An Enormous Red Dragon

Somebody hates you! Isn’t that a warm, fuzzy thought? It isn’t and yet, it’s true! In the 12th chapter of the Revelation, John uses ‘sign language’ to tell his readers about God’s plan to save His Creation from an evil one who is determined to oppose and destroy all that is good and godly. Many refuse to take John’s vision seriously, dismissing the story as a superstitious tale of a man steeped in the myths of his time. I don’t. John’s words help me to understand the way the world works and to see what’s really going on in the invisible realm that is as real as the one I perceive with my five senses.

John saw an ‘enormous red dragon’ (a picture language symbol) who was poised to destroy the Messiah at his birth, who rebelled against the order of Heaven and was defeated by Michael, the archangel, who was kicked out of the Presence of God, and who now has "had a great fall; He’s wild and raging with anger; he hasn’t much time and he knows it." (Revelation 12:12, The Message) Evil has a name and a personality! "This great dragon—the ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world—was thrown down to the earth with all his angels." (Revelation 12:9, NLT)

If you think that all the suffering in this world results just from ignorance or human pride, think again. Evil is an organized conspiracy, orchestrated by the Devil, who works through the demon spirits, whose ultimate goal is death and destruction. The Hitlers, Pol Pots, wife-beating husbands, and rebellious teens who hate their parents share a common inspiration – the Devil! When Tiger Woods cheated on his wife, he wasn’t just led astray by an excess of testosterone; he was deceived by lying spirits whose cackles are now heard as his life is in ashes. If we fail to understand this, we risk fighting the wrong battles, trying to solve problems by focusing only on symptoms rather than the real disease. As important as education, eradication of poverty, and behavior modification are in making the world a better place in which to live; they can only accomplish so much. Only Christ Jesus can set us free from slavery to Satan and depravity. Only the Holy Spirit can transform our minds and hearts so that we are able to live whole and holy lives.

While I do not fear Satan or his demons, I have great respect for their power, and so should you. I know that I am safe only because of the sacrifice of Christ that erases my sinfulness and lets the Spirit of God live in me. John says of Believers, "they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony."  (Revelation 12:11, NLT) He alludes to the Exodus story, where the Israeli people who obediently responded in faith by putting the blood of the Passover lamb on their doorposts escaped the death angel’s judgment. We receive Christ, by faith, and His sacrifice covers us.

Even then, we face the attacks of evil that comes at us through ‘the world, the flesh, and the Devil.’ But, we have a promise of victory! Though we walk in a world ‘with devils filled,’ that ‘threatens to undo us, we will not fear for God has willed His truth to triumph through us.’ (Martin Luther) Here’s a word from the Word. Meditate on it. Let the Truth give you insight into your own behavior and that of those who are around you, then pray to be holy and to be part of the Divine Conspiracy to save Creation!

"You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them.
We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us.


This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God.
Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love."
(1 John 4:4-8, NIV)

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Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the newborn King;
Peace on earth and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled."
Joyful, all ye nations, rise,
Join the triumph of the skies;
With angelic hosts proclaim,
"Christ is born in Bethlehem."

Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the newborn King."
Come, Desire of nations, come!
Fix in us Thy humble home.
Rise, the woman's conqu'ring seed,
Bruise in us the serpent's head;
Adam's likeness now efface,
Stamp Thine image in its place;
Second Adam from above,
Reinstate us in Thy love.
Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the newborn King."

Hark The Herald Angels Sing
Wesley, Charles © Public Domain