Ekklēsia Nikaō, Part VI: On Dragon Kings | Satan
Protasis: The Down-and-Dirty Truth About The Devil & Supernatural Rebellion
For those of you who are anything like me: first, apologies.
Second, you probably share a profound curiosity whenever conversation turns to the subject of dragons.
Recounting the legendary invasion of Cambria (modern Wales) by the Brit Uther, Geoffrey of Monmouth pulls absolutely zero punches. Uther’s brother, King Aurelius, is secretly poisoned by an assassin in dramatic fashion. The infamous Merlin (who’s grandaddy just might be an angel1) is found managing a mission to transport Stonehenge with help from — wait for it — giants. Possibly weirdest of all, though, is the tale of Uther’s ascension to the throne:
… there appeared a star of marvellous bigness and brightness, stretching forth one ray whereon was a ball of fire spreading forth in the likeness of a dragon, and from the mouth of the dragon issued forth two rays, whereof the one was of such length as that it did seem to reach beyond the regions of Gaul, and the other, verging toward the Irish Sea, did end in seven lesser rays.
At the appearance of this star all that did behold it were stricken with wonder and fear. Uther, also, the King’s brother, who was leading a hostile army into Cambria, was smitten with no small dread… he bade call Merlin… And when he was brought unto the King and stood before him, he was bidden declare what the star did betoken. Whereupon, bursting into tears and drawing a long breath, he cried aloud, saying:
“O, loss irreparable! O, orphaned people of Britain! O, departure of a most noble King! Dead is the renowned King of the Britons, Aurelius Ambrosius…The victory shall be thine, and King thou shalt be of the whole of Britain! For this is what yon star doth betoken, and the fiery dragon that is under the star! The ray, moreover, that stretcheth forth toward the regions of Gaul, doth portend that a son shall be born unto thee that shall be of surpassing mighty dominion...”2
If you haven’t guessed yet, that son would be Arthur. As in, King Arthur. Excalibur. Circular table. Guinevere. The whole nine. Yep. That one.
Uther, calling together the clergy of the country, took upon him the crown of the island, and with universal assent was raised to be King. And, remembering in what wise Merlin had interpreted the meaning of the star aforementioned, bade two dragons be wrought in gold in the likeness of the dragon he had seen upon the ray of the star. And when that they had been wrought in marvellous cunning craftsmanship, he made offering of the one unto the chief church of the See of Winton, but the other did he keep himself to carry about with him in the wars. From that day forth was he called Uther Pendragon, for thus do we call a dragon’s head in the British tongue. And the reason wherefore this name was given unto him was that Merlin had prophesied he should be King by means of the dragon.3
Waving defiantly in the blood-scented air of battlefields for centuries to come was a winged creature emblazoned on the standards of hardened would-be conquerors and kings: the symbol of the dragon.
This picks up a string of conversations on the Overcoming Church in our time.
Our last rendezvous in this series was a dive into the transcendental values of truth, goodness and beauty, which burn like beacons through the fog of spiritual subterfuge — and boy do we need ‘em right about now. The last installment, focused on wisdom as a deeply crucial discipline, necessitates a discussion on the source of deception, which is the kingdom of darkness.
And man… there is so much I want to say. Nearly overwhelmingly so.
Which is why we’re going to slow things down a bit.
The next three essays will be focused on the forces of evil. One thing about the story of God: it’s unbelievably cosmic in scope. Paradise vs. netherworld. Good vs. evil. Light vs. shadow. Garden vs. desert. History (including supernatural history) is like a play staged for the world to see, one that’s an exhilarating yet mystifying drama. Aelius Donatus, who tutored St. Jerome,4 categorized the movements of a play as the protasis (first act), the epitasis (bulk of the action), and finally, the catastrophe (resolution).
Bearing that in mind, here’s where we’re headed together:
Part VI: Protasis
An introduction to the prime rebel of redemption history, his power and motivations, and what you may not know to be watching out for.
Part VII: Epitasis
How the demonic realm works (and doesn’t), why the kingdom of darkness has been winning the West, and how to battle evil spirits.
Part VIII: Eucatastrophe5
The eventual defeat of the dragon with his allies and the sudden, happy turn of events brought about by the True King, Jesus, and ways we as the Church crush the enemy by engaging as faithful witnesses.
[If you haven’t read Parts I-V, you may want to now. Also, please consider subscribing and sharing. I truly appreciate you helping others find this work.]
