What’s the Meaning Behind the Symbol of the Red Dragon of Revelation?
Bible Study Guide
(Verse 3) The story of the red dragon of Revelation is an ancient one. It goes all the way back to the Garden of Eden. It began when Satan used his most powerful weapon of deception on Eve and Adam. He deceived Eve into second guessing what God meant and commanded her and Adam to do.
The dragons deception and opposing God would continue throughout early history.
Throughout the empires of Babylon, Persia and Greece the red dragon has pursued Israel (woman clothed with the sun). His intent has always been to deceive mankind, oppose God and the coming of the Messiah to offer salvation to the world.
The red dragon of Revelation 12 is none other than Satan.
This is where understanding the book of Daniel helps us to comprehend the details of this passage. The book of Daniel is often referred to as prerequisite reading before diving into the book of Revelation. A great deal was revealed to Daniel about the days and events that would be the precursor to Revelation and the last days.
With the help of God’s prophesy given to Daniel, we’ll carefully explore these next several signs.
The Red Dragon and the Antichrist
John makes it easy by telling us that what he sees are signs. From that, we know that these signs represent actual people and events that will take place in the future.
Let’s begin by looking at the one who will get his power from the red dragon – the antichrist.
The man who’s called the antichrist will have two primary goals when he’s revealed at the beginning of the Tribulation. The first three and half years, he will be focused on becoming a world leader. The second three and a half years will be different.
Remember, Satan’s goal has always been to oppose and exalt himself above God. So in the second three and a half years, the antichrist will attempt to establish his spiritual leadership by exalting himself as god and demanding to be worshiped. He will attempt to do this at the midway point of the Tribulation. This is called the Great Tribulation.
“After the sixty-two ‘sevens,’ the Anointed One will be put to death and will have nothing. The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed. 27 He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven (Seven Year Tribulation).’ In the middle of the ‘seven’ (Three and a half years) he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And at the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him. (Daniel 9:26-27)
“So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand—
(Matthew 24:15)
“He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.
(2 Thessalonians 2:4)
The Red Dragon, the Beast, Ten Horns and Seven Heads
Let’s first begin by focusing on the first three and a half years of the seven year Tribulation.
The antichrist will enter the picture as the “man with the plan” to solve all the worlds problems. During this time, he’ll build alliances and gather rulers to follow him. Certain kingdoms and nations will begin to gravitate toward him. A kingdom will be established and he’ll be recognized as a global leader of this kingdom. The origin of this kingdom will be the rise of a second Roman Empire. This was foretold of in the book of Daniel.
No, this does not mean that the Romans are going to be future global leaders. It means that this second Roman Empire (Fourth Beast) will rise from the same region as the original Roman Empire. Remember, at the height of the Roman Empire, they ruled all of what we consider to be Europe today. They also had under their authority most of the territory that surrounded the Mediterranean Sea.
The ten horns and seven heads that John sees on the dragon come from Daniel’s prophecy from God.
What Daniel saw was a fourth beast unlike any of the first three he foretold. This beast was a symbol of the coming Roman Empire. It would become the worst of all empires before it (Babylonian, Persian, and Greek Empires). A second and similar global power would rise from this same region to rule in the last days of the Tribulation. The red dragon of Revelation would be the spiritual power behind it.
The system that will help raise the antichrist to power is already being built today before our very eyes. The antichrist has not yet been revealed. This will not occur until after the rapture.
The Meaning of the Ten Horns and Seven Heads
The ten horns represent the ten kingdoms or nations of the Second Roman Empire that would come to follow the antichrist and make him a global leader.
In the process, three kingdoms will not quite fall in line with the ideas of the antichrist. They will be removed from this global power. This will leave seven kingdoms or nations that will comprise the political infrastructure and power of the antichrist. This is represented by the seven heads on the great beast in the book of Daniel. This is also the meaning of the symbol of the seven heads on the red dragon.
In short, the power of the red dragon will help the antichrist build a global power of ten kingdoms and nations. Three will not fully buy into the ideology and plans of the antichrist. They will be removed. Seven powers will remain to raise the status of the antichrist to a global political power force.
Daniel’s Prophesy of Ten Horns and Seven Heads
Daniel’s prophesy given to him by God was similar with one added detail. On the fourth beasts head along with ten horns and seven heads was a small horn. This horn was a symbol of the antichrist. He would come on the scene as an obscure figure. Then he would eventually rise to power.
“After that, in my vision at night I looked, and there before me was a fourth beast—terrifying and frightening and very powerful. It had large iron teeth; it crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot whatever was left. It was different from all the former beasts, and it had ten horns.
“While I was thinking about the horns, there before me was another horn, a little one, which came up among them; and three of the first horns were uprooted before it. This horn had eyes like the eyes of a human being and a mouth that spoke boastfully.
(Daniel 7:7-8)
As we see scripture teach us, Daniel was the first to reveal what John was being shown by Christ about the red dragon of Revelation.
Meaning of the Red Dragon’s Tail and One-Third of the Stars
(Verse 4) Many scholars believe that the one third of the stars that were swept out of heaven by the tail of the red dragon are fallen angels who followed Satan (Lucifer). There is no scriptural basis for this idea.
There are some indirect references that could lead to the possibility that one-third of the stars are fallen angels following Satan.
The prophet, Isaiah is the first to refer to Lucifer as the “morning star.” Satan also wishes to exalt himself above the stars. But there is no direct reference in scripture of one-third of angels falling with Satan.
God did not pad scripture with extra words to increase the word count of the Bible. With that, we can understand that the one-third reference does symbolize something. That something is not entirely clear but rather suggestive. Anything more than that would be pure conjecture. It would be unwise to follow that path. It would be better to heed the advice of John Calvin.
“Let us remember that on the whole subject of religion one rule of modesty and soberness is to be observed, and it is this – in obscure matters not to speak or think, or even long to know, more than the Word of God has delivered.” ~John Calvin
What Does the Red Dragon Desire More Than Anything?
The red dragon has known since the Garden of Eden that the seed of the woman (Jesus Christ) would be his biggest threat. The things of God and creation’s desire for God is all that Satan opposed.
From ancient times, the red dragon has attempted to destroy the nation and people of God. Why? Because he knew that the One to come and offer salvation to the world would come out of the nation of Israel. God’s chosen people and the apple of His eye.
Destroy the nation of Israel and there will be no Jesus Christ. This was Satan’s plan. Even through the dispersion of the people of God due to the punishment from God for their sins, Satan has failed to destroy them. When the time came for Christ to enter the world, Satan waited so that he could devour Him.
When Satan had Jesus nailed to the cross and He finally died, he thought he found victory. This victory faded quickly when Jesus was resurrected to eternal glory. Mankind had finally been provided a path back to the Father through Christ’ blood on the cross and resurrection.
But the battle between God and the red dragon is not over…
<< Rev. 12:1-2 “Who’s the Woman Clothed With the Sun?” | “Then the War in Heaven Broke Out” Rev. 12:5-7 >>