In that day the Lord with his hard, and great, and strong sword shall visit leviathan the bar serpent, and leviathan the crooked serpent, and shall slay the whale that is in the sea.
בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֡וּא יִפְקֹ֣ד יְהוָה֩ בְּחַרְב֨וֹ הַקָּשָׁ֜ה וְהַגְּדוֹלָ֣ה וְהֽ͏ַחֲזָקָ֗ה עַ֤ל לִוְיָתָן֙ נָחָ֣שׁ בָּרִ֔חַ וְעַל֙ לִוְיָתָ֔ן נָחָ֖שׁ עֲקַלָּת֑וֹן וְהָרַ֥ג אֶת־הַתַּנִּ֖ין אֲשֶׁ֥ר בַּיָּֽם׃
7 Church Fathers comment on this verse
Ultimately, when addressing the might and simultaneously the malice of the devil, he refers to him as a dragon, remarking, ‘this serpent which Thou hast made to humiliate him’ (Psalms 103:26). The Scripture consistently identifies him as a dragon, a twisting serpent, and an aspid, for this creature is deceitful, varied in its forms, and immensely powerful; it stirs up all things, disturbs all order, and leads everything astray.
On that day, the Lord will wield a mighty and sacred sword against the fleeing dragon of the serpent, the malevolent beast, and will strike down the dragon. Having vividly illustrated how divine wrath will descend upon those who have acted unjustly and have shed the blood of the saints, it is declared that Satan himself will also be destroyed, along with his followers, who, succumbing to his deception, opposed the saints and resisted their proclamation. For at that moment, he states, when the earth shall reveal her blood. The Father will direct a sacred, precisely sharp, powerful, and unmatched sword—that is, the Only Begotten Word—against the fleeing serpent-dragon, and will vanquish him.
The dragon and the serpent are identified as Satan due to his ferocity and venomous nature, combined with his habitual cowardice, resulting in a tendency to retreat. He is formidable and delights in malice, slithering like a serpent; however, he will ultimately face destruction, rendered powerless at last, and moreover, he will be held accountable for his evil words, subjected to severe punishment, imprisoned in the gates of hell, and become sustenance for eternal fire, enduring ceaseless torment.
Let us strive to refrain from all deceitful and indirect actions; and let us align our minds and spirits according to a sure principle, so that when we become righteous, we may receive the honor of the Lord. The originator of sin is referred to as the wicked serpent, and the sword of God is aimed at Leviathan, the serpent that twists and turns, for the serpent when it navigates from one place to another evades and contorts. Consequently, anyone who follows the serpent walks a path of evil, error, and contradictions. In contrast, those who follow the Lord God "makes his paths straight" (cf. Is. 40:3) "and directs the course of his steps" (cf. Proverbs 4:26), for "the Lord our God is upright" (Ps. 91:16) "and righteousness is reflected in His presence" (Ps. 10:7).
On that day, the Lord will wield His mighty sword against Leviathan, the obstinate serpent, as well as Leviathan, the wicked serpent, and He will vanquish the dragon that lies in the depths. The prophet uses these metaphors to identify the rulers who oppressed the people of Judah. Specifically, these two images refer to the Assyrian and Babylonian monarchs, who, as noted by Isaiah, engaged in prolonged conflict with the Jewish nation. The king of Assyria is compared to a relentless and malevolent serpent due to his significant malice and deceit, as the Assyrians were the first to strive for universal domination. Conversely, the king of Babylon is depicted as a dragon of the sea, as Babylon was encircled and strengthened by vast waters.
The Babylonian king boasted, “I dwell in safety; no one can threaten me; I am as secure as a dragon in the sea.” In a similar vein, the prophet Ezekiel refers to the king of Egypt as a great serpent resting among the rivers (Ezekiel 29:3). However, it is likely that the prophet was illustrating profound truths through these smaller images, alluding to the time when God intervened to redeem the world and obliterated the deeds of the devil. Just as the works of Satan are many, the prophet assigns him various titles.
