Hello, how are you? Have you ever deliberately used artificial intelligence? It is something that I have shied away from, but I noticed that my blog platform offers it as a tool. When I publish a blog, I can review it using A.I. It offers me an alternative picture, and will ‘read’ my writing and suggest improvements. I decided to test it. Below is a blog article that I wrote and uploaded.

Underneath the post, I show the suggestions offered by AI Assist.

My Original Blog Article: What does Leviathan Represent in Job 42?

The Book of Job in the Old Testament has been discussed for centuries, and scholars agree on very little. I therefore decided that this would be an excellent book to base my dissertation on. I have always been fascinated by the description of Leviathan in chapter 42—and even though my English translation has a footnote, telling me that Leviathan is a crocodile, I found this annoying. The Leviathan breathes fire, his breath kindles coals, he exhales smoke and is able to snap iron and bronze as if they are dried sticks—surely this describes a dragon rather than a crocodile.

I began by reading the Book of Job. Very briefly, the story is this:
God meets with the heavenly host, and speaks specifically to ‘the accuser.’ (Some people translate this as ‘Satan’ but the Hebrew word for ‘accuser’ is ‘satan’ and it has the definite article, so I think it’s unlikely to be a name, and more likely a role—like ‘the accuser’ in a court of law.)

God says how delighted he is in Job, who is a very good man, and he asks the accuser if he has noticed Job. The accuser replies that yes, he has, but he believes that Job is only good because of what God has given him. God then says the accuser can test his theory, but he mustn’t kill Job. Then we switch to a different scene, and most of the book describes what happens on earth.

Job is a good man, with family and wealth and good health. He basically then loses everything. His children die, all his wealth is stolen or destroyed, his health fails and he is in agony. At this point, three friends come and sit with him, for a while silently sympathising. Then Job speaks, saying that none of this bad luck is fair, and he would like to challenge God about it.

There are then several long (and quite boring) speeches that take an amount of resilience to read! The friends each in turn tell Job that he must have sinned, because God is good, and if Job repents than ‘voila!’ God will restore his health. Job replies to each one, stating that he didn’t sin, and it isn’t fair, and he challenges God to justify the situation. Then there’s a speech by another character, which says much the same as the friends.

Finally, God replies. In God’s first speech, he shows Job creation, displaying his splendour, comparing it to humanity’s insignificance. Job basically replies by agreeing that yes, he had always known that God was great—nothing has changed. But then, God speaks again. This time he shows Job two monsters, Behemoth and Leviathan. After seeing Leviathan, Job says ‘Now I get it! Now I see who you truly are.’ He worships God.

The book ends with (in my view) a strange contradiction of all that has gone before, as Job is given more children (though his first children remain dead—which any parent will tell you is not okay). Job also gets more wealth—though there is no mention that he is healed. He dies after a long life (potentially lived in constant pain).

My interest is in Leviathan. What was there, in God’s description, that changed Job? Why did he suddenly understand, why did he say he had seen God? Why did this mean that losing everything was okay? I will tell you more in another blog.

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The A.I. generated suggestions for the title are as follows:

The Book of Job: Leviathan and Divine Revelation

This title highlights the central focus of the content, the divine revelation through God’s description of Leviathan and its impact on Job, attracting readers interested in biblical analysis and interpretations.

Understanding Leviathan in the Book of Job: A Dragon or Crocodile?

This title sparks curiosity by addressing the debate of whether Leviathan represents a dragon or a crocodile, engaging readers seeking insights into the symbolic meaning and theological significance within the Book of Job.

Significance of Leviathan in the Book of Job: Unveiling Divine Wisdom

By emphasizing the significance of Leviathan and its role in revealing divine wisdom, this title appeals to those exploring the deeper spiritual and philosophical themes in the Old Testament, capturing the interest of a wider audience.

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The suggested improvements to my blog article are as follows:

AI Assistant

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The content’s main language is English.

The post content is engaging and offers a thorough review of the Book of Job in the Old Testament. It provides a personal perspective and raises thought-provoking questions about the character of Leviathan and its impact on Job. Consider breaking down some complex sentences for easier comprehension and refinement of the message. Utilize subheadings to enhance the readability and structure of the content. Keep up the insightful analysis and continue to explore the significance of Leviathan in the next blog.

I then can choose a ‘featured image’. One is my own rather naff one, the other is computer generated:

I definitely prefer the generated image. (Though the words are a challenge!)
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I’m not sure that I will use AI in future blogs–except to generate pictures. The most important editing feature of my blog comes from my husband, who frequently says’ “You can’t write that!” I find this an invaluable tool, as my humour is often a little risky. I’m not sure that AI will ever fully replace husbands when it comes to editing.

Thanks for reading. I really will tell you more about Leviathan in another blog.
Take care.
Love, Anne x