It’ll be a de facto miniseries-within-the-series as we continue our trajectory talking about the Ekklēsia Nikaō — the Church God has empowered to overcome. Along the way are intriguing, terrifying stories from peoples around the world with inescapable connections to the serpentine. Our faith is embodied in a world of dragon kings, and if you wanna’ slay serpents, you’ve gotta’ know how they slither. My heart longs that you be equipped and encouraged in the face of evil; to pick up your sword and skillfully wield it when under attack with schemes and flaming arrows from the evil one (Ephesians 6:11-16). So let’s get to it.
Time to talk about the devil.
I. Enter the Dragon
Nestled along the southern ridges of the Himalayas is the small and nigh-inaccessible kingdom of Bhutan.
One of my professors in college was a missionary who spent a deal of time in Asia, including this, the world’s most mountainous nation (as a basketball coach — wild). Bhutan is an enigmatic place, to say the least. Particularly of note is the mystical origin of its history. Long before the establishment of Bhutanese monarchy, Tibetan monk Tsangpa Gyaré climbed with his disciples through the jagged terrain of Nam Phu, near modern-day Lhasa.
Tsangpa Gyaré (1161-1211), the renowned meditation master and ancestor of Bhutan’s founding father, Zhapdrung Ngawang Namgyel (1594-1651), was visiting the Nam area, following the prophetic instructions of his teacher and tutelary deities to set up a spiritual centre. He is reported to have seen nine dragons there, and as he approached, the dragons flew off, triggering a booming clap of thunder in the sky. Subsequently, a rain of flowers fell. Tsangpa Gyaré read these as auspicious omens… and thus named the place Druk.6
When there’s a group of dragons flying overhead, you’ve got my attention.
Gyaré went on to institute a monastery and founded the Drukpa school of Tibetan Buddhism. In the Dzongkha language, druk means “dragon,” and Bhutan came to be known as Drukyül, or "Land of the Thunder Dragon.” Centuries later, his grandson would unify Bhutan, which would wait 256 years to install its monarchy with Ugyen Wangchuck. He became the country’s very first Druk Gyalpo — the "Dragon King.”
The connection of serpents with kingship and ancient myth are ubiquitous. There’s the pharaohs of Egypt crowned with the cobra Uraeus, the Order of the Dragon in 15th century Hungary, the snake kings of the Mayas, the defeat of Tiamat (mother of serpents and dragons, herself possibly a sea monster) by the god Marduk in Mesopotamian lore.
You’ve also got the Rainbow Serpent of Aboriginal mythology, not to mention the Chinese dragon kings, the timeworn ritual Snake Dance of the Hopi tribe in northern Arizona, or the red dragon coat of arms for the House of Tudors. A survey of the histories of most peoples in the world reveals something striking: snakes and dragons are venerated, popular, mystifying, frightening and chaotic. Yet they’re anything but ignored — they’re everywhere (Indiana Jones would not be down for this expedition). Getting away from snakes proves difficult, stretching to the most ancient chronicles of mankind.7
Why is that, exactly? The biblical story seems to give a possible explanation:
Now the serpent (Hebrew nâchâsh) was more crafty than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made.
— Genesis 3:1
My guess is at least for most of you, memories are pinging from a Sunday school class or two from decades ago about our first parents’ failure on the counsel of a serpent between the trees. Let’s back up, though; who is this guy? For those who love ancient word etymologies: you’re welcome.
The Hebrew nâchâsh or nāḥāš (נָחָשׁ) comes from a primitive Semitic root — one that’s actually a verb:
Strong's H5172 - nāḥaš:
(verb) properly, to hiss, i.e. whisper a (magic) spell; generally, to prognosticate.8 (Well, well, well. What do we have here?)
Strong's H5173 - naḥaš:
(masculine noun) an incantation or augury:—enchantment.9 (Umm WOW.)
