What God Is Doing To The Sharks In Your Life

What God is Doing to the Sharks in Your Life

Isa. 27:1

Aug. 3, 2008 FBC, Chester Dr. Mike Fogerson, Speaker

Introduction

A Opening story

B “Leviathan” was a legendary creature, with its origin coming from the Ancient Near East (the word itself is Armenian in origin, but the creature was feared by Assyria, Babylon, & Egypt).

1 There are many takes on what “Leviathan” was (or is).

a Enemies of God’s people (Assyria, Babylon, Egypt), monster of chaos

b The devil, dragon, serpent, Leviathan

c Crocodile (or a dinosaur), sea creature/monster

aa Wreathed, coiled

bb Squeeze his prey, then devour them

2 In that day the LORD will punish Leviathan the fleeing serpent, with His fierce and great and mighty sword, even Leviathan the twisted serpent; and He will kill the dragon who lives in the sea. Isaiah 27:1 (NASB)

a I believe:

aa That there is a beast

bb He is a beaten beast

b God did, does, & will handle Leviathan in your life

3 Let’s take a look at two truths that help us see how God is keeping the ol’ serpent, dragon at bay.

I There is a beast.

A There are 5 facts about Leviathan we find in Scripture:

1 The fleeing serpent In that day the LORD will punish Leviathan the fleeing serpent, with His fierce and great and mighty sword, even Leviathan the twisted serpent; and He will kill the dragon who lives in the sea. Isaiah 27:1 (NASB)

2 The twisted serpent

3 He is a sea serpent There the ships move along, and Leviathan , which You have formed to sport in it. Psalms 104:26 (NASB)

4 He has seven heads You crushed the heads of Leviathan ; You gave him as food for the creatures of the wilderness. Psalms 74:14 (NASB)

And I saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs; 14 for they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the whole world , to gather them together for the war of the great day of God, the Almighty. 15 ("Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who stays awake and keeps his clothes, so that he will not walk about naked and men will not see his shame.") 16 And they gathered them together to the place which in Hebrew is called Har -Magedon. Rev 16:13-16 (NASB) (Rev. 12:1-7)

5 He is king over all the children of pride Can you draw out Leviathan with a fishhook? Or press down his tongue with a cord? 34 "He looks on everything that is high; he is king over all the sons of pride." Job 41:1, 34 (NASB)

a Sounds like a pretty good description of the devil, huh?

b Ol’ serpent, dragon

B This beast (Leviathan) has wrapped himself around the soul of this nation, & is squeezing everything holy out that he can.

1 He has squeezed out prayer, the 10 Commandments, Jesus, the sanctity of life, the sacred bonds of marriage being honored by all, the courtesy & respect of God’s law are gone.

a (IL) Davy Crockett taught a lesson, moral, quoted the book of Ruth; American Idol where contestants who sing of their love for their Savior are condemned.

aa The View, Joy: “I want my A.I. without Jesus”

bb We’ve traded Fess Parker for Paula Abdul.

b Founding Fathers quotes:

aa

bb

cc

2 We’ve spent billions of dollars as a nation to find what has happened to the glue that held this nation together for 200 years.

a We call evil good & good evil-we’ve forgotten how to blush

b Leviathan is squeezing every sacred thing he can out (snake problem- the beast is real).

II He’s a beaten beast

A Leviathan gripped the nations around Israel with fear from the great dragon.

1 You crushed the heads of Leviathan ; You gave him as food for the creatures of the wilderness. Psalms 74:14 (NASB) Spoke of how God had crushed the heads of Leviathan.

a Possible reference to two things:

aa Crocodiles (soldiers) on the shore of the Red Sea fed (enriched) Hebrews after their crossings.

bb Hebrew legend of the meat of Leviathan & a future banquet, the hide as a canopy.

b The Leviathan held surrounding nations in fear, but God’s people had no reason to fear.

2 They had zero reason to fear because God promised that: “in that day the LORD will punish...”

a “In that day...” future, day of the Lord

aa The Hebrew day starts at night (tribulation, trouble, & still beat on the day of the Lord).

b “...the Lord will punish Leviathan...” Punish (258 x’s, several meanings, visit/call).