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Bible Question:
What
is the meaning of the dragon in the Bible?
Bible Answer:
There are two different dragons in the Bible.
The
first one, called Leviathan, is found in the Old Testament and
the second one, Satan, occurs in the New Testament in the book
of Revelation. Leviathan. There
are a number of passages in the Old Testament about the dragon
called Leviathan: Job 3:8; Job 41:1-34; Psalms 74:13-14; Psalms
104:25-26; and Isaiah 27:1. The major passage is found in Job.
Some believe Leviathan is an elephant or a crocodile. But there
are problems with this conclusion because of some of the key
descriptions of Leviathan:
| Characteristic |
Passage |
Dragon
Twisted serpent Lives in the sea
More than one head Tough skin
Very Strong Scales Eyes can glow
Flames from his mouth Smoke from his
nose One made without fear Long
neck |
Isa.
27:1 Isa. 27:1 Ps. 104:25
Ps. 74:14 Job 41:7 Job 41:12
Job 41:15-17 Job 41:18 Job 41:19
Job 41:20 Job 41:33 Job 41:34 |
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This is a description of an animal and
not a person. The animal sounds like the Loch Ness monster in
the British Isles that so many claim to have seen. Was or is
he real? Henry M. Morris, a highly respected scientist, believes
it was an ancient dinosaur. Skeletal remains of such an animal
exist - a sea animal with a long neck. What
is the meaning of the dragon? The dragon reveals the awesome
power of God. Job 41:33 says,
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Nothing
on earth is like him, One made without fear. He looks
on everything that is high; He is king over all the
sons of pride. (NASB) Job 41:33-34 |
There was nothing else on earth like him. God made him mightier,
stronger and more fierce than anything, including man. God used
Leviathan to remind us that there is no one else like Himself.
There is only one God (Isaiah 45:6) and He is all powerful.
It is He who makes the sick, lame, the blind and the deaf (Ex.
4:11). There is no one else who can do that, and there is only
one God who can kill the powerful and feared Leviathan (Ps.
74:14). Satan. Satan is called
a dragon in the book of Revelation. He is described in Rev.
12:3, 4, 7, 9, 13, 17; Rev. 13:1, 2, 4, 11; Rev. 16:13 and Rev.
12:9 and 20:2. Revelation 20:2 tells us the dragon is the devil
or Satan. The dragon appears to symbolize power (Rev. 13:2)
and again God conquers with power (Rev. 20:2). Satan is an evil
angel (Ezekiel 28:14), a created being - a cherub who used to
live in heaven with God. In Revelation the term dragon is another
name for Satan, and it is also symbolic of Satan's real power.
Conclusion: Satan
and Leviathan are powerful beings. Satan is a created, powerful
angel who turned to evil and was then removed from heaven. Leviathan
was a powerful created animal of the sea. Scripture reminds
us that God is greater than any spiritual or physical being.
There is nothing like God on earth, in heaven or anywhere else.
Glory to God! |
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