Strong's H5174 - nᵊḥāš:
And, finally Strong's H5175 - nāḥāš:
(masculine noun) a snake (from its hiss):—serpent.11
Obviously, this is not just some random animal. There’s more going on with several slippery layers of context to slough through.12 Scholars have observed dynamic wordplay that can be easy to miss. Here’s what one has to say:
"…to literate readers of the Hebrew Bible, the lemma nachash would have (intentionally so) brought to mind other elements of the cognitive framework of the original readers: the dispensing of divine knowledge (the verb form) and luminescence (nachash is of the same root as nechoshet [“copper, bronze”] in biblical Hebrew).”13
Another quote:
“…since there are immediate clues in the story that the serpent is more than a mere snake, that he may be a divine adversary, the term nachash is a triple entendre.”14
Salient details abound. The rebel is a 1) hissing, enchanting whisperer; 2) bright and shining;15 3) deceptive and crafty like a serpent. And he’s here. In the Garden of God. Sniffing the atmosphere with forked tongue, looking for something to deceive and devour. The hunt begins.
What happens next in the story is well-trodden ground. There is a test; humanity fails. A sly twist of the divine order spins the narrative: a question of “Indeed, has God said…?” (Gen. 3:1) turns to flat contradiction in “You surely will not die!” (Gen. 3:4), manipulating the humans’ desires in “your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God” (Gen. 3:5). The charming snake lures Eve and Adam into his trap, consuming their royalty in just a few hastened bites they take of forbidden fruit as the First Family fractures.
Yahweh confronts the three and dispenses judgment, though it’s mostly mercy. His pronouncement on the serpent is noteworthy; it indicates colossal, existential struggle between humans and this deceiver (Gen. 3:15). The snake’s inheritance is that it will be cast down from its high position, crawling around on its belly, chowing on nothing but the dust of death.16 Adam and Eve are expelled from the Garden, and the little dragon flies off, too; banished at the thundering sound of the voice of the Almighty. But no flowers fall. This is the great hemorrhage between humanity and God’s loving holiness, inspired by the “father of lies” (John 8:44).
Make no mistake: this is not just a snake.17
It’s a supernatural person. This creature is the prime cosmic rebel. The first dragon king.
II. Seraphs, Snakes & Sea Monsters
…for all the celebrations it has been the object of in prose and song, the sea has never been friendly to man. At most it has been the accomplice of human restlessness, and playing the part of dangerous abettor of worldwide ambitions.18
— Joseph Conrad
Jealousy is a ravenous animal. It crouches at the door, ready to eviscerate you. Odds are, you know the feeling. And in hindsight, it can be embarrassing.
Back in high school, I had a unique role in my friend group. Do you know what I mean? I’m sure you do. Mine was being the slightly scene kid19 who sang and played guitar and had a lovable, albeit weird, sense of humor (I never showed up for class dressed as a Naruto character, though. The sense wasn’t that weird). My buddies and I were in a band. I led worship for chapel services. All seemed to be peaceful and predictable.
At the beginning of senior year, a friend started attending our school. To this day, he’s probably one of the most talented people I’ve ever met, which is saying a lot. We all loved him, had a great time hanging together. But a little something began a slow-burn in the back of my soul: I was starting to get jealous. From my perspective, this guy was funnier than me, sang far better, could play circles around all of us (on any instrument), was better looking. It felt like he stole my friends, my spot, my attention — my identity. Bitterness and envy began to encrust themselves onto me and affect our friendship, and after graduation our closeness evaporated. Though there were choices he made to distance himself, I now know that I was also culpable in the breakdown. Jealousy kills intimacy.
Per one stream of Biblical thought, the serpent was once a seraph.
Seraphim (śārāp̄), possibly synonymous with cherubim (kᵊrûḇ), are spiritual beings tasked with the prestige of constantly praising Yahweh and marking sacred space. They have intimate, divine knowledge of the Holy One and are stewards of glory, sentinels of the Throne.20 Winged guardian creatures, unbound by space, time, or earth (Ezekiel 1:4-14, Isaiah 6:1-6).
Another insight lies in the word haśāṭān, meaning accuser or adversary; it’s where we get the word “Satan.” This is actually not a proper name.21 According to Semitics scholars, śāṭān is a title, nearly always paired with the definite article ha (“the”) in Hebrew.22 Think of it like saying the prosecuting attorney or the enemy; the satan. Linguistically, śāṭān in Hebrew is a morally neutral term, a mere descriptor. The serpent was likely, as some think, a divine being, seraph or otherwise, in the service of Yahweh and a member of the heavenly host.23 Of pre-Edenic life in the heavenspace, we can only speculate. But we do find hints of how the serpent turned, and it seems something snapped when he looked around and said “I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High” (Isaiah 14:14).
His jealousy killed the intimacy. His wings were clipped; he was cast down.
