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Dealing with Leviathan: Spirit of Retaliation: Strategies for the Threshold #5
Retaliation, reprisal, retribution-many of us express the ferocity of our encounters with the spirit of Leviathan with such words. Most believers are stunned by savagery of the backlash they experience, and are baffled by God's seeming failure to intervene.
Reparation, recompense, restitution, restoration-these promised corrections to injustice are smashed just as they seem within reach. Why does this happen?
As we examine Scripture, we find that Leviathan is an officer of God's royal court. When we violate the consecration of that Holy Place, it has the legal right to remove us. It does not do so gently.
Dealing with Leviathan offers insight into overcoming this spirit of the deep.
Reparation, recompense, restitution, restoration-these promised corrections to injustice are smashed just as they seem within reach. Why does this happen?
As we examine Scripture, we find that Leviathan is an officer of God's royal court. When we violate the consecration of that Holy Place, it has the legal right to remove us. It does not do so gently.
Dealing with Leviathan offers insight into overcoming this spirit of the deep.
Kindle Edition
Published June 1, 2020
16 people are currently reading
9 people want to read
About the author
Anne Hamilton
56 books186 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
For twenty years, I was the coordinator of an annual camp for children based around The Chronicles of Narnia. That experience shaped a lot of my thinking about how readers enjoy fantasy.
Like CS Lewis, my fantasy story Many-Coloured Realm began with a picture in my mind's eye: a boy without arms floating in a field of stars and faced with an impossible choice.
My non-fiction series beginning with God's Poetry can be traced back to the observation that Lewis comes from the Welsh word for lion. The discovery of name covenants led to the discovery of threshold covenants, as well as many other long-forgotten aspects of our Judeo-Christian heritage.
I love exploring words, mathematics and names. All of these combine in my books, whether they are fiction or non-fiction, or whether they're for adults or children, whether they're academic in tone or primarily devotional. I hope my readers always come away from my books with a renewed delight for the world around us and a child-like wonder for its awesome aspects.
For twenty years, I was the coordinator of an annual camp for children based around The Chronicles of Narnia. That experience shaped a lot of my thinking about how readers enjoy fantasy.
Like CS Lewis, my fantasy story Many-Coloured Realm began with a picture in my mind's eye: a boy without arms floating in a field of stars and faced with an impossible choice.
My non-fiction series beginning with God's Poetry can be traced back to the observation that Lewis comes from the Welsh word for lion. The discovery of name covenants led to the discovery of threshold covenants, as well as many other long-forgotten aspects of our Judeo-Christian heritage.
I love exploring words, mathematics and names. All of these combine in my books, whether they are fiction or non-fiction, or whether they're for adults or children, whether they're academic in tone or primarily devotional. I hope my readers always come away from my books with a renewed delight for the world around us and a child-like wonder for its awesome aspects.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
April 18, 2022
Anne's depth of research is borne out by her in depth exposition of the words, phrases and concepts relating to her subject matter. Keep up the good work, Anne.
April 22, 2026
This is Book 5 in Hamilton's 'Strategies for the Threshold' series and it's another great instalment. This one looks at Leviathan, the spirit of retaliation. As with all of these books, Hamilton builds up a case based on scripture first and foremost, but also through her intricate knowledge of language and the culture and geography of Biblical lands.
The thing I found most useful was the link between dishonour and retaliation or backlash. There are numerous references in the Bible to honouring God, our parents, leaders and others; yet it's easy to slip into dishonour through mocking, attacking, gossiping etc. This does not mean that we overlook sin or other instances where wrong behaviour needs to be addressed, or that we in any way condone such behaviour. Yet we can still act in respectful ways. Sometimes we not only dishonour others, but also God and even ourselves through our actions. This can be challenging at times, and I felt convicted at various points in the book, especially regarding dishonour of political leaders and also within some interpersonal relationships.
The remedy to dishonour and subsequent attacks of Leviathan are through shalom, which means far more than just peace. It's 'health, wholeness, integrity, completeness, soundness, welfare ... [implying that] amends have been made, justice has been done, recompense has occurred.'
As with all of Hamilton's books, there's a lot of food for thought. I found myself often checking scripture and the endnotes to understand what was being said. There are also some helpful appendices that provide a summary, examples of honour and dishonour, and tips for honouring others. I must admit that I don't get quite as excited about the extra insights regarding numbers and maths, but there are some interesting patterns unearthed. I think I need to think about this a bit more.
