Mighty Warrior for Jacob

U.S. basketball teams dominated in international competitions—until the 1988 Olympic Games, when the men’s team mustered only a bronze medal instead of the expected gold. But unlike every other country, the American team was comprised of amateur players rather than professionals. The following year the rule was changed, and for the 1992 Olympic Games USA Basketball introduced “The Dream Team.” Led by Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, and Magic Johnson, the “Dream Team” went undefeated in international play, easily besting all other nations’ champions.

When Israel needed a champion to defeat a foe that was too great for her earthly power and skill, the Lord Himself stepped up as warrior and champion. Leviathan is depicted figuratively as a mythological creature to represent the forces of evil (27:1). The three-fold description of the Lord’s sword as “fierce, great, and powerful” surpasses the fearfulness of Leviathan as the gliding, coiling serpent and monster of the sea. A fierce, great, and powerful champion must defeat this foe!

The final enemy of God’s people is death (see 1 Cor. 15:26). For now, we are subject to death and the suffering that attends it in this world. Death stands in the way of everlasting life in the presence of God forever. This foe is too menacing for amateur spiritual athletes and warriors. Even our most advanced medical heroics only stave off death temporarily. A real champion is needed.

Jesus, through His obedient death on the cross and His resurrection from the grave, has defeated death and its power to hold people in the grave and away from life with God. He has defeated this adversary where we could not. He is the one who makes the full atonement on our behalf (27:9). He is the warrior who slays the Leviathan.

Pray with Us

Again, please pray for the Controller’s Office team: Michael Duong, Robert Jones, and Roger Sipes. We are grateful for their service, as well as for the team’s faithful prayers for Moody during their department devotions with Today in the Word.

BY Dr. Eric C. Redmond

Dr. Eric C. Redmond serves as a professor of Bible at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago and as associate pastor of adult ministries at Calvary Memorial Church in Oak Park, Ill. He is married to Pam and they have five children. He is the author of Say It!  Celebrating Expository Preaching in the African American Tradition (Moody Publishers), Where Are All the Brothers? Straight Answers to Men's’ Questions about the Church (Crossway), a commentary on Jonah in the Christ-Centered Exposition Series (B&H Publishers), and a study guide on Ephesians in the Knowing the Bible series (Crossway).