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.
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.