Who is “The Great Dragon" in the Bible?

Mysteries Beyond

Jan 15, 2025

“And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.”(Revelation 12:9)

The Dragon was cast out of heaven. (source)

From yesterday- “…there are also evil angels who rebelled against God and also interact with humans. Just as there are “good” spirits, there are also “bad” spirits.

Where do we see these evil ones in the Bible? What about in our world today?”

The Dragon - the Realm of All Evil

Yesterday we looked at some of the references to God’s angels and how they interact with humans. Today we will briefly examine the concept of Satanic angles, those who rebelled against God’s authority, and the demonic spirits of that realm.

The Bible mentions various “beings” that are associated with evil or demonic activity, either directly or indirectly. These beings are often portrayed as adversaries of God, the Church, Israel, all humanity, and the Laws of righteousness. Who are these various evil spirits?

1. Satan

Satan (adversary or accuser) is the most prominent figure associated with evil. Satan has become the catchall name for the highest authority figure in the evil realm.

While Satan isn’t always the same being, by the end of the Bible, the name seems to become synonymous with the Devil, the Dragon, the Garden Serpent (the Nacash), Beelzebub, The Serpent of Genesis 3:15, Lucifer (the Shining One), the evil one, etc. Satan is representative of ultimate evil and all things that oppose God Most High. And just as we saw that Cheribum are not fat angel babies, Satan isn’t a horned devil in red spandex either.

Job 1:6-12 – Satan appears before God and challenges Job’s righteousness, suggesting that Job’s faith is only due to his prosperity.
Matthew 4:1-11 – Satan tempts Jesus in the wilderness, attempting to divert Him from His divine mission.
Revelation 12:9 – Satan is described as the great dragon who deceives the whole world and is cast out of heaven.
1 Peter 5:8 – Satan is described as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
John 8:44 – Jesus calls Satan the father of lies and a murderer from the beginning.

2. Fallen Angels

These beings are often thought of as demons or evil spirits. They were first introduced as the sons of God (Genesis 6:1-5 ESV) who rebelled (they are not the “sons of Seth”). They were actually Watcher* angels who rebelled against God.

The extrabiblical text of Enoch - The Book of the Watchers - explains this first incursion of 200 fallen Watcher angels, led by Semyaza and Azazel, that descended on Mt. Hermon. These were the angels who “left their proper dwelling” mentioned in Jude.

*Watcher angels are a specific kind of member of God’s Kingdom. These are “the sons of God.” Some of them rebelled (Genesis 6:1-4), but some appear to be holy as we read in the book of Daniel.

“And angels who did not keep their own domain but abandoned their proper dwelling place, these He has kept in eternal restraints under darkness for the judgment of the great day, just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these angels indulged in sexual perversion and went after strange flesh, are exhibited as an example in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire.”(Jude 1:6-7)

Some scholars teach that the demons of the Bible are the spirits of the Nephilim (giants); the progeny of these fallen Angles and human women. When the Nephilim giants, or any of their progeny afterwards, died, their spirits had no place to go so they remained on earth as “demons.” These are the spirits who possess humans and will be destroyed in the Last Day when they are thrown into the Lake of Fire.

While there is debate as to exactly who the evil spirits are today, much like the concept of Satan as the head of the evil realm, we can accept the fact that there are evil spirit beings at work on earth today and they have the ability to influence and possess humans.

Isaiah 14:12-15 – The passage is often interpreted as describing the fall of Lucifer (a name traditionally associated with Satan), who sought to exalt himself above God.
Revelation 12:7-9 – A war in heaven occurs, and Satan and his angels are defeated and cast out to the earth.
2 Peter 2:4 – Refers to angels who sinned and were cast into hell, bound in chains of darkness.
Jude 1:6 – Describes angels who did not keep their proper domain but left their own abode and are now reserved for judgment.
Daniel 4:13 - One of the verses that mentions Watcher Angels. “I was looking in the visions in my mind as I lay on my bed, and behold, an angelic watcher, a holy one, descended from heaven.”

3. Demons

Demons are evil spirits that torment and possess people, often working under Satan's influence.

Mark 5:1-20 – The story of the demon-possessed man in the region of the Gerasenes, who is possessed by a legion of demons, and Jesus casts them out into a herd of pigs.
Matthew 12:22-29 – Jesus casts out a demon from a mute man, demonstrating His power over demons and their kingdom.
Luke 8:2 – Mentions Mary Magdalene, who had been healed by Jesus of seven demons.
Acts 16:16-18 – Paul casts out a spirit of divination from a slave girl in Philippi.

4. The Beast (Antichrist)

The Bible also describes a future figure, often associated with Satan, who will rise up in opposition to God in the end times.

