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Behemoth: Difference between revisions
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Interpreting the '''Behemoth''' in '''Job 40:15–24''' as a shadow of '''Christ''' through the lens of '''sensus plenior''', we can see symbolic layers that reveal aspects of Christ’s person and work. Here is a verse-by-verse explanation with the symbolism identified: | |||
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=== '''Text and Symbolic Interpretation''' === | |||
==== '''Job 40:15 - "Look now at the behemoth, which I made along with you; he eats grass like an ox."''' ==== | |||
* '''Symbol: Christ as the True Man''' | |||
** "Which I made along with you" emphasizes that Christ, though divine, took on human nature and was made "like us" (Philippians 2:7–8). | |||
** "Eats grass like an ox" symbolizes Christ’s humility and servitude. Grass can represent the Word of God (Isaiah 40:6–8), and the ox, a servant animal, reflects Christ’s role as the suffering servant (Isaiah 53:11). | |||
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==== '''Job 40:16 - "See now, his strength is in his hips, and his power is in his stomach muscles."''' ==== | |||
* '''Symbol: Christ’s Inner Strength and Obedience''' | |||
** "Hips" represent stability and movement, symbolizing Christ’s steadfastness in fulfilling His mission (Luke 9:51). | |||
** "Stomach muscles" indicate core strength, metaphorically reflecting Christ’s inner resolve and His spiritual nourishment in doing the Father’s will (John 4:34). | |||
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==== '''Job 40:17 - "He moves his tail like a cedar; the sinews of his thighs are tightly knit."''' ==== | |||
* '''Symbol: Christ’s Authority and Unity''' | |||
** The "tail like a cedar" reflects strength and majesty, symbolizing Christ’s kingship and unshakable authority (Isaiah 9:6–7). Cedars often represent nobility and durability in Scripture. | |||
** The "sinews of his thighs" symbolize Christ’s unity and coherence within His body, the Church (Colossians 1:17–18). His work binds together the whole of salvation history. | |||
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==== '''Job 40:18 - "His bones are like beams of bronze, his ribs like bars of iron."''' ==== | |||
* '''Symbol: Christ’s Endurance and Righteousness''' | |||
** "Bones of bronze" represent enduring strength and judgment, as bronze often symbolizes divine judgment (Numbers 21:9). Christ bore judgment on behalf of humanity. | |||
** "Bars of iron" symbolize Christ’s unwavering righteousness and His role as the one who holds all things together (Hebrews 1:3). | |||
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==== '''Job 40:19 - "He is the first of the ways of God; only He who made him can bring near His sword."''' ==== | |||
* '''Symbol: Christ as the Firstborn and Sacrificial Lamb''' | |||
** "The first of the ways of God" identifies Christ as the "firstborn over all creation" (Colossians 1:15) and the eternal Word through whom all things were made (John 1:1–3). | |||
** "Only He who made him can bring near His sword" foreshadows Christ’s submission to the Father’s will in His crucifixion (Isaiah 53:10). | |||
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==== '''Job 40:20 - "Surely the mountains yield food for him, and all the beasts of the field play there."''' ==== | |||
* '''Symbol: Christ as Provider and Ruler''' | |||
** "The mountains yield food for him" symbolizes Christ drawing strength and glory from the work of God (Psalm 121:1–2). The mountains also represent the nations (Isaiah 2:2), whom Christ redeems and nourishes. | |||
** "All the beasts of the field play there" reflects the reconciliation of creation under Christ (Romans 8:19–21). | |||
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==== '''Job 40:21–22 - "He lies under the lotus trees, in a covert of reeds and marsh. The lotus trees cover him with their shade; the willows by the brook surround him."''' ==== | |||
* '''Symbol: Christ’s Hidden Glory and Rest''' | |||
** The "lotus trees" and "shade" symbolize Christ’s humility, as He veiled His divine glory in His incarnation (Philippians 2:6–7). | |||
** The imagery of "reeds and marsh" reflects Christ’s ministry among the lowly and His rest in obedience to the Father’s will (Matthew 11:29). | |||
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==== '''Job 40:23 - "Indeed the river may rage, yet he is not disturbed; he is confident, though the Jordan gushes into his mouth."''' ==== | |||
* '''Symbol: Christ’s Sovereignty Over Chaos and Death''' | |||
** The "raging river" symbolizes trials, chaos, and death, yet Christ is undisturbed (Mark 4:39). | |||
** "The Jordan gushes into his mouth" reflects Christ’s willingness to face death (Jordan often symbolizes death in Scripture) and swallow it in victory (1 Corinthians 15:54). | |||
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==== '''Job 40:24 - "Though he takes it in his eyes, or one pierces his nose with a snare."''' ==== | |||
* '''Symbol: Christ’s Voluntary Submission to Suffering''' | |||
** "Takes it in his eyes" reflects Christ’s foresight and acceptance of suffering (Luke 18:31–33). | |||
** "One pierces his nose with a snare" parallels the imagery of Christ’s crucifixion, where He was bound and pierced for humanity’s sin (Isaiah 53:5). | |||
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=== '''Summary of the Behemoth as Christ''' === | |||
The Behemoth represents '''Christ’s strength, majesty, and humility''' as the incarnate Son of God. The imagery highlights His: | |||
# '''Humility and Servanthood''' (eating grass, lying under shade). | |||
# '''Divine Strength and Authority''' (cedar tail, bronze bones, first of God’s ways). | |||
# '''Sovereignty Over Chaos and Death''' (unmoved by raging rivers). | |||
# '''Voluntary Submission to Suffering''' (accepting the piercing and the snare). | |||
This interpretation portrays the Behemoth not as a chaotic creature to be subdued but as the strong, righteous Christ who willingly faced death to fulfill God’s redemptive plan. | |||
behemoth בהמות - 'in her בה death מות' | behemoth בהמות - 'in her בה death מות' | ||
