MONSTERS IN THE BIBLE

The word “monster” can have several different meanings:

1. Something or someone large and imposing in appearance.

2. One who deviates from normal or acceptable behavior.

3. A legendary animal combining features of animal and human form or having the forms of various animals in combination such as a centaur, griffin, or sphinx.

The Bible contains examples meeting all of these definitions. Thus, behemoth and leviathan would probably be examples of the first meaning (Job 40-41) as well as the “giants” that the spies observe in Canaan (Numbers 13). In terms of moral monsters (Definition 2), there are many to choose from in the OT account, and Herod the Great would certainly be one from the NT. But I would like to concentrate mainly on the last type of monster as sort of a follow-up to my earlier post on “Mixtures in the Bible” since monsters represent the most extreme form of mixtures one can imagine.

One would expect that all of these compound beings would be pictured as the product of evil forces and prohibited intercourse of all sorts between drastically different species, thus violations of God's original command for animals to only produce after their own kind (Genesis 1:21). But paradoxically, these monsters occur in two basic types: those having rather ominous and foreboding overtones and those representing benevolent forces. Another possible two-fold division is equally possible – one in which the monsters are symbols and harbingers of earthly events that will transpire in an historical time frame and those which are used in an attempt to convey to us spiritual truths which we will not fully understand in this life.

Another general concept concerning these creatures is in order before proceeding. Most of the monstrous beings pictured in the Bible appear in dreams or visions. And the vast majority of these are clearly interpreted in the text as being symbols of some literal truth, not images to be taken as physical realities in themselves. Contrary to this well accepted scholarly view is the method paradoxically followed by both skeptics and fundamentalists alike. Thus, the rabid atheist Erich von Daniken in Chariots of the Gods interpreted Ezekiel 1 as a literal flying saucer observed by the prophet, thus shooting down the whole concept of supernatural beings. Similarly, dispensationalists often cite their literal method of interpretation as being superior to any other method of hermeneutics so that, for example, Hal Lindsay explained in The Late Great Planet Earth that the monstrous locusts of Revelation 9 were merely John's feeble attempt to describe attack helicopters that he had seen in the vision.

Regarding this method of interpretation, I will quote Paul a little out of context: “The letter kills, but the spirit gives life.” (II Corinthians 3:6b) Thus, whether or not there is a literal meaning intended, to totally deny the images having any symbolic significance is to rob them of all their underlying meaning.

The first possible example of a hybrid creature we encounter is the serpent in Genesis 3. He apparently looks like a snake except for the legs we can surmise that he has, in light of the subsequent curse on him to be condemned to slither along the ground. And the other strange feature he possesses is his advanced mind and ability to talk. Is this a walking snake that is totally possessed by Satan or a guise in which a spiritual creature like Satan chose to present himself to the first couple? In either case, the resulting monster certainly fits definitions 2 and 3 above, as well as fitting in with the negative connotations in the Bible concerning pure vs. mixed species.

The second prominent example is described rather vaguely in Genesis 6:1-4. But at least one of the interpretations of that event is that spiritual beings such as angels had sexual intercourse with women, and perhaps the result of that union was the birth of a hybrid species, the Nephilim, who were later associated with the giant tribes encountered by the Israelites (see my post on this passage for several other interpretations). In any case, this race of people is obviously rather large and imposing and associated with other groups such as the Anakim and Rephaim.

The first monstrous beings in a dream to appear in the Bible are the cannibalistic cows and grains in which Joseph successfully interprets for Pharaoh as referring to the coming famine. (Genesis 41)

The next set of images of composite beings is far more positive and complex in tone, and it appears to begin with the furnishings of Solomon's temple, which may or may not have been designed as representations of heavenly realities. Among these were twelve bronze basin stands, each decorated with a picture of of a lion, oxen and cherub with metal wheels allowing the stands to be moved around. In addition were statues of two cherubim with wings. (I Kings 6:23-28; 7:23-37) Variations of this imagery appear several times more in Scripture as a case of either art imitating life, life imitating art, or perhaps both. “The effect of all this is to reinforce the difference between heaven and earth...the motives of strangeness and transcendence keep alive our awareness that earthly images do not exist in the ordinary manner in heaven.” (Dictionary of Biblical Imagery)

This brings us to the grand vision of Ezekiel recorded in chapters 1. It is a very complex sight apparently picturing God's heavenly throne. Embedded in the details are the fact that it moves rapidly in any direction on wheels that have eyes in their rims. These two facts appear to point, respectively, to God's omnipresence and omniscience. As part of this throne apparatus are four living creatures, each one with two pairs of wings, human hands, and having four different faces. The faces resemble a human being, lion, ox and eagle. These beasts are then called cherubim in Ezekiel 10, and in addition the ox face is described as the face of a cherub. At this point, you should be struck by the great similarity of the temple furnishings with Ezekiel's vision, as well as some more subtle differences.

