Who is this dragon said to be?
Answer
"And the great dragon was cast out that old serpent, called the devil, and Satan, which deceives the whole
world." Verse 9.
NOTE-Primarily the dragon represents Satan, the great enemy and persecutor of the church in all
ages. But Satan works through principalities and powers in his efforts to destroy the people of God. It was
through a Roman king, King Herod, that he sought to destroy Christ as soon as He was born. Matt. 2:16.
Rome must therefore he symbolized by the dragon. The seven heads of the dragon are interpreted by some
to refer to the "seven hills" upon which the city of Rome is built; by others, to the seven forms of
government through which Rome passed; and by still others, and more broadly, to the seven great
monarchies which have oppressed the people of God; namely, Egypt, Assyria, Chaldea, Persia, Greece, and
pagan and papal Rome, in`--either of which Rome is represented and included. See pages 155, 156. The ten
horns, as in the fourth beast of Daniel 7, evidently refer to the ten kingdoms into which Rome was finally
divided, and thus again identify the dragon with the Roman power.
To what extent has God magnified His Word?
With what words did the chief priests and others mock Jesus while on the cross?
When was the little horn to arise?
What did they have in the law?
6. What would have been the result to the dead had not Christ procured their release from the grave?
Why, then, does God permit the chastening rod to fall?
Why, after the fall, was man shut away from the tree of life?
Questions & Answers are from the book Bible Readings for the Home Circle