"And God created great whales and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good." [Gen 1:21]
During The LORD’s creation of the universe in six days, it came to pass on the fifth day, that The LORD created “great whales and every living creature [in the waters]…and every winged fowl after his kind…” [Gen 1:21] The word used for “whales” means serpents, sea monsters, or dragons. It is the same word used to describe Leviathan in Isaiah 27:1, a sea creature described in Job, which among other things, says, “out of his mouth go burning lamps, and sparks of fire leap out…his breath kindleth coals, and a flame goeth out of his mouth;” [Job 41:19, 21] and, “he esteemeth iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood.” [Job 41:27] Leviathan is described as a mighty sea creature; something that we would probably refer to as a dragon or a sea dragon, perhaps an ancient dinosaur. Nevertheless, this is the word used in Genesis in our verse for today. On this day, among other things, The LORD created “great dragons/sea monsters.”
When pondering this for spiritual application into our lives, it is helpful to first note one particular aspect of the creation account. That it is a parallel and type to God’s working in our lives. As creation began with the division of light and darkness, and ended with the creation of Adam, so too in our lives God begins with the revelation and distinction of right and wrong, good and evil, flesh and spirit, and God ends with producing The Last Adam, Jesus Christ. That is, when The Lord begins a new work in our lives, with the goal of “conform[ing] [us] into the image of His Son, [Jesus Christ],” [Rom 8:29] yes of producing the very life and character of Christ through our bodies, He begins that work by showing us what He is going to do, for, “surely The Lord GOD will do nothing, but He revealeth His secret unto His servants the prophets;” and, “[The Holy Spirit] will shew you things to come.” [Amo 3:7, Jn 16:13] The Lord begins by revealing to us what exists presently in our lives: that darkness or evil, and reveals what He desires us to be: a certain aspect of Jesus – this is the division of light and darkness. Then after various steps, the end goal is the production of Jesus’ life, of that very aspect shown to us, even as the end of creation is with Adam, a great type and picture of The Last Adam, Jesus.
What then might the creation of the sea and dragons represent? That of trials spiritual war. When we are on the verge of producing the life of Jesus, when we are at the cusp of the harvest, by very nature of the war we are presently and unavoidably engaged with, there will be battles. That is, spiritual battles: “for we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against…spiritual wickedness in the heavenlies.” [Eph 6:12] It is through the great wisdom of God that He allows both trials and spiritual battles into our lives. Though they are grievous, yet they are necessary. Though they are grievous, yet as on the fifth day where “God saw that it was good,” so too we are told regarding hardships, “unto you it is given on the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for His sake.” [Phil 1:29] Just as salvation is a gracious, indescribable gift, so too trials and battles in our lives are graciously given to us of God.
May you be encouraged today that the trial you are facing is a gift from God. He is not ignorant of it but has gone to great lengths to ensure this trial and/or battle has been specifically fitted to you, in order that it might contribute to the production of Jesus’ life in you. May we therefore be content and at rest, coming to the same conclusions as God, for if trials are in a very real sense good, then any fleshly or opposing opinion will only lead to sorrow, as it is written, “woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil.” [Isa 5:20]
Let us rest in the wisdom and grace of God; for Jesus says, “my grace is sufficient for thee: my strength is made perfect in weakness.” [2 Cor 12:9] Have you considered, dear Christian, that the dragon in the sea as it were, has been placed there of God? That the trial and/or spiritual battle you are engaged in, has been ordained of God for your good? For, “we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.” [Rom 8:28] This is but a necessary step on your journey of fulfilling that marvelous goal set forth for us, “that we might live through Him;” “that the life…of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.” [1 Jn 4:9, 2 Cor 4:11] It is Jesus Christ who lives in us, for it is written, “Christ liveth in me;” [Gal 2:20] and again, “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” [Col 1:27] But praise God that He so desires Christ not to simply live in us but also to live out of us – “…work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.” [Phil 2:12-13]
It is only “The LORD, The Great God,” [Neh 8:6] who could transform every crooked, hard thing in our lives unto something beautiful and good. As it says, God desires to give us through Jesus, “beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.” [Isa 61:3] Only He who is wise above all others holds the power to create, control, maintain, and approve all trials and battles, ensuring that they are perfectly fitted for us and for the goals He has for our lives. If you have thought, dear Christian, that satan or this trial’s influence in your life has gone askew, beyond the reach or foresight of God, be encouraged, for though we cannot tame Leviathan, that behemoth of a sea dragon, yet God can; for The LORD says rhetorically to Job, “wilt thou take Him for a servant for ever?” and, “whatsoever is under the whole heaven is mine.” [Job 41:4, 11] Have you thought, (though it were a foolish thought), that satan has been unruly in your life? Or that this trial has gone beyond the bounds allotted to it? As the Psalmist once concluded, may you also come: “and I said, this is my infirmity.” [Psa 77:10] For satan’s influence in our lives, yes, and all trials, are tamed of God. As it says of the waters created on the fifth day, so it is regarding all things that concern your life, “though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet they cannot prevail; though they roar, yet they cannot pass over [the bounds established by The LORD].” [Jer 5:22]
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