It's probably a good idea to start with the earlier books in the series rather than jumping straight in with this one. It's not for the faint-hearted, but another thought-provoking book that I found I could apply in various areas of my life.
The thing I found most useful was the link between dishonour and retaliation or backlash. There are numerous references in the Bible to honouring God, our parents, leaders and others; yet it's easy to slip into dishonour through mocking, attacking, gossiping etc. This does not mean that we overlook sin or other instances where wrong behaviour needs to be addressed, or that we in any way condone such behaviour. Yet we can still act in respectful ways. Sometimes we not only dishonour others, but also God and even ourselves through our actions. This can be challenging at times, and I felt convicted at various points in the book, especially regarding dishonour of political leaders and also within some interpersonal relationships.
The remedy to dishonour and subsequent attacks of Leviathan are through shalom, which means far more than just peace. It's 'health, wholeness, integrity, completeness, soundness, welfare ... [implying that] amends have been made, justice has been done, recompense has occurred.'
As with all of Hamilton's books, there's a lot of food for thought. I found myself often checking scripture and the endnotes to understand what was being said. There are also some helpful appendices that provide a summary, examples of honour and dishonour, and tips for honouring others. I must admit that I don't get quite as excited about the extra insights regarding numbers and maths, but there are some interesting patterns unearthed. I think I need to think about this a bit more.
It's probably a good idea to start with the earlier books in the series rather than jumping straight in with this one. It's not for the faint-hearted, but another thought-provoking book that I found I could apply in various areas of my life.
October 6, 2024
Having read many of Anne Hamilton's excellent books, themes recur and resonate. Like honour and the retribution caused by dishonour.
'Honouring means mutual encouraging, praying for; blessing, uplifting, defending, protecting, correcting, warning, clarifying, rebuking' —a tall order.
A commandment is to honour parents, which comes with a promise, 'that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.' Dishonour of parents forfeits the promise. We can't dishonour anyone without consequence.
Which leads to another recurring theme: that we reap what we sow.
Leviathan, the spirit of retaliation, appears in Job 4:1 as a fire-breathing dragon; a stinging or lashing tail is a common symbol. In this passage, Job was talking about he day he was born. Could someone actually seize a 'day' and dishonour it? What if someone cursed the day you were born? That rouses Leviathan. That's a challenging concept.
Hamilton cites various forms of dishonour: contempt, ridicule, insults, cheating, shunning, trolling, doxing, flame wars, incitement to suicide. Lesser forms are running late, not replying to emails or returning calls, remembering a person's name, giving a definite answer to an invitation, saying thank you, keeping a confidence, apologising for a mistake.
Ouch. All have fallen short.
Read more for the anecdote and healing prayers.
Some researchers suggest Leviathan might be a survivor of the age of dinosaurs.
I've read this book several times and often been challenged by many aspects:
'So often we come up with a "good idea" and fail to ask the Holy Spirit whether it's a "God idea." '
Therein lies a clue. Recognise. Repent. (Reread and da capo)
'Honouring means mutual encouraging, praying for; blessing, uplifting, defending, protecting, correcting, warning, clarifying, rebuking' —a tall order.
A commandment is to honour parents, which comes with a promise, 'that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.' Dishonour of parents forfeits the promise. We can't dishonour anyone without consequence.
Which leads to another recurring theme: that we reap what we sow.
Leviathan, the spirit of retaliation, appears in Job 4:1 as a fire-breathing dragon; a stinging or lashing tail is a common symbol. In this passage, Job was talking about he day he was born. Could someone actually seize a 'day' and dishonour it? What if someone cursed the day you were born? That rouses Leviathan. That's a challenging concept.
Hamilton cites various forms of dishonour: contempt, ridicule, insults, cheating, shunning, trolling, doxing, flame wars, incitement to suicide. Lesser forms are running late, not replying to emails or returning calls, remembering a person's name, giving a definite answer to an invitation, saying thank you, keeping a confidence, apologising for a mistake.
Ouch. All have fallen short.
Read more for the anecdote and healing prayers.
Some researchers suggest Leviathan might be a survivor of the age of dinosaurs.