As to why those four particular living creatures were chosen, there is almost complete agreement between scholars on that point. It all goes back to Genesis 1 in which the various categories of created beings were described. The ox was the epitome of a strong domesticated beast, the eagle as the swiftest of the birds, the lion as the most powerful of the wild beasts, and human beings were chosen since they were created in God's image. Consider David's characterization of Saul and Jonathan in II Samuel 1:23 as “swifter than eagles, stronger than lions.” All four examples of creation are seen to exist mainly and ultimately to serve God.

But that is not the end of this basic image. Its final reappearance comes in the grand throne scene of Revelation 4 where we see four living creatures surrounding God, each full of eyes and having six wings. The major difference between here and with Ezekiel's vision is that the unique characteristics of each beast are seen separately. Thus, each one presents only a single face, not four. One resembles an eagle, one a lion, one an ox, and the final one a human being. So to some extent, the mixtures of species are resolved into their individual species as in the original creation.

Moving from Ezekiel's vision to that of Isaiah 6:2, the prophet sees the seraphim around God's throne. “They are said to have hands, feet, faces, and wings, but nothing more is said of their appearance.” (Oswalt) We could add that they have the ability to sing, indicating a mixture of properties associated with birds and human beings. And since the word seraphim refers to serpents in Numbers 21:6; Isaiah 14:29; 30:6, they could have serpentine characteristics as well (although there are alternative etymologies associated with the word). “In any case, the seraphim typify the appropriate response to God's holiness.” (Oswalt) That includes wings to cover their eyes and private parts in God's presence and a voice with which to praise Him.

The Book of Daniel contains a whole host of dreams and visions with compound beings in them, all clearly interpreted in the text as standing for a progression of nations (from the Babylonians to the Romans) and their rulers engaged in conflict with one another. In this case, their “monstrous” physical appearance represents in general their earthly and sub-earthly nature.

    Daniel 2: a statue composed of various incompatible materials ranging from the precious to the common.

    Daniel 4: a king who will eat grass like an ox, have hair like eagles' feathers, and nails like birds' claws.

    Daniel 7: four creatures who come from the sea.

        Lion with eagles' wings who becomes like a man.

        Bear with three tusks.

        Leopard with four wings and four heads.

        Beast with iron teeth, claws of bronze, and ten horns which become eight horns. The last horn with eyes in it.

    Daniel 8: A goat and a ram fight with horns breaking off and growing back again.

This same symbolic use of compound animals appears in the final apocalyptic book in the Bible.

    Revelation 9:1-11: A swarm of very complex monsters comes out of the Pit to torture people. Ruiz says of these beast that they “combine the terrors of evil spirits and of invading cavalry.” For an explanation of this figure, consult my post “Revelation 8-11.”

    Revelation 12: This chapter introduces us to the red dragon with seven heads and ten horns who can pour rivers of water out of its mouth. The recurring use of numbers such as seven, ten, and twelve in the apocalyptic literature is explained in more detail in the post titled “Book of Revelation: the Language.”

    Revelation 13: The beast from the sea (vv. 1-10) is said to possess ten horns and seven heads as well as resembling a leopard with feet of a bear and a mouth like a lion. The beast from the earth (vv. 11-18) has two horns like a lamb and a voice like a dragon.

    Revelation 17:7-13: The symbolic meaning of the beast from the sea in terms of earthly kings and kingdoms are interpreted historically, similar to the monsters of Daniel.

Another basic image can be traced from the OT to the NT, that of a woman with wings. Zechariah (5:5-11) has a vision of a woman in a basket who is named “Wicked,” She is taken away from Judah and transported to Babylon by two women who have wings like those of a stork. In the exact same manner, the woman in Revelation 12 who is pursued by the dragon manages to escape by sprouting wings and flying away to the wilderness. This woman has been variously interpreted to stand for the Church or for Mary, who escaped Herod to Egypt with the infant Jesus.

Thus, one can see that compound beasts in the Bible appear to epitomize both the depths of evil forces and the highest of divine beings. Therefore it is appropriate to conclude with the ultimate example of a divine “monster,” Christ Himself. This is actually not as strange a concept as it might at first seem. For one thing, Revelation 5:6 pictures him as a literal monster resembling a slain lamb which has seven horns and seven eyes. But that is just a symbol of the theological mix that He is in reality.

Since most monsters are pictured as if they were the product of some sort of interbreeding, keep in mind the unique nature of Jesus' genealogy as presented in the Gospel of Matthew. Unlike traditional Jewish genealogies, there are three times when the ancestresses of Jesus are specifically mentioned in it. And even more notable is the fact that two of these represent cases of intermarriage between a Gentile women with a Jewish man: Ruth the Moabite and Rahab the Canaanite. This theme prepares us for the unique birth of Jesus as the non-sexual union of Mary and the Holy Spirit. So in essence, Christ is the ultimate divine “monster” in the Bible: wholly man and wholly God.

Finally, as two suggested discussion questions:

    Since we who are in Christ are a “new creation” in which the Holy Spirit dwells, doesn't that make us a composite creature as well?

    Considering all of the above divine “monsters,” does it help at all in our dim understanding of the mystery of the Trinity: the great Three in One?