The earth became defiled with sin and order descended into chaos. After the Eden episode, things began to go morally haywire. Life on earth was a storm of blood and violence (Gen. 6:1-12). For ancients, the sea became synonymous with the unpredictable, chaotic spirits at work in the world. Some cultures described mammoth beasts in the sea, reptilian wrecking crews that would obliterate wandering ships. These had many names, one of them Leviathan.
Not long ago, we talked about the prophetic voice speaking against worldly powers. The Biblical prophets (nevi'im) were God’s mouthpieces, railing against the woes of wicked empire. At times, they’re employed by Yahweh to talk about evil in monstrous terms. To Pharaoh of Egypt the message is: “I will put hooks in your jaws… I will bring you up out of the midst of your rivers, And all the fish of your rivers will cling to your scales” (Ezekiel 29:4). Prophesying what the inhabitants of Judah will say about Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, Jeremiah declares: “He has swallowed me like a monster (tannîn)” (Jeremiah 51:34). Another messenger, whose name means “Yahweh is salvation,” gives a prophecy that sounds like something out of a maritime epic:
In that day the Lord will punish Leviathan the fleeing serpent,
With His fierce and great and mighty sword,
Even Leviathan the twisted serpent;
And He will kill the dragon who lives in the sea.
— Isaiah 27:1
One tome (the Dictionary of Deities and Demons in the Bible) has this to say about Isaiah’s oracle:
… Leviathan/Tannin in this passage (along with the serpent of Genesis 3 and the fourth beast of Daniel 7) supplied much of the background for the great dragon of Revelation 12-13 in the NT… What emerges from a review of the OT references is the portrait of a sea monster (or dragon) who served in various texts as a personification of chaos or those evil, historical forces opposed to Yahweh and his people.24
Sailors knew traversing the swirling depths yawning beneath them was a dangerous quest through the realm of the dead. Though water was so crucial to life, it was (and is) also lethal. And the king of the sea monsters, whomever he was, must also be the lord of the dead. This was his shadowy, bubbling, furious dominion — the netherworld. Quite like what the serpent inherited in Genesis 3 when he was cursed to eat dust.25
Needless to say, the serpent and his agents have been typified in sea monster terms for a long time.
But hold onto your fishing hooks for now, at least. We’ll need a bigger section in the next post to devote to Leviathan. And a bigger boat.
III. From Beginning to End
Since the beginning, Satan’s had kind of a monopoly on the whole "lord of evil" gig. Scripture assigns him with dozens of different titles, with generations of authors making subtle allusions to ongoing strife between those obedient to God and what lurks in darkness. While some academics argue that the serpent, the devil and Satan are distinct characters in the Biblical imagination,26 I find John the Revelator pretty convincing:
3 Then another sign appeared in heaven: and behold, a great red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads were seven diadems…
9 And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world.
— Revelation 12:3,9
In The Hobbit, J.R.R. Tolkien draws from a deep well of mythological influences to present a formidable villain in Smaug the Terrible. A red dragon, powerful and violent, full of guile and wit, and as arrogant as he is deadly, Smaug confronts Bilbo with self-aggrandizements like:
“I kill where I wish and none dare resist. I laid low the warriors of old and their like is not in the world today. Then I was but young and tender. Now I am old and strong, strong, strong… My armour is like tenfold shields, my teeth are swords, my claws spears, the shock of my tail a thunderbolt, my wings a hurricane, and my breath death!”27
The hobbit begins doubting himself and his friends due to Smaug’s twisted, deceptive words, because “that is the effect that dragon-talk has on the inexperienced.”28 In the story, Smaug rages, decimates, and has a great fall, crashing down from the heavens. Remind you of anyone else?
In Revelation 12, the Beloved Apostle is describing one chaotic being — dragon, serpent, the devil, and Satan. Revelation has hyperlinks to Old Testament prophecy in every movement, like ping-pong balls being volleyed back and forth with fierce precision.29 John’s account of the beast and the dragon empowering it is doused in Leviathan imagery. With a blasphemous and arrogant tongue, the beast speaks “against God” — drawing attention to Job 41:34, which says Leviathan “is king over all the sons of pride” — and neatly parallels with the rogue character in Daniel 7, Isaiah 14, and Ezekiel 28.
A lot of folks here stateside just call him “the enemy,” and given the usage in Greek, it’s fitting. That happens to be exactly what he is.
