Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/claudiodivizia Revelation 20:10).īetween the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet, Revelation 13 shows that Satan will create a sort of unholy trinity in opposition to the true Trinity. This beast is also known as the false prophet (e.g. This is a symbolic portrayal of a future time.Īnother beast rises up, a beast who acts as a sort of prophet or priest for the first beast and performs signs and wonders ( Revelation 13:11-18). People worship the dragon and the beast ( Revelation 13:4). This beast is typically understood to be the Antichrist. In Revelation 13, a beast rises up out of the sea, and the dragon gives it his throne and great authority ( Revelation 13:2). Now, we are prepared for Revelation 13, which records what Satan will do in the end times. Revelation 12 summarizes, in allegorical form, the history of Satan’s attacks against Israel, his plots against Jesus, and his failure in both regards. He then turns his sights to the believers: “Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring-those who keep God’s commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus” ( Revelation 12:17). He proceeds to attack the woman again, but she is delivered ( Revelation 12:13-16). In Revelation 12:7-9, war breaks out between Satan and his demons and Michael and the host of angels. However, Satan fails to devour Jesus in Revelation 12:5-6. The “third of the stars” referred to here is usually understood as referring to the angelic host, a third of which, it is believed, followed Satan in his rebellion (and thus became demonic forces). The dragon stands in wait for the woman to deliver the child-to devour it. It states that the dragon swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to earth. Revelation 12:3-4, when the dragon is introduced, gives some background on the dragon. The woman is not a literal woman she is called a “sign,” and women are used multiple times to represent religious systems in Revelation. The woman is pregnant, and the child is understood to be Jesus, who came from the line of Israel. Revelation 12:1 introduces a woman wearing a crown of twelve stars, representing the twelve tribes of Israel. Revelation 12, when the dragon is introduced, gives a bit of a background on the history of the dragon and God’s people. The Seven-Headed Dragon in Revelation 12 and Revelation 13 The drakon in Greek was understood as a type of mythological serpent-referring directly back to the serpent (Hebrew “ nachash”) in the garden of Eden who deceived Adam and Eve ( Genesis 3). The Greek word that is translated to “dragon” here is “ drakon,” and doesn’t exactly fit our modern imagery of a dragon. The ten horns also harken back to Daniel’s vision in Daniel 7.Ī head is a sign of power or authority, and this creature has seven of them.Ĭrowns are a symbol of kingship Satan is attempting to set himself up as a king in opposition to God. This doesn’t mean that Satan is a literal dragon the seven heads, ten horns, and seven crowns are symbolic.Ī horn, in the Bible, is a symbol of power or strength. The seven-headed dragon in Revelation represents Satan. Revelation 12:9 says, “The great dragon was hurled down-that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray.” Revelation 20:2 also says, “He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years.”
It is temporarily released before its final defeat and it is thrown in the lake of fire.
In Revelation 20, things go downhill for the dragon, and it is cast into the abyss for a thousand years.
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