On that day, a song will resonate throughout the land of Judah: the stronghold of our Savior. Within it, a wall and a standard shall be established. When Moab is brought low and lies prostrate in the dust, and all adversaries are vanquished under Christ’s feet, then this song will rise in Judah or Judea, which signifies confession. Just as Zion and Jerusalem represent the heavenly city, this land reflects the celestial confession. Thus, those who vowed not to sing the song of Judah in a foreign land lament, "How shall we sing the Lord's song in a foreign land" (Psalms 136:4). This is likely the new song to which the saints are called, as stated, "Sing unto the Lord a new song" (Psalms 95:1). This song will declare: the city of our Savior’s fortress. Which city is this?
It is the one situated on a hill that cannot be hidden (Mt. 5), about which it is also written: "There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God" (Ps. 46:4), and "Glorious things are spoken of you, O city of God" (Ps. 87:3). The architect of this city is He of whom the Father proclaims: "He has built my city," or rather, "The city of our fortress is the Savior," namely Jesus. Within it, a wall and a portico shall be established—a wall of good deeds and a portico of true faith, providing it with double protection. For a wall of faith is insufficient if it is not reinforced by good works. This wall and portico are constructed of living stones, which, as foretold by the prophet, are laid on the ground. In place of 'presthenia', Simmachus translates it as fortifications, implying that the walls are encircled by defenses—a rampart, a moat, and additional walls typically referred to as 'loriculas' when constructing fortifications.
The serpent encountered the immortal beings in paradise, and after enticing them with the promise of divinity, he claimed he would bestow something beyond their existing nature. Yet, while he deceitfully offered what he could not truly provide, he also slyly deprived them of what they already possessed. Thus, the prophet refers to this same Leviathan, stating, "Upon Leviathan the serpent running, and upon Leviathan the serpent bending." This Leviathan, through his false promise of enhancement, infiltrated humanity with his twisting manner. Although he falsely claimed to offer the unattainable, he effectively stripped away the attainable.
The one known as the serpent is none other than the ancient adversary – both slithering and bending – who spoke through the mouth of a serpent, leading man astray. Scripture describes him as "Leviathan, a serpent upright, running and bending." Thus, when he speaks through the serpent's mouth, man may perceive the true nature of the one within. Indeed, the serpent is not just bending but also treacherous. Consequently, when man failed to cling to the straightness of truth, he allowed the bending creature to enter. For if he does not resist the initial suggestion, it swiftly slips into the depths of the heart, often only recognized later. Through insinuation, the treacherous creature twisted his words to humanity. Indeed, the hearts of the wicked served as the lairs of this serpent.
The Day of Judgment will arrive as a time of retribution against all adversaries of the Church, particularly the principal foe, the devil, referred to as the dragon and serpent. This designation is echoed in the Revelation of John the Theologian: 'And the great dragon, the old serpent, called the devil and Satan, who deceived the whole universe, was cast down' (XII, 9). The devil has borne the title of serpent ever since he led astray the first humans in the guise of this creature. From that moment, the hostility of the serpent-devil towards humanity and the conflict with him has been unending and will persist until the consummation of the age.
Like a ravenous beast roaming the earth, he seeks out his prey, 'looking for someone to devour.' With ferocity, he employs deceit—echoing his original temptation of humanity—just as a predatory fish consumes its victims within the vastness of the sea. The devil, in his boundless wickedness, ensnares people in falsehoods and sinful practices. Ironically, the more souls he consumes, the more he craves. However, on that fateful day of judgment, there will be an end to his evil. The Lord will wield His holy sword, mighty and powerful, against him and all those adversaries of the Church who act as his instruments, ultimately annihilating his authority. This sword symbolizes the omnipotent force of God’s wrath—righteous, immense in light of the depth of wickedness, and formidable, unmatched by any entity or being.
Passages read together with this verse.
THEOSIS