"devil" is the Greek word diábolos — slanderer or accuser.30
"Satan" is the Greek word satanas — derived from the Hebrew שָׂטָן (Satan), meaning adversary or accuser.31
Now, you can cite the contemporary understanding of 1st Temple Jews in the OT or 2nd Temple Jewish thought with a “well, no sources in the Hebrew Bible actually explicitly state the snake is Satan.” Fine. But doing so requires you to ignore the entire corpus of Scripture in both Testaments against the backdrop of their ancient Near Eastern context, polemic motivations, literary methods of analogous myth and expansion and — oh, that’s right — the fact that God intentionally obscures certain things and progressively gives revelation for mysteries.
Put it this way: none of the scribes or teachers of the Law, who knew the Scriptures better than anyone, were able to realize Jesus was not only Messiah, but Yahweh Himself. Why is that, exactly? If anyone should have known, it would be them. Their ignorance of the facts did not make the facts untrue.
The same can be said for the dragon king himself. Biblical authors and their contemporaries could very well have been ignorant about the identity of the enemy. Their ignorance of the facts would not make the facts untrue. Jesus said the devil is a primordial murderer from the arché, or “the beginning,” who is the “father of lies” (John 8:44), clues that seem to lead to the same place: the deceiver in the Garden. Over millennia, pagan parallels and literature contributed to modern conceptions of Satan, whether bat-like wings from Milton’s Paradise Lost or horns influenced by the worship of the Greek Pan.
From titles like Lucifer (which, hate to break it to you, is not his name), the Deceiver, Belial, to the Prince of Darkness, Beelzebub, the Evil One, and Old Scratch, the serpent at the beginning is the same dragon at the end, called the devil and Satan. He may rage like a thunder dragon, but pales before the One Whose praise is like a thundering waterfall put to celestial melody (Revelation 14:2). The red dragon is indeed old and strong. But take heart. Christ has laid him low, and we are His like in the world today.
An exhaustive description isn’t within my level of expertise, but here he is: Satan. This is who we’re dealing with.
But how do you fight a dragon king?
IV. Chaoskampf
True peace in the human soul is categorically elusive, and priceless. Ernest Hemingway’s short story about a Marine returning from World War I strikes a resounding chord on the search for inner peace:
Krebs had been away for a long time. When he came back, the town was different, and the people didn’t understand him anymore. He wanted to go back to the country, to get a peaceful job, and to live in peace. He wanted peace, but he could not find it in the way he had planned.32
All of us are looking for peace, usually in frivolous and worthless things, mildewy places. Satan finds no purpose for himself outside of opposing what is good and attempting to destroy it. To borrow from Erwin Lutzer: “his ultimate intention is to ruin you. Your destruction is his highest priority.”33 Peter portrays the devil as one who “prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:7), and Jesus hints at similar motivations: “to steal and kill and destroy” is all part of the predatory M.O. of the dragon (John 10:10). And as an ancient assassin, he’s loaded with every trick imaginable. A few of his tactics:
Lies & deception (Gen. 3:1-5; 2 Thess. 2:8-10; John 8:44; Rev. 12:9)
Disguising evil as righteousness (2 Cor. 11:14-15; Isa. 5:20; Matt. 7:15, 24:24)
Temptation & the allure of sin (Matt. 4:1-11; 2 Cor. 11:3; Acts 5:3)
Attacks & accusations (2 Cor. 4:4; 2 Tim. 1:7; Eph. 6:11-16; Zech. 3:1-2)
Manipulating the world (Eph. 6:12; Luke 4:5-6; Rev. 13:2-7; John 12:31, 16:11)
Opposing the Church (1 Thess. 2:18; Rev. 2:9-10, 12:17; Rom. 16:17-20)
But “we are not ignorant of his schemes” (2 Cor. 2:11).
Do you remember Jesus calming the storm, or walking on water in the Gospels? As the serpent stirs up confusion, darkness and death, Christ bids us to a life of peace — one that joins Him in trampling over the tumultuous waters in victory.
This is chaoskampf, ya’ll.
“In the chaoskampf myth, the primordial waters, often depicted as a dragon or sea creature, symbolize the forces of disorder that the deity must subdue in order to establish a stable, ordered cosmos.”34
Another OT scholar:
“The motif of the chaoskampf is not confined to the ancient Near East but appears in many parts of the ancient world, where a battle between a creator god and a chaotic, sea-monster-like figure symbolizes the triumph of order over chaos.”35
But hasn’t Jesus already conquered the dragon? Yes, and no. It’s a little already, a little not-yet.
