Leviathan – Unveiling the Mythical Sea Serpent
The tale of Leviathan has been a source of curiosity among many Christians and non-believers alike since the inception of the creature was expressed in the pages of the Bible. Leviathan is known to be a fearsome primordial being that ruled over all other creatures of the sea. There are varying descriptions of the origins and intent of the creature in history – though most would agree that the terrifying monster is dangerous and capable of terrifying destruction.
The Leviathan is known to be an enormous sea monster that was one of Yahweh’s (the Christian god) original creations. There were several other creatures of equal power that were created, but it was also known to be the most dangerous of them all. There are many different theories as to what inspired the tales of the Leviathan, but most are centered around the demonstrating the almighty power of Yahweh.
It is also possible that Leviathan was adapted into Christian religion as a way of making it easier for people from other cultures to convert to Christianity. This is a popular theory because of ancient myths and legends from cultures that predate Christianity and tell of a mighty sea serpent that is overcome by a benevolent protective deity. This also causes some to wonder if the tale was inspired by a real creature that was interpreted differently in various religions and cultures.
It is thought that Leviathan was created as one of the first creatures and was one of three primordial beings that could hold great power on the earth. Behemoth (a bull-like creature) was given dominance over the land. Ziz (a dragon-like creature) was given reign over the skies. Lastly, it was given rule over all the seas – though the Mediterranean was to be his home. The mighty Leviathan was thought to be the most powerful of these three creatures. This is possibly because of the dangers that are associated with the sea and possibly because the monster was known to be destructive while Behemoth and Ziz were peaceful creatures.
In the beginning, there were supposedly two Leviathan’s – a male and a female. They were made to keep each other company in the seas. As time went on, however, it became clear that both creatures could not be allowed to survive. This was supposedly because the Leviathan would take over (and possibly devour) the world if they were able to create offspring. Alternative versions also say that it was only necessary to kill one of the Leviathan because it had been corrupted by an evil entity – causing it to lose its gentle nature and become a creature of great destructive power.
To preserve the lives of his other creations, Yahweh descended to the earth to destroy the female Leviathan. There was a great struggle between Yahweh and the female Leviathan because of her great strength. However, because Yahweh was all powerful, he was eventually able to kill the female and save the rest of his creations from destruction. The male Leviathan is bitter because of the loss of his companion and awaits the end times when he will battle with Yahweh.
After killing the female Leviathan, Yahweh used the skin from her corpse to create a beautiful canopy. It is known that the Leviathan has one of the most beautiful skins of all Yahweh’s creatures, making this canopy especially exquisite. Under the canopy, a feast made of the flesh from the beast lays on a table. It is said that when the righteous are taken to Paradise in the rapture, they will sit down with Yahweh under this canopy and feast upon the flesh of both Leviathans and of Behemoth.
Yahweh also used the remaining skin of the Leviathan female and used it to make ‘Garments of Light’ for Adam and Eve. Although they had been disobeyed the will of Yahweh from eating the forbidden fruit, Yahweh helped to ensure their protection on earth by giving them these special clothes.
Many creation tales that reference the Leviathan say that Yahweh made the creature (along with Ziz and Behemoth) as a way of demonstrating his mighty power. By creating the most powerful creatures on land, in the seas, and in the skies, Yahweh showed his great power, which helped to humble the rest of his creations.
The Leviathan, however, posed a special sort of problem for many early peoples. It was the only one of the three creatures that was known to have a destructive nature and was largely regarded as an evil being. In addition to being extremely dangerous, the Leviathan was known to be impossible for man alone to defeat.
Read about the enourmous sea serpent from Norse Mythology, Jormungandr, here!
Legend tells us that it was at least 300 miles in length. The exact size of the creature was unknown because the size of the Leviathan was too big to be comprehended by man. This mighty sea creature was known to have a hot temper that was feared by all and armored scales that made it impossible to kill the beast.
In fact, the scales of the Leviathan are said to be one of the most impressive qualities of the creature. Many creation myths claim that the beast had a double layer of armored scales that protected its flesh. These scales were layered so closely together that not even air could get through! Though these details tell us that the beast was mighty, it does not give much insight into what type of animal the Leviathan might mimic. Many theorize that the beast is likely a large serpent or dragon. Others believe that the Leviathan could be a large whale.
Curiously, it has more than just fearsome characteristics – it is also known for its strange beauty. The mighty sea beast is also known to have qualities that are fluorescent in nature. Its eyes are said to have a dim sort of light that is thought to intensify if the head of the monster breaks the surface of the ocean. Its skin also has a beautiful glow – especially its flippers which are known to have what appear to be halos floating above them.
Perhaps most terrifying about the Leviathan is that this creature is not necessarily evil but does enjoy chaos – especially among Yahweh’s chosen creatures. The Leviathan was a creature that was terrifying to all because of its many abilities.
It was known that the Leviathan could breathe fire. When the head of the creature broke the surface of the waters, flames were said to shoot out from its mouth and nostrils. Flames also shot out from its eyes when above the surface. The monster’s heat abilities are not limited with this however. The monster was known to be able to make the water around itself boil. This allowed it to kill its prey and generally terrorize humans.
Additionally, the beast was known to have extremely foul breath. Its odor was essentially poison – any person or creature that encountered the breath of the monster would die. There are passages in ancient texts that suggest the Leviathan would kill every living thing in Paradise if allowed in – just from the smell of its breath.