OUR FATHER WHO HAS OVERCOME THE DRAGON

Revelation chapter 13 verses 1 - 3 says this;

The dragon stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on its horns, and on each head a blasphemous name. The beast I saw resembled a leopard, but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion. 

The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority. One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed. The whole world was filled with wonder and followed the beast.

The vision that the Apostle John recorded in this passage is one of the most startling descriptions in the bible.

First, John describes a dragon standing by the sea then he evoques an image of Satan calling forth a beast out of the water.

The beast had ten horns with each horn having a crown.

Horns are generally taken to be symbols of strength or competence and so the beast had ten of these centers of power or special competence. Each horn had a crown which indicates that the strength of each horn was imbued with authority to function unfettered in the realm the beast was given to rule.

The beast is also described as having seven heads which can be understood to be seven beings who run the operations of the beast as a council. Each one of these beings had a name that was blasphemous against God and the whole structure of the beast was designed to be a challenge and an insult to God.

Satan then imbued this administrational entity with power, political rulership over the earth and great authority. This was the same authority he had promised to give Jesus in Luke chapter 4 verses 6 - 7 if Jesus had bowed and worshipped him. As a reminder, the passage reads this way;

And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, and said to him, “To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.”

As the passage continues, one of the members of the council of seven seemed to have the scarring of a fatal wound but somehow had miraculously survived as the wound was seen to be healed. 

The whole world was awestruck by the recovery of the beast and they turned to follow him and people become enamoured by the beast and readily accept his authority over them.

Bless the Lord who has overcome the dragon by the blood of the Lamb.

Amen.