While Christ has overcome as rightful King of all things through His death and Resurrection, there is a future, final vanquishing of the enemy yet to occur. Through His ekklēsia, the Church, He is actively working on the front lines to bring God’s peace where the dragon has sown disorder and death. This is why Jesus told His disciples: “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Jesus invites us to come out with Him, treading on the head of the serpent among the waves of the world, experiencing His triumph and transcendent peace (Philippians 4:6-7).
As dragon king, Satan looks to bequeath his usurped authority upon proxy dragon kings in the systems of the world. Bearing the symbol of the dragon, as Uther did, seems impressive and alluring, but deep below, bubbles and froths with rebellion. Of all things, that may be the devil’s specialty menu item: rebellion. He’s an instigator, one who disturbs our peace with God. Though not always explicitly identified, as the prime rebel of redemption history and father of lies, his fingerprints are all over the cookie jar. This is the kind of kingdom he’s fought so hard for.
A kingdom of chaos.
Fomenting supernatural rebellion is that very idea; bringing chaos to God’s order. And though we may think of the devil as a slimy charmer with a mustache and briefcase, convincing us to sink our jaws into the succulent “big sins,” his influences can be so subtle as to be imperceptible. The Apostle Paul’s concerns for the Corinthians included this: “But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ” (2 Cor. 11:3). The enemy uses every angle, even the simple ones. In the words of one article on the workings of temptation, “shame and self-pity are Satan’s food.” Here’s an imagined correspondence from one demon to another by Lewis:
“You will say that these are very small sins; and doubtless, like all young tempters, you are anxious to be able to report spectacular wickedness. But do remember, the only thing that matters is the extent to which you separate the man from the Enemy. It does not matter how small the sins are, provided that their cumulative effect is to edge the man away from the Light and out into the Nothing. Murder is no better than cards if cards can do the trick. Indeed the safest road to Hell is the gradual one—the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts.”36
— C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters
Spend ten minutes in gridlock on the 405. You’ll find the devil there.
Much of what Satan accomplishes on this side of reality is done through lieutenants, be they lesser dragon kings in the form of musical artists, politicians, influencers, city planners, Youtube preachers, or other humans under the influence of the shadow. Demons (who we’ll spend a country minute on next time) are also quite active in the West, and much more at home around us than we’d be comfortable to realize. Hand-in-hand, interest in the occult and witchcraft has been spiking. The kingdom of darkness is teemingly populated and on the prowl these days.
Most importantly, though, is what the enemy tries to do within you.
Just as he tempted Christ to bow down in the desert, the devil will attempt to get you to submit to his reign. In your reactions, little attitudes, thoughts of cruelty; in your selfish moments and unclean words and gossip and tiny stolen pleasures. Like old uncle Screwtape said, the surest way for Satan to get you into Hell is a gentle descent, one hair-thin step at a time. It’s the reason virtually every New Testament author talks about being “on your guard” or spiritually aware (1 Cor. 16:13; 1 Thess. 5:6; 1 Pet. 5:8-9; James 4:7-8; 1 John 4:1; Jude 3-4). Our enemy is a slimy one.
I’ve tried to highlight John’s Apocalypse in Revelation throughout this series, partially because I’m studying it, but also because it frames and gives language to the cosmic conflict that we find ourselves in. That you find yourself in. Satan is presented there as a false king — a dragon king — one who smashes and ruins while he can, but who will one day be brought low. The Incarnation, Crucifixion and Resurrection of Christ the True King of kings and LORD of lords (Rev. 19:16) has disbarred the accuser. Consequently we, the people of God, the Ekklēsia Nikaō, are the Church who has overcome him.
“Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night. And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death."
— Revelation 12:10-11
Yes, the serpent is still active; we’ll meet at Part VII to talk about that. But his time is short. He’s big mad. And that’s fine, because we win.
V. A Cruel Tyrant
Well.
Where to now? Perhaps a note from one of the more pastoral of the Early Church Fathers to help close this entry.
