15b he eateth grass as an ox: a herbivore, unlike the lion and other meat eater the Behemoth does not physically attack and kill and rip apart other animals. He would just roan around like the ox and other beasts (V40:20) as they play at the base of the mountains.

·       16-18 The behemoth is a strong powerful animal with a huge powerful tail. V19b, 24b makes him a creature so powerful that no trap could hold him, only be killed by God

·       19a He is the chief of the ways of God with Job 26:14. The behemoth knows ways of God that man can not know

·       40:21-22 gives us a view of a gentle giant of a beast just lounging around in the shade and waters edge.

·       V23-24, 24b It seems this beast can do just about anything it sets it’s mind to. If he wanted he could just drink a river dry, even the river Jordon.

Ch 41 The leviathan: Ps 104:25-26; Isa 27:1; Ps 74:14a

The leviathan is another beast created by God that Job knew.

V41:33a Upon earth there is not his like,

·       In 2:3 God said that there is no man like Job in the earth

·       Here God told Job no creature was able to stand before the leviathan, not you Job.

V41:33b He was created without fear of any other creature

V34 His invincibility led to him being the most proud creature ever created by God.

·       Note a king not the king over the children of pride. As a king he can only have power allowed by the King. Pride if unchecked will overshadow the influence of the King and allow a king to gain undue power.(Job’s Problem?)

Leviathan: a multi-headed, fire breathing dragon that played in the sea where the ship are. He would make the deep appear to be boiling hot with white foam. His path in the sea would be lighted up with in bright shining eyes.

No weapon was able to pierce his scales that were stronger than iron or brass. Shooting arrow or darts would just bounce his scales.

41:8 Lay thine hand upon him, remember the battle, do no more.

·       Could it be that Job and others tried to conquer leviathan.

·       41:6 Could it be they wanted to kill him cut him up to eat and sell his parts.

·       41:9 their actions were in vain, do not try again

41:11 The LORD made sure Job knew leviathan was His leviathan. Leviathan will not be punished before God punishes him

I believe God created these two one-of-a-kind creatures as perfect types of the two natures of Satan.

1) 1Pe 5:8: the roaring lion seeking whom he may devour.

·       Satan as sought to destroy mankind from the creation.

·       Rev 12:9 & Rev 20:2 calls him the old serpent, the devil

·       No man dares to stand up to this roaring lion by his own power the battle would be in vain.

·       Eph 6:11 Only by putting on the whole armour of God can one stand against the devil.

·       Rev 20:10 God is going to punish Satan. (Gen 3:15)

·       V34 king over the children of pride: Satan uses the pride of man pride to bring man down. (Prov 16:18; 1Tim3:6)

·       V31 Satan stirring the people up against God.

V34 With Isa 14:12-14, Ezek 28:14 The pride of Satan

·       Lucifer’s beauty, his position as the anointed cherub, led to his unmatched pride. As a king over all the children of pride

Through the leviathan we see the side of Satan we talk about the most, the roaring lion see in Revelation, openly wanting destroy God’s people, Israel and today the church.

But what about the gentle giant, behemoth?

·       Eph 6:11: the wiles of the devil

·       2Cor 11:3, Gen 3:1 subtle Satan who uses certain men who crept in unawares to destroy God’s people.

·       Satan first is seen as the roaring lion wanting to physically attack Job and wipe out his witness from off the earth. That approach failed.

·       The subtil Satan uses Job’s three friends quickeneth and Elihu to antagonize Job until he cursed God. I believe God stopped this from happening when he spoke out of the whirlwind.

·       Only the sword of God can kill him. Eph 6:17 the word of God. (John 1:1),

Job needed to know that he could not go through all that Satan brought upon him alone. Job 6:10 had been give the words of the Holy One to live by and withstand the wiles of the devil, the attacks of the four men. Job relied on self and failed. Remember Ch 29, Job’s ”I” chapter, Job boasted of who he was at one time. His hard spirit opened the door for leviathan to subtly begin to rule Job’s heart. God had to break him down spiritually before He could restore him fully.