Of Dragons and Beasts

Whenever I meet a dragon or a serpent in the scriptures, I know that it is symbolic for Satan.  I also know that Satan is not literally a dragon or a serpent, but that he is represented as such because of his characteristics.  He is dangerous and can be lethal.  He is frightful. He uses terror as a modus operandi.  He seeks to destroy and devour.

In Revelation chapter 12, we are introduced to a red dragon with seven heads and ten horns, and the text tells us that it represents Satan.  I went back to my source* on the significance of numbers in the Bible.  I already knew that the number 7 represents completeness, but whereas earlier it was used to represent the completeness of Christ - His omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence - here it is used to represent the complete evil of Satan.

The number 10 is also a representation of completeness in the Bible, but here it has another connotation.  I did a cross reference to Daniel 2 where the 10 toes of the great image represent the final kingdoms of the world prior to the coming of Christ's kingdom.  The 10 horns (horns representing power) signify Satan's complete control over the the earthly kingdoms of the world.

Earlier in Revelation, we met four beasts who represented celestialized members of the animal kingdom worshipping at God's throne.  In Revelation 13, we also meet beasts, but these beasts represent degenerate earthly kingdoms controlled by Satan (Revelation 13: Headnote KJV, LDS Church). 

The first beast which comes out of the sea has 7 heads and 10 horns just like the dragon.  This is because these earthly kingdoms receive their power to rule from the dragon and are under his constant influence.

The second beast is a lamb with two horns.  This, I believe, is the anti-Christ.  He masquerades as a lamb, but speaks with the voice of the beast.  His 2 horns are interesting and I went back to my source on number meanings, and I quote:

"We now come to the spiritual importance of two. We have seen that One excludes all difference, and denotes that which is sovereign. But Two affirms that there is a difference - there is another; while One affirms that there is not another!
 

"This difference may be for good or for evil. A thing may differ from evil, and be good; or it may differ from good, and be evil. Hence, it takes a Two-fold coloring, according to the context."  **

In this context, the number 2 represents a difference from good (the Lamb of God) to evil (the anti-Lamb, as it were.)   It receives it's political power from the first beast (the degenerate earthly kingdoms) and it's inspiration from the dragon (Satan) whose words he speaks).

John didn't identify specific kingdoms and people so I am not about to do so here.  John's advice was the read between the lines and listen to the Holy Spirit as you look at the political condition of the world.  What he wrote was:  If any man have an ear, let him hear. (Revelation 13: 9)  That is good advice. 

 *   http://www.biblestudy.org/bibleref/meaning-of-numbers-in-bible/10.html
** Ibid/2.html

Text copyright Gebara Education Februrary 2013

 

Picture of the dragon controlling the world from www.sodahead.com

Picture of the image from Daniel 2 from www.pastorkj.wordpress.com