The Whale
The sermon explores the characteristics and hunting of the whale, highlighting its size, strength, and the dangers faced by sailors who hunt it.
Harriet N. Cook discusses the mention of whales in the Bible, exploring the great whales created by God in Genesis and the description of the leviathan in the book of Job, possibly referring to the whale. She delves into the enormous size of common whales, reaching lengths of up to a hundred feet, and the valuable oil obtained from their fat. Cook explains the dangerous process of hunting whales by sailors, highlighting the use of harpoons and the risks involved in capturing these massive creatures.
Text
The whale is mentioned in the first chapter of the Bible, 21st verse. "And God created great whales." Some suppose that large fish of every kind are here meant.
An animal called the leviathan is described in one of the last chapters of Job, which some suppose to be the whale. It certainly means a large and strong animal, as you will see by the questions asked about him: "Canst thou draw out leviathan with a hook ? or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down? Canst thou put a hook in his nose ? or bore his jaw through with a thorn? Wilt thou play with him as with a bird? When he raiseth himself up, the mighty are afraid. The arrow cannot make him flee; he laugheth at the shaking of a spear; he maketh the deep to boil like a pot; one would think the deep to be hoary." This is like the whale in some things; but you will remember that it is not certain that he is meant.
The common whale for which so many sailors are always seeking on the great ocean, is an enormous animal. It is often found seventy feet long; and it is said that they have been found of the length of a hundred feet. If you do not know how long this would be, you will do well to ask some friend to tell you of a building or something else with which you can compare it; for it is not very likely that you will ever see the whale itself, and its size is very wonderful. It is covered with a coat of fat, sometimes more than a yard thick; and when this is cut up and put over fires in great kettles, a hundred barrels of oil are sometimes obtained from a single whale.
Perhaps you already know how they take the whale. As soon as the sailors see one, they go towards him in a boat until they get as near to him as they dare. Then they throw their harpoons at him; these are sharp-pointed irons, fastened to a very long rope, one end of which they keep in the boat. As soon as the whale is wounded, he dives down into the water, and swims away to some distance. He is usually obliged to come up again in about half an hour to breathe, for he cannot live all the while under water; and then the men throw other harpoons at him. Sometimes he comes so near as to upset the boat with a blow of his strong tail. The picture shows you a scene of this kind, where the boat was tossed into the air, the men thrown out, and one of them drowned.
Sermon Outline
- Introduction to the Whale
- Physical Characteristics of the Whale
- Hunting the Whale
- Conclusion
- The Whale's Strength and Power
- Throwing Harpoons and Wounding the Whale
Key Quotes
“Canst thou draw out leviathan with a hook ? or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down?” — Harriet N. Cook
“He laugheth at the shaking of a spear; he maketh the deep to boil like a pot;” — Harriet N. Cook
“Wilt thou play with him as with a bird?” — Harriet N. Cook
Application Points
- The whale's size and strength remind us of the power and majesty of God's creation.
- The dangers faced by sailors who hunt whales serve as a reminder of the risks and consequences of our actions.
- The whale's oil production highlights the importance of responsible use of natural resources.