Tomorrow is release day! Already, I have been blessed by the feedback I’ve received from “Quest for Leviathan’s” reviewers. It never ceases to amaze me how God will give an idea, give me wisdom and time to see that idea to completion, and then use it to help others in their Christian walk. What an honor to be writing for Him!
One of the highlights of my story is writing about Leviathan, this terrible fire-breathing sea creature. I know that I’m not the only one fascinated with Leviathan, because many other readers have mentioned their allurement to him. He is such a unique and captivating creature! But just who is this Leviathan?
I personally believe that the leviathan was a literal dragon (sea monster, whatever you want to call him). For the sake of the story, I made his (or her, I suppose) name a proper noun, Leviathan, and will probably continue to as I talk of this creature. My prime source of research was Job 41 (I read the King James Version of the Bible, so everything I reference is from there). From this passage, we discover a few facts about this creature:
– He was a big creature, not something men would just go fishing for (“Canst thou draw out leviathan with an hook? or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down? Canst thou put an hook into his nose? or bore his jaw through with a thorn?” Job 41:1-2
– His scales were pretty tough, a seal to his body, and impenetrable (“Canst thou fill his skin with barbed irons? or his head with fish spears?” Job 41:7 … “His scales are his pride, shut up together as with a close seal. One is so near to another, that no air can come between them. They are joined one to another, they stick together, that they cannot be sundered.” Job 41:15-17 … “The flakes of his flesh are joined together: they are firm in themselves; they cannot be moved.” Job 41:23)
– He really wasn’t a creature that men messed with (“None is so fierce that dare stir him up: who then is able to stand before Me?” Job 41:10 … “When he raiseth up himself, the mighty are afraid: by reason of breakings they purify themselves.” Job 41:25)
– He had terrible teeth (“Who can open the doors of his face? his teeth are terrible round about.” Job 41:14)
– He was fire-breathing! (“By his neesings a light doth shine, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning. Out of his mouth go burning lamps, and sparks of fire leap out. Out of his nostrils goeth smoke, as out of a seething pot or caldron. His breath kindleth coals, and a flame goeth out of his mouth.” Job 41:18-21)
– Weapons were useless against him (“The sword of him that layeth at him cannot hold: the spear, the dart, nor the habergeon. He esteemeth iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood. The arrow cannot make him flee: slingstones are turned with him into stubble. Darts are counted as stubble: he laugheth at the shaking of a spear.” Job 41:26-29)
– His movement churned the water fiercely (“He maketh the deep to boil like a pot: he maketh the sea like a pot of ointment.” Job 41:31)
Some have said that the leviathan was likely a creature like the elephant (I don’t quite get that image from the text above…), giant croc, or some dinosaur skeletons that have been found. I will admit that I really don’t know the exact image of Leviathan and my illustrator just guessed the best she could (consciously creating a larger-than-life image), but I firmly believe that Leviathan was a real animal that really lived in the sea and really did harm and damage upon men and their ships. A creature I’d definitely prefer to not meet in person!
Amanda Tero Books 