I've read this book several times and often been challenged by many aspects:
'So often we come up with a "good idea" and fail to ask the Holy Spirit whether it's a "God idea." '
Therein lies a clue. Recognise. Repent. (Reread and da capo)
December 10, 2020
Dealing with Leviathan: Spirit of Retaliation by Anne Hamilton, Armour Books, 2020
Dealing with Leviathan is part of the Threshold series. The author’s blurb convinced me it would be a good book to read for the season of Advent, in preparation for Christmas.
On reading the first page, the beauty of expression drew me in, and the author’s tone made me feel I was reading a memoir. I love reading memoirs, so that pulled me in hook, line, and sinker. The Bible quotations dotted throughout the book and the prayers at the end of each chapter, satisfied my desire for a good book in preparation for Christmas.
The book’s recurrent theme is honour, but it is interwoven with several themes. Each reader will be touched in different ways. For me, the words ‘That secret ingredient is forgiveness.’ (Page 142) struck a chord within me because for years, it had been my greatest weakness. I too, had suffered from a skin condition for several months. Looking back now, I wonder if it had a spiritual cause, because it left me as suddenly as it came on.
I will not dwell on this subject as you can know more about in the yet unpublished Book 3 of my memoirs, Opera, Orchids and Oz, the final instalment of my memoirs.
I urge everyone to read Anne Hamilton’s Dealing with Leviathan: Spirit of Retaliation. Do not reject the Hand of the Lord that stretches out to you in these troubling times.
Review by Hazel Barker
Dealing with Leviathan is part of the Threshold series. The author’s blurb convinced me it would be a good book to read for the season of Advent, in preparation for Christmas.
On reading the first page, the beauty of expression drew me in, and the author’s tone made me feel I was reading a memoir. I love reading memoirs, so that pulled me in hook, line, and sinker. The Bible quotations dotted throughout the book and the prayers at the end of each chapter, satisfied my desire for a good book in preparation for Christmas.
The book’s recurrent theme is honour, but it is interwoven with several themes. Each reader will be touched in different ways. For me, the words ‘That secret ingredient is forgiveness.’ (Page 142) struck a chord within me because for years, it had been my greatest weakness. I too, had suffered from a skin condition for several months. Looking back now, I wonder if it had a spiritual cause, because it left me as suddenly as it came on.
I will not dwell on this subject as you can know more about in the yet unpublished Book 3 of my memoirs, Opera, Orchids and Oz, the final instalment of my memoirs.
I urge everyone to read Anne Hamilton’s Dealing with Leviathan: Spirit of Retaliation. Do not reject the Hand of the Lord that stretches out to you in these troubling times.
Review by Hazel Barker
May 9, 2021
Anne's work is breathtakingly beautiful, and a testament to her studious nature.
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December 25, 2024I haven't rated this book because I am the author.
It never ceases to surprise me (though I guess I should be used to it by now) how many Christian leaders can have an insight that the spirit of Leviathan is a key player in a situation where there is a complete morass of twisted communication, over-reactive payback and wild violence and yet not have the incentive to look into what that means. To ask the Holy Spirit and keep poring over Scripture until the answer makes sense.
And it's a simple answer: dishonour.
Unfortunately, in many cases, the leaders think they are the ones being dishonoured, instead of realising that they are the ones doing the dishonouring. There are no exceptions to Peter's exhortations to honour everyone. None whatsoever. Even in the spirit world. Even for something as allegedly abstract as a "day".
It never ceases to surprise me (though I guess I should be used to it by now) how many Christian leaders can have an insight that the spirit of Leviathan is a key player in a situation where there is a complete morass of twisted communication, over-reactive payback and wild violence and yet not have the incentive to look into what that means. To ask the Holy Spirit and keep poring over Scripture until the answer makes sense.
And it's a simple answer: dishonour.
Unfortunately, in many cases, the leaders think they are the ones being dishonoured, instead of realising that they are the ones doing the dishonouring. There are no exceptions to Peter's exhortations to honour everyone. None whatsoever. Even in the spirit world. Even for something as allegedly abstract as a "day".
March 2, 2024
Studying Leviathan
This is a topic that needs to be studied more indepth so that people learn to see what it is.
This is a topic that needs to be studied more indepth so that people learn to see what it is.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews