Isaiah 27:1 – The devil had been marked for destruction

Isaiah 26:21 together with Isaiah 27:1 paint for us a picture of  God’s final judgment of the earth. Isaiah 26:21 pointed to the earth which was filled with blood that was unjustly shed. This was the indisputable reason why the Lord had to judge it. Then when we come to Isaiah 27:1, the prophet described the Leviathan, the fleeing serpent being punished, destroyed, and killed. This verse tells us that God would kill this twisted Leviathan which Isaiah also referred to as “the dragon who lives in the sea”. 

Leviathan was a twisted or coiled mythological sea monster that was common in the accounts of the ancient Near East. Traditionally the ancient Near East was regarded by archaeologists and historians as areas surrounding the Mediterranean Sea, the Black Sea, the Red Sea, and the Persian Gulf. In the Bible, the Leviathan had been used as a picture of ancient powers of the earth that had come against God’s people. Egypt, Assyria, and Babylon were powerful nations that had terrified Israel at different times. Hence, they had each been symbolized by Leviathan. This sea creature had also been used as a symbol of evil that would often contend with the force of good. In our context, we can conclude that this Leviathan is also Satan or the devil, the arch-enemy of God and His people.

 

Isaiah gave the assurance that God would finally punish the Leviathan with His fierce, great, and mighty sword. Satan or the devil that terrorized mankind had been disarmed at Calvary. While he may still move around intimidating man, he is a defeated enemy. His end had already been marked. But as Christians, we still cannot afford to underestimate his capacity. While his days have been marked, we need to know that God has allowed him to be around as an instrument, albeit an unwilling one, to perfect our spiritual journey. While he is not omnipresent, he and his cohort of underlings can still create havoc in our spiritual journey. Hence, we must stay put in the Lord Jesus Christ daily so that we leave no room for the devil and his minions to affect God’s transforming work in our lives.  Stay alert and advance with God!