Cyril of Jerusalem was amazing. He lived at a time where so much was happening in the Mediterranean world and in the Church, and proved a gentle but sturdy shepherd who was also a brilliant mind. One fiery snippet from his instructions for new believers regarding their baptism is fun:
For when Pharaoh, that most bitter and cruel tyrant, was oppressing the free and high-born people of the Hebrews, God sent Moses to bring them out of the evil bondage of the Egyptians…
Now turn from the old to the new, from the figure to the reality. There we have Moses sent from God to Egypt; here, Christ, sent forth from His Father into the world: there, that Moses might lead forth an afflicted people out of Egypt; here, that Christ might rescue those who are oppressed in the world under sin…
What then did each of you stand up and say? “I renounce you, Satan,— you wicked and most cruel tyrant!” Meaning, “I fear your might no longer; for that Christ has overthrown, having partaken with me of flesh and blood, that through these He might by death destroy death, that I might not be made subject to bondage forever.” “I renounce you,— you crafty and most subtle serpent.”37
— Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lecture 19
As with history’s archetypal dragon kings molded after him, Satan must be actively resisted. He must be deposed, and one of the ways we shake off the coils of his influence and overcome is in our allegiance to Jesus in daily life. Renounce the cruel tyrant; that’s what he is. Whatever he offers you is a trap. Resist his subtle sway. Reject sin and temptation and darkness. Refuse to be made “king” in your world by means of the dragon. Embrace a vibrant life of surrender in the Spirit, being molded and shaped into the image of Jesus (Rom. 8:29; 2 Cor. 3:18; James 4:7). Bow to Jesus alone; the Lamb Who was slain and Who is worthy of all your love and devotion forever. Christ has overcome the enemy (Rev. 17:14).
Our talk turns next to specific ways the forces of evil are engaging on the world stage in our day.
You and I find ourselves drafted into the chaoskampf: ‘the battle against chaos’ from eons past. How do you prepare yourself against demons?
Put on some boots. Get ready to kick the hornets’ nest.
In the lore, Merlin is called a “cambion,” which is generally considered to be the offspring of a human and a demon (creepy). In ancient Hebrew thought, demons were the disembodied spirits of dead Nephilim, who were themselves the product of angel-human relations. See Baudry, Robert (1997). Ile des merveilles: mirage, miroir, mythe : colloque de Cerisy. L'Harmattan (Paris). p. 162.
Geoffrey (of Monmouth, Bishop of St. Asaph). (1920). Histories of the Kings of Britain (S. Evans, Trans.). J. M. Dent & sons, Limited. pp. 143-145.
Ibid., Geoffrey, Histories, pp. 143-145.
Metzger, Bruce Manning (2001). The Bible in translation: ancient and English versions. Baker Academic (Grand Rapids). p. 32.
A term coined by J.R.R. Tolkien using the Greek words ‘eu’ (“good”) and ‘katastrophé’ (“overturn” or “disaster”). As opposed to a nightmare or tragic ending, a eucatastrophe is “the sudden happy turn in a story which pierces you with a joy that brings tears.” See Tolkien, John Ronald Reuel (2000). The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, ed. Humphrey Carpenter. Houghton Mifflin (New York). p. 100.
Phuntsho, Karma (2013). The history of Bhutan. Random House (India). p. 9.
Seriously. Spend a good amount of time exploring ancient cultures, and eventually you’ll find a serpent, snake or dragon. It’s insane.
H5172 - nāḥaš - Strong’s Hebrew Lexicon (kjv). (n.d.). Blue Letter Bible. https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h5172/kjv/wlc/0-1/
H5173 - naḥaš - Strong’s Hebrew Lexicon (kjv). (n.d.). Blue Letter Bible. https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h5173/kjv/wlc/0-1/
H5174 - nəḥāš - Strong’s Hebrew Lexicon (kjv). (n.d.). Blue Letter Bible. https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h5174/kjv/wlc/0-1/
H5175 - nāḥāš - Strong’s Hebrew Lexicon (kjv). (n.d.). Blue Letter Bible. https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h5175/kjv/wlc/0-1/
“Slough” — the cast-off skin of a snake. See what I did there?
Heiser, M. S. (2015). The Unseen Realm: Recovering the Supernatural Worldview of the Bible. Lexham Press. p. 88n2.
Heiser, M. S. (2015). The Unseen Realm: Recovering the Supernatural Worldview of the Bible. Lexham Press. p. 87.
Divine beings were described as being luminescent in ancient thought.
