(Job 40:6–41:34 | Chapter XXVII of Jessie Penn-Lewis’s The Story of Job)
“Canst thou draw out leviathan with an hook?”
—Job 41:1 (KJV)
God is not finished speaking.
In this second speech, He moves from creation’s grandeur to spiritual confrontation.
“Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.” (40:7)
God does not speak to destroy Job—but to show him what only God can do.
The Challenge of Sovereignty
“Wilt thou also disannul my judgment? wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous?” (40:8)
This is the deepest question yet:
Will you exalt your logic above God’s justice?
God asks:
- Can you humble the proud?
- Can you crush the wicked?
- Can you tame Leviathan?
Jessie Penn-Lewis writes:
“God confronts Job with Leviathan—not merely as a creature, but as a spiritual reality.”
Leviathan: More Than a Beast
God spends an entire chapter describing Leviathan—a creature no man can tame.
“None is so fierce that dare stir him up: who then is able to stand before me?” (41:10)
Some see Leviathan as a sea monster, others as a symbol of Satan.
In either case, the message is clear:
“Shall he make a covenant with thee?” (41:4)
No.
This power is beyond Job.
But not beyond God.
When God Asks, “Can You?”
This speech does not belittle Job—it repositions him.
- He is not the judge.
- He is not the conqueror.
- He is not the sovereign.
He is the worshiper.
Penn-Lewis comments:
“Job is not being condemned—he is being invited to behold the war God fights on his behalf.”
A Word for the Weary Fighter
If you’ve faced forces too great for you, let God ask you:
“Canst thou…?”
The answer is no.
But the better answer is this:
God can.
Overcomer’s Checkpoint
- Where have I tried to “be God” in my pain?
- What does Leviathan symbolize in my spiritual life?
- How does this speech prepare Job (and me) for full surrender?
“God was not taunting Job—He was reminding him that the battle belongs to the Lord.”
—Jessie Penn-Lewis