“Can you draw out Leviathan with a hook,
Or snare his tongue with a line which you lower?
2 Can you put a reed through his nose,
Or pierce his jaw with a hook?
3 Will he make many supplications to you?
Will he speak softly to you?
4 Will he make a covenant with you?
Will you take him as a servant forever?
5 Will you play with him as with a bird,
Or will you leash him for your maidens?"
Or snare his tongue with a line which you lower?
2 Can you put a reed through his nose,
Or pierce his jaw with a hook?
3 Will he make many supplications to you?
Will he speak softly to you?
4 Will he make a covenant with you?
Will you take him as a servant forever?
5 Will you play with him as with a bird,
Or will you leash him for your maidens?"
Job 41:1-5
I know what you're thinking, "leave it to the marine science major to fixate on the giant sea creature". Yeah, we all know I'm predictable. But this was really beautiful to me.
When God speaks of the Leviathan, my mind instantly goes in a couple directions. Namely, the sperm whale (thanks Moby Dick) and the great white shark. But I like to believe that way back in Job's day, there were even bigger, fiercer, more awe-inspiring creatures roaming our oceans.
Whatever the case, God's point remains the same. No human can top the Leviathan. No person can overcome its strength and natural ability. But its really the second part is what really struck me.
People could argue that, with today's technology and modern techniques, even the mighty Leviathan could be brought down into submission. But even with our most significant scientific advances, we can not tame it. We can kill and fin (for the safety of all involved, don't get me started on finning) as many sharks as we please but we will never domesticate them. We will never have pet whales that nuzzle up to us affectionately like a puppy. They will always be more wild than we can ever hope to overcome. But God can have that relationship with them. God can 'make a covenant' with an orca and have a pet great white.
I guess my point is this, we can accomplish infinite things and conquer nature in many, many ways. But only God can do so out of respect. We can bully things into submission all day long but the Creator only need ask and creation responds willingly and, even more impressively, lovingly.
P.s. I commented on Tori's post
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