“Will he make an agreement…?” Job 41:4a
/God’s last object lesson comes in the form of the crocodile… called “the leviathan” in the story. Once again using queries to make His point, God describes the ‘croc’ by His questions:
“Can you pull in the leviathan with a fishhook…” (v.1a);
“…or tie down his tongue with a rope?” (v.1b);
“Can you put a cord through his nose…” (v.2a);
“…or pierce his jaw with a hook?” (v.2b);
“Will he keep begging you for mercy?” (v.3a); and
“Will he speak to you with gentle words?” (v.3b).
Of course, the entire interrogative list can only be answered negatively. A fishhook may get caught in the ferocious reptile’s mouth, only to be carried with it for the rest of its life. Who would dare even try to tie down a croc’s tongue? Neither can a croc be strung like a catch of fish.
Where does mankind get his sense of humor? By being made in God’s image, of course. And God’s sense of humor shone through when He asked if a crock would beg for mercy. It’s enough to make you roll over in laughter to consider it. There is a reality TV series called, “Swamp People”, which follows the day-to-day activities of hunters living in the swamps of the Atchafalaya River Basin whose profession is hunting alligators. If you’ve ever seen even one episode, you would quickly see the torrent of strength and ferocity of even a young gator six or seven feet long, not to mention the older fifteen-foot gators! The Chinese and American gators are smaller cousins to the leviathan crocodile… a beast that would never beg for mercy.
Neither would a croc ever be found speaking gentle words. The angry growl of a croc has just enough hiss in it to warn any approaching challenger of a fight that will never end well… except for the croc. No… the croc will never make a peace treaty with mankind or the rest of creation until Christ’s reconstruction of earth.
Just as the leviathan’s nature is not one for bargaining, neither is The Almighty One to be bargained with. The aquatic monster reflects God’s untamed might, power which man should never contest. Will He make an agreement? God has already offered an agreement… a covenant made through Abraham thousands of years ago: the entire world would be blessed through Abraham’s seed. That blessing came in the person of Jesus Christ. Will you accept His agreement: “Come unto Me, you who are weak and heavy laden and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)
Have a blessed day…