27:1 Leviathan Commentators disagree about what Leviathan is: a terrifying prehistoric creature, a mythical sea monster, or perhaps a symbol for demons or Satan. In any case, Leviathan embodies evil, and God promises to destroy this sinister snake. It is right to earnestly hope for and desire the destruction of wickedness, but Isaiah reminds us that our deliverance is from God alone.
27:9-12 The Purpose of Punishment When God punishes Israel, it is for a purpose. Exile is intended to eliminate idolatry and injustice, sins that God hates because of their destructive force. Isaiah contrasts the violent fist of God—striking evil to crush it utterly—with a vivid picture of his tenderness—careful fingers gathering up each individual, like single stalks of wheat, from the wreckage of judgment.