Revelation 12:3 Commentary - Dr Peter Masters

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Revelation 12:3

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Another wonder, a gigantic dragon, appears right across the skies. He is red, blood red, because he is bloodthirsty and he is out to kill, to maim, and to destroy. There can be no doubt about his identity; Revelation 12:9 and 20:2 make clear that this is the devil, Satan. The word ‘dragon’ is found only in Revelation. It refers to a serpent of huge size. The same Greek word is used by the Septuagint for the serpent which came from Aaron’s rod (Exodus 7:9-10), for Leviathan, a monster of the sea (Psalm 104:26), in Job 7:12 for the sea serpent, in Jeremiah 28:34 for the dragon or monster, and in Ezekiel 32:2 for a monster or dragon in the seas. The frequent association of the word with the sea and the use of the word monster suggests a creature far greater than any terrestrial snake. It is capable of devouring a human being and is called great and fiery. It is an appropriate symbol for the devil, represented by one of the most fearful creatures known to John’s readers. The dragon is represented as ‘having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.’ The same symbolism is used to describe the beast who ascends out of the sea in Revelation 13:1 – ‘having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy’ (Revelation 13:1). John is told that ‘the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority’ (Revelation 13:2), and therefore it is not surprising the same symbolism is applied to both. The beast is an agent of the devil who derives his power from him, but the origin of these heads and horns is found in the devil himself, the dragon. More detail is given to John about the meaning of these seven heads and ten horns in Revelation 17, where John sees a woman sitting upon this same beast, but it sufficient to say at this point that the dragon has seven heads because he rules completely in this world – seven is the number of completeness. Satan is the god of this world. He holds sway over all unbelieving nations. His ten horns are horns of power which indicate his massive power. There is a link here with what will be described in chapters 13 and 17.

Application

Satan is introduced in this way because his oppression of the woman, which is about to be described, will involve these seven heads and ten horns. The church must face not only the direct attacks of the devil through temptation, but also attacks that come through earthly authorities which Satan stirs up against them. When Satan stood ready to murder Christ as soon as he was born, it was the secular powers that he used to carry out his murderous intentions. It was Herod who he stirred up to jealousy. Herod was not aware that he was being used by the devil, but it was Satan who urged him on, who filled his mind with cruel pride and envy. Similarly, when in the later part of this chapter the dragon persecutes the church, it is secular powers that he uses to try to destroy it.

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Revelation 12:3 Commentary and Bible Study