Commentators point out some of the imagery in Genesis 3:14-15 indicates being brought down low in shame (Heb. “ál-gə-ḥō-nə-ḵā ṯê-lêḵ”) with “on your belly you shall go,” as well as eating dust representing the ash and debris of the underworld (Heb. “wə-‘ā-p̄ār tō-ḵal”) in “and dust you shall eat.” Comparisons with Isaiah 14:12-15 and Ezekiel 28:12-17 have historically lent to the matrix of ideas that bring the identity of the serpent into focus as a divine being and not a mere animal.
Yes. I’m a rapper.
Conrad, J. (1921). The mirror of the sea. Doubleday, Page (New York, NY). p. 136.
Mid 2000s to early 2010s. Emo. Pop-punk. Post-hardcore. Skinny jeans. Straightened flat hair with crazy colors. We were the happy emo kids. Good times. “Judge not,” people.
Aquinas’ definition: “The seraphim represent the highest order of angels who are attendants at the throne of God and are associated with purity and burning love, reflecting their name which means ‘burning ones.’” See Aquinas, Thomas. (1274). Summa Theologica, First Part, Q. 108, Art. 5.
Strikingly, “Satan” is never named. Ever. Not once. In the entire Bible. Yes, really.
Chad Bird elaborates: “…with one exception, every reference in the Old Testament to the one called “Satan [שָׂטָן]” is actually “hassatan [הַשָּׂטָן].” The “ha” in Hebrew is the definite article “the.” This means that, when hassatan is used, it is a title or office, not a proper name: the satan not Satan. In Hebrew as in English, proper names do not have “the” attached to them.” See Bird, Chad. The devil in the details of the Old Testament: Is Satan in the Hebrew Bible? (n.d.-b). https://www.1517.org/articles/the-devil-in-the-details-of-the-old-testament-is-satan-in-the-hebrew-bible.
This idea pervades the writings of thinkers such as Jerome, Origen and others. Per Gregory the Great: "The chief angel who sinned, being set over all the hosts of angels, surpassed them in brightness, and was by comparison the most illustrious among them." See Pope Gregory the Great, Homily 34 on the Gospels, in The Homilies of Gregory the Great, trans. by John M. Neale, (London: Bell & Daldy, 1859). p. 112.
Van Der Toorn, K. (1999). Dictionary of Deities and Demons in the Bible. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. p. 836.
Contextually, the human dead; God tells Adam “to dust you shall return” in Genesis 3:19.
Here’s looking at you, Archie Wright & John Walton! *wave*
Tolkien, J. R. R. (2001). The Hobbit. Houghton Mifflin Co (Boston). p. 245.
Tolkien, J. R. R. (2001). The Hobbit. Houghton Mifflin Co (Boston). p. 244.
According to Stefanovic, 278 of Revelations 404 verses contain direct or indirect references or allusions to the Old Testament. See Ranko Stefanovic, Revelation of Jesus Christ: Commentary on the Book of Revelation, Second (Berrien Springs, Michigan: Andrews University Press, 2009), 18. See also, Brooke Foss Westcott and Fenton John Anthony Hort, The New Testament In The Original Greek (London: Macmillan and Company, 1911); H.B. Swete, The Apocalypse of Saint John (London: The Macmillan Co., 1911. Reprinted, Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., n.d).
Strong’s Greek: 1228. διάβολος (diabolos) -- Devil, accuser, slanderer. (n.d.). https://biblehub.com/greek/1228.htm
Strong’s Greek: 4567. Σατανᾶς (Satanas) -- Satan. (n.d.). https://biblehub.com/greek/4567.htm
Hemingway, Ernest. "Soldier's Home." In Our Time. Boni & Liveright, 1925, p. 105.
Lutzer, E. W. (2007). Getting to no: How to Break a Stubborn Habit. David C Cook Distribution. p. 30.
Hermann Gunkel, Genesis: A Commentary, trans. Mark E. Biddle (Macon: Mercer University Press, 1997) p. 87.
John Day, God’s Conflict with the Dragon and the Sea (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1996). p. 2.
C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters (New York: Macmillan, 1961), p. 64-65.
Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lecture 19, in The Works of Saint Cyril of Jerusalem, trans. Leo P. McCauley (New York: Fathers of the Church, 1951). p. 302.
Awesome. I'm not sure why you would correlate the 405 traffic to finding Satan there, because I'm constantly praying on that freeway.
Love this- great word Kaleb!