Leviathan Falls
The Father speaks as a vineyard keeper watering his planting hour by hour, saying plainly, I am not angry. He invites even the thorns to make peace instead of fighting. Yet a city stands abandoned nearby, and Israel is gathered back one by one.
27 1In that day our Father will punish, with his fierce, great, mighty sword, Leviathan the fleeing serpent—Leviathan the twisting serpent—and he will slay the sea monster. a a v1 Leviathan: a fearsome mythological sea dragon representing primordial chaos and evil in ancient Near Eastern tradition. 2In that day—sing of it: a pleasant vineyard!
3"I, your Father, am its keeper; moment by moment I water it. So that no one can harm it, I guard it night and day. 4I am not angry. If only there were briers and thorns to confront me in battle, I would march against them, I would burn them all together. 5Or let them take hold of my protection, let them make peace with me—yes, let them make peace with me."
6In days to come Jacob will take root, Israel will blossom and bud and fill the whole world with fruit. 7Has he struck them down as he struck those who struck them? Or were they slain as their slayers were slain? 8By driving her away, by sending her into exile, you contended with her; he removed her with his fierce blast when the east wind blew. 9So by this the guilt of Jacob will be atoned for, and this will be the full fruit of taking away his sin: when he makes all the altar stones like crushed chalk, no Asherah poles or incense altars will be left standing. b b v9 Asherah poles: wooden cult objects erected at Canaanite worship sites in honor of the goddess Asherah. 10The fortified city stands alone, a homestead deserted and abandoned like the wilderness; there the calf grazes, there it lies down and strips its branches bare. 11When its branches dry out, they are broken off; women come and light fires with them. For this is a people without understanding; therefore their Maker shows them no compassion, and the One who formed them shows them no favor.
12In that day our Father will thresh from the Euphrates to the Brook of Egypt, and you will be gathered one by one, children of Israel. 13On that day a great trumpet will sound, and those dying in the land of Assyria and those driven out to the land of Egypt will come and worship our Father on the holy mountain in Jerusalem.
