This is the way I see some of today's popular teachers and prophets: They're Leviathan fishhook peddlers. They stand before God's people saying, if you buy what they're selling, you can go out and take on Leviathan. What's Leviathan? Let's look at what the Bible has to say about Leviathan.

It begins in the oldest book of the Bible -- the Old Testament book of Job. Here we find God asking this righteous man a question. God asks Job:

Can you draw out Leviathan with a fishhook? Or press down his tongue with a cord? Can you put a rope in his nose, or pierce his jaw with a hook? Will he make many supplications to you, or will he speak to you soft words? Will he make a covenant with you? Will you take him for a servant forever? Will you play with him as with a bird, or will you bind him for your maidens? Will the traders bargain over him? Will they divide him among the merchants? Can you fill his skin with harpoons, or his head with fishing spears? Lay your hand on him; Remember the battle; you will not do it again!

There has been much debate on exactly what this creature was. My New American Standard Bible has in the margin, Or the crocodile. Was Leviathan a crocodile? I don't know. But, I do believe it was a real creature alive at the time of Job. However, God was using this creature to communicate something spiritual to His servant. God goes on by saying:

Behold, your expectation is false; Will you be laid low even at the sight of him? No one is so fierce that he dares to arouse him; Who then is he that can stand before Me? Who has given to Me that I should repay him? Whatever is under the whole heaven is Mine (Job 41: 1-11 New American Standard Bible).

Like I said, God considered Job righteous. So much so, later God said to the prophet Ezekiel:

Son of man, if a country sins against Me by committing unfaithfulness, and I stretch out My hand against it, destroy its supply of bread, send famine against it and cut off from it both man and beast, even though these three men, Noah, Daniel and Job were in its midst, by their own righteousness they could only deliver themselves," declares the Lord GOD (Ezekiel 14: 13-14).

God listed Job along with Daniel and Noah -- as examples of righteousness. Yet, he warned Job about the reality of Leviathan. And, He reminded Job that only He -- God -- could stand up against this creature and expect to survive.

Here's my point: Today, as in Job's day, we have those around us quick and ready to give their bold advice. They say we should do this, or do that, if we want to have success against Leviathan. But, they don't have a clue what they're talking about.

Like the prophets of old, we need to humble ourselves and place our entire trust in the wisdom of the Lord. If we do, God will take care of Leviathan for us. The prophet Isaiah understood the spiritual message found in the book of Job. Later Isaiah wrote: 

In that day the Lord will punish Leviathan the fleeing serpent, with His fierce and great and mighty sword, even Leviathan the twisted serpent; and He will kill the dragon who lives in the sea (Isaiah 27:1).

Friends, let's not fall for fishhooks.