Revelation 13:1-10 – Describes the rise of the Beast, who is empowered by the Dragon (Satan) and makes war against the saints.
2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 – Refers to the "man of lawlessness" (often identified with the Antichrist) who exalts himself above all that is called God.

5. Legion

In Mark 5:9 and Luke 8:30, Jesus encounters a man possessed by multiple demons who call themselves "Legion," indicating that there are many of them.

Mark 5:9 – "Then Jesus asked him, ‘What is your name?’ ‘My name is Legion,’ he replied, ‘for we are many.’"

6. The Spirit of Uncleanliness

Various passages mention unclean or evil spirits that can possess or influence people.

Matthew 12:43-45 – Describes an unclean spirit that, after leaving a person, returns with seven other spirits more wicked than itself.
Luke 11:24-26 – A similar parable about an evil spirit leaving a person and returning with others.

7. Beelzebul (or Beelzebub)

Beelzebul, often associated with Satan, is considered the “prince of demons.”

Matthew 12:24 – The Pharisees accuse Jesus of casting out demons by the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons.
Mark 3:22 – The scribes accuse Jesus of being possessed by Beelzebul.
Luke 11:15 – Some falsely accused Jesus of casting out demons by the power of Beelzebul.

8. The Prince of the Power of the Air

This title is often associated with Satan, referring to his influence over the world systems and all evil forces that are at work against us today.

Ephesians 2:2 – "In which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience."

9. Abaddon (Apollyon)

Abaddon, or Apollyon (the Destroyer), is described as the king angel of the abyss and is associated with destruction during the time of the Great Tribulation. Apollo is also the name of the greatest Greek and Roman god who may play a part in the End of Days.

Revelation 9:11 – "They have as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit. His name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek he is called Apollyon."

10. The Serpent (Serpent of Old)

The serpent is often used as a symbol of Satan in the Bible.

Genesis 3:1-15 – Satan appears in the form of a serpent in the Garden of Eden and tempts Adam and Eve to sin.
Revelation 12:9 – Describes Satan as "the great dragon...that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan."

These are just some of the key references to demonic or evil beings in Scripture, each of them has a role in spiritual warfare and the conflict between good and evil. While it isn’t feasible to thoroughly dissect each named character in our short study, we need to have a general understanding of the opposing forces that are at work in the world today because the power of evil is trying to deceive and destroy you and your family. Will you allow it?

To be continued…

Today’s Question

Verses to Explore

“Then the Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, Cursed are you more than all the livestock, And more than any animal of the field; On your belly you shall go, And dust you shall eat All the days of your life…”(Genesis 3:14)
“Then the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died.”(Number 21:6)
“He removed the high places and smashed the memorial stones to pieces, and cut down the Asherah. He also crushed to pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the sons of Israel had been burning incense to it; and it was called Nehushtan.”(2 Kings 18:14)
“By His breath the heavens are cleared; His hand has pierced the fleeing serpent.”(Job 26:13)

Today’s Prayer

Father your Word tells me to pray that you lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Today there are so many of your children who are leaving the narrow road and going into the world of the enemy naked and vulnerable. They are tempted by their human emotions and desires and the Dragon is trying to destroy them. Father please wake them up to what is actually happening in their lives. We need your Spirit to fight against the evil that is trying to consume your people. Too many of them don’t realize that they are being tortured by your enemy because they are allowing it. They keep opening the door and inviting evil into their homes.
Help the ignorant so that they aren’t destroyed by evil Father. Help the families who are being torn apart by it. Help the people who are slaves to pornography, substance abuse, or other traps that ensnare their lives. Help them to become free.
Protect the children from all the evil available to them and the influence that it has on their lives. They are becoming victims because their parents are ignorant to the influencers that are stealing their innocence. They may think it’s just the world we live in, but Father, it is their place to try and protect their children and to equip them for their futures. Thank you so much for those faithful parents who guard their homes.
This world is so full of evil and it feels sometimes like we can’t win. But your Word tells me differently. Your Word tells me we are victorious through you. Show us Father how to fight the satanic arrows that come against us each day.
And I pray especially for those who are so blinded by evil that they can’t see truth. Open their eyes. If they reject you after becoming fully aware, I know that they make their own choices. But please give them the opportunity to fully see what it is they choose to reject. Let them feel the full weight of the darkness that they are choosing before it’s too late.
And I pray special blessings on all who read this today. Father I ask that you hear the needs of their hearts and intervene in their lives. Give them hope, peace, courage, and increase their faith.
We pray for all your people today to be protected and strengthened by the power of your great might. May all honor and glory be yours. Amen.❤️