Leviathan

In the Hebrew it is clearly a general term for a large sea creature that live in the ocean. It may be a living animal or a composite mythical creature. The context will usually determine the meaning. As the behemoth was the greatest terrestrial animal, the leviathan was the greatest aquatic animal that seems to be extant also, although reports continue to persist of great sea serpents and plesiosaur-like animals in oceans and deep lakes around the world.
The Hebrew levi ten signifies the coupled dragon; but what this is we know not. The leviathan is specifically identified as a dragon in one biblical text, where it is call leviathan….the dragon that is in the sea in Isa. 27:1. "In that day the LORD with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish the leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea.”
The large size, strong jaws, great teeth, fast swimming ability and its protected back and underside all give clues. It could have been a Kronosaurus (KRON-oh-SOR-us) or something like it. This was one of the greatest, most overwhelming animals ever to swim the seas. The skull itself has one was 9 feet long, the paddles were 10 feet long. And unlike behemoth, who is huge, Leviathan is ferocious and terrifying.
Behemoth and Leviathan are relatively specific creatures, perhaps each was a single kind of animal. Tanniyn is a more general term, and it can be thought of as the original version of the word “dinosaur.” The word “dinosaur” was originally coined in 1841, more than three thousand years after the Bible first referred to “Tanniyn.” To make things clearer, we constructed the following table comparing the scientific names with the Biblical names tanniyn, behemoth, and Leviathan.
“Dinosaur” Names, Then and Now
Name and date first written in the Bible Scientific Name (best estimate) and date the name appeared
tanniyn (dragon) before 1400 BC dinosaur 1841 AD
behemoth before 1400 BC brachiosaurus 1903 AD
Leviathan before 1400 BC kronosaurus 1901 AD
When G-d is speaking about Leviathan in the sea He is speaking about the enemy nations of Israel in the World. The sea is a picture of the "Sea of humanity" the world. Ships are prophetic of merchants and business. the sea is a picture of the "Sea of humanity" the world. Ships are prophetic of merchants and business.
Ps. 104:25-26 "This great and wide sea, in which are innumerable teeming things, living things both small and great. There the ships sail about; there is the Leviathan which you have made to play there.”
In other ancient literature the Book of Enoch says, "On that day, two monsters will be parted 'one monster, a female named Leviathan, in order to dwell in the abyss of the ocean over the fountains of water; and (the other), a male called Behemoth, which holds his chest in an invisible desert whose name is Dundayin, east of Eden" (I Ethiopic Enoch 60:7-8.
In the targums and Rabbinic literature; G-d castrated the male and killed the female preserving her in the salt water for the righteous to eat in the world to come.
Ps. 74:14: "Thou brakest the heads of leviathan in pieces, and gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness.”
Here leviathan has more than one head in the Hebrew. In Ugaritic it is clear that leviathan (ltn) had seven heads. Could the idea of a many headed sea monster come from seeing a giant octopus, and assuming the tentacles were heads. It seems that the word "leviathan" is a general term for any large sea animal. In Job 41 it clearly has one head, but in Psalm 74 it has many heads, probably a giant squid. In the Book of Rev. 13:1 the beast arising from the sea has seven heads. The names of this beast heads are are found in Proverbs 6:16-19 "There are six things which Jehovah hateth; Yea, seven which are an abomination unto him; haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood; a heart that deviseth wicked purposes, feet that are swift in running to mischief, a false witness that uttereth lies and he that soweth discord among brethren.
We call the leviathan a dinosaur and the ancient people called it a dragon, either way it symbolized satan, who is a king over all the children of pride.
Such a statement could not be true of any animal, but it could be true of Satan and literally applicable only to Satan who could possess the leviathan’s body, just as he did once use the serpent’s body in the Garden of Eden. All the emblematical of Satan: "He lifts his proud look to G-d, and aspires to the high heavens; and is king over all the sons of pride." He is, in effect, the governor of every proud, haughty, impious man. What a king! What laws! What subjects!
The leviathan and the behemoth symbolized the great power and pride of the wicked one, Satan which is more evident in this case than for behemoth. Some of the divine references to leviathan could not literally apply to any animal, even this one but they could apply ultimately to Satan, and to him alone. Seem that we alternately read about a powerful animal and a more powerful malevolent spirit, as though G-d were describing both leviathan and Satan intermittently but in the same context.
The defensive weapons which men use when they engage with the leviathan, as the habergeon, or breast-plate, often serve men no more than their offensive weapons; iron and brass are to him as straw and rotten wood, and he laughs at them. It is the picture of a hard-hearted sinner that despises the terrors of the Almighty and laughs at all the threatening of His Word.
Children of pride - Men are intended by the sons of pride; and that it is with the design to abate their pride, and confound them in the high notions they have of their own importance that G-d produces and describes an animal of which they are all afraid, and whom none of them can conquer.
To humble the pride of man and to teach implicit submission, is the aim of the Father's speech and of the book; therefore with this as to leviathan, the type of G-d in His lordship over creation. He can tame both the behemoth and leviathan, as strong and stout-hearted as they are. This discourse concerning them was brought in, to prove that it is G-d only, who can look upon proud men and abase them, bring them low, and hide them in the dust, He it is that behold all high things, and wherein men dealt proudly, he is above them. Over all the children of pride, brutal or rational, and makes them either bend or break before him.
The description is extremely dignified; and was we sure of the animal, I have no doubt we should find it in every instance correct.
But after all that has been said, we have yet to learn what leviathan is!