The Dragon's War

The Book of Revelation is designed to “reveal what things must come to pass,” not to conceal them. The “war” waged by the “Great Red Dragon” is a classic example. Too often in popular preaching, Satan and his earthly agent, the “Little Beast from the Sea,” are transformed into global political leaders made to fit our political biases.

This common approach ignores the clear words of the Book. In Chapter 12, for example, Satan is represented as the “Dragon” who wages “war” against the “Seed of the Woman” identified as those men “who have the Testimony of Jesus.” They are the saints who “follow the Lamb wherever he goes” and have “the faith of Jesus” – (Revelation 12:17, 14:1-5, 14:12).

[Photo by Hannah Pemberton on Unsplash]

The “Dragon” is seen standing on the seashore where he summons his “seed” to execute his attack against the Woman’s “seed.” His offspring includes the ‘thérion’ (θηρισν, the diminutive form of ‘thér’ or “beast”), the “Little Beast,” a monstrous creature with “Ten Horns and Seven Heads,” and a large boastful mouth “speaking great things and blasphemies” against God and His people - (Revelation 13:1-5).

This creature wages “war against the saints.” It is determined to destroy them - “It was given to it to make war with the saints, and to overcome them.” The grammatical gender of the Greek noun for “little beast” is neuter, not masculine. It is a thing rather than a person – (Revelation 13:7-10).

Whether “overcome” means this creature kills the saints or causes them to apostatize makes little difference. His goal is to destroy the people of God in one way or another. Moreover, the Book of Revelation leaves no doubt about the identity of the “saints.” They are those “who have the faith of Jesus” and keep “his Testimony”– (Revelation 13:6-10, 14:10-12).

This “Little Beast” has “Seven Heads and Ten Horns” just like the “Dragon.” He operates with the Devil’s authority. When the “Inhabitants of the Earth” give their allegiance to it and its “image,” effectively, they “give homage to the Dragon” – (Revelation 13:1-6).

The victims of the Dragon are the men and women who follow Jesus, those who remain faithful in the “Testimony of Jesus.” It is through their faithful witness and their willingness to die as martyrs that the saints “overcome” the “Dragon” – (Revelation 12:11).

Whether the “Little Beast” also wages war against other nations is never stated in the Book. However, the “Inhabitants of the Earth” give their allegiance to this creature as they are awed by its economic power and exceptional claims to divine approval if not status.

The “Inhabitants of the Earth” are not the enemies of the “Little Beast.” They pose no threat to its dominion. It is granted “authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation.” No nation or government opposes it. The “Inhabitants of the Earth” are accomplices and dupes of the “Dragon” in his plot to destroy the people of God.

PERSECUTING THE CHURCH

The same language is used in Chapter 11 to describe the “war” by the “Little Beast from the Abyss” waged against the “Two Witnesses.” They are identified as “Two Lampstands.” In Revelation, lampstands symbolize churches – (Revelation 1:20, 11:4-7).

The clause used to describe this “war” is derived from Daniel’s vision of the “Little Horn” with the mouth “speaking great things.” It “made war on the saints and overcame them.” This clause is a verbal link between the passages in Revelation that describe the Dragon’s war against the Church - (Daniel 7:8, 7:21).

Before the “pierced” Christ appears “on the clouds,” Satan will launch his final attempt to demolish the “churches,” the “saints,” the “brethren” who have the “Testimony of Jesus,” the priests who follow the “Lamb wherever he goes,” the “innumerable multitude” of men redeemed from every nation by the “blood of the Lamb,” and the “Kingdom of Priests” purchased by his crucifixion. Each of these images represents the one people of the “Lamb” – (Revelation 1:4-7, 5:8-12, 7:9-17, 13:7).

The “Dragon” failed to destroy the Messianic “Son” who was instead exalted to his “Father’s Throne.” Following the enthronement of the “Lamb,” the Devil was “expelled from Heaven.” The Son was beyond his reach, so he did the next best thing – He turned his wrath against the followers of Jesus - (Revelation 12:1-5, 12:17).

The letters to the “Seven Churches of Asia” in Chapters 2 and 3 provide examples of how Satan conducts his war - Through deception (“false apostles, Nicolaitans, teachings of Balaam, the Prophetess Jezebel”), economic deprivation, and persecution.

The visions of Chapters 11 and 12 present the Cosmic view. In the letters to the “Seven Churches,” we see how this conflict manifests in the daily and often mundane struggles of the saints with deception, deceivers, temptations to compromise, economic hardship, and the threat of martyrdom.

Satan’s purpose is fixed – To destroy the Church. His control over the political and economic spheres of the Earth is employed to accomplish this objective. The victims of his “war” are the men and women who follow Jesus “wherever he leads,” no matter the cost.

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