“To be united to Christ by faith is to throw off the thraldom of hostile powers…Christ’s victory is ours.” —F.F. Bruce
Job 41:13-17 describes Leviathan as an impenetrable fortress. “Who can remove his outer coat? Who can approach him with a double bridle?” (v 13). There’s no way for a mere human to strip him of his armor or move him to our advantage. “Who can open the doors of his face, with his terrible teeth all around?” (v 14). This is the mouth that dares to accuse the brethren, tempt the Lord Jesus, and blaspheme God. Nothing good comes out of it. “When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (Jn 8:44, NIV). “His rows of scales are his pride, shut up tightly as with a seal; one is so near another that no air can come between them; they are joined one to another, they stick together and cannot be parted” (Job 41:15-17). God wants to drive this home, stressing the “pride” of the beast in his invincible armor. And here we pause to ask, Has there ever been a woman or a man, ghastly or godly, wily or wise, who has been able to find a point of access between his “scales” (lit, shields)? Has anyone bested him? Ah yes, there is One! “When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace. But when a stronger than he comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes from him all his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoils” (Lk 11:21-22). Humanity was plundered by the master thief. We were Satan’s “goods,” deluded into a false “peace.” But Someone is stronger than the strong man! The words “all his armor” translate “panoply,” and can be found only twice more in the New Testament, both in Ephesians 6. “Put on the full armor of God, so that you can make your stand against the devil’s schemes” (Eph 6:11, BSB; see also v 13). Wise words! Outfitted like this, victory is now ours in Christ!