In biblical literature, the term "dragon" is often used symbolically and is associated with chaos, evil, and opposition to God. The imagery of dragons appears in various books of the Bible, where it is used to convey powerful spiritual truths and cosmic battles.

Old Testament References

The Hebrew word "tannin" is frequently translated as "dragon" or "serpent" in the Old Testament. In the creation narrative, Genesis 1:21 mentions, "So God created the great sea creatures and every living thing that moves, with which the waters teemed, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good." Here, "great sea creatures" can be understood as a reference to large, mysterious sea beings, often interpreted as dragons or sea monsters.

In the poetic and prophetic literature, dragons are depicted as symbols of chaos and opposition to God. Isaiah 27:1 states, "In that day the LORD will take His sharp, great, and mighty sword, and bring judgment on Leviathan, the fleeing serpent—Leviathan, the coiling serpent—and He will slay the dragon of the sea." This passage portrays the dragon as a formidable adversary that God will ultimately defeat, symbolizing His power over chaos and evil.

The book of Job also references a creature known as Leviathan, which is often associated with dragon imagery. Job 41:1 asks, "Can you pull in Leviathan with a hook or tie down his tongue with a rope?" The description of Leviathan in Job 41 emphasizes its strength and untamable nature, further reinforcing the dragon's symbolic representation of chaos and opposition.

New Testament References

In the New Testament, the dragon imagery is most prominently featured in the book of Revelation. Revelation 12:3 describes, "Then another sign appeared in heaven: a huge red dragon with seven heads, ten horns, and seven royal crowns on his heads." This dragon is identified as Satan, the adversary of God and His people. Revelation 12:9 further clarifies, "And the great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him."

The dragon in Revelation symbolizes the cosmic battle between good and evil, with Satan depicted as a powerful but ultimately defeated foe. Revelation 20:2 states, "He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years." This passage highlights the ultimate victory of God over the forces of evil, with the dragon's defeat serving as a testament to God's sovereignty and justice.

Symbolism and Interpretation

Throughout the Bible, the dragon serves as a potent symbol of chaos, evil, and opposition to divine order. It is often associated with Satan and his rebellious nature against God. The imagery of the dragon is used to convey the spiritual battle between good and evil, emphasizing God's ultimate authority and victory over all adversarial forces.

In biblical interpretation, dragons are not considered literal creatures but rather symbolic representations of spiritual truths. They serve as powerful metaphors for the cosmic struggle between God and the forces of darkness, illustrating the themes of redemption, judgment, and divine triumph.Deuteronomy 32:33
Their wine is the poison of dragons, and the cruel venom of asps.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Job 30:29
I am a brother to dragons, and a companion to owls.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Jeremiah 9:11
And I will make Jerusalem heaps, and a den of dragons; and I will make the cities of Judah desolate, without an inhabitant.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Exhortation to Abandon the Impious Mysteries of Idolatry for the ...
... along the hills; but they were singing not to that dead dragon, but to God ... among
them answering to the fowls of the air, deceivers to reptiles, the irascible ...
/.../clement/exhortation to the heathen/chapter i exhortation to abandon the.htm

the Legendary History of Egypt
... represented beings and forces hostile to the sun, with the dragon Apopi at ... alleviate
them; he taught to all comers potent formulas against reptiles and beasts ...
/.../chapter iii -the legendary history of.htm

The Creation of Terrestrial Animals.
... in a fish, what their fancy wishes, who change the nature of reptiles and of ... basilisk
and thou shalt trample under feet the lion and the dragon." [1722] With ...
/.../basil/basil letters and select works/homily ix the creation of.htm

Letter cxxv. To Rusticus.
... through the calm water; and the desert of this world is not untenanted by venomous
reptiles. ... poet tells us that it was in front a lion, behind a dragon, in the ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/letter cxxv to rusticus.htm

Preface.
... Man gasping for one drop, that he might cease. To curse his birth, nor envy reptiles
more! ... Why not the dragon's subterranean den,. For man to howl in? ...
//christianbookshelf.org/young/youngs night thoughts/preface.htm

The Gods of Egypt
... Biot contested their conclusions, and while holding that the hippopotamus might
at least in part present our constellation of the Dragon, thought that it was ...
/.../chapter ii the gods of egypt.htm

Funeral Oration on the Great S. Basil, Bishop of C??sarea in ...
... most useful, or most harmful, except according to the will of those who use it;
and as we have compounded healthful drugs from certain of the reptiles; so from ...
/.../cyril/lectures of s cyril of jerusalem/oration xliii funeral oration on.htm

part i
... of the elements"light, air, water, earth, fire (concealed), whilst other elements
are diffused in all animals"in birds, fishes, reptiles, beasts, and men ...
//christianbookshelf.org/calvin/my life in christ/part i.htm

What is natural revelation? | GotQuestions.org

Can a person be saved through general revelation? | GotQuestions.org

How did Noah fit all the animals on the Ark? | GotQuestions.org

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus