“The boneless tongue, so small and weak, Can crush and kill, declared the Greek.” —P.B. Strong
The next set of verses describe the mega-monster’s bad breath! Jesus explained, contrary to the Jews’ fastidious dietary rules, that “not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth” (Mt 15:11). So look what’s exiting Leviathan! “Out of his mouth go burning lights; sparks of fire shoot out. Smoke goes out of his nostrils, as from a boiling pot and burning rushes. His breath kindles coals, and a flame goes out of his mouth” (Job 41:19-21). Here’s one of the devil’s horrid nicknames: “And they had as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, but in Greek he has the name Apollyon” (Rev 9:11). Both Hebrew and Greek versions mean the same thing—Destroyer. James links the tongue in my mouth (and yours) with this hell-dwelling fire-breathing dragon. Yikes! “See how great a forest a little fire kindles! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue… sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell” (Jas 3:5-6). Who is this creature I see in the mirror each morning? Is my mouth really a flame-thrower? And is it really “set on fire by hell”? I’m afraid it’s true, and if it isn’t dealt with, I will be a destroyer, too. This may seem to be the battle royal, but the problem lies deeper. The tongue is simply the index of the soul. As Jesus said, “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks” (Lk 6:45). The words of my mouth will be acceptable if my heart’s musings are right. Want to put out the fire? Here’s the extinguisher: “whatever things are true,…noble,…just,…pure,…lovely,…of good report,…meditate on these things” (Php 4:8).